Andreia
I am so pleased TWB featured you on a special occasion, you are such a dedicated, selfless translator.
Im too am soo glad to have met my new sister through the community and thank you for encouraging me with Portuguese.
You are truly amazing xxx
You people are just amazing, all of you. I really don’t know what to say to a group of people who show and spread so much positive energy, warmth, and kindness 
I feel truly blessed to have the chance to call you colleague and friends 
Dear @andfraz, learning a language through good literature is always one of the perfect ways, no wonder those who study languages at an university or an institute have a looong list of classical literature in original to deal with, and I see now were your skills come from! 
And you’ve mentioned something very important: that you had all those friends to thank for helping you and shaping who you are as a translator.
This is actually what all of us, people with good language skills, but sometimes not enough belief in ourselves or courage need: to feel appreciated and find those who share our beliefs and, most importantly, give us valuable pieces of advice. Sometimes it’s enough for someone to say: “you’re doing good”, “you’re on the right way”, “just think about it”, “have you actually considered?..”, “we appreciate you”… Just like this. And this may make a tremendous difference in somebody’s life and future career choice.
That’s why this community is so special —for me and, I am sure, for so many others.
Dear @Avellana, thank you so much for your unwavering support. 
I always had the conviction I would meet good people here, and perhaps make friends - but who would’ve thought I would even find a sister? Your presence brings daily joy to my life. 
As to Portuguese, you have a natural gift for it. 
Dear @ambra, and you are one of TWB’s most shinning stars. 
You were my guiding light when I arrived here, and one of the main reasons why I found the community such a welcoming place. 
Dear @Cristina17 - absolutely. 
People tend to think of translators like something you do 100% on your own, but language is about communication, so the more you communicate, the more you’ll hone your skills as a translator. 
You will always benefit from reading a literary masterpiece (and not just from a professional viewpoint; I do believe that literature makes us better people, as seeing the world through a character’s eye is always a bit of an empathy exercise). Hardly anyone has a better command over a language than a writer, so being an avid reader is bound to make you a better translator.
But reading books alone isn’t enough. You may react to what you read, and you may actually become very fond of certain characters, but there’s no interaction. As a reader, you are a bystander. And to become a good translator, you need to interact, you need feedback, and sometimes you need encouragement. And I found all of that in TWB, absolutely.
Maybe we could organize ourselves here in TWB so as to promote more teamwork and mutual help in general. For instance, maybe we could occasionally set up a system of teams, rather than a system where you claim a task, but you have no idea who will be translating / revising it, so you have no way to contact them unless you leave a message on the community thread (which they may miss). A system of teams could also be helpful to keep track of individual progress. If you get feedback, you’ll be able to enhance the quality of your work. But if your work is revised by the same linguist, they have no way to know you are the same translator, and so they can’t compliment you on your progress. And, sometimes, all you need is to have someone telling you to trust yourself.
Have a great evening, everyone! 
Hi everyone,
I praise you ALL for having the patience for reading Andreia’s community novels (those who know her will understand). I wrote something for Salwa and Andreia here on LinkedIn. I am not gonna say she’s wonderful, she’s awesome and such… I have a habit of not congratulating my very good friends (she knows it).
I am not writing much. Today is, honestly, a sad day. It marks Joanna’s (I’m not tagging her, god knows how many replies she has to make today) last day at TWB. Some of us know what a helpful person she has been for all of us. Words might seem exaggerating, I’ll just say I am SAD.
A bittersweet time for me. Seeing my good friend get what she deserves, and another friend’s last day at TWB.
Take care everyone.
Hi all! @ambra said it right - you’re all amazing and it’s been so inspiring working with you over the past year. This thread totally encapsulates the TWB community and you should all feel very proud of the incredible work you’re doing 
Congratulations @andfraz 
you absolutely deserve it 
Hi @sifatnoor,
Yeah, I know what you mean. I hope there is no blame on me since I’ve encouraged her to keep going with this novel style writing… 
Thank you for this lovely post on LinkedIn! 
I love that you always include my name when talking about our Ninja. But to be honest, when I’ve read the interview and known how much she is committed to her work here in TWB, I said to my self… okay, here is a turtle talking to a Ninja!!! 
It is very sad to know that it’s our lovely @JoannaW’s last day here. You will be missed so much. 
I hope we keep in touch on LinkedIn. And I’ll let you know if the translator hasn’t completed the translation using Kato TM. 
God, I’m gonna miss your replies. 
Wishing you all a great weekend! 
Warmest regards, 
@andfraz Será possível banhar os macacos? Parecem-se os burros! 
Bye Bye @JoannaW we will miss you 
Don’t forget us.
Hi @sifatnoor, your words in LinkedIn and about Andrea’s writing style here were way too funny , but let me tell you in her defense, that she’s really sweet, paying so much detail to every single comment and question. I read her reply first thing in the morning and it made me smile, just seeing the size of it. 
Isn’t she amazing?
I am also sad Joanna is leaving, I had no idea. I’ve come to know her as an indispensable member of this community.
Wishing you good luck in your next professional experience, @JoannaW! We will definitely miss you here! 
Dear @sifatnoor, thank you for your kindness. I’ll have a look at your short story about me and Salwa as soon as I can, then. I’m in the middle of a 2,000 words task (which is part of +20,000 project), just taking a break. Today is indeed a sad day.
But, fortunately, we’re living at a time where, even after her departure, we can send Joanna a message wishing her well, and asking her how things are going, so that makes things slightly easier.
Dear @JoannaW, thank you so, so much. And never forget that we couldn’t do it without you, me included. Your ongoing support and kindness throughout your time with us was key to make our work possible. Today, our hearts are beating in Portuguese - after all, saudade is the right word to describe how the whole community feels right now. 
Dear @SalwaAlrifai, no blame at all, haha. When you happen to have a novel-writing gene, I guess it can’t be helped.
Maybe our charismatic @sifatnoor could summarize my posts to make them more reader-friendly for those who need information but are in a hurry? 
Do we have a deal?
And there’s no reason for you to think that, dear Salwa. I feel a turtle most of the time, to be quite honest. 
I wish I could do more everyday, both here and in general - for instance, I haven’t managed to write you nor Lucia yet 
(by the way, if anyone has great time management techniques, I’m all ears 
).
You are as commited to TWB’s mission as I am. I really look forward to seeing you featured soon. It will bring me much joy. 
Dear @Avellana, I love how you are always playing with idioms.
A teimosia dos macacos não tem limites. Na hora do banho, dizem sempre: “minha senhora, não quero ter uma vida de cão”. E depois fogem para o sótão.
I could play this game for hours.
Dear @Cristina17, thank you so much for your sweet objection to Sifat’s words, hehe. 
Novels are an endagered species and someone has to do something to preserve them.
Have a great evening and weekend, everyone! 
Hi Cristina,
We haven’t met before, but it’s nice to make new friends with passion for words and languages. While others are too overwhelmed by her politeness, I am too annoyed. And I have been training her on “how to be not too polite always.”
We have some histories lol. She was forever polite when we first met. Her messages were always like this: “Hi Sifat, good morning/afternoor. I hope you are having a bla bla day… Take care, Sifat. I hope you’re having a nice day and bla bla bla… .” Even if we talked several times in a day! It was sooooo boring, I just couldn’t tell her because we just met.
I was like “Come on! What’s wrong with this girl?!” Then as our friendship developed, I threatened her – if she continued to be “polite,” I would shoot Superman rays from my eyes that would burn her politeness down to ashes. (And it’d “Let beauty come out of ashes” – that Celine Dion song.)
Jokes apart, I just love humor and love to joke with my good friends. Andreia is one of them, and the good news is, she’s stopped being polite, at least with me. (All thanks to myself, of course.)
Anyway, it’s nice to meet you, Cristina. Feel free say hi to me anytime. Anyone friends with Andreia, is a friend of mine. Only one condition, just don’t be “Andreastic-polite” with me. We need more friends with whom we can have good laughs.
Summary: I take payment for summarizing information (and community novels). Over and out.
Dear @sifatnoor
I hope you are having a great Saturday.
As much as I love the imagery of Superman rays coming from your eyes burning politeness down to ashes, I also have a very dry sense of humour and wonder what would happen if the whole community adopted an Andreia-esque level of politeness when talking to you for a few weeks. 
I hope you are well.
(Seriously I do, we haven’t spoken in ages)
@andfraz Vai trabalhar, malandra! 
Simple, I’d be in a coma as long as you follow Andreia’s lead. If I die, I’d blame you ALL, Andreia will be the chief criminal. And my ghost will haunt each of you with an interminable supply of “impolite gas” and laughing gas.
Hi Sifat, it is so nice to finally meet you! Of course, I read a lot about you in this community as well, and I have to say, it is admiring that you, Andrea and others who do make a valuable difference here, are such approachable, nice and simple people who welcome others so easily in their circle! Thank you for that!
And look at you, writing such a “novel” yourself, just to explain that it’s boring to read them
And hey, I love reading novels (many of us, language enthusiasts do ), and if the girl is developing her writing skills and manages at the same time to help others, then let her be! One day she writes this famous work that will receive critique’s appreciation and everyone will praise, and in Acknowledgements she will have to state: “This book could have never seen the light of the day if I paid too much attention to Sifat’s teasings.” 
Anyway, your affection is obvious, no need to explain yourself.
P.S.: I hope that’s okay we’re using this thread for all this discussion! I am sure Andrea won’t mind . I agree with her, we talked about it recently, it would be good to have something like a forum, where all of us could discuss anything and everything. Or is here one that I am unaware of?..
Have a pleasant weekend everyone!
You got me there with my “novel” thing lol. It was such a sweet pinch.
I’ve been asking Andreia to bring some of the like-minded together on Whatsapp. It’s a lot easier to stay connected there. I am certain @andfraz will take an initiative. The forum is good, but if someone needs urgent help, or for a quick discussion, I think IM platforms are better.
Great idea, Sifat! Absolutey!
I agree it would be much easier to keep in touch, @andfraz, let’s do it, count me in!
I mean… when you finish this big project @andfraz , of course
Please, don’t even consider doing it before meeting all the deadlines!
I also work on a big project these days, so I totally understand you!
Buenas noches, children! I see you’ve been having a party, haha!
Dear @sifatnoor, I see you’ve been writing a catalogue of the things that displease you in me. Duly noted, mister. I hope you are having a good day, though.
As to politeness, I think being polite is actually a good thing. And it’s an excellent way to get started when you meet someone new. It establishes a key foundation on which you can build a good friendship: consideration for others. Besides, as you know, although I am polite, I’m never aloof. 
Roger that!
@Avellana Ahahah! Ouvi dizer que querias um café; já não queres?
I’m with you on this one, Hazel - we should definitely adopt an Andreia-esque level of politeness while addressing Mr. Noor, bidding him a good day at all times. It’s just too funny.
My dear Sifat, may I ask how many hours of TV have you been watching lately? Your Superman tale 
ends in quite a contemporary Gothic story fashion, 
along with a dreadful amount of gas. 
Can you please state all the possible side effects of the aforementioned gases? 
Will they perhaps turn us into impolite vampires, equipped with an excellent sense of humor, but also doomed to attend high school until the end of times?
Dear @Cristina17, I don’t mind at all. And your remark about how Sifat writes novels to explain to us how they bore him was spot on. 
But we’re good friends, like Sifat said. We just use a (very) different amount of words on a daily basis, along with a few other differences.
Meet Sifat, the one who makes plans, and also Andreia, the one who makes plans happen. Why don’t you just hire me as your assistant?
As to creating a group on Whatsapp, I can half-take care of it. Here’s the thing: for some reason, my tablet does not allow me to add new contacts to WhatsApp. People must add me instead. But I can collect numbers, names and language pairs, make and keep the list updated to help us reach the right person at the right time. As to actually creating the WhatsApp group and adding contacts, it must be another person.
Have a great evening, everyone (Sifat included ).
Hi everyone I would just like to congratulate you Andreia, @andfraz! I am sorry that my message is very late, I was just joining TWB in March and so I think I missed this, but I’m getting more used to the platform now! It would be lovely to perhaps have the opportunity to speak to you and to all the other guys sometime Congratulations again Andreia for your wonderful achievement 