Meet our Impact moms: Ana Matias
One thing the Lisbon volunteers always say is that our Impact Moms make their stay unforgettable. The impact moms are the Impact House staff and they cook delicious meals, make sure the accommodation is clean and tidy and take care of the guests in the little details that make a difference. We thought it was time to share who they are with you 🙂
We already shared some interviews with our Impact moms: Sandra and Cátia. Today we interviewed our crazy mom Ana Matias. I am sure you will enjoy it!
3 Fun Facts About You
I have taken a course in parachuting. I hold the Guinness World Record for the largest human logo 34,309 people, Portugal’s Submission for the Euro 2004. And I have 3 books published.
Why Did You Choose To Be Part of the Impact House Team?
It was kind of luck. I was on my way to my first day at work for another job when I got a call, inviting me to work here. I learned about Impact House through Refood where I worked as a volunteer.
Describe Yourself in 3 Words
Creative, fun, and organized.
What’s been your biggest challenge since you’ve been part of the team?
Learning how to cook! I didn’t know how to cook. I learned how to cook here because they gave me freedom to cook to my taste. From then on I enjoyed cooking.
What is your favorite dish to cook?
Chicken breasts with coconut milk, mango and chili. It’s a recipe I invented. It also tastes really good with shrimp. It’s a dish that all my friends love.
Which country have you most liked visiting or would like to visit most?
I liked visiting Mozambique the most, the country where I lived for 3 years during my childhood. There is no country that I would like to visit as, currently, I have visited almost 40 countries. I’ve already experienced quite a bit.
Regarding our volunteers, where do the most fun volunteers come from?
I can’t answer this question without stereotyping. Everyone is a person, regardless of where they come from.
If you could choose any profession, what would it be?
A professional student. If I could spend my life studying, accumulating language history courses… I love learning.
Do you feel that you contribute to the company’s mission to make a positive impact? If so, how?
Yes, by being myself, working the bar, by offering my ideas and taking initiative, and with the sympathy I greet people with.
3 things you most admire in people
Honest, adaptability, and an interest in culture.
What is your life motto?
Who dares win – the American paratroopers motto. Or something I wrote, “Memory and gratitude is what defines a person’s character.”
What do you like most about your job/ being part of this team?
What I like the most is to give myself to people and to talk to customers…