As someone who enjoys the puzzle and play of language, I welcome the continuous challenges that translation work provides. For me there is a certain thrill in discerning the meaning behind the words and finding not just the correct translation but the right tone and phrasing.
Although I was born in Canada, I grew up speaking German and didn't learn English until I began school. Always keenly interested in language even as a child, I begged my mother to teach me the intricacies of German grammar and learned to read, write and speak the language at an advanced level. I practised by writing long letters to my grandfather, listening to my mother read from the great German authors, and at the age of 12, replied to an advertisement seeking interpreters! It was always my goal to be a translator.
In high school I added French to my language base and went on to study French and German Language and Literature at university, receiving my Bachelor of Arts, Honours. I also spent a year honing my German skills in Germany, studying at the Goethe Institut in Bremen and later working as an au pair. I also completed two years of a Master's Degree program in Comparative Literature which included translation studies.
In my professional career, I have been active in a wide range of related disciplines including copywriting, editing and proofreading, marketing and print media. I am also an avid Scrabble player in my spare time.
My broad-based professional experience and wide-ranging interests allow me to feel comfortable translating in various subject areas, from music (I am also a piano teacher and performer) to agriculture (I grew up on a dairy farm) to literature, politics, health, sports and fitness.