Maria is part of the Sales & Project Management team. She has a strategic mindset focused on the right solution for the client and makes everyday challenges easier. She has accustomed us to her unbelievable lunchtime stories and her music, which only she can discover among the thousands of Spotify playlists.

In the midst of laughter and relaxed conversation, we managed to bring you the essence of Maria so that you can get to know her better.

1. If you could swap positions with anyone at Softway, who would it be and why?
   I really like what I do [laughs]. But maybe I'd swap with one of the programmers, because I'd like to know how to do what they do. I'd like to know how to programme.
2. If you could have a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it?
   I'd definitely use teleportation [laughs]. So I could go to Porto and back, without having to rush up the A1. The other day it took me two hours to get home because of the traffic. If I had teleportation, I'd close my eyes and be home. I'd love that!
3. What do you like to do to relax after a day's work?
   I usually like to go for a drink with my friends or have friends round for dinner. I like to cook for them, it's therapeutic. On days when I don't have a programme planned, I love to get home, go for a walk to clear my head, have dinner and then read a book.
4. If you were given a week's all-expenses-paid holiday tomorrow, which place would you choose?
   I'd go on a road trip through Provence in France or a boat trip through Greece.
5. What job would you like to have if you weren't working at Softway?
   I'd like to work in the social sector, I'm not sure what specifically, but probably managing projects. It's the ‘bug’ that's still in me [laughs].
6. What book, film or song do you never tire of recommending?
   I'd recommend ‘In Your Desert’ by Miguel Sousa Tavares, which is epic. This book is beautiful and is good to recommend because it's ‘light’. Recommending a song is a problem, because nobody likes the songs I like [laughs]. But one good song I like to recommend to get people excited is ‘Oliveira de 100 anos’ by C. Tangana. It's a very unexpected song that everyone usually likes.
7. What is your comfort food and is it associated with a particular memory?
   My comfort food is feijoada and the only thing I associate it with is that one of my great friends always made feijoada for my birthday. So it's associated with friends and dinner parties.
8. If your life had a soundtrack, which 3 songs would definitely be on it?
   I have to open Spotify [laughs]. Maybe ‘All Too Well (10 minutes version)’, then there'd be ‘Muitas Mais Virão’ by Capitão Fausto and I'd probably put on any song by Karol G., to have something more upbeat.
9. If you could choose a new skill or hobby, which would you choose and why?
   Firstly, I'd love to be able to sing [laughs]. I'd love to know how not to sing badly. And as a hobby, I'd like to do more things related to handicrafts or ceramics - I think it would be good for me, to train my patience.
10. Describe a hidden talent you have that your mates don't know about.
    It's no longer a skill I have, but I doubt you know that I did ballet for 15 years. I haven't done it since I came to Lisbon, so it's no longer a skill I have, but I practised from the age of 3 to 18.

We'd like to thank Maria for showing us a little of her world, always with good humour and a pinch of humour. We hope you enjoyed it and we'll see you soon for a new The Interview Diaries.