She had only one condition—'no sob stories'—which we readily accepted, eager to seize the opportunity. We were also joined by Pimenta, affectionately known as Pi, Softway's latest personality-hire. Usually vocal, Pi, perhaps soothed by the gentle light of a late spring afternoon, ended up dozing off.
With a Donovan vinyl playing softly in the background, we navigated through the interview, avoiding any contentious topics with varying degrees of success. The result is a set of 10 questions and answers that offer our readers a glimpse into Madalena's more personal side.
- If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
If I could choose a superpower, I'd choose the ability to fly. That way, I could be wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and explore the entire world.
- Do you remember a particular film that made an impression on you?
Perfect Days by Wim Wenders. It's a beautifully simple film, free from clichés.
- What was the most unusual or interesting job you had before joining our team?
Managing a restaurant. I handled both the daily operations and the marketing side. While not unusual, it was a dream job for me and very interesting.
- What's your favourite office snack? Do you have a secret place where you keep it?
I'm not going to answer that because someone who knows exactly what I eat is very interested in that information.
- If you could swap positions with anyone at Softway, who would it be and why?
The creative side of me, which I am aware I fully lack, would love to swap with Marta, our web designer. I would love to work on my creative side, I even have books on the subject, but I haven't gotten to it yet.
- What's your go-to karaoke song?
It's easier to name artists than specific songs. In order of preference: Tina Turner, anything from ABBA, and Adele, who has plenty of great options.
- Which Softway team-building event did you enjoy the most?
I really liked the boating trip, but my favorite was undoubtedly the immersive theatre experience, 'The Death of the Raven.'
- A book you'd recommend?
I'd recommend many, but if I have to pick two: Resurrection by Tolstoy, which is a beautifully profound book, and The Sum of Days by Isabel Allende. Funny enough, with Resurrection, I stopped and started several times, but each time I picked it back up, I remembered exactly where I left off and enjoyed immersing myself in its universe again.
- If your life had a soundtrack, what would it be?
It would be emotional yet practical, without being too moody. Something along the lines of Mamma Mia (forgive the second Abba reference).
- Finally, instead of asking the typical question from a famous Portuguese show, 'if your eyes could speak, what would they say,' we're more interested in hearing about your Bucket List. What are some things you still want to accomplish?
I have countless things I'd love to do. Firstly, there are many less typical countries I'd like to visit and explore. One thing I regret not doing when I was in Rio is hang-gliding—it seems scary but exhilarating. I'd also love to go on a horseback safari and visit a gorilla sanctuary. Above all, I'd like to visit all the continents in a short time.
We hope this brief interview has offered you insight into one of the incredible individuals on our team. Thank you, Madalena, for letting us take a look behind the scenes. Stay tuned for our next interview!
