Happy (Early) International Translation Day

I'm finally coming up for air after another busy spell. I was booked up until last Thursday, but thankfully work slowed down towards the end of the week - just in time for a nasty (but mercifully brief) cold that left me literally speechless on Friday. Hopefully a little more Vitamin C will have me back to full voice in the next couple of days.

I am glad that I was feeling well enough to attend the annual MICATA New Officer Installation Meeting and Luncheon on Saturday. We had a very enjoyable lunch at Bo Lings just off the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City and around 30 translators and interpreters were in attendance. There was a good mix between beginners, interpreters, in-house and freelance translators and at least seven languages were represented. As well as installing the new board (on which I will be a director in 2008/09), the event was also an early celebration of International Translation Day on 30 September.

Life as a freelance translator can certainly be lonesome at times so it is always nice to get out of the office and talk to fellow translators about issues ranging from advertising to specialisations. Joining MICATA was one of the first things I did after moving to the U.S. in February 2005 and, in my opinion, is worth every penny of the membership fee.