As usual, I asked her a few questions and here are her replies. Enjoy :)
1. Natallia, please share a few weird/fun facts about you that you don't normally share in your bio.
I can rarely start my working day without a cup of exquisite espresso, preferably with a chocolate candy or a marzipan biscuit. Also, I am fond of cats.
2. What was the best project in your career?
I’d like to mention two projects, as I cannot really decide which of them was better.
The first one was the project with Termomeccanica SRL, Italy, in November 2012 - January 2013. The representatives of this company came to the biggest enterprise in my city because they wanted to tender for the supply of equipment for them and needed to learn the requirements for the equipment, eventual working conditions and so on. I interpreted the negotiations. After the meeting they invited me to lunch and asked if I could translate their tender offer and all the associated documentation, because, they said, I had been really helpful and competent. Of course I was flattered and agreed. It was the first serious international project for me. I enjoyed the translation; it was somewhat difficult, yet interesting. Just as I like it. Also, it was paid well and without any problems.
The second one was the project for one of our Grodno joint ventures, Conte SPA, a sock-and-stocking production enterprise. They needed urgent Notarial translation of some of the statutory documents of their partners. The amount was huge, and the deadline was extremely short. It helped me a lot that the topic was interesting for me. My clients were content as they managed to present all the documents on time, so, besides the generous payment, I got a box of their cool products. I used the money raised for the project to finance the development of my new web-site. It would have been difficult without it.
The first one was the project with Termomeccanica SRL, Italy, in November 2012 - January 2013. The representatives of this company came to the biggest enterprise in my city because they wanted to tender for the supply of equipment for them and needed to learn the requirements for the equipment, eventual working conditions and so on. I interpreted the negotiations. After the meeting they invited me to lunch and asked if I could translate their tender offer and all the associated documentation, because, they said, I had been really helpful and competent. Of course I was flattered and agreed. It was the first serious international project for me. I enjoyed the translation; it was somewhat difficult, yet interesting. Just as I like it. Also, it was paid well and without any problems.
The second one was the project for one of our Grodno joint ventures, Conte SPA, a sock-and-stocking production enterprise. They needed urgent Notarial translation of some of the statutory documents of their partners. The amount was huge, and the deadline was extremely short. It helped me a lot that the topic was interesting for me. My clients were content as they managed to present all the documents on time, so, besides the generous payment, I got a box of their cool products. I used the money raised for the project to finance the development of my new web-site. It would have been difficult without it.
3. What was the worst project in your career?
The worst project in my career was the ESL course for the employees of one of the biggest enterprises in my city. Though it was OK financially, it was extremely hard working with them, as for the majority of the group studying wasn’t fun, it was kind of servitude, an obligation imposed on them by their administration. That’s why they didn’t want to learn, every activity proposed by the teacher was “stupid” and “useless” even though the same course had been a success with other students. First I taught them, and then I asked another teacher to do that, and then another one, and so on. Everyone was able to stand them for three months top. Finely, I decided to stop torturing both the teachers and the students, talked to the administration and we terminated the agreement.
4. What do you like most about being a freelance translator?
The best thing about being a freelance translator is freedom. I manage my own time. I can choose to sleep in the morning and work in the evening, if it’s more convenient. I can take a free week, or organize a busy, yet well-paid week-end. I can go to the hairdresser’s without asking my boss for permission. Also, I easily escape the rush-hour traffic.
5. Why do your clients love working with you? What's unique about your services?
This is what my clients said about me:
“You came to understand our field very quickly. I am surprised”, - a new client after the first hour of negotiations at a clothing factory. Actually, I’m often asked to translate the necessary documents after interpreting the negotiations, because my clients see that I am able to grasp their field and their needs, so they trust me; and I am proud of that.
My language students:
1. “You‘re carried away by your job. So you make us interested, too”.
2. “You aim at obtaining the results”.
3. “We came here just to learn Italian, and you made us fall in love with it.”
“You came to understand our field very quickly. I am surprised”, - a new client after the first hour of negotiations at a clothing factory. Actually, I’m often asked to translate the necessary documents after interpreting the negotiations, because my clients see that I am able to grasp their field and their needs, so they trust me; and I am proud of that.
My language students:
1. “You‘re carried away by your job. So you make us interested, too”.
2. “You aim at obtaining the results”.
3. “We came here just to learn Italian, and you made us fall in love with it.”
Natallia, thank you so much for taking the time to answer all these questions! I wish you good luck in everything you do!
Olga Arakelyan
Your Professional Translator
P.S. Dear readers, just in case you have missed it, my blog has been nominated for Top 100 Language Professional Blogs award, and I would be sooooo thankful for your support! Your opinion really counts! Thanks in advance!
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