Here is what I know about the attributes of translators in the business. We always strive for making things right in this undervalued profession. We work as translators because we have a complete and utter love for languages. We help our fellow translators by referring clients when we are too busy to accept jobs. We also share our wisdom with translation and interpreting students so that they become good translators themselves and they figure out what they will be doing to earn their living is worthier than what machine translation supporters claim. We are a fun bunch as we can use language in a way wiser than the average Joe!

All of the above are mostly the case among translators in Turkey. I was only recently exposed to the international translatorial circles through social media and when I heard about the ITI Conference, I thought I should get to know more of you and mutually share experiences since I am about to start a new life in the UK as a translator where I previously did my master’s degree in translation studies.

I have been in the business for about 15 years. I did my first bachelor’s degree in English Philology. I was introduced to translation at the time through an elective course. None of my classmates liked translation but I knew it would be “my thing” in the future. Aware that I need more theoretical knowledge about translation, I then enrolled to my second bachelor’s degree – this time in Translation and Interpreting – only to graduate with honours ranking third among all students at Atilim University in Ankara, Turkey. All this time I worked as a freelancer gaining more and more experience about translation, business itself, and clients that need to be… well… educated as to how important our services are.

With an ever-growing hunger to educate myself further and to have a grip of the culture I am translating from and into, I decided to get a master’s degree in translation in the UK. Spending a year at the University of East Anglia really enlightened me in terms of culture and I decided to start a new life in England. Scary to start the same career in another country from scratch but I am bracing myself for what the future holds. By the time the Conference takes a start, I will hopefully be working with you all in good old England!

I will be attending the conference along with my fellow translator/partner in crime/boss who I have worked with and for 11 years, Sertan Ceylan (Pilot Translation and Conference Interpreting). We are both very excited to meet all the delegates and we know that this event will be more fruitful than we already expect. If you see a bald guy with beard, please don’t be shy and say hi. Yours truly will be happy to meet you.