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How to learn a language

This week, I thought I would address how to learn a new language. As a lifelong language learner and French tutor, I have spent a lot of time thinking about how to learn a language and I wanted to provide you with some tips for language learning! Also, there’s been a lot of chat recently about using lockdown to learn something new and while we are (hopefully) coming to the end of full lockdown, there’s still time to get learning!

Canada Cruise

Around this time last year, I was lucky enough to get to go on a cruise ship to Canada onboard the Saga Sapphire. I was teaching French to the passengers and in return, I got to experience the wonders of a cruise to Canada. I have to admit that to begin with, I was a little apprehensive about going on a cruise by myself for a whole month where I wouldn’t know anyone, but I had an amazing time! I know this might seem like an odd time to talk about travel, with the COVID-19 outbreak, but it’s a great time to reflect on travel and dream about when we will be able to travel again. And so, I would like to review my trip and give you a few tips on how to make the most out of your cruise! These tips will be applicable for anyone, but, where applicable, I’ve mentioned some tips to make it easier if you’re working on a cruise.

Tips for Motivation

So, since the lockdown because of coronavirus, despite being quite used to working from home, I have to admit that I have been lacking motivation a little bit recently. I think this is, in part, due to my stress reponse being to hibernate, but also because there has been a little less work coming in since the covid 19 outbreak. As many people are now working from home and therefore having to self-motivate, I thought that it might help me, as well as others, to make a list of tips for motivation!

Review of ‘Secrets of Six Figure Translators’ by Oana Maria Sofronov

At the end of last year, I saw Secrets of Six Figure Translators advertised on Instagram and thought it might be worth a read. As an avid reader and a relative novice to the field of freelance translation, it looked useful. So, for any other aspiring freelance translators out there, I thought I’d do a little review of it!

My First Year as a Freelance Translator

In September 2017, I started on my MA in Applied Translation at the UEA, having completed a three month internship in a translation company. Thus began my travels in translation.

Tips for Self-Isolation

In the last week, the coronavirus situation in the UK has become more
extreme. As of Friday, all state schools in the United Kingdom have shut, many people are being asked to self-isolate, either for their protection or for the protection of others and many offices, shops and restaurants have shut. As a freelance translator, I have a lot of experience of working from home and, having been house-bound for a few months last year due to my IBS, I have a lot of experience keeping myself entertained at home. As such, I wanted to share my tips with you on how to work from home and how to cope with self-isolation!

DITL: Day in the Life

Given the current circumstances in Britain, with everyone stockpiling and panic buying, leaving food shops short of essentials, I have decided to postpone my #ThatTranslatorCanCook posts for the time being…or at least until I can find recipes that use baked beans and home-grown vegetables! So, instead, I will be posting regularly on life as a translator, language learning and all things freelance! So, in light of that, I thought it might be interesting to look at what a typical DITL (Day in the Life) of a freelance translator looks like!

#ThatTranslatorCanCook Week Eighteen: Hummus

This week, I delved into a Middle Eastern speciality and made one of my favourite snacks: hummus!

#ThatTranslatorCanCook Week Seventeen: Tarte Tatin

This week, I decided to give myself a bit of a challenge and make the French classic: Tarte Tatin! I have to admit, although the recipe claimed to be ‘quick and easy’, I struggled to make the caramel! Other than that, the translation process and overall cooking was fairly straightforward.

#ThatTranslatorCanCook Week Sixteen: Coq au vin

This week, as my husband was visiting France anyway, I decided to opt for a very traditional French recipe: coq au vin! Read on to find out about a few minor translation challenges and the obstacles I face cooking a cockerel!