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shadow figure head speaking into a microphoneYou might think that professional interpreting, spending your day telling one person or group what another person or group is saying, would be less than exciting. You would be wrong.

To give an example from the recent past: I have a vivid memory of turning on the TV, late at night on May 1st, 2011, for President Obama’s announcement of the death of Osama bin Laden, after a raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. That was momentous news, as it represented a closing of the book in a sense, the potential for the nation to begin putting to rest the fears of the previous ten years. Like everyone else watching, I was fixed on every word.

Not being able to understand what the President was saying? That would have been unbearable.

On the other hand, can you imagine being an interpreter responsible for sharing that news? The pressure would have been astronomically high. And so, frankly, would have been the rush.

Professional interpreters are well compensated for performing such a high-stress job with so little room for error; they’re entitled to charge impressive rates for their services, may get to travel far and frequently, and can find themselves privy to life-changing moments at any scale. All of this adds up to undeniable personal, emotional benefits. They don’t just do it for the money – they do it for the thrill.

We at TrueLanguage recently had the privilege of meeting a practiced professional interpreter of Arabic and French, whose experience working with major cable news outlets included interpreting the final words of Saddam Hussein, and Osama bin Laden’s recorded message. Nerve-wracking, yes. Nail-biting, true. And exhilarating in the extreme. In his own words, “it gets me high!”

If you have a few minutes, look here for a glimpse at how those with a yen for the thrill of interpretation can train up to make it their career… and then here, to see one of the more exciting places their work may take them!