Welcome to DITL of a freelance translator, where we attempt to answer the question “What do translators do all day?”

This week’s diary is by Móni Rodrigues, who you can find here: linkedin.com/in/mónica-rodrigues-mazan-6b394031

Having been interested in other cultures and languages since an early age, I became a translator in 2001, after completing a BA Hons majoring in Translation in former ISAI (now ISAG). Years later completed a Post-Graduation in Translation Studies in the University of Portsmouth, which gave me more IT skills that weren’t available in 2001. I work from EN/FR/ES into EU Portuguese, specialising in the medical, IT and marketing domains.

I am originally from Portugal, but have been living in the UK for a few years now. I am interested in travelling, reading and cooking.

A day in my life

Days look a lot different after motherhood. I am with my baby all day, apart from when my husband has a day off. There is no more this hurly-burly of a translation after another as when before the baby arrived. And that is ok.

My day starts early, usually at 6 or even earlier when baby decides he had enough sleep. I go downstairs to prepare his milk and after he has his bottle we just stay in bed and play a little bit until 8 am. We read a book in Portuguese or Hungarian or play together with his toys. It is family time.

At 8 am husband has gone to work, my little man and I go downstairs. I start thinking about what I am going to prepare for our breakfast. I absolutely love cooking, and I start going through the recipes I have been saving on Facebook or Instagram. I do not usually replicate the recipe completely, I like to give wings to my creativity and add something different, try different ingredients and combinations. Sometimes the result is a failure, but I suppose that’s part of the process. Other times, baby throws it on the floor after just a bite, I accept that’s part of the process too.

We eat together and while he is watching Pepa Pig in Portuguese for the 50^th time I go through my e-mails.

At around 11 am, it’s nap time just before lunch at around 1 pm. Lunch must be a quick fix if I don’t have any leftovers, so pasta it is 😊 pasta with different sauce and ingredients, baby friendly. The afternoon is busy between cuddles, playtime and tantrums until the baby is bathed and goes to bed at around 7 pm. When the hubby comes home after 5 pm, I can have a break and time to cook dinner, a nice dinner for the 3 of us. I have now time to create recipes or cook more elaborated meals with a pinch of love and a cup of creativity.

During all this time, I can check my e-mails and reply to e-mails. Being a translator is a little bit like being on call from 9 to 5, I suppose. My clients already know I cannot normally work during the day, so I receive requests with delivery the next day. I get the odd query or a change request that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible and that I can do quickly. I have tried to work while baby is in the crib, or even in the carrier, but it only works for 30 minutes until he starts crying. When translating, or reviewing, concentration is paramount for me. With a velcro baby I cannot work during the day, so I decided to work evenings or nights.

After the baby goes to sleep, I start my day, or should I say, my night. Sometimes I accumulate more than one job with delivery the next day and sit at my desk working until 4 am (which means some days I don’t get much sleep). I enjoy the silence of the night, my concentration is not disrupted, it is my “me time”. There is no interruption in my line of thinking, and creativity flows like water. I do not worry about anything else; the husband is there to take care of it all.

When I finish my jobs, I feel this sense of achievement and finally can rest a bit before I start again the day with my baby. The days are now longer, which means I can sit at my desk with the frail rays of a setting sun coming through my office window. It is a good start for the night ahead.