After living and working in Italy for 12 years as a teacher, translator and editor, Marilena moved back to Scotland in 2010, with her family, to undertake teacher training (secondary English). She has been teaching English in Glasgow since 2011.
In recent years, she has undertaken extensive professional reading on how to teach all aspects of literacy more effectively in her subject and across the curriculum. She is currently PT of Literacy at Lourdes Secondary School in Glasgow.