Found In Translation

For those who've been following the professional progress (or lack thereof) of the author of this blog, I have some Very Good News Indeed.

For those who haven't been following, well, my professional activity over the last year or so since I finished my M2 (research degree) has involved selling vegetables, arranging yoghurts, and, most recently, renting academic gowns to graduands whilst trying to resist telling them how hard it is to find a decent job afterwards. 

I had no reason to be optimistic, you see. I was accepted for a PhD in Cambridge but it fell through for lack of funding. My attempts to be taken on as a trainee archivist failed for want of experience- to get experience, you need experience (DOH). Finally, the English Heritage graduate trainee scheme for Historic Environment Management, in which I had placed my remaining hope, was abolished three days after I applied because of the Tory party. I won't go into it, but it was DEFINITELY their doing.

I'd been thinking about translation for a while- I've done a bit in the past on a voluntary basis and really enjoyed it, but I wasn't sure how I'd go about doing that as a job without relevant qualifications. As it turns out, there's no fixed route into translation in this country. I applied for something earlier this week on the off-chance, knowing I was unlikely to get it as I didn't have a single one of their 'essential' qualifications.

Y'know what?

Sometimes, a bit of nerve pays off. 

Sometimes, after a year of struggling to find something, things start to come together.

Sometimes, someone will take a chance on the overqualified shop-girl and get her to do a sample translation.

And sometimes- just sometimes- they'll offer her her first freelance projects.

WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!