The Blonde Interpreter – Part 4
I must say that the start of my career as a freelance interpreter is a bit of a blur. I know I emailed as many of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting’s corporate members as I could, having ...
The Blonde Interpreter – Part 3
Bath is a beautiful city, of which I fear I saw too little during my year on the MA Interpreting and Translation course at the University of Bath. My days began with a trek up the hill from the unive...
The Blonde Interpreter – Part 1
I’m a celebrity. At least, that is, according to my old Sunday school teacher, my drama teacher, my Dad’s financial adviser, or anyone from the village where I grew up. The reason for my sudden fame?...
USA Freelancing without a Parachute #6 – Exciting, Yet Hazy Future
I. Prologue
It was pure white. The kind of white that seemed inconceivable for a human face. On it, there were swirls of red in every direction. As the Kabuki actor Nakamura Hashigo continued to r...
USA Freelancing without a Parachute #4 – Freefall
Jump on the count of three. One...
Life is funny. Hard to predict. Just when you think you have it all figured out, something comes your way that you weren’t expecting.
You see, the first week ...
USA Freelancing without a Parachute #3 – Please Fasten your Seat Belts
START YOUR ENGINES
What happens when you have trained for years to be a conference interpreter, but the job that falls in your lap is all about technical translation? In a word, panic!!
And wha...
Interpreting in the U.S. #10 – Profiles of American Interpreters (Part 1 of 2)
For my very last article, I would like to introduce you to some of the Japanese Conference Interpreters working in the U.S. I chose two from New York and two from D.C. All are dear colleagues and cons...
Interpreting in the U.S. #7 – Going Freelance
When I went freelance in early 2017, I was unsure how to begin. I read a few blogs, but mostly just followed my gut using the networks I had developed as an in-house interpreter. The result was that I...
Interpreting in the U.S. #5 – Remote Interpreting
Building on my last article about technology and interpreters, I would like to take you on a tour of the remote simultaneous interpreting movement that is disturbing the U.S. interpreting industry. Th...
Interpreting in the U.S. #2 – Training and Certification
Greetings from sunny Columbus, Ohio. My name is Allyson and I work here as a conference interpreter. Over the next 9 articles, I will be giving you an honest, at times critical, overview of the Japane...
[JIF2017] Sales Techniques and the Economics of a Freelance Japanese-English Interpreter in Japan: Winning from Day One
Ippei Maruo
Born in 1970 in Japan, Ippei lived in New York from 1980-85, and after graduating from college in Japan he went to work for a whiskey and spirits JV. He started a career as an interpreter...
JACI Interpreter Interview #2: Derek Wessman
This interview of JACI-certified member Derek Wessman took place in February 2017.
- Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in San Diego, California, and grew up in Utah and Washingto...