I used to think that to be an association volunteer you needed to be extraordinary, extremely qualified, have all sorts of accreditations, certifications, a long resume, and be known to all in the profession. However, all you need is to have the will, the time,...
Another trip back in time. Athena Matilsky's 2018 article seems very apropos. Enjoy. This week it was my turn to post on the NAJIT blog, and I asked some of my colleagues what I should write about. I was told, “Don’t teach. Tell your story.” So...
It is sometimes difficult to separate ourselves from our professional persona, especially when trying to communicate with our clients. That fine line between being personable and too personal can become blurry. Knowing the difference Being personable simply means that you are polite, you are positive, you are...
7:30am I wake up with a quick, optimistic check to my inbox. No email. Oh well, I sigh. I wasn’t really expecting the results to come in that early. I roll over in bed. Thirty seconds go by. I check my email again. “It’s going to...
The Couch is a learning place, not only for its contributors but also for our readers who engage in the ensuing discussions. The pandemic has changed the way we practice our craft. How have you adapted? We have had to adapt to many things during this pandemic....
Dear Colleagues, Well, goodness me. It would appear that since my last blog post, the world has spun a teensy bit sideways. All of my own carefully made plans have been turned upside down, along with the plans of…every single person I know. And the rest...
I would like to draw our readers' attention to the importance of NAJIT's Position Papers: this resource brings together research and opinions on topics of great impact on our profession. To refresh your recollection, following is a list of these resources. [vc_row][vc_column width='1/2'] General Guidelines and Requirements...
Interpreters face somewhat of a conundrum upon entering the profession. That is, we are expected to have “native-level” discourse and comprehension skills in all of our languages. Advertisements boast “perfect fluency,” and respectable interpreting courses necessarily steer their content away from language acquisition. Yet, of...
The Couch is a learning place, not only for its contributors but also for our readers who engage in the ensuing discussions. How well can you command your mother tongue? Would you feel comfortable reading a modern novel written in it? Well, our colleague needs...
Well, I made it! One more semester to go. As I write, the train wheels rumble underneath my seat. We are somewhere between Toronto and Montreal. When I made this journey in reverse three months ago, the leaves still adorned the trees. Now the fields...