IW 87: Interview Nives Gotovac Part 1: Croatian CODA Cosmetically Confesses

I need makeup! I'm a professional. I need to look the part!!!

Today we go to Croatia. A beautiful country where our guest is from. Nives Gotovac tells of her journey as a CODA into the sign language interpreting profession. We learn about community, the conditions, pay, and how sign language interpreters work in Croatia.

Join us for more insightful interview parts in the coming episodes.

Transcript

IW 87: Interview Nives Gotovac Part 1: Croatian CODA Cosmetically Confesses

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[ROCK INTRO MUSIC STARTS] 

00:00:02 Tim

Good morning, good evening, good afternoon. Wherever you are, this is the Interpreter's Workshop podcast. I'm Tim Curry, your host. Here we talk everything sign language interpreting the ins, the outs, the ups, the downs, the sideways of interpreting. If you're a student, a new interpreter, experienced interpreter, this is the place for you. If you want to know more, go tointerpretersworkshop.com

00:00:28 Tim

Let's start talking... interpreting.

[ROCK INTRO MUSIC ENDS]

00:00:34 Tim

And now the quote of the day by Ranko Marinkovic a Croatian writer and academic.

00:00:42 Tim

“Without goals and hope, we are just measurers of time.”

00:00:48 Tim

This quote is not only for this episode, but the rest of this interview with my guest from Croatia.

00:00:55 Tim

And also applies to many other episodes, and of course to each of us. In today's episode, our guest tells us a little bit of her journey as a CODA from a makeup artist to a professional interpreter, and we learn a little bit about the Croatian professional interpreting community.

00:01:16 Tim

So set your goal. Now listen to the whole episode and the next parts of this interview. Let's get started.

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

00:01:28 Tim

Our guest today is Nives Gotovac. She is an experienced sign language interpreter from Croatia. She is a CODA and an active member of the interpreting community in Croatia, living in Zagreb.

00:01:41 Tim

Nives is the president of the Croatian Association of Sign Language Interpreters, co-founder of Znakovito, which translates as Sign-ificant or Significant, which is an Internet portal with news from and about the deaf community in Croatian sign language.

00:02:00 Tim

She is the coordinator of the Spread the Sign Project for Croatia, and WASLI Balkan regional hearing representative. She holds a BA degree in international affairs with a focus in diplomacy, which probably comes in handy as an interpreter and has recently earned a master's degree from the unique European Masters in Sign Language Interpreting or, EUMASLI. She has also served the European Community as a board member of efsli welcome Nives. Thank you for joining us.

00:02:39 Nives

Thank you and thank you for having me.

00:02:42 Tim

From that introduction it was quite long, showing how much, you're working in Croatia. So first let's give ourselves some background. About how many working interpreters do you have in the country?

00:02:57 Nives

Well, after doing research for my EUMASLI thesis… [Tim: mhmm]

00:03:02 Nives

I found out that well to my research there were 55 interpreters responding, but I wouldn't say that there is only 55 interpreters. [Tim: mhmm] Usually what we think well, what people say that's there are around 100 sign language interpreters in Croatia.

00:03:23 Nives

And there is well I, I would say that there is more room in the future to, to check on that if that's if, if that's actually the thing or there are, well, maybe, maybe less, uh, [Tim: mhmm] people that are working like as professional interpreters. [Tim: mhmm]

00:03:41 Tim

Are you meaning that only a few are working as full-time interpreters, and most are part time and have other jobs?

00:03:49 Nives

Yeah. What? What I mean by professional? [Tim: mhmm]

00:03:52 Nives

Professional sign language interpreter is a person who is fluent in both Croatian Sign language and Croatian language. [Tim: mhmm] We have a few people that are working only with or mostly working with hard of hearing people that don't use sign language, they that use maybe lip reading or they're using palantypist. [Tim: mhmm]

00:04:17 Nives

So, they also in Croatia still they qualify as sign language interpreters, but they're not doing the, the interpreting work. Most of the interpreters are working full time because they're employed in deaf associations or deafblind associations. Some of them are working in associations that are connected with deaf community [Tim: mhmm] and a few in interpreting associations. So yeah, there is like a variety of people calling themselves Croatian Sign language interpreters and working in different…

00:04:52 Nives

Well, the different settings I would say.

00:04:54 Tim

Mm-hmm. Yeah. So, working for the organizations, do interpreters work throughout the community or only focused on one type of situation? Or how does that work?

00:05:06 Nives

Well, if you're employed in, let's say, deaf association, then you're working in…

00:05:12 Nives

I would say almost any setting [Tim: mhmm] besides sports, police.

00:05:16 Nives

Uh, also actually legal, [Tim: mhmm] legal settings and interpreters who are working in schools... Well, actually, it can happen that interpreters are working part time in schools and part time in, in associations, and they do all different things. [Tim: mhmm] Mostly they interpret in medical settings in social…

00:05:37 Nives

At social workers,uh, in centers of social welfare at the meetings, I mean community interpreting in those settings. Yeah.

00:05:46 Tim

So, when you say in the schools, do you mean in a mainstream setting or the university setting or elementary schools or?

00:05:54 Nives

Yes, Croatian sign language interpreters are working starting from kindergarten to, I would say, lifelong learning programs.

00:06:03 Tim

OK.

00:06:03 Nives

So, they will, as I said, in kindergartens, they work in elementary schools, in high schools, universities or different workshops different project meetings wherever there is any education involved.

00:06:19 Tim

Yeah. So, do they only use Croatian sign language and Croatian? Those two languages in the country?

00:06:27 Nives

Well, I wouldn't say that that's the case, because not that often, because there are less and less deaf children that that are fluent in Croatian Sign language.

00:06:38 Nives

And what's being used mostly is Sign-supported Croatian, I would say. [Tim: mhmm]

00:06:44 Nives

Because that kind of seems that fits better in the educational setting to be, to learn, actually both languages I, I would say the deaf children in mainstream schools are forced to learn both languages at the same time since many of them are, or grew up in hearing families [Tim: mmm] and didn't have any opportunity to learning sign language, [Tim: mhmm] so they, they start with some signs and some proficiency in Croatian language.

00:07:12 Nives

So, they try to, to overcome the gaps that they have in both languages. Or I would say with the help of the interpreters, because there is nobody else that's, that's a relevant language model for deaf children nowadays.

00:07:29 Tim

Yeah, yeah, that sounds like a similar story in other countries as well. [Nives: Yeah, unfortunately, yeah.]

00:07:34 Tim

Yeah. Do you still have deaf schools?

00:07:37 Nives

There is a deaf school in Zagreb. That's the only one that's left out of three [Tim: mmm] that were in the past. And unfortunately, again, it's not anymore deaf school as it was before…

00:07:51 Nives

30-40 years ago, 50. [Tim: mmm] It's a school where government puts a lot of children with different disabilities because it's the most convenient way. I would say.

00:08:04 Tim

Yeah. Convenient for whom? I think is the question.

00:08:08 Nives

Yeah, if you want to keep the institution open, you should put whoever, I mean, you should put children there. So, I don't think that they're not that cautious in which children and which disabilities are mixed together.

00:08:26 Tim

Yeah. Hmm. Is there another signed language or spoken language that sign language interpreters need to know in their work in Croatia?

00:08:36 Nives

Uh, there are few people that are working or started working with international sign, but other than that it's only Croatian spoken language, and Croatian sign language.

00:08:48 Tim

OK.

00:08:49 Tim

But I assume there are, are dialects in different regions or?

00:08:54 Nives

Yes, there, there, there are. But we still don't have Croatian sign language standardized. So, we, we are aware… People who are working for like 20 or more years, we are aware of, of those differences, but they're not… I think that people throughout Croatia can understand each other quite well so, regardless of those regional or regional differences or dialects.

00:09:20

OK.

00:09:22 Tim

How in demand are sign language interpreters? Is there a large community of deaf sign language users compared to the amount of interpreters?

00:09:32 Nives

Well, I would say that well, according to the National Statistics, there should be around 18,000 deaf people. [Tim: mhmm]

00:09:41 Nives

And there is no official data on Croatian sign language users.

00:09:46 Nives

But from the membership of Croatian Association of Deaf and Hard of Hearing… [Tim: mhmm]

00:09:53 Nives

They say that there are around 6,500 Deaf and hard of hearing that are members of different Deaf associations throughout Croatia, and I would say that maybe 5,000 out of them are Croatian Sign language users. [Tim: mmm]

00:10:06 Nives

So, but that's just my approximation or [both chuckle] just coming from different discussions. But yes, I would say around 5… 5,000 Deaf sign language users. And if we compare to this hundred interpreters…

00:10:23 Nives

You can actually conclude [both laughing] is it in demand? Or do we need more people?

00:10:29 Nives

Or is it enough? I would say that we still what we are lacking are at first, we, we just lack the, the education for the interpreters [Tim: mhmm] for formal, formal education because…

00:10:43 Nives

Even, even now, we don't have any university level program. Actually, any [both chuckling] level program for interpreters to be honest. And Croatian of sign language interpreters is working on that. But we know that it's like… a long way ahead of us, yet.

00:11:02 Nives

Yeah, but still the, the, since we don't have any, any interpreters education, so that, that would that would be the first thing to I mean that's the thing that we should start with.

00:11:15 Tim

Yeah. Oh, and that's a big step.

00:11:17 Nives

Yeah. For, for me, it's funny that we are… that we keep reinventing the wheel because you know we've seen that happening in many, many countries around the world.

00:11:28 Nives

And for me, it's funny that I'm kind of uh…

00:11:31 Nives

It's, I wouldn't say stuck here in Croatia, but stuck in this situation that we are not moving forward because some changes are really, really hard to make. [Tim: mhmm] You name it. It's because of the government, because of the regulations, because of the people involved. So many things influence that. [Tim: mhmm] And we just have to accept that this is kind of a really slow process. [Tim: yeah]

00:11:55 Nives

Yeah, but we're getting there… kind of...

00:11:59 Tim

I feel your pain. [Nives chuckles]

00:12:00 Tim

Here in the Czech Republic, there was one project we were trying to push [Nives: mhmm] and working on for a couple of years and then the Ministry and the people that in that ministry that we were working with, they were gone because there was a new election and the new ministry and people in those positions said we don't need that and the project just went away. So yeah, it takes time.

00:12:27 Nives

So, as I was telling you, prior to the, [both chuckling] the, the official part of the interview that, this year we, we have a new law on personal assistants that was passed, actually it was passed last year, but it should be…

00:12:39 Nives

…like fully working this year. And it actually puts us interpreters in “personal assistance”. So that's the first thing that we are not… fine with.

00:12:48 Tim

So, you're labeled as a personal assistant.

00:12:50 Nives

Yes, I mean they, they kind of make, make some groups, it's like personal assistants, uh, guides for, for blind people, or shortsighted, [Tim: mhmm] and us interpreters.

00:13:05 Nives

And well for me, if we are in that group, wherever it's not a good, [both laugh] good path for interpreters, we should be, you know, some totally different law and different group and different, different setting. [Tim: mhmm]

00:13:20 Nives

So that's the thing that, and well, there would be some changes starting with salaries, finally, [Tim: mhmm] because interpreters in Croatia are really underpaid. It's, uh, our salary was around 6, 5 hundred, uh, €650 per month. So, I mean, [Tim: mmm] it's like an embarrassing thing to say. [Tim: yeah]

00:13:40 Nives

Because it's like a day's work in, in, in international setting. [nervously chuckles] [Tim: yes, yes] But yes, interpreters are really, really low paid and I would say that it's maybe, it's maybe. Yeah. [both chuckle] I, I think that some other countries have the same, same thing. I know that Maya de Witt is doing her four-year research on interpreters, and our salaries, and situation, and issues [Tim: yes] with all of us and I know that there's always a few countries that are like underpaid, and countries that have like really, really, really good status [Tim: mhmm] for the interpreters.

00:14:16 Nives

But I would say that this law, well, it was a good idea when it started, [Tim: mhmm] but I think that some things need to be improved because even now we, we are discussing about some education, but it's not… It's not the way that we interpreters would like it to be, to be at the University of Languages to be equal with other languages, [Tim: mhmm] to have it like a BA, and then MA, or and PhD level.

00:14:48 Nives

So, I would say that that that's still a thing in, in Croatia and with, with us interpreters. [Tim: hmm]

00:14:55 Tim

Yeah, it's disappointing it, but we hear it, you might say in almost every episode.

[ROCK TRANSITION MUSIC STARTS]

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00:15:14 Tim

Let's go back.

[ROCK TRANSITION MUSIC ENDS]

00:15:16 Tim

Let's now turn to you a little more personal, but still finding out about your journey into this field. [Nives: mhmm]

00:15:23 Tim

Growing up in Croatia, as a CODA, what was that experience like? How did you experience interpreters as a child and the deaf community itself?

00:15:36 Nives

Well, since, when I was a child, there weren't any interpreters. There was maybe like a few people working as interpreters and some other jobs within Deaf associations. [Tim: mhmm]

00:15:50 Nives

So, I didn't have like, uh, understanding of what interpreting is and who interpreters are. [Tim: mhmm] But I, I remember that whenever there were my mother’s, or father’s, or my parents’ friends over at our house and if there were some news or anything I was like, it was like a normal thing to do, like, just interpret, right? [Tim chuckling] Regardless, if you're like 7 or 8 and you don't know anything about world situation, and crisis, and whatever, [Tim: mhmm] but you're interpreting… [Tim laughing]

00:16:21 Nives

Because it's fun for, I mean, and interesting for, for your friends. [Tim: mhmm]

00:16:25 Nives

So yeah, I would say that for me that was really, really positive experience because deaf community was like I, I would really say, in my home like, forever [Tim: mhmm] since ever. [Tim: yeah] Because they were, well, my, my parents are…

00:16:43 Nives

My mother was really active. She was involved in a lot of different sports, and creative workshops, and parties, and organizing different events. My father was into sports.

00:16:54 Nives

And I remember, uh, like a few years back, I just found a letter that I… I gave to my mother when we were in a quarrel or something because, “You know, Mom, our house is like a deaf club. And whenever people don't go to deaf club, they come to our house and it's impossible to learn. And then we fight. [Tim laughing] And that's all because everybody's here all the times.”

00:17:16 Nives

So, it was [Tim still chuckling] really funny, but, but at the same time it was really cool for me to have a community, community like that, you know. [Tim: mhmm]

00:17:24 Nives

Thinking about it now, it was like funny when you have like 14 and 15 and think that, “Well, why are those people all the time at our house” [Tim chuckling] and then…

00:17:33 Nives

On the other hand, when I grew up, I did, I mean, I still, I'm still doing the same thing, like dragging my friends, deaf friends, wherever. So… [both laugh]

00:17:44 Nives

Yeah, I think, I'm my parents’ child, definitely.

00:17:48 Tim

Always need to be surrounded by… [Nives: yeah]

00:17:50 Tim

…friends and family. Wow.

00:17:52 Nives

Yeah. And most of whom are deaf friends.

00:17:56 Tim

Yeah. Was that in Zagreb?

00:17:59 Nives

Yes, yes, yes. I grew up in Zagreb, was born and grew up in Zagreb and still living here. [Tim: yeah]

00:18:05 Nives

Even though I did live for a few years in Slovakia, working for the Olympic Committee there and working as a coordinator in different events. It was a really nice, nice few years of my life and really nice experience. But still it was again Deaf. [Nives laughs] [Tim: yeah]

00:18:21 Nives

Deaf community in Slovakia, and it was really, really nice job.

00:18:22 Tim

Yeah, yeah.

00:18:25 Tim

Yeah, wow. What year was that or years?

00:18:29 Nives

Yeah, it was 2000-. I, I was actually from 2007 till 2011 living on and off in Croatia and Slovakia until the Deaflympics were cancelled. [Tim: ahhh] So that was the, that was the time that when I realized that I should really, head back home because there is no more job for me. [both laughing]

00:18:51 Nives

Even though I, I,...

00:18:52 Nives

I really have to say this because I know that there was a lot of negativity around, around canceling Deaflympics [Tim: mhmm] that year, but I would say that people who are working there were tremendous.

00:19:06 Nives

And I, I, I was really astonished with the young deaf crew [Tim: mhmm] who was really motivated and really eager to do some really great things. Unfortunately, not everything’s... not everything went well, so we all know what happened that the, the, Deaflympics was cancelled.

00:19:26 Nives

But yeah, working with those people was like the best.

00:19:30 Tim

Yeah. For those of us listening that don't know [Nives: mhmm] about this situation of the Deaflympics, can you give us the short story of why it was cancelled?

00:19:40 Nives

Yeah, they were cancelled because a lot of organizational gaps I would say. And there were different factors there. I, I wouldn't like to point my finger to anyone, [Tim: no] neither to ICSD at that time or to Slovak Deaf Olympic Committee. But I think that…

00:19:57 Nives

All those parties that were involved have a certain responsibility why certain things happened.

00:20:04 Nives

Uh, because prior to canceling in February, like just before the very start of the Olympics, uh, there was one  cancellation in July.

00:20:15 Nives

I, I would say that if you cancel an event in July and then decide to put it forward in, I really can't remember. I think it was in September or October again.

00:20:28 Nives

And you still know that there are some things aren't settled. Well, not sure who's to blame there, [Tim: mhmm] but yeah, eventually there, there, there, there were some organizational problems issues [Tim: mhmm] or it's however you think it's, it's convenient, but yes. [Tim: yeah]

00:20:46 Nives

I think that everyone holds their, their part of responsibility.

00:20:49 Tim

Yeah, yeah.

00:20:50 Tim

Were you interpreting then for the Croatian group that had gone there?

00:20:56 Nives

No. Uh, I was asked to, to work as an interpreters’ coordinator, so I was, uh, I was [Tim: aha] actually coordinator for IS interpreters. [Tim: mhmm]

00:21:06 Nives

For a few events it was Deaf days in 2009 in Bratislava, then Ski Cup in 2010, and I was supposed to be a coordinator also for the Winter Deaflympics. Yeah, I mean, we were working until, [Tim: yeah] until the February.

00:21:22 Tim

Yeah. How did you get that gig?

00:21:24 Nives

Well, just, well, well, I would say like a coincidence. [both laugh]

00:21:29 Nives

But I know there are a lot of coincidences in life.

00:21:32 Tim

Ohh yeah.

00:21:33 Nives

So, in 2007, there was a Deaf sports reforms symposium organized in Zagreb. [Tim: mmm]

00:21:39 Nives

And people from Slovakia came here and helped organize it. [Tim: mhmm]

00:21:44 Nives

And since I was one of the interpreters. Uh.

00:21:48 Nives

I kind of got, really got along with the Slovak team very well.

00:21:53 Nives

And I was really interested to continue working with them and we agreed that I will be working on some other events and they invited me for a few things and then we, well, we, we saw that it was really looking out well and just started to, to work on more, more and more things. So, I was actually…

00:22:13 Nives

Again, coming back to coincidences, but yeah, it, it was kind of, kind of a coincidence this, that, that I knew English that I was, I don't know, at that time I was also working as a makeup artist. [Tim starts chuckling] I was also working as uh, assistant of PR so…

00:22:27 Nives

There are a lot of, a lot of different events involved, involved where, where I was working. [Tim: yeah] And then finally I got to, to, to work as an interpreters’ coordinator. [Tim: ahh]

00:22:38 Tim

Wow, it's funny how the different things that we have, the skills, the talents, or, or jobs that we've had before [Nives: mhmm] come into play with our work as an interpreter.

00:22:48 Nives

Yeah, I imagine that you, that astrophysics helps you a lot, right? [Nives chuckles]

00:22:53 Tim

Ohh yes, definitely it, it, it does. It's, it's... [Nives still laughing] You might say it's astronomical how it influences me. [coughs, cheekily] [sighs] All the stars align sometimes. [Nives laughs] OK. [exhales] Yeah.

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

00:23:11 Tim

When did you start Thinking, OK, I'm going to be a professional interpreter? After growing up and doing it so much, kind of as needed, as part of the family unit, [Nives: mhmm] as the friend unit. When did you say I can make a living interpreting?

00:23:28 Nives

Well, it was, well it was never the case. Actually, I didn't think that I would become an interpreter. [both laugh]

00:23:35 Nives

Like, I have a lot of lawyers in my family. [Tim laughing] So…

00:23:37 Nives

It was like what…?

00:23:38 Nives

What will I be when I grow up? Oh, I'll be a lawyer. Of course. I mean, what else? No.

00:23:41 Tim

Yes, of course.

00:23:46 Nives

[laughs] Yeah, but then it happened that I was working in 1998. In 1999, I was offered like a summer job interpreting Croatian at Croatian National Television, the news. [Tim: ooo!] So, it was like, wow, like an interesting opportunity.

00:24:03 Tim

Since you do that at home anyway in front of the TV. [Nives: Yeah, of course, I mean…]

00:24:06 Nives

It’s like living room or in front of the cameras it’s the same thing. [Tim: mhmm]

00:24:11 Nives

And at that point, I understood that it's a little bit different than what I was doing at home. [Tim: mhmm] It's really fast. You know the news are so fast, everything moves. [Tim chuckling] I don't have that many signs. I don't know how to translate, how to interpret, uh…

00:24:27 Nives

…deficit or things like that. [Tim: mhmm] And I, I'm not sure that, that I really understand [Tim chuckling] what that is. I mean, I was like 18, 19 at that time. [Tim: Uh huh, yeah] So yeah.

00:24:37 Nives

No wonder. And then I was working for a few years as a makeup artist and assistant to PR in, uh, one, uh, perfume, uh, company.

00:24:52 Nives

And after a few years, I was asked to interpret for Deafblind and that sound-, well, it seemed like interesting thing to do. It was because it was something different. [Tim: mhmm]

00:25:02 Nives

And that's actually how I started, how I got involved in like professional interpreting, because the Croatian Deafblind Association in Croatia, DODIR, they did start with educational programs, and I started in 2003.

00:25:19 Nives

I was like a volunteer interpreter and started from there. And when I was in between countries working in Slovakia [Tim chuckling] and in Croatia, at certain point I was also working in Deafblind Association as an interpreter. [Tim: mhmm] And that's actually when I started working, like, professionally.

00:25:38 Nives

So, I would say around 2009 because for, like maybe 10 years, I would say it's from ‘99 till 2009. I was working part time as a makeup artist and part time as an interpreter.

00:25:52 Nives

…actually like a volunteer interpreter. [Tim: yeah] They label it like that in, in Deafblind Association because I wasn't fully, fully employed, I just got monthly fee and that was it.

00:26:04 Tim

Hmm, but you always looked good. [Nives: Yeah] Yeah, of course. Yeah, the makeup. That's...

00:26:05 Nives

Yeah, I mean had to. I had all that makeup. That's the reason why I don't wear makeup nowadays. [both chuckling]

00:26:14 Nives

Just interpreting. [both still chuckling]

00:26:17 Tim

Yeah, me either. [coughs] Usually, yeah, sometimes, yeah.

00:26:18 Nives

Yeah, I know.

00:26:23 Tim

That's why, that's why I got astrophysics. It's dark outside. It's OK. [attempt at humor]

00:26:27 Nives

It's fine, yeah.

00:26:30 Tim

OK. We're having too much fun.

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

[ROCK EXIT MUSIC STARTS]

00:26:37 Tim

We gotta have fun. Otherwise, it's just W-O-R-K, work. I love interpreting. In fact, without the fun in this profession, I would find something else. So, let's talk about the fun parts of this episode. I find it fascinating that Nives said that a part of the definition of the professional sign language interpreter…

00:27:06 Tim

…was fluency, fluency in both languages. This is exactly what Marty Taylor was talking about in last year's interview. Yes, all sign language interpreters need to be fluent in both languages, and it's best that they have that before we teach them the interpreting process and the interpreting decision-making process..

00:27:29 Tim

But Nives went a step further and so did Marty. They mentioned that many of the sign language users in the deaf community are not fluent in their own language.

00:27:43 Tim

Now it's not our responsibility to take charge of education of the Deaf. My point is, as interpreters, how do we handle this disparity? How do we decide how our interpretations should look?

00:28:00 Tim

When we are working for communities that don't have fluency in the language that we are interpreting into, how do we change our interpretation? How do we make decisions differently? How do we navigate the role of language model, when we know it's not appropriate for us to be that language role model?

00:28:22 Tim

So many things that we need to consider that we didn't think that we would need to consider when we became a sign language interpreter. It adds to the frustration that Nives mentioned feeling stuck.

00:28:38 Tim

The development of the profession, the development of awareness, the development of education, all of those things take time. Take certain steps and in each country it's different depending on the barriers, the obstacles, the systems, the institutions that are ingrained in society.

00:28:59 Tim

It takes time to meet those goals, and every country needs to take a different step, a different journey. And yet it's a similar journey for all. Hopefully, by talking to each other and hearing each other in these episodes, we can learn a little bit more of how to make the navigation easier.

00:29:22 Tim

Another point, huhhh! Pay and conditions in each country is definitely different.

00:29:31 Tim

In some countries interpreters are paid a high standard rate.

00:29:36 Tim

And in other countries they have relatively a very low standard rate. Normally in country say the US or the UK, we have discussions about what is the standard rate, what is an appropriate rate that I should charge for interpreting?

00:29:56 Tim

And those rates tend to increase over a few years to have a good living as an interpreter. But in other countries, it's, if you compare the rates, it's much, much lower, such as Nives mentioned, how do we now navigate that?

00:30:17 Tim

We cannot match country to country the same rate. And yet…

00:30:22 Tim

Whenever there is something international, we all tend to advocate for a high standard of rate. However, this can cause frustration, anxiety, confusion. The organizers wonder why are these interpreters asking for a much higher rate when these interpreters are asking for only this?

00:30:45 Tim

It's something we need to talk about that I don't think we've talked about enough. Lastly, I think we need to look at the fact that Nives shares some wisdom from her CODA experience from her life.

00:31:00 Tim

And that's about community about connections with others having that friendship, having that extended family is a positive thing to be in proximity with others that help us not only with our language and our skills, our people skills, but it also gives us those opportunities that we didn't think we would have.

00:31:22 Tim

Whether you're a CODA or not being around those positive people, those people in our communities that include those that we serve is a way to make those friendships and those ties, those connections, and our job opportunities.

00:31:39 Tim

So, professional also means having friendship, a relationship. As individual interpreters, we must strive to develop our skills, our knowledge, our own self education. By doing so, we must force ourselves to make goals, to strive to achieve those goals using the hope that we have to become a better interpreter, a better professional interpreter for the communities we serve, and for the interpreting community.

00:32:12 Tim

Without those goals, we're not sure where we're leading ourselves. And this also applies to the profession in each country coming together as an interpreting community with the communities we serve and setting those goals, where do we want to be? What do we want the profession to look like and how do we achieve those goals?

00:32:33 Tim

And how long will it take? What obstacles do we need to overcome? Hmmm.

00:32:40 Tim

Think about your goals. What are your hopes for your next stage of your journey?

00:32:46 Tim

While you think about that, keep calm. Keep hopefully interpreting. I'll see you next week.

00:32:54 Tim

Take care now.

[ROCK EXIT MUSIC ENDS AT 00:33:32]