To keep up with the rising demand and continue serving our clients in the most efficient way possible, we decided to expand our team. In addition, we also have a new trainee on board! Meet Rafael, our project manager for multilingual meetings and Camilla, our new trainee for written translations!

Could you tell us a bit more about yourself?

Rafael: I am 24 years old, I am Brazilian, and I am living in Maastricht. I studied International Business Administration at the University of Twente before joining Presence. I have been in the Netherlands for 17 years now, and I’ve been enjoying every minute of it. Maastricht really feels like home to me and I am so grateful to be part of Presence’s Dream Team.

Camilla: I’m Camilla and I’m 23 years old. I’m currently studying at the Translator’s Academy in Maastricht and doing my final internship at Presence. When I learned to read and write, I discovered that I love languages. As soon as I was able to read, I started reading as many books as I could. I think that’s why my Dutch is that good, because my first language is actually Hungarian, even though my Hungarian vocabulary is pretty bad right now due to not speaking it that often.

My passion is inline skating. I absolutely hate working out in general, but skating is the only thing that actually clears my head and it’s also good for me! Also, I’m pretty creative. I like to paint, crochet, draw… even though I don’t do these things as often as I’d like to anymore.

Fun fact about me: I can solve a Rubik’s cube in under 2 minutes (I’m proud of this).

What?! We have to see this!

Tell us Rafael, is there also something that distinguishes you from the rest?

Rafael: Well I think what sets me apart from everyone else is my never ending enthusiasm for everything. Sometimes things seem really stressful or irritating, but somehow I try to find the joy in everything. I love having a good time with my friends and coworkers, and I hope people can see that.

Indeed we find your enthusiasm a real asset!

Camilla, you will do your internship at Presence, why did you choose us?

Camilla: To be honest, at first I applied purely based on the company’s location. However, as soon as I had my interview, I really liked the vibes of the office and the colleagues. For me, at a job the vibes and colleagues are at least equally as important as the actual work you do. You spend 40 hours a week at your job, so you should feel at home in the team and comfortable. Luckily, this is the case for me. All my colleagues are amazing: thanks everyone for the warm welcome!

And what is on your daily agenda?

Camilla: Even though I am an intern, I’m not only doing ‘intern things’ like making coffee and copies. I actually feel like a permanent project manager: talking to customers, handling orders, etc.

So what’s on my daily agenda? Making coffee (haha), answering emails, sometimes answering phone calls (which I still find a bit scary), setting up quotes and orders with my colleagues’ help, assigning projects to translators, delivering translations… typical PM tasks.

Rafael, you started as a permanent PM at Presence, what do you hope to have accomplished 3 years from now?

Rafael: In three years I hope to have been able to prove myself as a reliable and dependable member of Presence. I hope to develop the ability to always be in control, even in the most challenging situations, and that this will earn my colleague’s recognition.   I also hope to have created life long connections with the amazing group that Presence’s Dream team is, it is truly amazing to work here.  

Camilla, what do you hope to learn from your internship at Presence?

Camilla: I learned very soon that  a PM needs to be organised, because there are so many projects to deal with at once. I’m hoping to learn how to set priorities and tackle multiple projects and deadlines confidently and effectively.

Also, this will be my first full time office job, so I’m also very curious as to what I’ll think of the transition from the relaxed student life to the busier working life.

Before we end this interview, one more question for  Rafael. Your enthusiasm adorns you, so tell us: what is your favorite motivational quote?

Rafael: “Everything will be okay in the end, if it’s not okay it’s not the end”

I really like this quote because even when things seem impossible, there will always be a way through them. This is the kind of quote that motivates me when I am faced with difficulty. It is all a matter of perspective, and in today’s world I think this message is more important than ever.

I also like thinking about this quote because it makes the impossible seem possible. Everything that you want to achieve might not happen right away, but with some patience and virtue you can get anywhere.

Thank you both for the interesting chat!

We look forward to working with both of you.

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