Meet the Community: Claudia R.

Welcome to the Meet the Community series, where we interview our partners and get to know more about them. Our Community is part of our lifeblood here at Lionbridge; without our dedicated, hard-working partners, we wouldn’t be able to continue breaking barriers and building bridges.

This time we’ll be meeting Claudia R., an English, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese Translator living in Modena, Italy.

What do you like most about being a part of the Lionbridge Community?

I like being part of this Community because it feels like home. Growing up as a bilingual child, you’re surrounded by people who speak different languages. It makes you realize that the world is a diverse place, but my people are literally everywhere! Poland, Costa Rica, India, Brazil, Spain, Switzerland, France — name a country and there is someone there answering your emails or providing support for every challenging project. Diversity, inclusion… this is what I like the most.

How did you get into this field?

I basically grew up as a bilingual child, thanks to my family. I’ll always remember the time when, at the age of four, I saw a foreign lady who was unable to speak with a supermarket cashier. It was a pivotal moment for me, and since then my ideals have been very clear: I wanted to break barriers and build bridges. I told my mum then and there, “One day, I want to make them understand each other.”

I went on to study at the School for Interpreters and Translators as a Simultaneous Interpreter. I specialized in different sectors (life sciences, subtitling, fashion, gaming, technical translations, eLearning, marketing, press releases, airspace, finance, economics, legal, dentistry, etc.). Then I started teaching courses myself, until the time when I started to work as a full-time translator. Of course, I also work as a remote interpreter!

Describe a day in the life of a Lionbridge partner.

I wake up at 9:00am and check my email for any new projects and catch up on communication with all my team members. Now, my team members are all over the globe, and I know that some people will never write before a certain time, but I am starting to get familiar with their schedules! After a cup of tea, I work on the most urgent projects of the day and organize my agenda for the following days. I work hard, but I try to turn off my PC at 5:00pm so I can be free for the rest of the evening.

What advice would you give your younger self if they were just starting out in this field/industry? 

Never stop learning, never stop training, and never accept ‘no’ as an answer. Get specialized in different fields. We are all able to grow and improve — even if we fail, we always have the chance to go back and study, to learn from the best experts, and to get there one day! 

Of course, there must also be people who are willing to help. We are all humans. We need to help each other, so I try to help my peers as a reviewer, too. I outline the best parts of a translation, and do my best to provide useful links, materials, and suggestions. We are never alone in this world, and sometimes we do not realize how interdependent we are. I really believe in constructive feedback and building each other up.

Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

I love sightseeing! I try to go for a walk every day to see the sights and discover new places. I also love yoga, dancing, jigsaws, meditation, nature, and the seaside — one day, I will live near the ocean, I am sure!

How many languages do you speak, and do you want to learn a new one?

I speak English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese/Brazilian, and a little bit of French. I am always open to learn new languages!

What is your favorite word or phrase in your native language and why is it your favorite?

“In the blink of an eye,” or “In un batter d’occhio”. It makes me think of the world as it is today and how quickly we can change and adapt to new situations.

What is your favorite food and why?

I like salads and fruit because I love healthy food!

What do you like most about the country you live in?

I love the different landscapes, as well as the robust art and history. 

What country would you like to travel to and why?

I would like to go back to the Canary Islands soon because I feel a special connection with the place.

What, in your opinion, makes your field/industry special?

Change. Every day is a different challenge. You must keep yourself updated with new vocabulary and trends.

What is the coolest language task you’ve participated in?

Transcreation is one of the latest trends in translation. It means adapting a message from one language to another while maintaining the same tone, context, and style. It’s a great challenge because you must think carefully about the meaning and how people will get the message. Sometimes the meaning cannot be properly conveyed without a turn of phrase, or without adding a word that wasn’t there before. Subtitles are a good example, because you also need to shorten the sentences and split them up properly in two lines.

I like transcreation because I like being creative, and I like writing. I feel so proud when I see that companies like my translations, and when they use my work for their logos and marketing material.