Part three; the first day comes to a close!

After lunch we have a reshuffle of interpreters and so more introductions are made and much smiling is done. In the afternoon presentations are scheduled, they are presentations on the different projects that Solidarité are involved in. the first presentation gets underway and we are all lulled into a false sense of security as it seems very easy, we have the words projected on a wall and all we have to do is translate that and any additions they make. The stern looks of concentration leave our faces and a calm, peaceful expression took its place. As will all these things it was too good to be true, sure enough when the presentation stops the discussion starts, if we thought it was hard before it was now near impossible. People were all speaking at the same time or at different speeds and in different accents. This carries on for ten minutes, with us all trying furiously to follow the direction of the conversation and trying not to lose any of the important information whilst immediately translating it into English. This session slowly comes to an end and I look around at the other interpreters who either look like they are going to kill or as if they are going to pass out. Luckily there was not enough time for either of these to be acted upon as we had moved on to the next presentation. The next few presentations followed the same pattern but we were prepared this time and it slowly became easier to tune into the conversation a bit more. However none of us were expecting the next event, it was a presentation written and delivered in English . . . hallelujah! The next two were the same as well allowing at least a forty-five minute break for us! We knew this could not last forever and soon we were thrown back into the work. At six the end of the first day was signaled but there were still many more to come. To say this day was difficult would be an understatement. Let me put it this way, by 21:30 I was fast asleep.

To be continued . . .