Success story of Alexandra Merkulova

Alexandra was born in Krasnoyarsk in 1985 and lived in the absolute confidence that this was the best city on earth. I studied English from the age of 6, because my parents paid special attention to it. In 2000, I went for the first time with a group of guys from the Paradise company to the UK for 2 weeks to practice English. This trip became the starting point of her European Odyssey. It seemed like there would be enough impressions to last a lifetime. Her horizons expanded, and Alexandra went to Moscow. The hero city, like London, was to her taste, and she, the daughter of an architect, followed in her father’s footsteps.

However, I made the choice consciously, without parental pressure. Having a love for languages, she first wanted to become a translator. But then I decided that knowing a language is not a profession. And she turned out to be right: she speaks English and Dutch and is also an architect!

One day, a delegation from Holland came to Alexandra’s institute, one of its representatives turned out to be her future husband. Then, of course, she could not know how things would end, how her heart would calm down, and simply went on an exchange for 1 year to Sweden, to the technical institute KTH. Studied a master's program in Stockholm in English.

Parents made the right decision! The daughter stayed in Carlson’s country for two years and completed the program. During my studies, I visited my Dutch boyfriend. An internship at an architecture company in Holland turned into a full-time job. Over time, there was a transition from architecture to urban planning. Alexandra works in a company with a team of 40 people. They also carry out Russian projects. Sometimes he even goes on business trips to his native Krasnoyarsk. Alexandra’s company designs residential areas, develops territorial development strategies, residential complexes, schools…

Alexandra's husband's name is Tom. He is an engineer. The couple has two children: son Vic (6 years old) and sweet daughter Evie (1.5 years old). They live in Utrecht – large city 30 minutes drive from Amsterdam. Alexandra is happy with life in Holland. “It’s comfortable here,” she says, “people are very open, friendly, but they don’t get into their souls, they respect the boundaries of others.”

Alexandra likes that everything is planned six months in advance and she can live without unnecessary stress. She is happy.