Premier League Football

When I was embarking on my language career at college and university i was described as the "model student" and "the first person to write something down". I was accoladed, praised and awarded. I even got offered to do a PhD at SOAS, the best language school in the country. Deep down inside I new that I was a big fish in a small pond. The gap between this and professional competence was huge. I still had a long way to go and this was a big blow to me. I recommend the following steps to get to professional competence as a translator in a foreign language: Mix with serious individuals be it online or in real life - the chess club was a big plus for me. Get a serious grasp on the language of choice. I will write about this in another post. Mix with professional translators. Have high standards of professionalism. These were not drilled into me at university. Hire somebody to get you to a higher level. This was an EXCELLENT move for me and has revolutionized the way I translate!! I can't recommend it enough. Join forums to swim as a smaller fish in a bigger pool. This was a big help to me Don't be put off by spoilt rich kids who have spent ages in their country of choosing. I have only lived in Japan for twenty days and I realistically realise that verbal fluency is a near impossible goal.