Why we do what we do

“Wendy could do better” – my school report, every year. I was good at drawing, creative writing and acting. In the 70s being ‘good at art’ had absolutely no value. What I was good at didn’t count, and in every other subject I was "Not good enough".

What no one tells you as a kid
is that being unusual
or creative or a good communicator
turns out to be a very big deal
when you become an adult.

"Gegen Fashionismus" by Wendy (2016)

In 2006, when I first began teaching English, I saw how desperate people were to improve their skills but terrified of failing and being judged. In 2013 WordCafe opened with the aim of providing a safe and friendly space to chat, to have fun, to try things out and, most importantly, to learn to fail.

Our philosophy is simple: not everyone is gifted at learning languages, but, luckily, communicating successfully is more about being human than understanding grammar. If more people knew that, the world would be a friendlier place.

Wendy Zähringer-Hardy — Founder and CEO of WordCafe