When I applied to Language Partners years ago, I was in a period of self-discovery. I wanted to pursue something meaningful and make an impact on our community. To be honest, before my journey with LP, I considered myself an outsider to the world of language services. All I had at that time were my language skills and a strong desire to connect with people and assist the community. Along the way, I have witnessed so many needs in language services in our community, and the appreciation from our clients and providers are heartwarming. I am so glad I made the decision years ago to work as an interpreter; the pursuit of serving others is what inspires me every day.

To prioritize my workload, I first review each assignment thoroughly to ensure it aligns with my interpreting skill capacity. I accept requests that I am comfortable with, knowing I will do a good job. For long assignments, I try to accept only one job a day to avoid mental fatigue. My goal is to stay sharp and provide quality interpreting services from the beginning to the end of my shift. Somedays, I have several short interpreting assignments scheduled in different locations. I pay close attention to the travel time between my assignments, ensuring I have enough time to get to my next assignment at least 10-15 minutes early.

Compassion, along with a desire to assist others, is a key quality for interpreters. Ultimately, it’s not about interpreters; the focus should be on facilitating communication between providers and their clients. Don’t hesitate to try new things; practice is essential for improvement. Stepping out of your comfort zone to interpret in unfamiliar settings can be beneficial, but it requires training. Make use of all training opportunities available to you. The more you learn and practice, the more confident you’ll become in interpreting in various settings.

Language Partners is an agency that respects its interpreters. Interpreters have the space to speak up and reach out. The scheduling team is always helpful, answering questions and listening to our concerns. I really enjoy the personal connection, knowing I always receive the support I need. Language Partners provides many great training opportunities. Currently, LP interpreters have the opportunity to participate in in-house training sessions every Friday. As interpreters, we already appreciate all the training opportunities offered.