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Welcome to the NAJIT Observer

The NAJIT Observer (TNO) was created in 2011 in response to NAJIT’s members need for a tool

to share information, first-hand experiences, and the occasional fun moment with colleagues.

We are delighted with the response TNO has received from our members and subscribers. And

thanks to our dedicated and generous contributors, TNO’s archive features an amazing number

of posts that you can search by category or author.

Do you want to contribute a post?  Send us an email at TNO_editor@najit.org.

Enjoy The NAJIT Observer!

06 Feb

Posted at 08:46h in Advocacy, Business Practices, Certification, Community, Court Interpreting, Finances, Hilda Zavala-Shymanik, Interpreters, Leadership, New Ideas, Professional Development, Professional Practices, The Profession by
2 Likes

We are always writing about colleagues asking us about fees, and we are horrified when we learn of new colleagues being lowballed. This is an everyday issue. Many blog writers and other guests write about this subject, and we tend to despair of ever having...

22 Jan

Posted at 10:56h in Advocacy, Attorney Education, Business Practices, Certification, Court Interpreting, Ethics, Janis Palma, Leadership, Professional Practices, Recent Posts, Terminology, TRAINING by
0 Likes

In most states, a bilingual individual who wishes to be on the court’s roster of qualified interpreters must meet certain requirements. These are not whimsical or random requirements. The first one is usually an orientation seminar about the court system in the state where the...

16 Jan

Posted at 10:57h in Advocacy, Attorney Education, Certification, Community, Court Interpreting, Interpreters, Leadership, Recent Posts, The Profession by
0 Likes

My heart is racing and the more I think about it, the angrier I get. I was in court, and when the judge called my case, she misspoke and said “Attorney Reme Bashi” instead of “Interpreter Reme Bashi.” The bailiff quickly corrected the judge (an...

09 Jan

Posted at 14:57h in Advocacy, Attorney Education, Business Practices, Court Interpreting, Ethics, Interpreters, Interpreting, Personal Growth by
0 Likes

The Couch is a place to exchange ideas and brainstorm, not only for its contributors but also for our readers who engage in the ensuing discussions. Sometimes, you want to “keep calm and keep interpreting,” but external factors make that simple solution difficult to achieve. A...

02 Jan

Posted at 08:19h in Community, Hilda Zavala-Shymanik, Leadership, NAJIT Affairs, New Ideas, Personal Growth, Professional Development, Recent Posts, Self care, The Profession by
2 Likes

Are you ever surprised by how we go from the Thanksgiving holiday, a season of taking stock of what we have, being grateful for all the good things in our lives, and recognizing the joy we share with our families, to just a few weeks...

18 Dec

Posted at 01:00h in Advocacy, Attorney Education, Business Practices, Court Interpreting, Ethics, Interpreters, Janis Palma, Leadership, New Ideas, Professional Practices, Recent Posts, The Profession by
0 Likes

I have been turning this question around in my head for a while, since someone raised the question in a social media exchange: am I advocating for interpreters? Or am I advocating for the LEPs we serve? And I just have to wonder, can we...

11 Dec

Posted at 17:18h in Business Practices, Community, Court Interpreting, Interpreters, Interpreting, Language, Professional Practices, Recent Posts by
0 Likes

“Elephants have six toes.” “Sally sells seashells by the seashore.” “My friends are named Sam, Stan, Stu, San, Sandy, Dee, and Dan.” What do all these phrases have in common? These three phrases are typically used in the popular children’s game “Whisper down the lane.”...

04 Dec

Posted at 15:47h in Advocacy, Attorney Education, Business Practices, Court Interpreting, Ethics, Professional Hazard, Professional Practices, Recent Posts by
0 Likes

The Couch is a place to exchange ideas and brainstorm, not only for its contributors but also for our readers who engage in the ensuing discussions. Sometimes, to certain people, “keep calm and keep interpreting” may not be enough. A thank you goes out to this...

27 Nov

Posted at 11:36h in Advocacy, Athena Matilsky, Attorney Education, Business Practices, Court Interpreting, Ethics, Interpreters, Leadership, Professional Practices, Recent Posts by
0 Likes

Early on in my interpreting career, I learned an important lesson: the Judge is the king or queen of the courtroom. What they say goes. This means that as interpreters, we should address the judge when we need anything. And we do need things, on...

20 Nov

Posted at 11:04h in Advocacy, Community, Court Interpreting, Interpreters, Language Associations, Leadership, Odds & Ends, Personal Growth, Professional Development, Recent Posts, The Profession by
0 Likes

In the heart of Puerto Rico, a hidden treasure, thrives a small, close community of interpreters dedicated to the art of breaking down language barriers. Over the past year, since I embarked on my journey into the world of interpretation and became certified, I’ve had...