Gabrielle Collison

I was born in London and attended Nonsuch High School for Girls in Cheam. Being a rather free-spirited person, and finding the constraints and curriculum of an all girls grammar school a bit too much, I left at 16 to start a job in structural engineering in London. However, I later returned to academic life and studied Sports Science at university to post-graduate level. During this time I also became a top class runner, gaining an Athletics National Championship (AAA) medal in the 3000m and various vests for road and track. I also spent time as a part-time teacher and coach, and worked in a specialist running shop in Brighton.

Unfortunately, due to an Achilles tendon injury I decided to retire from athletics and with my running career behind me travelled about for a while pursuing other interests.

My parents moved to Portugal in 2000 and so I found myself spending more and more time there. Having already dabbled with French and Spanish, and some Italian, I soon picked up a working knowledge of Portuguese, and began to get involved in helping non-Portuguese-speaking expatriates with bureaucracy and property purchase problems. It therefore seemed the logical next step to write a book in order to pass on the knowledge that I had gained in this area.

I am now based in North London and have also written articles on sports science related subjects, information for websites, and travel and relocation articles.

My MSc dissertation was entitled, 'Great British Marathon Runners of the 1980s', which was kindly sponsored by Sir Eddie Kulukundis, and I am currently turning this into a book. My website is www.gabriellecollison.com