Seeing as much of the world as possible has always been my wish. After graduating high school early, I had plenty of time before university. It turned out to be valuable time since I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do later in life. The only thing I was sure of was that I wanted to leave Germany for a while, so I packed my bags and headed to Canada for a full year.
Canada’s natural beauty is only matched by the beauty of its people. Everyone is very welcoming to strangers since they are confronted with so many different cultures and nationalities in their own country. It was there that my interest in other languages and cultures really blossomed.
With that year abroad in mind, the idea of language as a vocation started to form in my head. The only problem I saw was that jobs involving languages often turn out to be teaching of some sort, a field in which I could not see myself. After some research, I found out about the Institut für Übersetzen und Dolmetschen in Heidelberg, and applied right away to start my translation and interpreting studies focusing on French and English in October 2016.
It wasn’t long before my feet started itching to leave Germany again, so I applied for a semester abroad at the Dublin City University in Ireland. The land of leprechauns was a fantastic experience that brought me closer to several cultures and gave me the opportunity to form a network of friends all across the world.
When I returned from Ireland, I felt it was high time for practical experience, so I used my semester break to work at opsira, a company specialising in light measurements. Now it may sound far removed from my field of study, but I ended up working as a translator in the technical department. It was the first time I actually translated texts and brochures from start to finish in the real world. I was quite proud that the company put so much trust in my skills, and my time there confirmed the fact that I made the correct career choice. My course at the university was fairly theoretical, which is necessary for learning the relevant skills, but it was nowhere near the reality of being a translator.
This opened my eyes to the fact that internships are crucial to finding out what area of work suits you. I am now finished with my bachelor’s degree and before I start my masters in October 2020, I intend to use the time to secure several internships. My internship here at Folio takes me one step closer to finding my way into the working world!