Portrait of: Rachel Caria
Meet our team: today a portrait of Rachel Caria.
Limburg-born Rachel Mooijman Caria, 32, has only recently joined Kuipers & Claassen. As IT project manager, she is responsible for all software packages used by the company.
Her poetry books show that she had a clear vision for the future. She wanted to be a handball player. Following in her father's footsteps, she started playing this ball sport at an early age. Although a fracture of her ankle and elbow forced her to take a break last year, she still plays the sport at the amateur level. A professional future in the sport is not for her. In fact, there are more things that interest her.
Together with a group of passionate carnival fanatics, as a member of the carnival association Waageboewesj Buurt Sjteivig from Sittard, she is able to indulge her creative ideas, not only with face painting, but also with building parade floats. That carnival holds an important place in the south of the Netherlands may be evident from the fact that this association derived its first right to exist from a mention in a newspaper article from 1893, according to an archive document of the Municipality of Sittard. Consequently, her husband Mark, a Nootdorp native - now also a member of the society - travels with her to the south every year to celebrate three crazy days. The activities are not limited to carnival. The mutual bonding is also expressed by a joint summer barbecue or - during the corona period - a tour-de-Limburg, a photo trip by car. Being able to meet each other in a safe way despite the limitations of the time.
In addition to her creative expressions, Rachel enjoys cooking, as long as it does not involve brussels sprouts or sauerkraut. Whether this has any connection to her grandfather who came from Sardinia remains at the waist. Besides carnival, Limburg also has a rich history in mining, where guest workers from Italy, among others, have been employed for a long time. Love made her grandfather stay in the Netherlands where he started a family. For the past year and a half, Rachel and Mark have been the proud parents of daughter Jolein. She recognizes herself when others call her a sweet and caring mother. That sweet and caring is in her DNA. Not only her husband and daughter experience that. Even during her high school years she regularly made a detour by bike to visit her - now deceased - grandmother.
Although she loves watching movies, she read - following her mother's example - a lot of books from a young age, especially in the fantasy genre. Preferably those thick pills. Every week she would borrow the maximum number of books from the library, and double that number during the vacations. Unlike a movie, you can let your imagination run wild on a book, she believes.
After graduating from grammar school, Rachel went to college. With a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Breda University of Applied Sciences, she continued her studies at Nyenrode Business University where she earned her master's degree in International Management. In high school she was already active in the student council, among other things. She is also active in student life at both universities where she holds various positions. The "Chinese Economy" exchange program with Renmin University in Beijing gives her a chance to take a look at a completely different culture. The program includes lectures by local professors, business professionals in China, with a visit to the Fokker factory and the Great Wall of China. A total culture shock, she characterizes the visit.
Injustice, double standards, evokes a sense of anger in her. Especially when it hits closer to home. The thought that you usually cannot solve it for the other person saddens her. Listening well, being there for the other person, is then often the only thing you can do. On the other hand, she can become very happy when she sees the development of their daughter. She enjoys it when she sees Jolein dancing.
Unlike her brother, Rachel does not like to step into the foreground in company with her introverted nature. Therefore, despite her passion for carnival, you won't find her first on the dance floor. Still, she likes to dance there. At a party she can have a great time, but prefers to observe others from behind a standing table. At home on the couch in the company of the flying budgie, a program like "All you need is love" can bring tears to her eyes. Perhaps a bit of Italian temperament after all.
In 2019, she will start the online store Bella & Bambino, offering fun maternity gifts such as bibs, teething rings and other unique and handmade gifts. Because the store is not a priority, it remains more of a hobby. Unlike this online activity, her preference is for personal contact. She values shopping or coffee together with friends more, having contact in real life.
Rachel has not been idle. Her LinkedIn page lists several jobs. Although information technology did not come up in her university studies, it has always held her interest. Inquisitive as she is, she tries to come up with her own solutions to problems in that field. She seizes the opportunity when a two-year traineeship comes her way. Here she is trained to become an IT professional. In addition to an educational program at Calco's headquarters in Maarssen, she takes a specialization course. The traineeship also offers her the opportunity to develop soft skills, such as presentation and communication skills. While she quickly masters the technology, she can also make the translation to the business from her previous studies and work experience.
It is not for nothing that Rachel speaks passionately about her field and is going to fill the need within the company to bring more structure to the amount of software packages in use. A challenge she enjoys taking on.
Quotes
I can't stand injustice.
As long as I'm free with carnival.
I am not the one who is "life of the party" then.
I value contact in real life more.
