Many times throughout my career, I’ve been asked: Why did you decide to become a translator? And here is my story.
A long time ago, I started a new job as a Personal Assistant in the Argentine Animal Health Service. One day someone asked me, you speak English, right? Well, yes, I replied shyly. Ah! Ok, that’s fine, this “someone” told me. There is a Canadian veterinarian coming over for a business meeting and you must be there. What are you going to talk about? I asked with curiosity. No technical aspects involved, just everyday things. OK, I thought, that’s fine, I can handle this. The meeting started and the “non-technical issues” started to appear. Foot and mouth disease, cows, farms, yearlings, slaughterhouses, different types of beef cuts were part of the “non-technical stuff”. Luckily, the meeting was not too long and I didn’t cause a bad impression because since then I became a translator and interpreter at the Service.
After this very first meeting, my job tasks involved translating different English and Spanish materials coming from different Animal Health Services worldwide. It was an interesting aspect of my job, and I started to study more and more about everything that was related to veterinary and other animal and plant health issues. After doing this for a few months, I decided that it was time for me to move on and started translation as a professional career. I enrolled at the University and started the course. It wasn’t an easy thing. I had to juggle my interpreting trips throughout Argentina and the University tasks as well as other personal commitments. Some years later… I got my Degree in Translation. The rewards for such an effort came later.
This is my story; you can share your experience as a translator with me below or send me an email.
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