Taking a simultaneous interpreting course
Starting next Monday (August 2), I'll be taking an eight-day, intensive simultaneous interpreting course at Okinawa Christian University. My friend and colleague David Ulvog is one of the instructors, and I think that I heard about the course from him.
I'm not really interested in becoming an interpreter, simultaneous or otherwise, but the profession has always fascinated me — simultaneous interpreters are kind of like the thoroughbreds to the slow-but-steady translator plow-horses.
My main goal for the course is to stretch myself in new ways. In particular, I'm hoping to train myself in interpreters' ability to think on their feet. I also am looking forward to going both from and into Japanese. I've lately been trying to write more Japanese, and study more translations from English into Japanese, and I think that this has increased my toolset for translating into English.
The course also promises to teach some people skills: everything from eye contact to correct posture (urp). I'm looking forward to an exhausting but valuable eight days.
おー、頑張れー！