Almost vacation

I haven’t posted for ages for I am busy, lazy and have a bad internet connection.

The past month has been on the one side filled with Uni work and with preparing for vacation on the other side. It is the end of the year and there were a lot of tests and exams consequently a lot of papers to mark. I can proudly say that none failed this year and the marks I gave were almost all good and excellent. The 5th year received their diplomas on Wednesday and yesterday we had a teachers’ meeting. I was a bit late (the river taxi is irritatingly unpunctual!) and not attentive but the lovely thing was chocolates and champagne at the end, so I had my late breakfast. I’m not too fond of the combination, though (if you have champagne, you must have substantial snacks!), but this time it worked well for me. We are having department meeting on Tuesday (I am bringing tea as usual) and then it will be VACATION.

Speaking about vacation, indeed, I am going to the city I have grown to love in the previous two years – to Vienna the beautiful. I have registered for a four-week course at the University of Vienna, and I am going to improve my German as much as possible and explore the Austrian capital and its surroundings, there are so much interesting things to discover there!
The previous fortnight I travelled to Moscow twice: to apply for a visa and then to fetch the passport from the Austrian consulate. Haven’t been to Moscow for ages before the two short trips (interpreting there in 2007 doesn’t count because I hardly saw anything but traffic jams, the airport and the woodworking exhibition where I had to interpret) and I think I would like to return for a couple of days. Moscow only has its charm as an old city when it’s early morning and the streets are almost empty, traffic and people in the street ruin the feel considerably. However, there some Museums in Moscow I would just love to visit (the museum of fine arts and Marina Tsvetayeva museum topping the list) and Cathedral of Christ the Savior is of course impressive. However, I like our walking street, Bol’shaya Pokrovskaya much more than Arbat in Moscow.
I caught a slight cold probably on Monday when in Moscow so I have to get better before the trip which is in a week. If all is well, the vacation my dream is starting next Saturday, I’ll be in Vienna since the 4th!

I have yet a lot to do this week to prepare for the trip, including packing, but I am happy I at last bought the essentials yesterday: a pair of pretty and comfortable shoes and a bag that can provide enough room for the many essentials I am used to carry with me, looks elegant and is not heavy :-)

Josephstadt, the disctrict where I am going to stay this year.

P.S. I think I should upload a couple of Moscow photos later. Sadly, I did not take a camera in the first trip, and the feel of the city doesn’t seem so prominent in the photos taken at midday during my second trip.

Frozen

It's so cold outside we had to switch on the portable heater and it still doesn't help much/ I want nothing but wrap up in a shawl with a cup of Christmas Mystery (!) tea and L.M.Montgomery's diaries or better Amelie und die Liebe unterm Regenschirm. It feels so much like late autumn! I was taken for a student again. Yesterday I had a re-sit with a student and while she was writing the test I sat at a desk in the next row. A group of students went into the classroom and announced they were going to write a paper there, their teacher would not be present however. I had to expain we were having an exam there. Then the students... asked when our teacher was going to come. Sure I had to explain and saying sorry they left my student and me in peace. I think it will still continue several years longer. Not that I mind it much (better than too look like ateacher ;-)) but sometimes it's too tiresome to explain to people I'm a teacher! it was so cold at the Uni too. The classroom was awfully big and I entertained myself examining the desk graffity left by many many students who had to while away a boring lecture there. I was reading a bit of Amelie und die Liebe unterm Regenschirm too, it fit so much because it was describing late autumn! It does not look like June at all :-( And June my favourite time of the year for its long days and the promise of a whole summer ahead!!!

Not hard on myself anymore

The results were exactly as I expected, there were two failures that would have happened all the same had I even given an easier text to them. The rest of the works were pretty good or at least satisfactory. I'm now searching for an easier text for those who failed to give them a chance to re-sit.

Today I had a dream mum and I were in Vienna... Evidently I had been reading up about Vienna and watching/reading/listening about Elisabeth too much. In the picture is my sister's stuffed dog Bulya and her little (they are a big family joke with us!), here they are thoughtfully studying a Vienna map!

I am a bad teacher

I picked up a too difficult text for the 2nd year exam. The bad thing is that I could not consult anyone at the Uni beforehand: all the teachers were away, so there was no time to change it really after I showed it to the head of the department. Now I feel awfully incompetent and unprofessional and guilty. Even afraid to touch the papers I am to mark. --------------- A song from musical Elisabeth and a drawing I did this night as I could not sleep (inspired by the song).
Ich wollt ich wäre wirklich du In der Zwangsjacke statt im KorsettDir schnür'n sie nur den Körper einMir fesselt man die SeeleIch habe gekämpftUnd mir alles ertrotztUnd was hab ich erreicht?Nichts, nichts, gar nichtsDenn die einzige Lösung wär der WahnsinnUnd die einzige Rettung wär der SturzEs lockt mich der AbgrundIch möchte michFallen lassen -Warum schaudert mir vor dem Sprung?Wär ich nicht verdammt dazuElisabeth zu seinDann wäre ich TitaniaUnd würde lächeln, wenn man sagtSie ist verrücktIch steh auf dem SeilUnd die Angst macht mich krankDenn schau ich nach unten, seh ichNichts, nichts, gar nichtsIch taste mich weiterMit suchendem SchrittUnd fürchte mich immer vor demNichts, nichts, gar nichtsWirklich frei machtwahrscheinlich nur der WahnsinnDoch zum WahnsinnFehlt mir der MutSo spiel ich die StarkeUnd tu was ich tuAls wär dieses Leben mehr alsTäuschung, Irrtum, BetrugAls wärNichts, nichts gar nichtsGenug

I love red roses

"I love the red roses, ... I want the crimson ones. They satisfy some craving in me as no other flower does."

Leslie, ("Anne's House of Dreams" by Lucy Maud Montgomery).

This is the red rose my students gave to me on Tuesday. A lovely one and still blooms! Overall, the "Last Bell" day was nice and I really feel sorry to part with my first students!

Guess who is the teacher :-)) (hate my hair here :-( )

On Becky Bloomwood and commercial translation

ATTN Mintie (as a Becky fan and fellow teacher), otherwise to whom it may concern ;-)

I hereby acknowledge the receipt of my long-waited copy of Shopaholic and Baby (shipped within a week since the date of the order by a separate parcel) and express my anticipation that it will provide for intertaining commutes if I am able to read in public transport considering the late hours I complete performing teaching obligations endowed on me by the department for language teaching. Please be informed that I have already had the pleasure of recommending the book mentioned herein to my students. The title and the author of the book have actually been put on the blackboard for their reference in class last Friday. I also plan to introduce certain letters from the Shopaholic novels to my students for translation practice, learning new vocabulary and a little fun combined, and sincerely hope fullfilling the task proposed will be to their substantial benefit.

Yours faithfully,

Lost in commercial translation &c.

Please find the image of the book cover enclosed into this message to the left of the present text.

No enclousure link has been added since the author of the present message cannot think of any link related to the subject.

Glasse Castle sketches

I came home today and I was so tired I could not do anything but relax with a little drawing, so I made several sketches of the princess in the tale I am writing.

It's been snowingof late so I also made a couple of snow-themed drawings but I want to colour them first and only then display here!

Addition: I am starting to teach evening classes in commercial translation since January (they were so enthusiastic about my experience of commercial translation correspondence with a company, they wanted to sign the contract yesterday!). So now I have still another teaching part-time job with another department.

Besides, yesterday I've been invited to literary translation workshop (from German into Russian) in the Austrian Library at the Ubni on the 1st of December. Now I only should join a photography or art workshop to have a perfectly tight but exciting schedule!

The Undomestic Goddess

I took to reading this type of books recently - what else would you want to read in a crowded bus returning home after you've been 3 hours at correcting other people's translations and trying to steer them to a correct variant so that they end up saying it aloud themselves? (oh, I love my job :-)).

I did not like it so well as the Shopaholic books first (Becky's story hooked me from the first page) but later I was involved into the story and was especially touched how Samantha stayed loyal to her employers even if they did not have an IQ of 158 like her.

It's relationships that are important, not only career. Therefore I am a part-time assistant lecturer at the Uni, and my salary there would only be enough to cover the bus fare, and that only if I don't go to the Uni every day!

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Quiz results:

Your Samantha potential is high. You have the right skills—or at least how to fake them.

(Link to the quiz hidden in the post title)

Well, garnets...

Actually I am supposed to be preparing for tomorrow's class with group 503EI - well, I am preparing right now - reading up on taxes as we are having a text on tax system and foreign investment now - but I'll also say a couple of words here.

The picture of earrings is garnet earrings from Pirateship Silver shop, China - they have loads of beautiful silverwork there! (Look up pirateship.com.cn!). I actually bought a pair of such last week in Beijing so I'm thinking I'll probably be wearing them tomorrow for the first time. Garnets have something special about them, some richness of colour, and I always love various red tints and hues in autumn and winter!

I should put here loads of early October photos taken here, and then a collection from my business trip to China. Oh, it's hard to be getting used back to home time! Especially now that they turned the clock one hour back to winter time yesterday!

International day of translatorship

Happy professional holidays to all colleagues! This day really means to me because translator is truly my dream job.

It was established in 1990s - and I think it was a really good idea to remember how important translators are. A day when St Jerome, philosopher and translator of the Bible died was chosen for it (more history under the link hidden under the title).

How did I celebrate it today? I did not translate anything and did not meet up with any colleagues, only checked a "debt" translation one of my students emailed me... It was not discussed at the Uni: none seemed to remember it coming on Friday as we had the 5th false alarm about a bomb at the Uni building within one week. Someone is really enjoying themselves but it is really nerve-racking and it ruins all plans and makes everyone nervous! MY class failed on Friday :(

I went on a bit of fotographing binge today, having a 2-hours solitary walk on the river bank near the local port (going to put up September autumn pics in the next post). A couple of colleagues texted me with best wishes on the day. I'm glad I'm having something else to celebrate tomorrow - nameday, and it's teachers' day on the 5th of October (which I can also think of as a professional holiday now!)

Photo: my dictionaries. I have a couple more in my desk and still a couple more (A linguistic encyclopaedia and a thesaurus) lying about in my bedroom

Taking up Anne's career on a University level...

She slept poorly and was so pale and tragic at breakfast next morning that Marilla was alarmed and insisted on making her take a cup of scorching ginger tea. Anne sipped it patiently, although she could not imagine what good ginger tea would do. Had it been some magic brew, potent to confer age and experience, Anne would have swallowed a quart of it without flinching.
"Marilla, what if I fail!"
"You'll hardly fail completely in one day and there's plenty more days coming," said Marilla. "The trouble with you, Anne, is that you'll expect to teach those children everything and reform all their faults right off, and if you can't you'll think you've failed."

I’ve had this Anne moment recently: I am now an assistant lecturer with department for English, translation and interpreting at School of Translation and Interpreting in my former Uni and I have already had 4 classes with students this week!

I felt about the way Anne did though not the day before my first class this week, but a week earlier, the day before my return to alma mater as a teacher after I had not been there a whole year! I even could not sleep at night all that week feeling how my life was changing finally, after I had been waiting for an open teaching vacancy a whole summer as if my whole life depended on it! And indeed I consider my new job as an important turning point in my career, even it is only a part-time job of teaching 2 classes a week! I just could not only sit in the boring office any longer wasting my talent on crazy letters!

I think all the situation should be described in order:

I graduated as a translator/interpreter from the Uni in June last year and started my first job as a full time translator with occasional interpreting soon afterwards. However, the job in the office was not at all fulfilling and I felt I was losing most of my skills. Besides, I felt I missed the Uni and the atmosphere of translator/interpreter comradeship terribly. Therefore in spring I called my former adviser who is also the head of the department for theory and practice of English, translation and interpreter asking if they had a vacancy open in the next academic year. I had to wait several months before it was known and a week ago I was accepted as a translation teacher for the 5th (final!) year. No need to say I was (and still am) elated. Going back to my former school feels like coming home indeed. My former teachers (now co-workers, who would think of that only two years ago?!) are wonderfully supportive and I am very much impressed that they trusted me with the final year at once. And newspaper articles on economy topics seem the most challenging aspect in the 5th year! I feel it is a great responsibility and it is going to be rather challenging, but I'll enjoy it for sure (I already am!).

It is only a part-time job, two classes a week, so I am still translating for the office where I do not like the working atmosphere at all, but whenever else I must work I now belong to my school of translation and interpreting. I believe working at one of the country's leading translation & interpreting schools will certainly throw more opportunities in my way so I'll opt out the office job I do not like much with time!
Maybe it is a little naïve to expect everything changing dramatically at once, but I feel it has been the first and therefore most important move after a year’s standstill – I feel as if I went out of a jail (a strong, but truthful comparison!) and the horizons and prospects are widening again!
I have already had 4 classes (2 on my main schedule and 2 to substitute for another teacher). Though they are the 5th year and should be serious they are not and the beginning was not very promising: the two groups I permanently teach were not prepared, and the other two where I substituted somehow cut the classes that were to be on Thursday, so I had to report to the dean's office about that and give them a text to translate at home to make up for the class they missed. Therefore I’ll have to see to it that they do homework as requested, do not miss classes, etc! But I think I’ll get used to it and they must get used to what I require!
I am enjoying preparing for classes immensely, so nice to have challenging texts after the boring “we’d like to order this…” of “please send us that…” Even if I have to sit up to midnight staring at the screen when I come home after a full-time working day of office screen-staring
The challenge also is that I'm barely 2 years older than the students, but well, I'm a teacher and a practicing translator/interpreter, and they are still students! Indeed, it feels rather curious to be "on the other side of the teacher's table" when you have known only the students’ side before!

Graduation dress

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I have always dreamed of a lilac high-waste dress, ever since I becaume a Jane Austen fan... and by my graduation ceremony and party which were exactly these days a year ago my dream materialized true! I'm very grateful to the dressmaker who made it for me, we actually invited her to our place afterwards to have tea and see the pictures (she also made a beautiful dress for my little sister whos school-leaving party fell on the same day with my University graduation!

Let me revel once again! Unfortunately I had very little opportunity to wear it anywhere else, but I'll be wearing and loving it for ages!

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Portraits

If you find some resemblance to the people (from the Uni) you know, I'd be flattered. I had to increase their brightness, they looked too pale without adjustment

Endlich Fotos

Here we are, the 2006 graduates, with the dean and the wisest teacher, the head of the English Language, Tanslation and Interpreting Department.- не знаю, как назвать еще нашу кафедру теории и практики английского языка и перевода!

With the dean. Да, да, с любимым деканом :) Он сказал, что он как тот чугунный человек неподалеку, с которым все фотографируются, а я первая начала! Он только закурить собрался, пришлось сигареты в карман убирать.

With thew most knowledgeable and the wisest adviser ever. Я таких людей как Ольга Владимировна в жизни больше не встречала, которые одним словом могут направить все твои мысли в нужное русло. Жалко, что я диплом уже написала, так к нему привыкла за два года... Занимались бы в нашей аспирантуре проблемами перевода, я бы туда не задумываясь пошла...

О. В. мне велела держать ее в курсе всех моих дел.

After defending the papers waiting for the results to be announced. Мне вчера приснился ужасный сон, что опять защита!

With the last of the Mochicanes (sp-?) - the only guy of the group who reached the finish. Мы с ним были самые официально одетые люди на защите. Ох, как же парта шаталась, пока Миша очереди своей ждал! Жалко, что он на выпускной не пошел, зато у него на вручение дипломов папа с мамой приходили :)

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P.S. How do you like my dress?

What does it take to become a linguist, translator and interpreter?

3 stacks of notebooks,

a stack of booklets, several folders with xerox copies (mostly German), a pile of Russian, English and German newspapers and magazines,

a shelf full of dictionaries, also an English-English and a German-German dictionary kept in the desk (not featured here)

One also has to write a paper (probably using half a hundred of cookbooks, needlework books and other how-to-make it books as material for linguistic analysis).

One has to make a speech at a students' conference - and of course to write that speech first:

How it feels to really become a linguist, transalator and interpreter

Well, when you are waiting for the results for defending the paper to be announced when all the rest go to the library to return their books (I usually go there to borrow!!! - and I've already returned all the textbooks but there's a couple of novels (Novemberkatzen and the two first Little House Books) I still want to finish) you just wander around the Uni buildings visiting the nearby bookshops (the place to relieve all possible kinds of srtess either positive or negative) and taking pictures of whatever interesting you see and then almost miss the results announcement... that you got an excellent grade... and the congrats of the dean on becoming a linguist, translator and interpreter - those noble careers...

Look here to see what I saw around the Uni and on my way home



Pictures of the whole group and some other shots (e.g. my brilliant adviser and me) to follow later from Stacy's (or was it Ira V's ?) camera (mine wasn't on - the problem of sharing the only set of batteries with my NAUGHTY little sister)
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I'm having some problems uploading the photos, views of Nizhny from the ferry deck and some flowers near the port (cannot miss even the smallest one!) are to follow soon (now that Dornroeschen - the sleeping Princess is free from the 5 year's charm!:))

Some pictures from the Best Interpreter 2006 Contest

Misha before the contest started. Later he said he had created a favourable aura there which helped me and Nastya to win




The dean ...

...and some other of the jury

More of the jury (or rather backs of the jury). The person wearing a grey sweater standing with his back to the audience is Mr Smekayev

Those supposed to be the greatest minds - but I was 5 points ahead! - quite unexpected by the dean and I believe most of other people present. I'll always look back at this contest as one of most important achievements.

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My photos are absolutely unpostable because:

1. Ira V. was evidently economizing the space on her flash card

2. When she took pictures of me she happened to choose the most unflattering positions ever :(

Noch Gesichter

Vor der Uebersetzungstunde mit Tatiana Wassiljewna. Die Torte ist um den internationalen Frauentag zu feiern.
Ich war aber nicht dabei - ich war in China!

Hier! Mischa mit Hirschhornen!

Februar 2006, die Uni
Ich habe dir ueber dieses Photo schon geschrieben, jetzt sieh es selbst! Die Deutsche Staatpruefung ist am Freitag, deshalb benutze ich jede Moeglichkeit, auf Deutsch zu sprechen/schreiben.

Ein merkwuerdiges Bild, nicht wahr? Es wurde im Raum neben Kabinet Perevoda genommen, fruher war dort Lateinkabinett