Day in the Life: Catrinel, Junior Software Engineer I at Booking.com
Discover how Catrinel, a Junior Software Engineer I at Booking.com, is modernizing the company's internal translation platforms as a summer intern on the Localization Tech team. From daily stand-ups and sprint planning to hands-on coding, Catrinel shares how she balances a busy schedule with coffee breaks, fun team activities, and a few rounds of ping pong.
Name: Catrinel
Job: Junior Software Engineer I
What do you do in your role?
I am a summer Software Engineering Intern in the Localization Tech team at Booking.com. My team builds and runs the systems used to localize Booking.com copy and other content for different markets worldwide. For my internship project, I have to modernize the internal translation platforms of the company.
Here's what a day in Catrinel's life looks like!
9-10 AM:
Arriving at the office, getting coffee, checking my calendar to see what meetings I have.
10-11 AM:
My first meeting of the day is a daily standup, where we discuss what we got done the previous day as well as potential blockers we encountered. Then I start looking at what I have to do and make a plan for the day.
11 AM-12 PM:
I start working on answering emails and messages, and then start coding.
12-1 PM:
LUNCHHHHH at one of our three restaurants at the Booking.com HQ.
1-2 PM:
Code code code.
2-3 PM:
Usually I have more meetings in the afternoon, either with my team where we plan sprints, do retros, or 1-on-1s with my internship buddy, manager, or mentor, where we discuss progress, feedback, etc. Then more coding to work towards my internship project!
3-4 PM:
Sometimes I go on coffee breaks with other interns + code code code.
4-5 PM:
Code code code.
5-6 PM:
Ping pong with the interns <3
It's worth mentioning that Wednesdays are internship days in the office, where we have some workshops and talks about different topics throughout the company (from agentic coding, to how Booking.com makes money or the company's vision: the connected trip). These days feel like I'm back in school; the other interns are my classmates, we learn a lot and we also have fun together during the breaks.
Also, almost every week we have fun activities planned by the Early Careers team. For instance, the Booking.com Connects Party at an external venue in Amsterdam, that felt almost like a festival! Or a pizza night, intern volunteer day, intern speed networking, and coffees with different full-timers (who we can ask any questions we may have).
How do you unwind at the end of a workday?
I play ping pong with the other interns.
What do you love about your job and your employer?
The company's culture. Everyone is very nice and they help you every time you ask. Collaboration is everywhere! Also, the office is beautiful. I like it so much that I come to the office almost every day (despite being required to come only 2 days a week and the hour-and-a-half commute)!
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