What do you do at Foreigners.cz?
I currently work as Executive Director – I am in charge of a smooth Brno office operation, our activities coordination and cooperation with business partners. I also supervise the work of my team and motivate them to get even better at what they are doing!
When did you start working at the agency? How do you remember your first days?
I remember the day pretty well – in my last year of master studies I quit my previous job and since I knew Andrea and her team, their vision and passion for what they were doing and heard that a new office had recently been founded in Brno, I got in touch with her asking for a vacancy. Unfortunately I was turned down as they had just hired a new assistant. My phone rang a few weeks later and Andrea told me that I could join them soon, as the assistant they hired did not plan to stay long. So my job interview actually resembled a meeting of old friends who haven’t seen each other for a long time and now they were reunited!
What part of your job is your favourite?
When I started as an assistant, I loved the paperwork – I have always dreamed of being an assistant, running errands, answering phones and sorting out administration. But with time I decided to try something different and replaced papers with people when I become an agent and later took over the office management. Unlike my original expectations, I do enjoy teamwork and looking for ways to motivate my team. I am also very attentive to detail and organized so I enjoy establishing processes and systems within our company to enhance overall performance.
And the least favourite?
Strange as it may seem, I am an introvert so going out and meeting new people is not my cup of tea, but when I brace myself and face the challenge, the feeling is great!
What did you actually want to become when you were a child?
As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to become an assistant to some director or manager, arrange appointments, make coffee, answer calls… as my aunt (whose name is Liduška, too!). I have been there, so now it is time to move on and have my own assistant! 😀
Where are you from? Have you ever lived outside the Czech Republic?
I come from a small town called Česká Třebová – you will probably know it when you look out of train in the middle of your journey from Brno to Prague. But since I was a child, I wanted to learn languages and travel, so during my university studies I spent some time both studying and working in the UK and Serbia which was an invaluable experience for me! That’s why I know how it feels to be in a foreign country all by yourself and how much I would appreciate someone to be around and guide me!
What is your favourite country? Why?
For some reason I dreamed of living in the UK when I was a child, and although my first experience in this country was very different from a beautiful dream, this country keeps fascinating me by its history, contrasts, language, people, architecture, nature… and I will surely return there!
What is your favourite spot in …?
Can’t get enough of Petrov and Denisovy sady – the small spot of nature in the middle of the city, the view, the atmosphere when you hear the bells ringing… makes me feel grateful for the time and place I live in right now!
Can you share a funny story from your workplace?
I always laugh at the situation when you cannot tell the sex of a person by their name – you expect a girl and a guy pops out! 😀
What do you like to do outside the office?
I do business by myself as an English-Czech translator – I mostly translate toys which is really fun! Apart from that I enjoy dancing – salsa, bachata, zouk, west coast swing – so you can find me in Savoy Cafe sometimes or at latino parties around Brno! It is a wonderful way to relax, feel the rythm and leave all worries behind for a while!
Is there anything you absolutely cannot live without?
My friends and family – as John Donne said and as echoes in our company vision: “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of a continent, a part of the main”
Is there a language that you haven’t learned but you would love to do so?
I attempted at Finnish but haven’t managed to get over lesson no. 5, so the challenge is still there! I love languages in general and one can learn continuously, so it is my life-time passion!
