Translation is my life. One of the first words my kids learnt was “deadline”, as in “mum has a deadline and MUST NOT BE DISTURBED”.  The truth is that even if I didn’t do it to earn a living, I would want to translate.  The fact that I can say this after over 20 years as a freelance translator who routinely processes in excess of 700,000 words a year – mainly technical, medical, IT, telecom, training and marketing materials – speaks volumes.  It is very rare that I don’t enjoy a job, and I love learning something new every day.

When I came to Britain from Munich over 20 years ago, life in the outskirts of Greater Manchester was a bit of a culture shock.  I have proudly seen Manchester change from a fairly bleak northern town to a vibrant, modern city with many wonderful cafés and eateries, and the rolling foothills of the Peak District have become my home.  I am deeply grateful to my wonderful colleagues in ITI and the North West Translators Network who helped me get started and have been wonderful friends for so many years.  There are some things only translators and interpreters will understand and find funny.

Fortunately, translators and interpreters are not only adept at bridging language and culture gaps, but also particularly good at overcoming distance and time.  It doesn’t matter if you only see a translator or interpreter friend once every few years at conference, occasionally exchanging e-mails or Facebook messages in-between, as soon as you meet again, you will immediately feel at home with each other.  We are like a web that spans the globe, and when you’re a translator or interpreter, your profession will give you instant friends all over the world.

The ITI Conference will enable me to spend time with dear friends I haven’t seen in years, and I am looking forward to meeting many others in person who I have encountered online in my role as mentor on the PSG and more recently on the ITI SUFT courses.  I can’t wait to meet you all - we will make this ITI Conference a memorable event!