Bonjour !

My name is Françoise Vignon. I was born in Orléans and brought up a few hundred yards from the Loiret, the river that gives its name to the Département and runs into the Loire a couple of miles further on. How I ended up living in Cheshire is a long story, but it is true to say that my love of languages is responsible for most of the decisions that have shaped my life so far.

After quite a few years teaching French and German to secondary school students, I took the plunge just over 13 years ago, and with a DipTrans duly obtained, I set myself up as a freelance English (and occasionally German) to French translator. I came into the profession with some apprehension, unsure whether I was cut out for it and whether it would support me and my family.

I can honestly say that I love my job and feel incredibly fortunate to be able to make a living this way. Most of all, I love the fact that on one hand, you have to be structured and faithful to an author who relies on you to communicate his or her words accurately, but on the other hand, it does not stop you from being creative. Another thing I love about this job is the fact that it gives me so many opportunities to learn something new, nearly on a daily basis. The Internet is a marvellous tool, dangerous too, but that adds to the challenge!

One thing I don’t really like about my job is the isolation it can lead to. That is one of the reasons why I am so looking forward to the ITI conference. It is a lovely way to meet likeminded people who share your interest. For one, you learn lots of things from many different sources, not just in masterclasses but also through chats with colleagues. With the years, some of these colleagues have actually become friends and as usual, I look forward to seeing some of them in Gateshead.

This year, I have offered my help with the “Buddies Welcome Newbies” scheme and am hoping this way that I can too share something useful and be of some help to newcomers into our great profession.