Mariia Shved

When they tell you there are hidden gifts inside of you that are waiting to be used for helping people, believe them.

Ever since I remember myself I was investigating foreign languages – how to memorize more words, how to translate that article about Egyptian pharaohs (yes, that was what I did as a 13 year-old), how to understand Kianu Reeves in Speed. At first, English was foreign to me as my home language is Ukrainian. As the time for entering the university had come, I chose French as my specialization, still enriching English all along.

Studying for my Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities, I was using any chance to practice French. Such attitude paid off when I joined French mission Human’East – the team of students visiting Ukraine each year to help kids in the boarding schools and hospitals. They needed someone to interpret basically everything around them from Ukrainian to French. I was blessed to help the mission for 2 consecutive years.

The years at the university have also introduced me to teaching – it was a practical part of my studying, I also worked as part-time teacher myself.

Except for practice at the university, I always loved being on stage, telling something fascinating; at school I remember being excited about leading the excursion in our school museum for some important guests, announcing the performers during the show for the same people and playing Juliette at that same concert (!). As you can see, I may be carried away sometimes with things that I love.

As a post-graduate, I was lucky enough and ready to seize the crucial opportunities coming my way.

That is how I found myself in logistics working for the American and Canadian companies. One of the main consequences of that experience is getting a new perspective on job ethics and business ethics in general. My first months in the industry rewarded me with the wisdom from one of our clients that I will always remember, “Customer pays for the service”. No matter what your product is people are paying you for how you treat them, how you value their presence in your business. That is my work philosophy now.

At Delta Logistics (based in Portland, OR) the management considered me credible enough to teach and onboard new employees (what was no less appealing than my main duties). I am forever grateful for that experience despite all its difficulties and challenges because that was when I first saw the positive results of my knowledge used to help another person – my “students” were successfully applying what they learnt at the their day-to-day job.

More than a year down the line, I am at Trans-Pro Logistics (based in Montreal, QC) doing my job and thinking to myself, “I don’t mind training someone for them”. Trans-Pro captivated me with the precious feeling of working in the team of professionals because it pushes you to become better yourself.

After a couple of years of logistics industry, I finally decided to turn to something that I have always been gravitating towards in one way or another – teaching.

I want to use my knowledge to help people, for they could successfully apply it in their day-to-day life. Again.

Mariia