Amerti - My Blog

This month's Multilingual TIG stars are (**!!!Drum Rolls Please!!!**)  Mpasua and Marina. Congratulations to both! Mpasua has been a very important member of our Swahili translators since May 02, 2009 and Mariana has been on our Russian team starting November 02, 2010. You can read more about them here: http://multilingual.tigweb.org/team.html. We asked Mpasua and Marina to answer some questions on their experience volunteering with TIG. Here are their responses:

MPASUA

1. When did you become involved with TakingITGlobal’s online volunteer team? What motivated you to become an online volunteer?  

I first started involving myself with TakingITGlobal’s online volunteer team about 5 years ago.  The motivation to become an online volunteer derived from my general love to volunteer in any endeavour and especially so my passion to the language of Swahili which I volunteer in.

2. What attracts you to your role as a volunteer? 

My zeal and belief to spread the Swahili Language far and wide using the online plartform since arguably it is the fastest growing language in Africa.

3. What have you learned from the experience so far? 

I have learnt the POWER  of believing  that you can achieve whatever that you conceive in your mind. I have also learnt that victory is not necessarily for everyone!

4. What advice would you give other young people out there interested in becoming online volunteers? 

This is the best thing they can do in this New  Year as one of the ways to start this new cycle of 11’ as the previous one ends with 10’

5. What are your overall thoughts on the experience? 

We should finish and finalize on the Translation process of the whole site into the Swahili language. More innovative ways should be brainstormed on how to collectively involve everyone in the Swahili Team for us to achieve greater heights of achievements.

Questions and Their Answers Given in English and Swahili: 

Maswali na Majibu Yake Yatolewa kwa Kiingereza na Kiswahili: 

1. When did you become involved with TakingITGlobal’s online volunteer team? What motivated you to become an online volunteer?  I first started involving myself with TakingITGlobal’s online volunteer team about 5 years ago.  The motivation to become an online volunteer derived from my general love to volunteer in any endeavour and especially so my  passion to the language of Swahili which I volunteer in.

Ni lini ulianza kujihusisha na timu ya kujitolea ya mtandaoni ya TakingITGlobal? Ni nini kilikupa motisha  ili kujitolea mtandaoni? Nilianza kwa mara ya kwanza kujihusisha na timu  ya kujitolea Mtandaoni ya TakingITGlobal miaka mitano iliyopita. Motisha ya kujitolea mtandaoni ilitokana  na upendo wangu wa dhati wa kujitolea  katika swala lolote na hususan shauku yangu ya lugha ya Kiswahili ambayo najitolea kwayo.

2. What attracts you to your role as a volunteer? My zeal and belief to spread the Swahili Language far and wide using the online plartform since arguably it is the fastest growing language in Africa.

Ni kipi kinachokuvutia  wewe  katika kujitolea? Nguvu na imani yangu katika kueneza Lugha ya Kiswahili zaidi na kwa upana  kwa kutumia uenezi wa mtandaoni  kwani yamkini ndiyo lugha inayo kua kwa kasi zaidi katika Afrika.

3. What have you learned from the experience so far? I have learnt the POWER  of believing  that you can achieve whatever that you conceive in your mind. I have also learnt that victory is not necessarily for everyone!

Umejifunza nini kutokana na  kile ambacho umefanya mpaka sasa? Nimejifunza kuhusu NGUVU za kuamini kuwa unaweza kupata chochote ambacho unapanda katika akili zako. Pia nimejifunza  kwamba  ushindi si tu kwa kila mtu!

4. What advice would you give other young people out there interested in  becoming online volunteers? This is the best thing they can do in this New Year as one of the ways to start this new cycle of 11’ as the previous one ends with 10’

Ni ushauri upi utawapa watu wengine kule nje ambao wangependelea kujitolea mtandaoni? Hiki ndicho kitu bora zaidi ambacho wanaweza kukifanya katika Mwaka huu Mpya kama njia mojawapo ya kuanza msururu huu mpya wa 11 kama vile uliopita uliishilia na 10

5. What are your overall thoughts on the experience? We should finish and finalize on the Translation process of the whole site into the Swahili language. More innovative ways should be brainstormed on how to collectively involve everyone  in the Swahili Team for us to achieve greater heights of achievements.

Unayo maoni gani  kwa jumla kuhusu kile ambacho umefanya mpaka sasa? Inafaa tukamilishe na kutimiza katika hatua ya Utafsiri wa wavuti wote katika lugha ya Kiswahili. Njia nyingi za ubunifu  yafaa ziwekwe za kuchemsha bongo kuhusu jinsi  ya kuhusisha kwa ujumla kila mmoja  katika Timu ya Kiswahili ili sisi kuhitimu  upeo wa ufanisi mkubwa.

MARINA

1. When did you become involved with TakingITGlobal’s online volunteer team? What motivated you to become an online volunteer?

I became a TIG volunteer in October 2010. I was motivated by the opportunities volunteering provides and also by the fact that TIG is meant to inspire young people to be active members of their communities.

2. What attracts you to your role as a volunteer?

I think volunteering is a great way to gain experience and confidence in your chosen profession. As I decided to become a full-time translator, I thought that volunteering would give me an opportunity to learn more about the process of translating. Volunteering is a wonderful way to learn 'on the job' without the pressures of a paid job.

3. What have you learned from the experience so far?

I've learnt that translating can be a very creative activity and sometimes even addictive! I've also realised how easy it is to work with people from all around the world and that people from different cultures have much more in common that the common sense usually assumes.

4. What advice would you give other young people out there interested in becoming online volunteers?

Do it, if you are serious about it, and do your best. Volunteering is a commitment. The fact that you are not paid does not mean you can produce substandard work. Use it as an opportunity to raise your standards.

5. What are your overall thoughts on the experience?

I'm quite enjoying it.

Questions and Their Answers Given in Russian: 

1. Когда вы присоединились к команде волонтеров TakingITGlobal? Что повлияло на ваше

решение?

Я стала переводчиком-волонтером в октябре 2010 года. В волонтерстве меня привлекают возможности профессионального развития, а также то, что задача TakingITGlobal — вдохновлять молодых людей на активное участие в жизни общества.

2. Чем привлекательна роль волонтера для вас?

На мой взгляд, волонтерство — это очень хороший способ получить необходимый опыт и уверенность в себе, когда начинаешь заниматься какой-либо профессией. Поскольку я решила заняться переводом на постоянной основе, для меня было важно «отточить перо» и азобраться в тонкостях процесса перевода, проверить свои силы и узнать себе цену. Волонтерство дает возможность получать навыки без того давления, которое присуще всякой платной работе.

3. Что нового вы почерпнули для себя за время работы волонтером?

Я поняла, что труд переводчика — очень творческий и увлекательный процесс. Иногда я просто не могу остановиться! Я также рада была найти подтверждение своей мысли о том, что между людьми разных культур гораздо больше общего, чем обычно считается.

4. Какой совет вы бы дали молодым людям, которые задумываются над тем, стать ли волонтером?

Если это намерение серьезное, то надо его непременно реализовать. Только необходимо при этом помнить, что волонтерство — это важное обязательство и возможность научиться новому, а ни в коем случае не повод выполнять работу спустя рукава только потому, что за нее платят.

5. Каковы ваши общие впечатления от волонтерства в TakingITGlobal?

Мне очень нравится. Рекомендую.