When you do what you love & love what you do, you attract the right clients for you.
And the perfect assignments❣
Like the FAO workshop we supported recently at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Puerto España on the theme of One Country, One Product.
In the case of Trinidad and Tobago, our priority product has been designated as the Trinitario cocoa which incidentally has its origins in a story that links us to Venezuela and its Criollo variety.
Más y más, estoy interpretando en español 🥰 More and more I’m interpreting in Spanish.
For those who associate me with Haiti, Martinique and Guadeloupe because of the accumulated 10+ years I spent in these islands honing my mastery of French and Creole, you may be surprised to learn that I interpret fluently from Spanish into English and into French or vice versa.
While I’ve been mainly hired as a French>< English interpreter over the last 15 years, I have been working quietly, challenging myself, grilling myself and encouraging myself to ‘level up’ in Spanish.
You see, French was my first love since high school. French has a special place in my heart that no other can fill.
Spanish may have been the jealous lover looking on at my growing passion for all things French.
Yet, Spanish remained faithful to me over the years.
Spanish always reached out and opened doors for me to step into professional worlds.
For many years, I communicated daily with colleagues in the Red Cross Movement in Spanish, whether liaising with my Communications Manager Pilar originally from Spain, but based in Panama or Red Cross colleagues in the Dominican Republic. Spanish was my bridge to building lasting relationships in the humanitarian space.
Nowadays, with the wave of Venezuelan migrants who have sought a better life in my homeland Trinidad & Tobago, I am surrounded by opportunities to level up my Spanish tongue without having to seek an immersive experience in a Spanish-speaking country.
How often do we imagine and convince ourselves that we need the ideal circumstances to do something we’ve been wanting to do for a long time?
I’ve been wanting to take a year off from life to go to Panama in the aim of perfecting my Spanish tongue.
Guess what?
I spent one day in Panama in October 2022, on my way home from Suriname.
There and then I spoke into the atmosphere the ardent desire of my heart.
I wanted more opportunities to interpret in Spanish.
One month later, there I was in the booth interpreting in Spanish>< English on the first day of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) as one of my star Spanish teammates was not available to cover this major meeting!
I became the filler in the interpreting relay team!
The next day I was back in my natural home, the French booth, but I was feeling more confident about my Spanish prowess!
Moral of the story?
Stop waiting for the ideal circumstances to do what you dream of doing.
Purpose in your heart what you want to do and just do it!
#fao #cacao #agricultura #agriculture #upup #interpretingyourneeds #interpreterlife #interpreter
