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Diplomatically speaking...
Jul. 6th, 2006 11:39 pmThe spacecraft arrived today, and professional considerations prevent me from going into the gory details, but it is sufficient to say that today was one of those days that interpreters live for, and at the same time, fear.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Last night, I lay down shortly after dinner with a book and the next thing I know, it's 10:30 pm, and I'm wide awake. I therefore figured that there was really nothing stopping me from watching the game between France and Portugal, so at a little in front of 1 am, I walk to the Proton Club. It's cold out, with a brisk wind blowing.
As I open the door to the building's auditorium, I am nearly swept off my feet by about two dozen French voices singing La Marseillaise, belting it out with gusto and hands held over hearts. Then everyone settled in to watch some world-class soccer (football, to the rest of the world).
The game was interesting, and I thought the Portuguese team outplayed the French team, despite the 1-0 score in the latter's favor, the result of a penalty kick in the first period. I imagine the nation of Portugal experienced a moment or two of apoplexy a few minutes later when the referee, who had observed a foul rating a penalty kick in the area in front of the Portuguese goal, failed to observe a similar foul committed by a French player in front of the French goal. Anyway, it just seemed to me that the Portuguese really put a lot of pressure on the French, though neither team, really, got too many opportunities to make the opposing goalie sweat. The game ended around 3-something local time, and I walked back to the Fili and went to sleep.
The work day was supposed to start at 8 am, but the Antonov carrying the satellite was delayed at Ulyanovsk for some reason (very likely, customs or passport control), so the cargo plane was delayed for about two hours.
Positioning of the plane on the tarmac turned out to be problem, which was solved, and the container was finally put on a flatcar, whereupon shortly afterward, frank exchanges of opinions were exchanged.
Perhaps the hardest task a working interpreter must face is having to deal with two antagonistic parties whose positions can be summarized as "It's not our fault." Unfortunately, such disagreements are quite common in any enterprise, and it seems especially in technical undertakings. Here, the discussions started shortly before the consist was scheduled to leave the airport area. I broke out of my role as interpreter (wherein, technically, all I do is repeat what people say, albeit in another language) and tried to get people to stop arguing at cross purposes. Actually, what I should have done was concentrate on moving people away from the operating diesel generator, as my throat was about to jump out of my body and beat me to within an inch of my life.
In short, I put in a 12 hour day interpreting under less-than-optimum conditions while on my feet, and it's still not sure that the issues raised during the day were settled. Upon returning to the hotel, I noted with some satisfaction that my work tomorrow had been rescheduled to a more reasonable time (I had been slated as the early morning interpreter; now, I'm merely coming in around 8:30 am). The new early morning interpreter will be faced with having to deal with the issues that cropped up during the day, and I have already briefed said interpreter on the issues he can expect to have to field. Tomorrow's morning meeting ought to be... interesting.
It's time to hit the sack. The idea is most welcome.
Cheers...
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Last night, I lay down shortly after dinner with a book and the next thing I know, it's 10:30 pm, and I'm wide awake. I therefore figured that there was really nothing stopping me from watching the game between France and Portugal, so at a little in front of 1 am, I walk to the Proton Club. It's cold out, with a brisk wind blowing.
As I open the door to the building's auditorium, I am nearly swept off my feet by about two dozen French voices singing La Marseillaise, belting it out with gusto and hands held over hearts. Then everyone settled in to watch some world-class soccer (football, to the rest of the world).
The game was interesting, and I thought the Portuguese team outplayed the French team, despite the 1-0 score in the latter's favor, the result of a penalty kick in the first period. I imagine the nation of Portugal experienced a moment or two of apoplexy a few minutes later when the referee, who had observed a foul rating a penalty kick in the area in front of the Portuguese goal, failed to observe a similar foul committed by a French player in front of the French goal. Anyway, it just seemed to me that the Portuguese really put a lot of pressure on the French, though neither team, really, got too many opportunities to make the opposing goalie sweat. The game ended around 3-something local time, and I walked back to the Fili and went to sleep.
The work day was supposed to start at 8 am, but the Antonov carrying the satellite was delayed at Ulyanovsk for some reason (very likely, customs or passport control), so the cargo plane was delayed for about two hours.
Positioning of the plane on the tarmac turned out to be problem, which was solved, and the container was finally put on a flatcar, whereupon shortly afterward, frank exchanges of opinions were exchanged.
Perhaps the hardest task a working interpreter must face is having to deal with two antagonistic parties whose positions can be summarized as "It's not our fault." Unfortunately, such disagreements are quite common in any enterprise, and it seems especially in technical undertakings. Here, the discussions started shortly before the consist was scheduled to leave the airport area. I broke out of my role as interpreter (wherein, technically, all I do is repeat what people say, albeit in another language) and tried to get people to stop arguing at cross purposes. Actually, what I should have done was concentrate on moving people away from the operating diesel generator, as my throat was about to jump out of my body and beat me to within an inch of my life.
In short, I put in a 12 hour day interpreting under less-than-optimum conditions while on my feet, and it's still not sure that the issues raised during the day were settled. Upon returning to the hotel, I noted with some satisfaction that my work tomorrow had been rescheduled to a more reasonable time (I had been slated as the early morning interpreter; now, I'm merely coming in around 8:30 am). The new early morning interpreter will be faced with having to deal with the issues that cropped up during the day, and I have already briefed said interpreter on the issues he can expect to have to field. Tomorrow's morning meeting ought to be... interesting.
It's time to hit the sack. The idea is most welcome.
Cheers...
