Working Remotely

Ah, the joys of working for yourself: one can actually work from anywhere in the world as a translator. What seemed like a distant dream a few years ago when only one of us was a full-time entrepreneur (Judy was still working in-house) is now a reality: a month together, immersed in a Spanish-speaking country, working, spending quality time, and seeing some sights.  It's going to be wonderful to speak Spanish again all day -- and it's important to keep the language of our childhood alive. We've never been to South America,...

Do You Nap?

We'll be the first to admit it: we love naps. A lot. It runs in the family: our dad is able to nap literally anywhere, including on a sled in the Alps and in the car while someone else is driving. Our mom has been napping since we were infants -- much-needed naps when you have premature twins -- and she wakes up after her 15-minute power naps completely refreshed and ready to go. For many years, while working in-house, napping wasn't an option for Judy, even though she repeatedly suggested a nap room (her request was denied)....

Passing the State Court Interpreter Exam in Nevada and Beyond

Judy, who is a master-level Spanish court interpreter in Nevada, recently wrote the article below for those considering taking the notoriously difficult exam in Nevada or any other state that is part of the Consortium for Language Access in the Courts. The article first appeared in the spring 2011 edition of e-NITA, the newsletter of the Nevada Interpreters and Translators Association. Read on for myths and truths about...

Upcoming Conference: Portuguese Language Division in Washington D.C.

The following is an announcement that we received from Elena Langdon, the Portuguese Language Division's administrator, and we'd like to help her spread the word about the upcoming conference. This event sounds fantastic, and it's a chance to be in DC during cherry blossom season! This mid-year conference is part of the ATA's schedule of conferences. Please see below for more information and contact the conference organizers...

From Gardening Blog to Translation Client

Most of our readers know that we believe in the power of the Web 2.0 for business purposes. At our workshops and presentations, we always encourage our colleagues to explore the endless opportunities of these new technologies and to use them to their advantage. Something we highly recommended is writing a blog. If this sounds like work (and it is, no doubt about that), think again: your blog doesn't necessarily have to be related to translating or interpreting (although we'd love to see more blogs in our field). Why?...

Upcoming Workshop: Dallas, March 12

The professional development event season is in full swing. Both our associations have annual general meetings coming up, and as every year, we are delighted that associations from other states and countries have invites us to speak at their events. If you'd like to attend one of Judy's "Entrepreneurial Linguist" workshops and will be in the Dallas area next week, you are in luck! MITA (Metroplex Interpreters and Translators Association) is hosting Judy on Saturday, March 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. She will...