Zingterview with a Translator: Mélanie Mós
“I love the fact that I can talk with project managers or clients from all over the world and get to know different realities from the comfort of my home.”
Mélanie is a Portuguese who doesn’t have a mustache, doesn’t like coffee but loves a good glass of wine! Born in Switzerland, she came back to Portugal at a very young age because her Portuguese parents were feeling homesick. She’s been travelling since she was little, which allowed her to gain a different perspective on popular and not-so-popular cities. She also loves to chat and sing. She only read books that are fascinating and due to this writes and transcreates texts that appeal to the reader. Her favorite thing about having her own business is seeing clients’ products grow in another market, especially ethical products that make a difference in the world. She also loves the flexibility of being a freelancer.
Let’s find out more about Mélanie!
Let’s begin at the beginning. How did you become multilingual?
I was born in Vevey, Switzerland. I came to Portugal at a very young age, so I didn’t go to school there, but my Portuguese parents spoke both Portuguese and French t me. My sister still lives there, and I visit her regularly to practice my French. I also don’t remember a time when I didn’t love English. I just fell in love with it when I started hearing English songs and watching cartoons in English. It suddenly became a passion of mine.
How and/or why did you become a translator? (And do you suck the life out of words for immortality purposes, or to pay the rent?)
I never thought I would become a translator because I had a terrible misconception about translators. I love to communicate, I’m more an extrovert than an introvert and I thought translators were lonely owls that only translated books. When I finished studying Modern Languages in the University of Coimbra, I discovered that I could translate all kinds of texts and get to know different cultures, so I decided to take a Master’s Degree in Translation. It was one of the best decisions of my life. I enjoy doing it AND it pays the rent.
How much of a coincidence is it that you ended up on this path? How much of a choice?
I have to say that it was not a coincidence at all, it was a choice. When I find out about this beautiful world and how creative I could be I just fell in love with it and decided to give it a go.
Is life everything you thought it would be, and more? What did you think it would be?
Yes, it actually is! I’m so happy and lucky. I love what I do and since I’m a freelancer I can pursue other dreams of mine. I always wanted to be a singer and because of my main job I’m able to do it. I never thought I would have such a fulfilling life, but it’s not perfect, it does get stressful sometimes!
What is it you love about your lifestyle as a translator?
I was an in-house translator for a year, but I’ve been freelancing for 2 years now. I have to say that I love my profession even more now because I’m a freelancer. I love the flexibility it gives me. Besides this, since I’m a bit of an extrovert myself I love the fact that I can talk with project managers or clients from all over the world and get to know different realities from the comfort of my home. You also learn a lot and become more empathetic.
What was your darkest moment as a translator?
Anxiety, anxiety, anxiety. The freelancer life is appealing but it has its cons. I’ve been dealing with anxiety for a few years now and I’m trying to deal with it (I’m better now than before). But it’s hard, even today. Sometimes, when I don’t receive work for a few days, I start panicking. I know that’s important to focus and use this time to market yourself or to just rest but it’s easier said than done!
If you listen to music while working, what’s on your speakers lately? Spotify links or YouTube links are much appreciated 😉
Like Jim Morrison beautifully sang: Music is my only friend. Well, I wouldn’t say it’s my ONLY friend but it sure is one of my best friends! I can’t live without it and I’m almost always listening to music. I only don’t listen to music when I’m proofreading/reviewing since this is usually the last step of the project. The type of music that I listen to depends on my mood and the task I have at hand. If I want some motivation, I hear Bee Gees, funk… If I’m in a chill mode I prefer to listen to Men I trust or some jazz.
Check some of the playlists that I listen to and that I’ve created on Spotify:
If you had a magic wand and a pointy hat that actually worked, what would you change about the translation industry or your working lifestyle?
Well personally I would love to be less anxious and just more chill in general (I’m getting there). About the translation industry, I would make people had more respect for our profession. There’s a lack of information about what we do. Every time I tell someone about how big our market is they get so surprised. Especially in Portugal, most people speak more than one language and because of this they think everyone can be a translator and have no idea how hard it is to deliver a good translation. So, I would definitely change this.
What are you doing at home or in the office to be more productive?
Music helps me a lot, it gives me an extra boost when I don’t feel like doing a thing. I also talk with colleagues from my industry. I see them as my coworkers to not feel so lonely.
Tell us about the weirdest thing you ever translated.
Haha. I’m laughing already! Well let me just tell you something: make sure you ALWAYS check a project before accepting it. A client of mine asked me if I was ok with translating adult content. On that day, I probably had my head in the clouds, and I thought: “Yes… Why wouldn’t I be?” When I received the project, I realized that I would actually need to translate a landing page of a porn website. It was definitely… Interesting?
What’s the best question that we didn’t think to ask?
The questions were super interesting and surprising. I would probably add a question about my specializations. I specialize in Tourism, Sustainability and Marketing. Why?
Tourism: I love travelling A LOT. I even have my own van to explore the world whenever I can.
Sustainability & Marketing: I really want to help ethical brands that are making a real difference in the world and don’t just care about their profit.
Are you a translator and want to get Zingterviewed yourself? Apply using this form and we will reach out for your interview! 🐙
