Celebrating Mothers Day with Raluca

Today we celebrate all the wonderful Mothers out there. For this special #TalaTeam blog post I decided to chat to Raluca, one of the two mothers at Tala head office. She sings along to our playlists, knows how to have fun and speaks so highly of her beautiful son Rafay.

Raluca, how are you? I am great and feeling so optimistic and happy that I even managed to surprise myself this year. How has your 2018 kicked off? Everything running smoothly in the Operations department of Tala HQ? - I had a great start of the year, some new personal resolutions which I hope I will complete this year. We had a very tensed start in our tiny operations team, due to the increased demand for our products but we worked our way and we achieved a state of equilibrium. How long have you been working for Tala now? I have been working for Tala since July 2017, so this is my 9th month. What do you love about working here? The driving force is the positive energy I get from my co-workers and founders, their desire to improve things not just for the business, but also for the people and the environment. It's good to know that my colleagues care about what they do and are passionate about their work....Besides we all get along very well and we always manage to resolve any issues that seem to arise at work. I guess this is what makes me love my work. You’re not only the mother of the Tala Team, but of a beautiful little human too! How old is your son? Aw, thanks. He is almost 6 years old. Do you ever speak about Talas core values; sustainability, design or technology with him? I bet he’s interested in technology as all kids are these days!... By the time I come back from work he is really tired and wants his space, so not much talk about Tala and sustainability with him. He is interested in nature and superheros, particularly transformers. We do talk about having respect for everything that surrounds us and looking after animals and the environment, and as a mother I try to model positive behaviour to Rafay. I believe these are the primary steps in teaching sustainability to a 6 years old. I haven't noticed any great interest in technology from him so far, apart from his iPad and my laptop... especially when I need. What does he want to be when he’s older? Good question, as this changes depending on what captivates him at the time. Last time I asked him he wanted to have wings and fly, but I would support him in whatever he chooses to do in life. I would never impose my ideals on him. What do you enjoy doing with him in your spare time? I like doing creative things with him, such as drawing or origami. But if the weather allows I prefer to take him out for walks in the park/forest or to activity centres. Sometimes we simply go to the mall to have a meal. And of course every mother needs time out - what do you do in your time out? I like to keep active, so I frequent my local gym which is in my way to work. At the weekend, I might read a book or have a bubble bath and a glass of red wine. I also keep a beehive in my back garden, so when the flower season starts in April hopefully and the bees get out they'll need regular inspections from me. What advice did your mother give you when you were expecting?Anything you can pass on? Honestly, I do not remember... it's been over 6 years I think she was re-living her joy of having me as her first child and I could see her eyes sparkle with love for Rafay when he was born. But I think her main advice throughout my bringing up was to be true to yourself and have integrity. It takes practice to achieve this but I am pleased to say that at this point in my life I am not a yes person. Some fire answer Q’s for fun: Are you a flower or chocolate present person? FLOWER ... and dark chocolate Prefer a Coffee or Champagne? It's like choosing from salt and sugar. both Place you’d absolutely love to visit? Germany... I heard it's very beautiful