ATA SLD

Slavic Languages Division (American Translators Association)

American Translators Association: The Voice of Interpreters and Translators

Stage Russia: Russian theater comes to you

Thater seats

Photo by Felix Mooneeram on Unsplash

For Russian theater lovers, Russian languages fans and anyone looking for new and fun ways to keep improving their Russian language skills, this screening and streaming program is a great option.
Stage Russia shows a variety of classical and contemporary plays staged by leading Russian theaters with English subtitles. As a Muscovite, I am delighted to have access to Satirikon’s Seagull and to be able to see other performances that would have been unavailable to me otherwise. Even if you are not a die-hard Butusov fan, you might enjoy other Stage Russia recordings, from Uncle Vanya to Drillalians.
It is also possible to organize viewings for colleges and to request viewings at local libraries (for free or for a licensing fee): https://www.stagerussia.com/streaming.
Read more about the project here. And, if you go to a screening, please consider writing a review for SlavFile or for SLD blog!

Lifetime Recognition Award to be presented to Prof. Emeritus James E. Augerot

Introduction by Laura Friend

Teachers hold a special place in our hearts as we go through life. Language teachers play a particularly crucial role in our education as linguists. Unfortunately most of us rarely express our appreciation for the gift of knowledge bestowed on us by teachers. I am therefore happy to spread the word that one of my former professors, James Augerot, Professor Emeritus of Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Washington (Seattle), will be publicly honored for a lifetime of service to his profession, and more specifically to U.S. – Romanian relations.

Dr. Augerot (aka “Big Jim”) will be presented a lifetime recognition award by the Romanian Ambassador to the US. Why Romanian, you may ask? During the Cold War, Central and Eastern European languages were often lumped together, regardless of language group, based on geopolitical boundaries. Hence a scholar of Romanian found his academic home in the Slavic department. Fortunately for those of us who did not study Romanian, Jim was also an excellent professor of Russian, Bulgarian, Old Russian, Old Slavic and more. I especially appreciate having studied morphology (The Structure of Russian) with Big Jim.

Nov 9, 2017, HUB 332, UW, 6 pm: Lifetime Recognition Award to be presented to Prof. Emeritus James E. Augerot by Romanian Ambassador to the US, George Maior.

Additional information on the event.
University of Washington James E. Augerot faculty page.
University of Washington article about James E. Augerot.

SLD at the ATA 58th Annual Conference: all you need to know and do before leaving for Washington, D.C.

Watch

Image by Jiyeon Park via Unsplash

The ATA 58th Annual Conference is now less than a week away. We look forward to meeting new SLD members and reconnecting with the colleagues we already know.

We have several reminders for the SLD members coming to the conference – before you start your journey to Washington, D.C., make sure you are not going to miss any of the SLD events that interest you.

For the first-time attendees: advice from SLD members, Buddies welcome Newbies and Newcomers Lunch

If you are a first-time attendee, welcome!

You’ll be able to meet with SLD members even before the sessions start at the SLD table at the Welcome Celebration. We also recommend participating in the Buddies welcome Newbies program, and attending the SLD Newcomers Lunch (Thursday, October 26, 12:30 pm) – please remember that registration for this event closes on Friday, October, 20.

Read more about the SLD Newcomers Lunch here. Remember that this event is open to both newcomers and those who have already attended ATA conferences in the past.

In addition to organizing the newcomers lunch, Jen Guernsey has prepared a blog post with advice for the first-time attendees. You can read it here. Natalie Mainland, a recent first-time attendee, shares her experience and offers advice in this post. If you would like to read other conference reviews by first-time attendees, the Summer/Fall SlavFile Preview issue has a list of articles going back to 2004.

SLD Annual Dinner

This event will take place on October 26, from 7pm to 10 pm at Meze. You can find detailed instructions on registration and information about the event here. While we do offer an opportunity to register at the Welcoming Celebration, we would very much like to have as many attendees as possible register before October, 20. Please register now to avoid possible cancellation!

Other dining options: going out with other SLD members

This year we are running sign-up sheets for SLD members who would like to explore Washington, D.C., Slavic food scene. Additional information and a link to the sign-up form are available here.

SLD sessions and the Annual Meeting

While going out with fellow SLD members is an important part of the conference experience, it is not all that we do.

You can find the Slavic languages sessions schedule online, or in the Summer/Fall SlavFile Preview issue.

In addition to that we encourage all SLD members to attend the Annual Meeting on Thursday at 4:45 pm to 5:45 pm. This is an opportunity to discuss the division initiatives, find out about division plans, meet other members and help shape the future of our division. SLD Annual Meeting agenda has been published in the 2017 Summer/Fall SlavFile issue on page 24.

Other ways to make a difference

Even if you are not willing to take on a specific position as a member of the Leadership Council, you can still contribute to the division. For example, we would love SLD members and other conference attendees to share their experiences and/or reviews of non-Slavic sessions. Read a post from Eugenia Tietz-Sokolskaya, the SLD Blog Editor, to find out more.

Final reminders

Please remember that there is a new badging policy in place: do not forget to wear your attendee badge for any conference events and activities.

If you would like to attend one of the SLD events, please remember to register in advance, by October, 20, for both Newcomers Lunch and Annual Dinner.

Lastly, please consider contributing to the division, either by attending the Annual Meeting or by submitting a review, a post, or a SlavFile article.

We wish all attendees an exciting time in Washington, D.C., and hope to see you there!

Call for Volunteers: Help Us Review ATA58!

Photo by Thomas Lefebvre via Unsplash

Are you going to this year’s ATA Annual Conference? See any particularly interesting non-SL sessions on the schedule? Consider writing it up for the SLD blog!

Slavic language sessions are typically thoroughly reviewed in SlavFile in the issues following any given conference, but conferences are also chock-full of sessions in other categories that may also be of interest to our members. We would like to publish short reviews of those sessions on the blog after the conference. Unfortunately, just like every other conference-goer, we can’t be everywhere at once. That’s where you come in!

If you’re planning on going to a session – or several! – that might be a good candidate for a review on the blog, please let me know (eugenia@sokolskayatranslations.com). Feel free to contact me even if you are interested in publishing a review, but you don’t have a session in mind yet. Alternatively, you can volunteer to review one of the following sessions that we think might be of interest to the SLD blog readership:

We invite all of the ATA attendees, but SLD members in particular, to share their newfound knowledge with other and discuss thought-provoking sessions on SLD blog.

A new initiative for SLD members: SLD Goes out

Lunch photo

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

Several members have requested SLD to start compiling sign-up sheets to facilitate mingling between SLD members during ATA conferences.

This year we offer all SLD members attending the ATA 58th Annual Conference an opportunity to explore Washington, D.C., restaurants offering Slavic (or, in one case, Uzbek) food together.

If you are interested, you can see additional information on the venues and sign up here.

Once the registration closes on October, 23, we’ll send out group emails to participants interested in the same time, date, and venue. From there it’s up to them to decide whether or not to make a reservation, where to meet, and how to get to the venue.

We hope that this new initiative will be of interest to the SLD members!

You’ll notice that there are no options for Thursday. We would like to encourage our members, both new and old, to attend the division events scheduled for that day: Newcomers Lunch and SLD Division Dinner.

Please remember that the registration deadline is October 20th for both of the events.

For SLD Dinner, please remember that we need to reach a minimum number of attendees in advance to avoid event cancellation. Do not wait until the Welcome Celebration to register!

 

So You’ve Never Been to an ATA Conference…

By Jen Guernsey

Every year SlavFile publishes an article encouraging our fellow SLD members to attend the ATA Annual Conference and providing tips for newcomers. Why is that? you ask. Do we get some sort of referral discount? Nope! Does the rate get cheaper when attendance is higher? No (though I am sure there is a critical mass of attendees required to keep rates reasonable). Why, then, do we keep bugging you about going to the conference?

There are two reasons: one altruistic, one selfish. The altruistic reason is that the conference has been a terrific experience for us, and we want you to be able to share in that experience. Don’t take our word for it; read about the experiences of our conference newcomers of recent years in the SlavFile Preview.

The second, selfish, reason is that your presence makes the conference a richer experience for us. Getting to know our colleagues is the best, and ultimately the most productive, part of the conference. If all we wanted was educational sessions, we’d attend webinars. Instead, we invest the time and expense to go to the conference. For me personally, being able to commune with like-minded people, getting their sage advice, being able to refer work to them or share jobs with them, and having them refer work to me have all made an immeasurable difference in the success of my translation career, not to mention made it far more enjoyable. We regular conference-goers want YOU to come so we can get to know you and add you to our circle of colleagues.

 

How to Survive Your First ATA Conference

Actually, you aren’t going to SURVIVE it, you’re going to LOVE it! Below are some tips that will make it a little easier for you to hit the ground running.

First, here are a few pearls of wisdom from other first-time attendees:

If you’re introverted, never fear! There are plenty of ways for you to meet people and make connections without having to walk into a crowd of strangers and start cold. I signed up for the excellent “Buddies Welcome Newbies” program that partnered me with an experienced translator working, as I do, from Russian into English (hi Jen!) who showed me the ropes. She answered my questions, introduced me to people in the Slavic [Languages] Division, and was a very welcome familiar face in a sea of strangers. I also attended Slavic [Languages] Division events, such as the newcomers’ lunch, the Division dinner, and the Division meeting. The great thing about this is that people in the division know each other and as a result know that you’re new, and they really do go out of their way to be welcoming. My worries of being the silent person standing awkwardly in the corner never materialized. – Natalie Mainland, 2016.

At the BWN [Buddies Welcome Newbies] program, all it takes is sitting at a table and saying “Hello” for all anxiety to disappear, because everyone is so welcoming, understanding, patient, really interested in what everyone has to say, and always happy to give advice. Having gained confidence, I went to the Welcome Celebration, where I experienced a second wave of anxiety, but found my way to the Slavic [Languages] Division table. What a relief! There were so many people who spoke my native language (Russian), and some were also wearing the pink ribbon saying “First time attendee.” There is no problem finding common interests when you know you are speaking with someone in your language pair. And that pink ribbon: it is the most powerful and magical thing for a newbie. It identifies you as someone who needs some guidance. People saw it and approached me at breakfast, coffee breaks, and other events. They made me feel welcome and asked questions. It would lead to the most amazing conversations. – Daria Toropchyn, 2015

First on my list of events was “Buddies Welcome Newbies,” part of a program in which seasoned conference-goers adopt first-time attendees and show them the ropes. My “buddy” was an experienced technical translator who seemed to know everyone else by name. He gave me advice on how to approach the conference (in a nutshell: relax and get to know other translators) and introduced me to people I wouldn’t otherwise have met. — Christopher Tauchen, 2015

So, prospective newbies, here is your pre-conference to-do list:

1) Register for the conference BY OCTOBER 6 to take advantage of lower rates.

2) Download the conference app. I find it very helpful for planning my conference and finding event locations. You can input your resume and other profile info to help both colleagues and prospective employers find you.

3) Review the conference program to get an idea of the sessions and events you’d like to attend. A list of presentations in the Slavic languages track and by SLD members can be found in the SlavFile Preview.

4) Join Buddies Welcome Newbies to be paired up with an experienced conference-goer who will show you the ropes. All three of our newbies quoted above mentioned this helpful program, scheduled for Wednesday 4:45-5:30 (Debriefing Saturday 12:30-1:30) https://www.atanet.org/conf/2017/newbies/.

5) Reserve your spot at the SLD Newcomers Lunch. This solves the question of lunch for your first conference day: you already have prearranged colleagues to eat with! Some of us old-timers come as well. On Thursday, October 26, we will meet at 12:20 PM in the lobby of the hotel and proceed together to the restaurant, or you can just walk there on your own. Meals are not prearranged; we just order off the menu and pay for our own. To expedite service and food preparation, we will order from a limited menu of around 15 dishes. Our destination this year will be:

Sette Osteria

1666 Connecticut Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20009

www.setteosteria.com

To reserve your place, please email jenguernsey@gmail.com by Friday, October 20. Please specify any dietary restrictions.

6) Reserve your spot at the SLD Dinner (see information here). It’s a nice chance to get to know your SLD colleagues better while enjoying a lovely meal. I didn’t sign up for the dinner my first year, and regretted it (and have gone to every one since!). If you follow a special diet, check it out anyway, as accommodations are possible. Thursday 7:00–10:00 PM.

And while at the conference:

1) Wear your pink First Time Attendee ribbon with pride. It will spark a lot of conversations…kind of like wearing a “Please Welcome Me” sign on your forehead…but more comfortable.

2) Come to the Welcome Celebration. It is huge! It is crowded! It is loud! It is daunting! Never fear—just seek out the table marked SLD. You will encounter some familiar names, soon to be familiar faces, and introduce yourself. Plus, hey, free food and a couple of drinks. Wednesday 5:30-7:00.

3) Attend the SLD meeting. This is another good way to get to know people in the division, as well as learn what is going on in the division. We usually have a little time at the end when we encourage first-timers to introduce themselves. The meeting will be 4:45-5:45 on Thursday, October 26.

4) Volunteer to write for SlavFile. Every year, SlavFile publishes reviews of all of the Slavic track sessions and any others a potential reviewer considers of special interest to our members, as well as printing the impressions of a conference newcomer. Volunteering to write one of these is a great way to get involved and get your name out there. Any other contributions from new members, including profiles introducing yourselves to readers, are enthusiastically welcomed.

5) Don’t get boxed in. While we in the SLD would love to have you with us for the entire conference, there is no requirement to stick with one group of people or one track of sessions. Explore! The conference has so many interesting sessions, and so many interesting people – you can’t go wrong!

See you at the conference!

Jen Guernsey is a Russian>English translator and longtime SLD member with 14 conferences under her belt. She is the SLD Leadership Council member responsible for newcomer activities.

Audiovisual Translation: Joys and Challenges

cover photo: old video camera

By Julia Thornton

Photo by Anca Luchit on Unsplash

My first introduction to audiovisual translation (AVT) happened while I was growing up in the Soviet Union. I don’t remember the first foreign movie that I watched, but they were many and came from an array of countries. Premier movies and shows that were dubbed in Moscow were a work of art: I laughed at Pierre Richard and Gerard Depardieux, was enthralled with colorful scenes of India, sympathized with Michele Placido, felt at home with the Mexican and Brazilian soap operas, and was mesmerized by the enigmatic American way of life. Then came the 90s: the Iron Curtain fell, and my country was flooded with overseas movies available on video tapes. The voiceover for those movies was done by individuals whose “stage voice” was purposefully nasal and monotonous. Fast forward to today, and one of the fields I work in is subtitle translation.

Audiovisual content has been experiencing exponential growth fueled by the Internet boom: not only can we stream movies, shows, documentaries, concerts and sport events, but now there is online education and gaming. The recent development in the AVT world has been with Netflix and Amazon, as they started offering their products in many countries. Because of the volume of audiovisual content, subtitle translation has become the mode of choice, since it is the least expensive and the fastest way to localize an audiovisual event. Voiceover is more audience-friendly, but costs more, since it involves a voice talent and studio; dubbing is the most enjoyable for the audience, but it is the most expensive.

A good audiovisual translator is a person who is familiar with the culture, comfortable with slang (there is a lot of that!), and quick to adapt to the peculiarities of AVT. Here is what makes subtitle translation different from other types of translations:

  1. The translator is always looking for ways to make the translation shorter. There is the ever-present factor of reading speed that the translator needs to consider. Currently, the speed of 17 characters per second (CPS) is widely accepted for grown-up audience. This speed allows the viewer to read the subtitle and to have time to see what is happening on the screen. When actors talk fast or when translation into a target language is longer, it calls for re-creation: words and phrases that are not critical to the plot will be dropped, expressions reworded and repetitions omitted. The translator aims at translating maximum meaning within the tight boundaries of reading speed.
  2. Translation is geared toward translating emotion versus text. It is of primary importance to make the translation sound as natural in the target language as possible. Instead of staying close to the original text, substituting common expressions in the target language is normal. In a lot of cases, the shortest option will win (see point 1).
  3. Translating a lot of conversational speech: one might need to brush up on slang (Urban Dictionary comes in handy) and the current corresponding phrases in the target language. Punctuation in conversational speech also can be tricky.
  4. Working with style guides that differ slightly, and keeping in mind those differences. For instance, one client might want a space after a hyphen at the beginning of each speaker’s line in dialogs, another might not.
  5. The translator is usually paid per minute of runtime, not per word. This is unfortunate, as content varies in difficulty and word count: a 45-minute show can have as many as 850 subtitles and as few as 550. Netflix has a multi-language chart of per-minute prices that it pays agencies for a finished product.

Commonalities:

  1. The translation needs to be as accurate as possible (tense, register, punctuation).
  2. The translator researches terminology (for historic films or ones dealing with a particular field, e.g. medicine or law, and especially documentaries).
  3. Sometimes translators work alone, other times they works in a team of other translators (when there are several seasons of the same show, for example). Some agencies provide platforms for translators to collaborate in order to unify their efforts, others do not.

While I do other types of translation and hope to keep it that way, so my skills are more balanced, I enjoy audiovisual translation, and here is why:

  • a good translation can bridge a cultural gap for the audience;
  • watching a show or a movie and translating it helps with the boredom that naturally comes when translating documents;
  • it’s a thrill to find a good equivalent in the target language that fits into the reading speed!
  • when working for an agency, the software is provided on the agency’s site: no need to buy yet another CAT tool.

Challenges of audiovisual translation:

  • relatively low pay, if counted per word;
  • getting stuck with translation because all the words are plot-pertinent, yet they don’t fit the reading speed;
  • tight deadlines: a 45-minute show is usually translated in 2 days or less.

Now is a good time to get into the field for anyone who wants to give it a try. While it is possible to work for direct clients who regularly produce audiovisual content (government organizations, religious groups, educational websites), most audiovisual translators work for agencies who are subcontractors of major content providers. A narrowed-down search in the ATA directory will yield names of companies that work with subtitles. Most of these companies require a prospective translator to take an unpaid test. If you want to build your subtitle translation skills, you can learn them as you volunteer (for instance, on the TED Project). Acquiring this new skill will help you see translated movies in a new light and gain appreciation for the work audiovisual translators do. You might like it so much you will want to continue!

Julia Thornton is a certified EN-RU translator (ATA). She grew up in Russia and graduated from the Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages. She then moved to the USA and earned a master’s degree in theological studies. Her other experiences and interests are in interpreting and education. She can be reached at julia.thornton@alterustranslations.com.

SLD NEWCOMERS LUNCH

Thursday, October 26, 2017
12:30 PM
Sette Osteria
1666 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20009
www.setteosteria.com

This lunch is for conference first-timers AND any experienced conference-goers who would like to join in to welcome the new folks.

Meet us in the lobby at 12:20 to walk over together, or just meet us at the restaurant.

To expedite service, we will order from a limited menu of about 15 dishes and pay for our own meals individually.
Please reserve your spot by emailing Jen Guernsey at jenguernsey@gmail.com by Friday, October 20. Please specify any dietary restrictions.

SLAVIC LANGUAGES DIVISION DINNER

2017 ATA 58th Annual Conference—Washington DC

Date/Time: Thursday, October 26, 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Establishment: Meze restaurant
www.mezedc.com

Address/Ph: 2437 18th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009
(202) 797-0017

Meze Restaurant is in Washington, DC’s Adams-Morgan District. Located only one-half mile from the conference hotel, the restaurant is easily accessed on foot. The establishment has been in business since 2001 and specializes in Turkish meze dishes. According to the restaurant, meze dishes “are intended for sharing, and offer diners the opportunity to experience multiple flavors in one meal.” The Division’s event will be held in Meze’s private Gold Room with a seating capacity for 50 guests.

Please join other Division members and guests for an enjoyable evening. Converse with friends and colleagues, make new acquaintances, and welcome Division newcomers.

MEZE ELEVEN-ITEM TASTING DINNER MENU

First Course

Vegan Coban Salatasi (*GF/NF/DF) Shepherd’s salad: diced fresh cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, and green peppers, dressed with olive oil, parsley, and lemon juice.

Second Course

Vegan Humus (GF/NF/DF) Chickpeas & tahini paste seasoned with garlic and olive oil.
Vegetarian Mucver (NF) Savory zucchini pancakes mixed with feta cheese served with tomato and yogurt sauces.
Vegan Dolma (GF/DF) Grape leaves stuffed with caramelized onions, rice, and pine nuts and cooked over a gentle fire.
Vegetarian Sigara Böregi (NF) Turkey’s popular crispy cigar-shaped pastry stuffed with feta cheese, parsley, and dill.
Vegan Mercimek Kofte (NF/DF) Veggie lentil cakes with bulgur, onions. and parsley.

Third Course

Köfte (NF/DF) Grilled Turkish-style beef and lamb meatballs, seasoned with parsley and onions.
Fistikli Adana (DF) Ground lamb and beef mixed with pistachio and grilled on a skewer, served with ezme salad.
Tavuk Kebab (GF/NF/DF) Marinated grilled chicken breast on a skewer, served with fresh tomato relish.
Icli Patates Kofte Potato shells stuffed with ground lamb, beef, parsley, and walnuts, served with yogurt sauce.

Dessert

Baklava Delicate leaves of filo layered with walnut, with homemade lemon syrup.

*GF/Gluten Free; NF/Nut Free; DF/Dairy Free

Dietary Options: Vegetarian and nut- and gluten-free options are indicated in the menu. If required, a separate vegetarian menu can be made available upon request. Please coordinate any other special dietary requirements with Fred Grasso (frdgrasso@satx.rr.com; 210-638-9669) no later than Wednesday, 10/25/2017.

Beverages: Iced tea included; non-alcoholic and alcoholic available beverages available for purchase.

TICKET PURCHASE

Ticket cost is $50.00 per person (includes iced tea, sales tax (10%), and gratuities (20%)). Tickets can be purchased by PayPal (preferred) or check received not later than Friday, 10/20/2017.

NOTE: If a vegetarian or gluten-free menu option is required, please so indicate when purchasing your ticket.

Payment via PayPal: Access the PayPal website (www.paypal.com) and select the “Send Money” tab. Enter the amount ($50 per person) and choose the “Friends and Family” option. In Step 2, use the following e-mail address: frdgrasso@yahoo.com.

Check payment: Mail a check for the appropriate amount made payable to “Fred Grasso” at the following address:

Fred Grasso
14414 Indian Woods
San Antonio, TX 78249-2054

NOTE: Provided space is available, a limited number of last-minute tickets can be purchased—cash only—during the ATA welcoming reception on Wednesday, 10/25/2017.

How to Tackle an ATA Conference

People milling about.

By Natalie Mainland

Photo from Unsplash by Daria Shevtsova

It’s that time of year again! We’ve come back from vacation, summer is drawing to a close, and translators across the country are wondering, “Should I go to the ATA conference this year?”

If you’ve never been, and you’re on the fence, perhaps my experience as a newcomer to last year’s conference can shed some light on it for you.

I have to admit, I wasn’t sure about attending the 2016 ATA conference. I have a degree in translation and have been translating for a few years now, so I didn’t know how useful it would be, and I am—like I think many translators are—extremely introverted. Given the choice between getting a root canal or chatting up a room full of people I don’t know, I’ll take the root canal, please. However, I keep in touch with my former classmates, and not a single one of them has said that attending the conference was a waste of time or resources. I wasn’t sure if going would be helpful, but I figured it couldn’t hurt.

What next? Well, my personal philosophy is to always have a plan. Once I’d decided to attend the conference I immediately started planning so I could get the most out of it. I had a look at the first-timer’s guide in the ATA’s “Savvy Newcomer” blog, downloaded the conference app, and immediately began organizing my schedule. By the time I landed in San Francisco, I had each day planned for (supposedly) optimum effectiveness.

Educational sessions held throughout the day are organized into subject-specific tracks and are a major part of the conference. I’m trying to expand my business, so I planned to attend sessions in the “Independent Contractor” track. These were great, and I picked up tips and tricks for getting more work and running my business smoothly, but by the second afternoon I was feeling burnt out…so I decided to change things up. I went to a few medical sessions, even though they focused on language pairs other than mine. Were they helpful? You bet! Although the target language examples didn’t apply to me, I still learned strategies to improve my medical translations. Overall, I’m pleased with how much I learned, and in the months after the conference I even put that knowledge to use when I worked on a large medical project.

The other major part of the conference is networking, and that’s the part that worried me. I went to the Welcome Celebration on the first night, where everyone from the ATA divisions can mingle and learn more about one another, and I honestly felt a bit like a deer in the headlights. However, the whole process became markedly easier when I realized one obvious thing: everyone else is here to network, too!  They want to meet new people and talk with them, and all the people that I spoke with were wonderfully welcoming. After making it through that first hectic evening, everything else—such as talking to agency reps in the Exhibit Hall—was no problem at all.

Now for the big question: do I think going to the conference was worth it? I absolutely do. I picked up new skills and met other people working in my field. This profession can be a solitary one, and having actual, face-to-face contact with other humans was, for me, one of the best parts of the entire experience.

So, now that I’ve (hopefully) convinced you to go, what are my suggestions for your first conference?

  • Go. I was on the fence about going, but I’m glad I did. Although I’m no neophyte, I still learned a lot of things that will help me improve my craft. I also met a multitude of wonderful and interesting people, and found new prospects for my work.
  • Leave. Just because you’re at the conference doesn’t mean you need to attend every single event. In fact, that’s a good way to wear yourself out. At the conference in San Francisco, none of the early morning events made my ‘must-do’ list, so every morning I took a walk along the bay instead. Not only did I get fresh air and exercise, I also got a chance to take a break from being ‘on’ all the time. This helped me recharge and gave me the energy to do all the other things that I wanted to do.
  • Participate. If you’re introverted, never fear! There are plenty of ways for you to make connections without having to walk into a crowd of strangers and start cold. I signed up for the “Buddies Welcome Newbies” program, which partnered me with an experienced translator and conference-goer (hi Jen!) who showed me the ropes. She answered my questions, introduced me to people in the division, and was a very welcome familiar face in a sea of strangers. I also attended division events. The great thing about this is that people in the division know each other and know that you’re new, and they really do go out of their way to be welcoming. My worries of being the silent person standing awkwardly in the corner never materialized.
  • Ditch the plan. Or rather, be willing to ditch the plan. I had my entire conference schedule laid out before I stepped off the plane. Yet, some of the best experiences happened when I deviated from that schedule—skipping a mass networking event to go to dinner with some newfound colleagues, for example.

All in all, my first conference was a resounding success. I’m glad I went, and I would encourage anyone else to do the same.

The ATA 58th Annual Conference is fast approaching! This year’s conference is in Washington, DC, on October 25-28, 2017. Register by September 15th to take advantage of Early Registration Rates.

Natalie Mainland holds an M.A. in Translation from Kent State University. She currently works as a freelancer, translating Russian into English (with a focus on medical texts) as well as Finnish into English. She can be reached at natalie@mainlandtranslation.com. This post was adapted and updated by the author from an article that appeared in the Fall 2016 issue of SlavFile.

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