Yes! It's here! The hottest invitation of the year.
You've guessed it - I've been invited to Brussels for the 'Insertion Test' on 15 July. Wish me luck!
In case you're wondering what an 'insertion' test involves, it's marginally less painful than it sounds. You have to do the linguistic equivalent of eating three cream crackers while balancing a glass of water on your head - i.e. interpret consecutively and then simultaneously from your acquired languages into your mother tongue under exam conditions.
Excruciatingly nerve-wracking, especially since it will feel like the last round of some game-show, where I'm playing for the star prize behind the gold lamé curtain - not an Austin Rover Mini Maestro, but a place on the much-coveted European Commission Work/Training Scheme for young interpreters (the so-called 'Insertion Scheme'.)
I've never been as apprehensive of any test before in my life, because to say that the competition is tough would be an understatement. Judging by the numbers of people applying for places, my chances of making it are slim, based on numbers alone.
What's more they tell you on the same day if you've been successful or not - so watch this space! (And keep your fingers crossed - you never know!).
Posted by Eurodan at July 2, 2003 11:55 AMFor those of you reading this who aren't fellow survivors of the MA in Interpreting and Translating here in beautiful Bradford, I would just like to point out that Mr Pashley's chances in this test are far from 'slim 'as all who have seen him in action would agree!
Best of luck Dan, knock 'em dead xxxx
Posted by: Leah at July 3, 2003 10:36 AMI´ve always suspected that if a flying saucer landed in front of him, Eurodan would march up to the little green man and introduce himself in the alien´s native tongue :-)
Best of luck, but I´m sure you won´t need it.
Posted by: Shyboy at July 11, 2003 7:59 AM