Reactions to the ATA Conference in San Diego

     What did I do last weekend? Thanks for asking! I was able to attend the American Translators Association's annual conference on Saturday, October 27. Unfortunately I couldn't attend the event every day, but Saturday was well worth it. I felt like this was a very fun and valuable experience, so I wanted to share my reactions.

8:30-9:30 Essential Anatomy and Physiology for Judiciary Interpreters by Jennifer de la Cruz

I am not primarily an interpreter, yet I found this presentation to be very well structured, well presented, and interesting. I am currently finishing up my translation certificate at UCSD and working on a medical specialty, so it was interesting to compare the presenter's experiences and the information she gave us with the content of the course I am currently in. I feel like I learned a few great tips and a lot of good medical terminology. Jennifer de la Cruz also followed up immediately with the emailed materials she promised.

10:00-11:00 Creating a Website for Your Translation/Interpreting Business by Tess Whitty

This was another very good session. Tess Whitty executed a very nice presentation. I felt like I had figured a lot of it out on my own already, but I was glad to know that this is one of the websites that she recommends! I also took a few of her suggestions to heart, which you'll see in a few changes I have already made and planned to make to this website.

11:30-12:30 My Tijuana Family by Rogelio Camacho

 My favorite session! It was so FUN! The entire hour was devoted to Mexican slang, and Rogelio Camacho talked about each term and its meaning and context while we jotted down the English equivalents. It was fast, lively, and super interesting, and I now know that Abuelita de Batman! means Heck yeah! in Tijuana.

2:00-3:15 Machine Translation in Practice by Mike Dillinger

A couple of colleagues/friends and I decided to check this session out to see what the whole machine translation scene is about. Overall I found the presenter to be very knowledgeable and he did a superb job. It was nice to broaden my horizons a bit because I didn't even really know what post-editing was until after this session.

3:45-5:00 Improving Your Negotiation and Communication Skills as a Freelancer by Ioana Radoi

This was my second highlight of the day. I loved Ioana's style of deeply involving the audience. It turned into a sort of forum in which many different professionals in different stages of their careers shared tips with each other about getting work, pricing, and so much more. It was extremely informative, interesting, and fun!

Welcome to San Diego ATA Conference-Goers!

 

Welcome to San Diego, fellow translators! Tomorrow marks the beginning of the American Translators Association's 53rd annual conference. Since so many language professionals will be gathering this weekend in America's Finest City, I thought that I would provide a few tips and links to help everyone out with their eating and entertainment dilemmas. I am a native San Diegan and I currently reside here as well, so please feel free to shoot me a comment or email if you have any questions!

COMER

Kono's Surf Club Cafe is one of my friend Karen's favorites. Come here to check out a San Diego beach community, Pacific Beach, and get some great breakfast, burgers, or coffee!

If you love Thai food like I do and you also appreciate a moody culturally-rich ambiance, try Rama. The food is great AND you'll feel like you just got back from vacation when you walk outside after your meal.

Hodad's is a local favorite for giant burgers, fries, and milkshakes. You can check out their original location in Ocean Beach, or be one of the first few thousand people to savor a burger in their newish downtown locale.

Phil's BBQ is reputed to be one of the best barbeque spots in the city. I know others have their favorites, but Phil's has always treated my tasted buds with respect!

This is another local  favorite that ALWAYS draws crowds. Lucha Libre is Mexican fare with a twist...and a headlock! Be prepared to fight your way to the front of the line if you decide to eat here.

 Old Town is a great place to go if you are feeling extremely touristy. I like to walk around and get fresh cinnamon and strawberry tortillas from a street side vendor. The restaurants are mostly Mexican-American style and will definitely satisfy your craving for something cheesy (double entendre intended).

TOMAR

Café Lulu is a hip coffee shop and hookah lounge downtown. If you just want a coffee and a pastry but you want to get a little bit more local flavor and less Starbucks, try this cute sidewalk cafe.

For a glass of wine with a colleague, consider Voyou. The owner is extremely friendly, the atmosphere is very modern and clean yet intimate, and the food and wine are excellent.

Try Starlite's signature cocktails paired with a delicious dinner! 

DISFRUTAR

The Titanic Halloween Masquerade might be up your alley if you packed your costume and you like to get out and enjoy the nightlife. You're just in time this weekend to partake in not just the professional development and networking but also the disguised revelry and haunts. For other spooky events click here.

If you are still in town on Sunday and you are in the mood to get out and do something mellow, the Hillcrest Farmer's Market is the perfect option. Hillcrest is just a couple of miles north of downtown, and the Sunday market is full of great vendor options for fresh produce, gifts, prepared foods, or just to get out and see the locals.

ATA's 53rd Annual Conference

Register Now!

A few of the great sessions I am excited about this year:

 Best Practices for Spanish Technical Writing

Mario E. Chávez
(Saturday, 8:30am-9:30am; Advanced; Presented in: Spanish)

Español neutro: Esa lengua inexistente a la que muchos traducimos
Aurora Humarán
(Saturday, 10:00am-11:00am; All Levels; Presented in: Spanish)
Interpreting Slang and Taboo Language for the Courts
Alfonso Villasenor
(Friday, 3:45pm-5:00pm; All Levels; Presented in: English and Spanish) 

My Tijuana Family
Rogelio Camacho
(Saturday, 11:30am-12:30pm; All Levels; Presented in: Spanish)
Dilemmas in the Co-Construction of Pain Ratings among Providers, Language Interpreters, and Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Patients
Claudia V. Angelelli
(Friday, 11:30am-12:30pm; Advanced; Presented in: English)

 Intersections of Theory and Practice: Translation Studies in the Classroom
Ben Van Wyke, Rosemary Arrojo, Brian Baer, and Claudia Angelelli
(Saturday, 2:00pm-3:15pm; All Levels; Presented in: English)