Torn-up clothes, visible effects of starvation, and the healing signs of burns, cuts and bruises from her flight from the Boko Haram soldiers that had burned down her school. I was always impressed at how she managed to look so clean, calm, and cheerful when she was in front of the children. I had seen her crying several times in pain in her hiding spot next to mine at the outskirts of the village. I had also talked to her, even cried with her.

I placed all of my MREs [Meals Ready to Eat] on the floor and watched the little kids’ eyes grow even bigger, almost like they would pop-out of their big heads. The effects of malnutrition and disease had left the little ones looking like freakish little aliens.

Two Young women waited for their order. The café was bubbling with life. Sonia as always, had something to talk about. Everyone did, but she wasn’t normal. She could go on and on, about her job, her car, her boyfriend, her favorite soap, her neighbor, the city, the president, changing from one subject to another without warning.

“You must rest. It is a miracle that you are alive, and that we found you at all!” Said the holographic image of the being standing in front of me. A being that chose to appear as human so as not to scare me. He said there was much I had yet to learn before it could reveal itself in its true form. Could it be that it felt its form would be too hideous for a human to see? Surely this people, if I could call them people, had some knowledge of human psychology...

I crossed the busy street, ignoring honking horns, screeching tires, and some very imaginative swearing from drivers and riders alike. I stepped out of the street, finally, to their relief, and onto the sidewalk, jumping over some garden. Again, rebuke from some guy with gardening tools. I had less than 5 seconds to make it through the closing doors. As they slid shut after I wrestled through them, I realized I was in! It was 4 P.M. and the post office was now closed. In this day and age, with emails, drones, and 3-d printers, the post office didn’t really need to stay open. However, people still needed some things delivered the old-fashioned way, so here I was.

I decided to take up running after much insistence from my wife. It was true that I had been living a sedentary life. As an independent translator, I worked from home, sometimes for 12+ hours non-stop, with very regular visits to the kitchen, and none to the family’s treadmill. First week was problematic. Weighing over 120 kilos, 25 more than I should, I knew, without needing any crazy formulas or nutritionists pinching my love-handles, that I was in trouble!

They also take into account their students and their needs, bringing a little of the students’ universe into the classroom. Where the book fails or has its limits, the teacher must step in and fill in the gaps.

I have joined different translation and linguist associations or networks in order to gain access to their benefits, courses, professional networks, and appear in their member directories so clients can find me. That is the ultimate goal, right? Be on a directory so clients can find me? And will it make a difference if I am accredited, certified, or just a simple member? I think it will depend on where you are, and on what clients want. And your qualifications, experience, will play a key role.

ESL, EFL ou ESOL? Qual vc estuda? Tais siglas podem causar confusão, já que todas são relacionadas à mesma coisa - o aprendizado de inglês. Porem, elas são utilizadas em contextos diferentes. Veja aqui os diferentes significados, e onde você se encaixa como aluno!

I used to teach English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Brazil before going into translations. I found that the best way to go is to become a freelancer after a period in a language school, specializing in technical and business English, and preparing students for international exams. I was able to survive comfortably, teaching four private classes per day during the workweek, and sometimes on Saturdays. These were classes at the clients' homes or offices, and I concentrated on a clientele of students prepping for GMAT, international postgraduate programs, and medical and international trade professionals.

Who would be the best PRO to work on medical documents? Medics who are linguists or linguists who are medics? I believe that people do not go to med school so they can become translators. Well, some do, and end up becoming great linguists too. Still, why demand medical professionals be exclusively the ones to translate a medical document. Is that not setting the bar too high? Even when the linguist is trained and experienced in medical lingo and stuff, but not a health professional?