Anna Ratcliffe - Assistant Director of Studies

I arrived in Portugal 20 years ago in a motor home, and began my career with International House shortly after.  While we lived in our bus in the garden of our newly purchased ruin, I raised two children and slowly re-built the house in to a family home and quinta.  We still live in our old stone house in Vila Nova de Poiares, now with three cats and a dog, and children who have grown up. 

Previously to living in Portugal, I lived in Manchester, London, and Spain, as well as travelling extensively in India and South East Asia, including teaching for a while in Indonesia. I enjoy cooking, yoga, reading and gardening.  I also love camping, and have lived in a number of unusual places, including a cave and a yurt!  Music is a big part of my life, and I have played the saxophone in a ska band, often DJ at parties and weddings with my collection of 7 inch vinyl singles, and since the age of 15, have enjoyed going to numerous gigs, concerts and music festivals.