From Tuesday to Tonight

On Tuesday, I went to their Tai Seng office, by now so familiar to me. With little advance information, I had almost no idea about the meeting. After I entered the meeting room and exchanged simple greetings with some of the participants, a telecon began. It seems a worldwide conference as I started hearing the voice of their big boss. After her speech, a few people asked questions. I didn’t know who they were. Nobody at this office asked. With this telecon I already had trouble. They were talking about things for which advance knowledge was absolutely necessary for me to follow. And it had to be simultaneous interpretation as they whose voice I was hearing didn’t know my presence. I was not happy with the kind of quality I was managing to give. We had a short break after this and the presenter over here told me to give me time to follow her for a sentence or two. Once she started, it seems she forgotten what she told me and kept talking. I had no information whatsoever on what she was going to say. Trouble. This is an another example to prove that people think they only have to make me sit among them and all should go just fine.

And the guy from India, a participant, was very happy to talk, but he had a very strong Indian accent with which I had difficulty. I observed his mouth and tongue, which seemed to me to be rolling lightly and constantly when he spoke. I had met and worked with many people for whom English was not their first language. It usually took me only a few minutes to get used to their individual accents. His speech didn’t sound English at all. I could catch words he said not sentences. More trouble. I wonder whether, aware of his own way of speaking, he tries to internationalize it. The presenter and her boss had no problem for understanding him. His kind of accent must be something that is familiar to them, not to me. I can only hope that I was able to give enough amount of information to the two participants from Japan.

An enchanting thing about attending this meeting was that I met those two from Japan, one of them I hadn’t met for more than three years, and the two engineering trainers also in the meeting. Especially nice was to see one of them, with whom I worked in July and whose flat I with three engineers from Japan visited for a party. After the dinner, he suggested “blind drinking” at Cable Car. I am more than happy to oblige.

On Wednesday, I had dinner with the two guys from Japan at Tamaya. Though we couldn’t stay for many hours, only until 8:00, I had nice talk with them and I hope they feel the same.

Also today, I had an interpretation job. With another client, I went to a fruit supplier at Pandan Loop. We arrived at 9:30, half an hour early. I think that the meeting went well though nothing was finalized as this was just an introductory talk.  Though, what else I can contribute to this business, I don’t know.

Tonight, dinner at a VivoCity restaurant with a client couple with their daughter and my translation partner. The girl was very friendly to me.