Friday, January 28, 2011

A follow-up discussion on consumer education

A few weeks ago, I wrote my response to the YouTube videos that have taken the Facebook interpreting community by storm.  However, in the past few weeks, I have been reminded that consumer education does not only extend to the hearing participant.  Within the past two weeks, I have had the opportunity to educate both hearing and Deaf consumers about the role of the interpreter, the interpretation process, and Code of Professional Conduct.

One of my ITP professors advised us to have scripts prepared to address potential (and sometimes) common situations.  When the hearing participant asked me a question, I was able to reach in my mental tool box, pull out my script and encourage her to direct that particular question to the Deaf participant, delineating my role as an interpreter, rather than an expert on the Deaf participant.  Another script that I have used repeatedly with hearing individuals, particularly schedulers and points of contact, came in handy with a Deaf consumer- the importance of preparation for assignments.

Although Deaf consumers tend to have more experience with interpreters than many of the hearing consumers we work with, there may be times to educate them as well.  When everyone is on the same page, interpreting assignments are much smoother and the interactions are more successful and effective.  And of course, remember the CPC and demonstrate professionalism and respect for the consumers.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Let it all go...

This is my free therapy for today.  Leave work, get in the car, crank up country radio, and take a deep breath...

Yes- it was one of those days.  We all have them and if we're lucky, they're few and far between.  Today was challenging as well as physically and emotionally draining.  Now, I am trying to leave it at the front door.

Easier said than done, but chai tea latte, re-run of my favorite show, and a cute puppy are definitely helping.  All part of self-care and letting it all go...


How do you unwind and de-stress at the end of the day?

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Interpreter's bag

Let's face it:  Interpreters have a lot of stuff.  In fact, some of us are notorious for it.  I don't mean my closet full of black shirts or twenty pairs of cute, but somewhat impractical, shoes.  I'm talking about what I carry around in my bag everyday.  Interpreters are like the maid of honor on the wedding day- we need to be prepared for anything and everything.

So what's exactly is in my interpreter bag?
-business cards
-Smartrip card
-wallet (including photo ID)
-cell phone
-lint roller (a necessity for an interpreter with a pet)
-notebook
-pens
-chapstick
-lipgloss
-Kindle (a fairly recent addition)
-sunglasses
-umbrella
-water bottle
-snacks
-lotion
-hand sanitizer
-nail file
-deodorant
-Advil
-Prescription migraine medicine
-Rolaids
-gum/mints
-Dr. Scholl's rub relief stick
-eye drops
-hair ties
-bobby pins
-Tampons
-tweezers
-Tide to-go mini
-floss
-nasal decongestant
-floss
-toothpaste
-Neosporin "Neo to go!"

(Okay, so a few items have went missing when I got a new bag for Christmas, but they'll be back!)

And I'm sure you're wondering: if this is what is in your bag, what is in your car?

Probably not as much as expected, since I often ride the metro to work.  Sage interpreter advice recommends keeping an extra change of clothes in your car, which I don't have at the moment since I don't have enough professional attire at the moment.  But, you will find a map, GPS, cell phone charger, hair brush, mp3 player charger, pillow, pens, CDs, quarters for parking and tolls...

This might seem like overkill, but several items were added after I found myself needing something that I didn't have.  As a I mentioned before, interpreters needed to be prepared for anything.  I always figure it's better to be safe than sorry!

Monday, January 10, 2011

YouTube: A Springboard for discussion

Recently, a slew of videos have appeared on YouTube and making the rounds on Facebook, proliferating my NewsFeed.  "A Few Minutes in the Life of the Sign Language Interpreter" and other related videos covering the classroom, VRS, job interview, and assignment cancellations, have certainly provided a comical release for interpreters as we re-live our unforgettable moments and tales from the field.  The videos are relatable, with every interpreter exclaiming, "I've been there!"

Of course, our next thought is "I wish I could say that in real life."  Much of the videos, in their humor and satire, not only capture what we encounter in the field, but our thoughts and inner monologues as well.

More importantly, I hope these videos can serve as a springboard within the interpreting community to start a dialogue about consumer education.  Often, we talk about consumer education as being part of our role, but how does it happen?  Consumers, hearing and Deaf, are curious about about our role, our background.  Endless questions abound, from our education and certification to the rationale for two interpreters to the true necessity for copies of materials.  In these small conversations, our responses can set a precedent for future interactions and expectations.  We may not be experts in anything else, but we are experts in what we do- interpreting!  Let's educate and advocate for best practices in the field.  Consider every interaction an opportunity to learn and teach.


Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.  I would love to hear about your experiences with consumer education.  As always, please be respectful of the Code of Professional Coduct (CPC), our consumers, and colleagues.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Resolutions and wrap-ups

A new year inevitably marks a new beginning, prompting us to reflect on another year that flew by and make resolutions we probably won't keep.  I wish I could promise to blog every week, but that might be too ambitious...

Looking back....

This past year was more of an adventure than I could have expected.  I am not where I thought I would be, but that's not a bad thing.  In the past year, I passed the NIC, dove into the freelance interpreting world full-time,  served on the PCRID conference committee, joined the VRID board, started a blog, quit graduate school...the list could go on.  On a personal note, my husband and I had to make the difficult decision to put down our dog, Mary, as she battled cancer.  By the year's end, we welcomed a puppy, Sadie, into our home and celebrated his promotion and our three year anniversary.

2010 was certainly a year of lessons learned.  Most significantly, throughout this year, I was reminded of how important it is to take care of yourself.  Too much of my year was spent stressed and burn-out, making the conscious decision to take care of myself and giving myself permission to say "NO" was the best thing I did for myself.

As you may have gathered from previous postings, the PCRID conference was a tremendous learning.  I learned about the conference planning conference and about myself- mostly that the Support Staff Coordinator position needs someone a little more Type A than me.  On the final day of the conference (Day 3), I attended Marc Holmes's "Carpe Prepum," which was a good reminder of the importance of preparation.  My resolution last January was to improve and increase my preparation for interpreting assignments, an area which I continually try to hold myself accountable.

And looking ahead...

I am honestly looking forward to the new year.  2010 was a challenge, while I hope 2011 will be challenging.  Work is going well- I started guaranteed hours with an area agency this week (I get to maintain my freelance status, but receive guaranteed work a few days a week).  Additionally, I am enjoying my work with VRID and am very excited with all the events in the works for this year.

I want to continue to grow as an individual and an interpreter.  We are never done and there is always something new to learn.  At the end of the day, I am thankful to have not only a job that I love, but family and friends that I love as well.