Born to a Bulgarian father and a French mother, Langley resident Josette Hendrix’s birthright was growing up in a bilingual home.

As a young girl living in Bulgaria, Hendrix spoke to her mother in fluent French and to her father in equally fluent Bulgarian. Then when she was 10-years-old, she and her family fled Communist Bulgaria for Italy. During the next five years, Hendrix learned and mastered Italian out of necessity, adding it to her list of languages spoken fluently.

At 15-years-old, Hendrix came to the United States and picked up English within the first few years, making it her fourth fluent language.

“I realized that I had this facility for language,” she said.

Now a master of four languages and proficient Spanish, Hendrix currently spends much of her time facilitating others in learning and excelling in language study.

Since 1996, Josette Hendrix has founded and run the Northwest Language Academy (NWLA), based out of Langley. And in April, her academy will start offering classes in Oak Harbor.

Starting April 18, the NWLA will offer Spanish, Italian, French and Japanese for adults and children.

Hendrix said she is currently looking for a facility in which to hold the classes, but they are still scheduled to start on April 18.

Because of her success at the south end of Whidbey Island, Hendrix decided to expand the academy to Port Townsend and North Whidbey.

“We’re in such a growth stage,” she said.

With approximately 160 students learning French, Italian, Spanish, Bulgarian or Japanese, Hendrix said her academy is a center for not only language, but for cultural, social and relational exchange as well.

Hendrix said she is fascinated by the literal and logical comparison and analysis of language. She said learning a language is more than just learning sounds; it is the communication of a culture, its views and experiences.

Hendrix said through NWLA classes, she hopes to engage individuals in language and enable them to use their acquired communication skills in a practical and enjoyable manner.

Hendrix said she thinks her early experiences with languages and multilingual necessity gave her a passion for helping others maneuver through the often tricky mazes of a foreign language’s conjugation, syntax and etymology.

One of Hendrix’s French and Italian students, Sarah Halsey, said she studies language to acquire a level of communication skills that will allow her more freedom when traveling.

“So much of what you get from foreign travel, you get from language,” she said.

Halsey said she has taken French since the third grade, but has only taken Italian for the past year.

Since taking the language classes at the NWLA, Halsey said she has taken a trip to Italy and enjoyed it thoroughly because of the power she gained with her increased ability to communicate.

Max Cole-Takanikos, 14, has taken French from Hendrix for the past four years.

He said he started his language experience in one of Hendrix’s summer day-camps for kids.

At these camps, children come to participate in days filled with games, authentic food, art, drama and team projects that all revolve around a specific language.

“I like the way you can express things that you can’t express in English,” Max said, of his experience with the French language.

Max’s mother, Joni Takanikos, said with four years of French study behind him, Max can hold his own in the language, and proved that this past year when she and Max took a trip to Paris.

“It’s amazing, he sounds very native,” she said. “He is not at the fluency level yet, but he will get there.”

Max said he plans to learn German next and hopes it is offered at the NWLA soon.

The NWLA currently offers classes in the fall, winter and spring, for 10 to 12 week sessions. Each classes costs about $200 to $250 per 10- to 12-week session, not including the cost of class materials.

Hendrix said the NWLA also provides language cafes, cultural events, travel opportunities, private lessons and translations.

“I’m always trying to see how I can make it more accessible for people,” Hendrix said.