Member Monday presents: Belinda Grace Fischer

Where do you live/work?

I grew up in Southern Germany and was raised by my German father and American mother. The USA became my “home of the heart” with frequent visits to see that side of my family throughout my life. For the last five years, I’ve lived in the UK: Preston (for studies and work) and now Manchester (setting up my freelance business).

Are you mainly a translator or interpreter or both? What languages?

I’m a translator (German <> English), post-editor and reviewer. I had gained many years of experience translating IT-relevant content whilst working and studying in Germany. My focus areas are still IT and now also include eCommerce and the broader (digital) marketing industry.

What are your specialist fields?

– eCommerce, (digital) marketing, and IT > for translations.
– above subject areas plus general corporate communication and medical > for post-edit and review jobs.

What’s the strangest/most interesting project you’ve ever worked on?

I truly enjoy translating creative content, however, the most interesting, albeit disturbing, projects I come across is when I review medical jobs. Once I reviewed a text about the tragic side effects (even death!) of certain beauty fillers – the client included images that I would have liked to be warned about beforehand. I always wondered about whether I should have become a nurse but things like this reassure me that I made the right choice for now.

Tell us about a particularly proud moment in your translation career:

You rarely get feedback as a translator. If you hear nothing at all, it essentially means everything’s great. Therefore, when you do get some positive feedback from agencies or direct clients, it’s all the more fulfilling. The testimonials on my website as well as thank you emails from project managers make me feel happy and proud.

Tell us two reasons why you like being a translator/interpreter:

First of all, as a life-long learner, I get to dive into topics that I would probably never research on my own but once I’m into it, I’m hooked and find myself looking out for related topics in the future and educate my surroundings about them as well. I also love sharing my cultural expertise: In university, I did my master’s degree in “Intercultural Business Communication”. Amongst other things, I was equipped with a cultural sensitivity and the importance of nuances, particularly conveyed through language. So, when I come across a tricky bit of text, I ask myself: What point is the author really trying to get across and how would an English-/German-speaking audience need to read my translation in order to fully grasp the same sentiment? I’m getting better and better at that, moving slightly away from literal, over-accurate translations and conveying the actual message in an enticing way.

What is the most interesting place where you have lived/visited?

I lived in Singapore for 6 months for an internship as I’ve always dreamt of working abroad. The rich diversity of people and culture there astonish me to this day! I was 21 and it was the first time being away from home for that long. When I arrived, I didn’t know a single person. By the time I left, I had gathered both exciting work experience (one of which even included a meeting at an attorney’s office in the AXA building, i.e. part of Singapore’s amazing skyline) and made international friends that I still keep in touch with now, 7 years later. Overall, it was unforgettable and I desperately want to go back!

What are your plans for professional development or a new field you’d like to work in?

My focus is on addressing more and more direct clients within the IT and marketing sectors, thus allowing me to build long-term relationships and work on more creative projects where my cultural expertise and own background can serve businesses, helping them reach their desired audience.

Tell us something not many people know about you:

I absolutely despise raw tomatoes and have a crippling fear of toads, haha!