When Opportunity Knocks, You Answer

Multilingual Connections works with talented linguists from across the globe who are specialists in translation, transcription and/or multimedia localization. Our linguists also have industry knowledge and experience – some have spent years doing legal and law enforcement transcription, while others were subtitling movies, and more. We pair each project with the best linguist for the job, taking into consideration their native language, region, and their area(s) of expertise. 

Each month, we select and award one “Linguist of the Month” based on their exceptional quality of work, their reliability, and their general amazingness. This month, we are excited to feature MLC’s September 2019 Linguist of the Month, Rebeca. Since joining the MLC team in 2014, she has done an outstanding job as an English<>Spanish translator on a variety of projects across clients. She brings expertise in medical translation and interpretation and has years of professional experience working in law enforcement translation and transcription, as well.

Where are you from? Where do you live?  

I am from Mexico City and I live in Chicago.

Besides English, what languages do you speak and/or translate?

English and Spanish fluently, intermediate French, and currently learning very (very) basic Portuguese, German, and Swedish, but I am a professional translator in the  En<>Sp language pair.

Why and how did you become a translator?

I’m actually a graphic designer who ditched that career to pursue a graduate degree, an internship, and work opportunities so that I could become an editor for publishing companies. When I moved to the United States, however, someone called me out of the blue to offer me a job as an in-house translator. I loved the work, I was good at it because of my editing background, and life magically kept presenting further opportunities to work as a translator, so I guess translation found me. Of all the jobs I have and hats I wear, translator is my favorite one. I love it.  

What is something you love about translation?

It’s engaging and pleasant. It’s never boring or difficult (even when it’s a challenging text) so it doesn’t feel like work. I’d do it all day long if I could.

What do you like to do outside of work? 

I enjoy traveling the world. Every year I go somewhere I have never been to before to immerse myself in their culture, food, customs, and languages. When at home, I like to explore Chicago, take walking tours, visit different coffee houses, and read a lot — I try to read one book every week. I host a book club and a writing group, and am writing a novel. 

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?  

I am going to India and Nepal in December. But if the world order was different, I’d love to visit Tibet and meet the Dalai Lama at the Potala Palace in Lhasa. And if money was no object and I could go anywhere in the planet, I would LOVE to go from Cairo to Cape Town overland in an epic safari and go glamping in the national parks.

What is your motto or personal mantra?

In life: “It’s never too late to be what you might have been. Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” At work: “If you can’t get out of it, get into it.”

We thank Rebeca for being such a great part of our linguist team, and stay tuned for more behind the scenes updates from Multilingual Connections!