Staff Blog

Study and work in a different language is very challenging, think in Portuguese and then write or talk in English can became misunderstood if we don't adapt it to the UK context.

In my country, we are very direct and open when you speak, and also more loud and emotive. These facts and the language differences can turn a simple conversation into a big misunderstanding.

For e.g. in the other day, my business English lecture advice me "Catia, in UK you shouldn't ask direct questions because may be impolite…you need to say - I was wondering if you could tell me if…, may you tell me please…, etc.", and I answer "but why?"…there again I was doing the same mistake he was telling me not to do.

Even when I'm with colleges and friends, this language problem happened "Does the restaurant have cow meat?" (Translating literally from Portuguese to English)…

Only experience and my dear English Lecturer will help me improve. In the end of the day, life is about learning, and we only learn from our mistakes….

"I'm Catia Gomes, Portuguese and living in Glasgow. I was thinking if I should start saying how I am but actually, I think is more interesting and fun if I say what I do and then you try to guess or ask me more things.

At the moment, I'm working as Account Manager for Samsung in Bellcom. Why did I choose this job? Because I like to talk, build good relationships, I'm very ambitious, and more then anything, I love new challenges.

That is why I feel very bored if I work in a job with no goals to achieve…

Talking about challenges, my biggest challenge was to leave Portugal where I have my family and friends. Leaving my comfort zone to come and live alone and by myself in a country completely different in many ways.

So far, I won more then I lost…I have good friends from many nationalities that I made here in Scotland, I'm also taking the advantage of living here to study so, I'm taking a second degree in the University and, the most important of all, I'm working in Bellcom.

Where I also made friends, I work in something that I really like and, we all have opportunities to show our best and grow.

Living abroad is really cool, I'm here for 1.5 year and I can't get enough.

Everyday I discover something new, and I also learn a lot from colleagues from different nationalities- Scandinavians, Italians, French, Spanish, Germans, and British.

There is so much to say about it…but I will leave it to another opportunity..."