Rosie Hawes hails from Plymouth, England. She passed the eleven-plus exam and went to a girls' grammar school. She harboured a desire for adventure and was drawn towards Russian when it was offered at GCSE at her school. After travelling to Romania as part of her degree, she switched from History to a combined Russian and History degree because she saw languages as a key to the adventure and opportunities she wanted. After university she came to Russia where she has now been for nine years. She has travelled extensively in the country and works for a consultancy company.