Word for word

Lately I’ve really been diving into the world of interpreting & translation. I haven’t formally begun my initial interpreting job yet; they book the appointments pretty far in advance so my first appointment isn’t until July. This is a good thing, I think. Initially I was quite shocked that I was offered the job because I didn’t think I was qualified for what was expected of me. (Most of the appointments are at hospitals, thus I need to know and understand medical French.) However, the woman who hired me assured me that she was confident in my abilities and that I had scored very high on the exam. Still I was unsure. Sometimes I have a problem of doubting my abilities, I’ve dealt with this issue since childhood and it’s still something that kicks around in my life from time to time. I’m glad that I didn’t have to dive right in because I needed some time to let myself sit with the idea of my new job. This time allowed me to research the field as well as read personal accounts and recommendations from interpreters and translators.

This week I was also lucky enough to receive a manuscript from the publishing house I interned for last summer. They’ve become more interested in publishing translations and have several French manuscripts for me to look at. I am currently in the midst of reading one right now and my confidence in my French has been renewed. I am flying through this manuscript and feel like, if the need arose, I could translate the majority of the manuscript quite easily. AND today I had an orientation with a local human rights organization and will be volunteer interpreting/translating for them. They work with impoverished asylum seekers and have set up a program where lawyers work on the cases pro bono. So this is where I’m at right now. I feel like I have 4 small children…I really love and care about each job that I have right now and feel so fortunate to have these opportunities come my way.

Alack, it's not all fun & games anymore. Something else I have begun to think about is this whole leaving the country deal. Only 93 more days until I cross the sea to begin anew. Yikes. I’m suddenly unsure of my choices. I get so excitable sometimes and then I’m off and running without thinking twice or looking back. I feel sad to be leaving this community I have created/found for myself. & I suppose there’s not much sense in living by the numbers anymore…important to recognize that France is not an answer to an equation or a cure-all. I cannot pretend that leaving will be a simple act of packing a suitcase and saying goodbye. But this is no time for tears, there are still 93 more days. And that, dear friends, is a lot.