Faking it

At some point in your interpreting career, you will have to to interpret at your first _______. Yes, it's fill in the blank here. No matter your level of education or level of preparation, there will come a day when you have to tackle a project you've never done before, and it is scary. We remember our first criminal trial, our first psychosexual evaluation, the first interpreting assignment inside a jail, the first high-level business liaison interpreting assignment, and our first international delegation....

Essential Software: TranslationOffice 3000

Many moons ago, when we started our small business (specifically, the European side of our business), we made many beginners' mistakes, including managing to invoice incorrect amounts to incorrect companies. We chronicled this mortifying experience here, and shortly thereafter, we decided that it was time for an invoicing and accounting system. Our IT guru set out to find one, and we loved it from the very beginning:...

Great Expectations and Funny Stories

Neon Boneyard, Las Vegas, NV The past two weeks were filled with interesting escort interpreting assignment for us on both sides of the Atlantic. Judy spent almost two weeks with a European executive who is trying to break into the American market with a very unique and highly specialized product, while Dagy spent a week with a South American delegation that was in Vienna to visit some hotel and conference venues.  Just...

Fall Classes: Introduction to Translation

We are pretty sure you are not thinking about the fall (yet). Rather, you are enjoying the gorgeous summer! However, here's just a quick note to let you know that UC San Diego Extension just opened up the two fall sessions for Judy's Introduction to Translation class (all online). It's a five-week class and it's $200. The class is limited to the first 20 people who register, and there are usually quite a few disappointed...

The Amazing Blind Interpreter: Jamey Cook

Snapshot of Jamey and Abner.  In late April, Judy flew to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to give a  presentation at the annual conference of CATI (Carolina Association of Translators and Interpreters). It was a wonderful event,  and  her main highlight was meeting Jamey Cook, an awe-inspiring blind  interpreter who always has her adorable Seeing Eye dog, Abner, by her side. Jamey is an accomplished...

United Nations: Opportunity for Spanish Translators

Ah yes, the holy grail of translation and interpreting: the United Nations. We have the pleasure of knowing a few top-notch linguists who work in New York and Vienna, and now's your chance to sit for the competitive examination if you apply and get invited. Here is the announcement we just received from our wonderful colleague Marcela Jenney-Reyes. We thought we'd spread the word! We are pleased to announce that competitive examinations for the recruitment of Spanish-language associate translators/précis writers and associate...