What does a translator do for professional development? There are various associations and groups that you can join to discuss translation, business, agencies, and other related topics, but as translators we need to maintain our target language fluency as well. This weekend I tried a Meetup for the first time and enjoyed some “professional development” that included coffee and conversation.
I live outside Washington, DC, which is a great area for keeping up with my Spanish language skills. I can sing along with the radio (El Zol), chat with my Salvadoran neighbors, or get in touch with other Spanish-speaking friends. However, I really needed something that would get me out of the office regularly and help me maintain my conversational skills. Meetup offered a solution.
On the Meetup website you can find groups of people local to you who have your same interests and then meet with them offline. A while ago I joined a nearby language exchange Meetup group, and this weekend I finally attended one of their conversation meetups. About 25 of us - a mix of native English and Spanish speakers - met at a local coffee shop for some light Sunday afternoon conversation. For the first hour we spoke in Spanish, and for the second we switched to English.
There’s nothing like conversation, of course, to give your brain a work out in a second language. Among the topics we discussed were the economy, the construction business, government jobs, shriveling retirement accounts, families, travel, dating, and local dance clubs. Since I am not in the construction business, for example, (nor am I familiar with the dating scene) those conversations added a little to my vocabulary. New words are always good.
One of the perks of being a linguist is that our practice and training includes travel and immersion in other cultures. For the times in between world travel, language Meetup groups can be a great opportunity to maintain fluency and meet people. Next weekend, the group is hosting a hike along the river in Washington, DC. I can speak in Spanish and get exercise at the same time!