‘I enjoy the good life’
Georgina Lee was born in Slovakia and grew up bilingual: speaking Slovak and Hungarian. That dual background has served her well, but it also meant she never felt entirely at home in her country of birth. Moreover, she lived in a small town with few career opportunities. As a result, she realised early on that her future lay outside Slovakia. She wanted to explore, grow and find her own place in the world.
Language as a compass
“Language has always been my guiding star. I studied linguistics, majoring in German and Hungarian, with ‘translation’ as a minor. For me, language is a way to connect with others, to truly understand a country and its people. So, after graduating, I set out to find a job abroad.”
I first set foot in the Netherlands in 2008. I had applied for a job at the Mercedes-Benz customer contact centre in Maastricht, where they were specifically looking for someone who spoke Hungarian and Slovak. I was curious about this large, international company and the Netherlands in general. Maastricht hadn’t necessarily been on my bucket list until then, but the role seemed like a great first step. To my surprise, I was invited for an interview, flown in and offered the job. The onboarding process was warm and thorough: I was provided with accommodation for the first six weeks and support with virtually every practical matter. In short: a smooth transition into a new life."
New challenge
“I progressed from Customer Service Representative to Quality Specialist and eventually became a Quality Officer. But after 4½ years, I felt it was time for a new challenge. I wanted to gain more life experience. That’s how I ended up in Portugal, where I worked for an online travel agency. After that, I travelled to Greece to work for an airline. Wonderful adventures, but Maastricht was always on my mind. I’d made some lovely memories with my new friends.”
Back to Maastricht
“I decided to return to the company where it all began, this time in a different role. I enjoyed working there until 2023 but wanted to learn more about the local culture, spend time on my hobbies (gardening and plants) and connect with people outside the international bubble. That’s why I deliberately chose a job at a local garden centre. I had lovely chats with customers and they complimented me on my Dutch. I also worked as a guide in the Maastricht caves, an unexpected but enjoyable way to get to know the city even better.”
‘Dutch culture is a bit more reserved, but I’ve never felt excluded.’
Role at the local council
“Eventually, the vacancy for my current role came my way: Project Support Officer at Maastricht City Council for the ‘Welcome to Maastricht Region’ project. I was nervous and thought I didn’t stand a chance, mainly because of my Dutch. I’m quite a perfectionist, you see. But I decided to apply anyway and was hired! I was moved, proud and, above all, grateful. In my work, I focus on attracting and retaining international talent in the region. I certainly feel that I can make a contribution, precisely because I am part of the target group myself.
Working for the local authority is quite different from the commercial world. That can take some getting used to at times. What’s more, many colleagues are from the region, and they often speak in dialect amongst themselves. Dutch culture is generally a bit more reserved, but I’ve never felt left out. Of course, you have to be open to making connections yourself."