After finishing his East Asia and Economics studies at the Hebrew University, Ilya moved to China to work on his Mandarin in 2008. Spending more than 2 years in teaching and studying in different schools and cities in China, Ilya opened Culture Yard with the belief that language could and should be taught differently. With this belief, Ilya spent a year looking for the perfect location, the most suitable learning environment, best teachers and learning materials to make sure Culture Yard is not just another language school. Ilya speaks fluent English, Hebrew, Russian and Chinese.