Our Interpreter's Skills and Specialisms - Justyna
Many of our freelance professionals have personal talents outside of their freelance duties. In this series we will explore the specialisms and skills of some of our freelance professionals.
In our most recent interview we caught up with Justyna, a Polish interpreter and piano teacher based in Hastings. We discovered how her personal interests, medical training and background have all contributed to her working positively and effectively as an interpreter today.
Hi Justyna, can you give us an insight into your background before interpreting?
It was 1994 when I had arrived in the UK with very little English and the hunger to learn.
For the first two years in this country, I worked as an au-pair in Tunbridge Wells, and attended college to learn the language. I had made friends of various nationalities and life brought me to Hastings where I continued my education and got married to an English man for thirteen years.
The confidence in being able to express myself fluently grew and I decided to take the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting, opting for the Health option, as my interest in the medical field and complementary medicine was strongly developing. Realising that good health - be it mental, physical or emotional, is the main driving force behind achieving one's life purpose.
Other than interpreting, what other skills and qualifications have you obtained?
I have been teaching piano consistently since the age of 21, and now pride myself on having a lovely group of students at the Bonners Music School in Eastbourne as well as those I teach privately. We work towards grades and developing piano playing as a hobby. Students of all ages, currently from 3 - 65 years old, enjoy a steady progress and each choose their own pace to use the skill for various reasons. It is very satisfying to know when they are being complemented and this in turn, builds their self-confidence and dedication to create further achievements.
My latest passion is for a modality called Access Consciousness, of which I am an Access Bars Practitioner, is greatly expanding my awareness and also adding an extra dimension to my professions. After all, interpersonal skills are the major component of every strong business relationship.
Every interest and the qualifications gained, allow me to be the best I can be in the role of a Public Service Interpreter and adds value to the quality of my performance.
The accurate relaying of the verbal content is always enhanced by getting the 'feel' for every individual I do the interpreting work. Adapting to unique situations at hand with sensitivity proves very important.
Why did you become an interpreter, and what has been your favourite interpreting experience so far?
It seemed logical to use my first language (Polish) in order to work professionally in the capacity of an interpreter. I have a keen interest in holistic health and I am also qualified as a Bach Flower Practitioner (using flower essences as a tool for healing) as well as an Access Bar Practitioner (using touch to alleviate stress and limitations). These are modalities which can help one to expand self-awareness and effective methods of clearing emotional blockages.
Being in the medical environment as an interpreter allows me to work with people who are working to improve their health and general well-being. I have some qualifications in person-centred counselling and all these skills and knowledge help me interpret for social or key workers. My favourite experience would be child birth – I feel fulfilled and helpful in these scenarios.
I simply love the feeling of walking into a hospital, knowing that I can support a patient awaiting her child’s birth, an operation or finding out the rest of a medical investigation. As an example - having had attended a regular treatment of chemotherapy with a Polish lady, I can confidently say that the role of a face-to-face interpreter in those situations is absolutely crucial!
Vandu has ultimately provided valuable opportunities for me to implement and fulfil all that I am about and I am forever thankful.
Thank you to Justyna, our Polish interpreter for her insight into the life of a freelance professional. If you’re interested in booking an interpreter or want to find out more information on our services, please call 01273 473986 or email info@vlslanguages.com .
