Maria insisted on picking me up a the airport, and after giving me a few minutes to drop off my luggage my hotel, she took me to one of her favorite local pizzerias. Welcome to Italy!

Maria is from Bari, which is on the southern tip of the country, and she speaks Italian and English. She's a huge fan of Lord of the Rings, and if she could live during any other time period, she would live during the Middle Ages.

Her hometown has plenty of charm...

One of Maria's favorite things about Smartling technology is the visual context feature, which allows her to see exactly what she's translating in real time. She finds the client-specific style guides to be very helpful as well.

Maria is an early riser, and she loves her coffee. "Of course I do," she says with a laugh. "I'm Italian!"

Bari is busy in the afternoon, but at 7am, the streets are empty.

Maria and her husband have two kids, and she loves the flexibility of working remotely, especially when there are a handful of incredible spots along the coast where they can spend the day.

Maria enjoying the sunset in nearby Polignano a Mare.

Maria's best advice for anyone who wants to become a translator? "Read! Read as much as you can, and don't be afraid to chase after your dreams."