I have been working for the Directorate-General for Translation (DGT) Polish language department in Luxembourg for 15 years.

I studied Spanish Philology and American Studies in Poland, at the Jagiellonian University. Before working at DGT I was an official at the American Consulate in Krakow and wanted to continue my work path in an international environment.

I like my job because:

• I feel part of the European society,
• it’s never boring,
• it helps me develop as a professional.

Working at DGT gives me lot of satisfaction. I can feel I am doing something that really counts in the world. Dealing with everyday problems and world issues lets me see and understand what EU means for all of us. The job of the linguistic assistant gives me a lot of opportunities because it is developing along with the world. When I started 15 years ago it was a completely different kind of work. Everything developed, skills, software etc. I had the chance to acquire new computer skills, to learn German and French, to develop my social skills. I also had the chance to work for a few months in the European Parliament, which was one of the most exciting experiences for me.

The biggest challenge for me is to reconcile the professional and private life. I am a single mother with two young children, so I really appreciate how DGT lets me organize my working time (e.g., part time) to manage life in a way that is suitable for everyone.

I moved to Luxembourg in 2007, which was a big change for me, as I left a big city of almost 1 million inhabitants for a much smaller capital. Luxembourg welcomed me with rain, low traffic and its internationality. I really liked the efficiency of the public transport, which offered me many options to get to work smoothly and usually on time. Living in Luxembourg opens your mind. You can hear so many languages in the street, you can make friends from all over the Europe, you really feel you are a part of the world.

Linguistic assistant at the Polish Translation Unit at the European Commission (Directorate-General for Translation)