My Story
Cape Town native. Survivor of teenage eye-rolls. Disliker of laundry.
Thank you for stopping by and wanting to know a little bit more about me. So let's start with my full name... It's Bridget Höpperger, which is totally my Austrian husband's fault 🤪 (it took me forever to learn how to pronounce my last name 🤦🏻♀️) but don't worry, just call me Bridget 😊... like Bridget Jones!
I was born in Cape Town, South Africa, during the Apartheid era and spent most of my childhood in Swakopmund, Namibia (think Atlantic beaches, red dust, endless sunshine, and a whole lot of space to roam). After 13 years, Apartheid was still a thing, but some schools opened their doors to non-white kids. My sister and I headed back to Cape Town to continue our education at boarding school, which, let’s be honest, was mostly spent planning the perfect escape 😂 and becoming fiercely independent at a very young age.
Fast-forward through my twenties (which were fun, chaotic, scary at times - but mostly fun), and we land in 2006 when a devastating car accident had me laid up in bed. A friend suggested a trip to Switzerland to heal in the mountains, and I thought, "Sure, why not!?" One visit turned into back-and-forth flights, and a year later, I’d packed up my life and moved to the Alps for good.
In 2009, I married Markus, my very patient husband, and we built a family together. These days, we have two teenage sons who are funny, loud, maddening, and 100% the reason for my grey hair! 😱
As for how I became a teacher… that wasn’t part of some grand plan. It started small - helping kids in our village, correcting everyone’s English whether they asked for it or not (sorry, not sorry 🤪) - and somewhere along the way, it stopped being a side thing and became something I genuinely loved. Sixteen years later, I’m still at it, and still passionate about helping people find their voice in English - not just grammar rules, but real communication, real confidence.🦾
When I’m not teaching or refereeing teen drama, you’ll probably find me singing loudly to anything the radio can throw at me, sipping coffee like it’s a sport, or out in the garden naming my plants. I love a good psychological thriller, a proper belly-laugh, and a long chat over a glass of wine (or two 😉).
Now that you know a bit more about me (and possibly more than you expected 🙃), why not say hi? Whether you’re curious about lessons or just want to connect, I’d love to hear from you.