| Pages in topic: [1 2 3 4 5] > | Off topic: What was your 'dream profession' as a teenager? Thread poster: Marion Schimmelpfennig
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We all remember the time: We were in our teens, and we began to think about possible careers and to develop certain preferences. What became of those dreams and imaginations? Did you always want to become a translator? Or rather a....
... doctor
... engineer
... teacher
... pilot
... ???P
| | | | | dream profession | Oct 9, 2006 |
When I was really little, I wanted to be a teacher.
When I was in my early teens and until about 16, I wanted to help people with drug addiction and family problems.
English became my passion very early on and translating seemed like the normal choice for me. When I had time, I would translate a couple of pages from a book and when I was bored at school (especially the weekly 8 hours of philosophy in my last year at school) I would take all my notes in English, translat... See more When I was really little, I wanted to be a teacher.
When I was in my early teens and until about 16, I wanted to help people with drug addiction and family problems.
English became my passion very early on and translating seemed like the normal choice for me. When I had time, I would translate a couple of pages from a book and when I was bored at school (especially the weekly 8 hours of philosophy in my last year at school) I would take all my notes in English, translating the teacher's words as he would say them.
It's a funny thing to look back and to think that I am lucky to be doing my "dream profession", although when my neck or my back hurt, when my eyes start tingling and my fingers can't move any more, I don't see it in the same way... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Robert Zawadzki (X) 
Local time: 01:14
English to Polish
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| I do not remember, but my son (then 5) | Oct 9, 2006 |
was fascinated by a tank truck emptying a cesspool in a place where we spent holidays. When asked he said "I will be a sewerman" and then looking a me "... or an IT guy".
[Edited at 2006-10-09 18:35]
| | | | Vauwe
Local time: 01:14
English to German
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| Secretary / typist > teacher > prsion ward > criminal investigator | Oct 9, 2006 |
I started out by wanting to become a typist or secretary because my dad told me this would be cool - and the thing to do for a girl. Of course, these were the early seventies
Then I fell in love with my English teacher and I wanted to become a teacher.
Then I fell in love with a pen-pal who served time in prison and I wanted to become a prison ward to save all those poor souls.
Then reality hi... See more I started out by wanting to become a typist or secretary because my dad told me this would be cool - and the thing to do for a girl. Of course, these were the early seventies
Then I fell in love with my English teacher and I wanted to become a teacher.
Then I fell in love with a pen-pal who served time in prison and I wanted to become a prison ward to save all those poor souls.
Then reality hit me and I wanted to become a criminal investigator and put all the bad guys behind bars.
Then my German teacher told me I should focus on a writing career. Lucky me that I heeded his advice... ▲ Collapse
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To be a travel agent.
When I was a child, whenever I went with my parents to book a vacation to our local travel agency, I was in heaven: I LOVED all the colorful brochures, the posters showing exotic destinations and I was fascinated by the wonderful pictures of beautiful hotels and resorts. I liked the idea that you could tell the lady agent: "I want to go there" and she DID send you there! WOW.
Welllll... my dream came true because years later I BECAME a travel age... See more To be a travel agent.
When I was a child, whenever I went with my parents to book a vacation to our local travel agency, I was in heaven: I LOVED all the colorful brochures, the posters showing exotic destinations and I was fascinated by the wonderful pictures of beautiful hotels and resorts. I liked the idea that you could tell the lady agent: "I want to go there" and she DID send you there! WOW.
Welllll... my dream came true because years later I BECAME a travel agent myself, I still am. I also got to know the other side of the shiny coin by being on the other side of the barricade (clients stranded in an airport yelling at you "get me out of here!", people wishing to see 10 European countries in 10 days, you name it, I went through that!), but I love my job.
And it's not true that travel agents travel all the time AND for free... The CEO might, but not us little busy bees... ▲ Collapse
| | | | EmmanuelleAn (X)
Local time: 01:14
English to French
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| Journalism and Interpreting | Oct 9, 2006 |
As a teenager I wanted to be a journalist for the music industry (sounds very "cliché" I know!)and a conference interpreter. To combine both, it'd be great if I could get interpreting assignments for music magazines/TV programmes. Unfortunately most journalists in that field speak very good English.
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I wanted to be a translator since my high school times. I can't remember earlier professional fascinations... I think I dreamt about being a soldier, a traveller and one more...
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Alexandra Douard (X)
Local time: 01:14
English to French
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| Languages.... | Oct 9, 2006 |
I did not know what I really wanted to do but one thing I was sure about was that I had to use languages and now I translate and teach and I enjoy both a lot!
| | | | Gianni Pastore
Italy
Local time: 01:14
Member (2007)
English to Italian
| Pro Tennis player | Oct 9, 2006 |
I was a good player until my dad told me that he couldn't afford any longer traveling costs. With no sponsorship, if you are not rich you have to be very very lucky to make it in sport
| | | | | A veterinary surgeon | Oct 9, 2006 |
Between 7 and 16, I dreamt of being a veterinary surgeon. I even worked for one, assisting in examinations and operations - but then I had to put to death 10 animals in 2 weeks, from hamsters to dogs to horses... After the horse, I thought, “Well, I though this was about curing animals, and not putting all of them to death“, and changed my mind. I then started to dream of being a translator, as I always had liked languages. I dreamt of working in my Andalusian-style house at the Andalusian c... See more Between 7 and 16, I dreamt of being a veterinary surgeon. I even worked for one, assisting in examinations and operations - but then I had to put to death 10 animals in 2 weeks, from hamsters to dogs to horses... After the horse, I thought, “Well, I though this was about curing animals, and not putting all of them to death“, and changed my mind. I then started to dream of being a translator, as I always had liked languages. I dreamt of working in my Andalusian-style house at the Andalusian coast, on my huge terrace overlooking the sea, drinking tinto de verano while typing away and having an eye on my two children and the dog running around... Well, I AM a translator, I don’t have children yet, but I know that it is difficult to work when they are around, I am living in a rented flat in Madrid far away from the sea, and I will have to save an unbelievable sum of money to be able to buy a house, but I still have the same dream (don’t say I am crazy, I believe in it). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Natalia Zudaire
Argentina
Local time: 20:14
Member (2004)
English to Spanish
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| Journalism, advertising, computer engineering, or translation | Oct 9, 2006 |
Those where the three options that I considered during high school.
Why I chose translation: I didn't want to end up writing about politics, I didn't know how to draw (I still don't), and I ended up concluding that the computer is a means, and not an end.
I remember that when I was around 11 I wanted to be a writer. I always wanted to do something where I could write and be creative.
I wanted to be my own boss, I always knew that I don't get along with authority. ... See more Those where the three options that I considered during high school.
Why I chose translation: I didn't want to end up writing about politics, I didn't know how to draw (I still don't), and I ended up concluding that the computer is a means, and not an end.
I remember that when I was around 11 I wanted to be a writer. I always wanted to do something where I could write and be creative.
I wanted to be my own boss, I always knew that I don't get along with authority.
N.
[Editado a las 2006-10-09 19:50] ▲ Collapse
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I wanted to be a doctor to cure stomachs, because my granny was forbided me to eat fried potatoes as she was afraid I woul get stomach desease. With 12 I wanted to be a plant expert because I loved plants. As a teenager I wanted to do something with cinema and now I do it. I write film articles for different newspapers and organise a filmfestival in Düsseldorf. And I always wanted to become a TV star. I am still not a star, but who knows...
[Bearbeitet am 2006-10-10 09:49]
| | | | Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:14
Flemish to English
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| At age 30 : a pilot. | Oct 9, 2006 |
I had no idea what I wanted. Something without maths. Shame on me. So, I had the choice between law school and a translation school. I chose the latter. A choice which I regret. When I was in my early 30-ies,
I lived the life of a pilot in the seat behind the captain.
One day in Hong-Kong, next day in Anchorage over the North-Pole to Scotland and London Heathrow.
Did the flight of the world twice. Strange experience.
Now, I am too old to give life a U-turn. So, I guess ... See more I had no idea what I wanted. Something without maths. Shame on me. So, I had the choice between law school and a translation school. I chose the latter. A choice which I regret. When I was in my early 30-ies,
I lived the life of a pilot in the seat behind the captain.
One day in Hong-Kong, next day in Anchorage over the North-Pole to Scotland and London Heathrow.
Did the flight of the world twice. Strange experience.
Now, I am too old to give life a U-turn. So, I guess I will have to make a living with translation/interpreting for the rest of my active life. (:. However, I have a notion what the life of a pilot is about, being up there at 30,000 ft. earning a living.
Ah well, money makes the world go around. Perhaps one day I'll have enough money to get a ppl (private pilot's license).
[Edited at 2006-10-10 07:03] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Inga Jakobi
Germany
Local time: 01:14
Member (2006)
Chinese to German
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Hi!
Until I was sixteen, I wanted to become a veterinary. Than with 16, we had a kind of trainee programm at school (which might be a bit exaggerated as it was only one week) and we had to find an entreprise or whatever to work at. I first applied at different zoos, but nobody wanted me and then I chose my second choice: look, what a translator's work is like. I accompanied a freelancer one week, helped him a bit, went with him to jail, where he had to interpret, and that's when I m... See more Hi!
Until I was sixteen, I wanted to become a veterinary. Than with 16, we had a kind of trainee programm at school (which might be a bit exaggerated as it was only one week) and we had to find an entreprise or whatever to work at. I first applied at different zoos, but nobody wanted me and then I chose my second choice: look, what a translator's work is like. I accompanied a freelancer one week, helped him a bit, went with him to jail, where he had to interpret, and that's when I made my choice.
But although I'm really passionate about translating, sometime I still dream of spending the whole day outside, in a zoo, with animals... ▲ Collapse
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