Fail
I've been telling everyone I know in real life, and you might have got the impression yourself, that I was doing a course in interpreting at TAFE this year. Unfortunately that's not the case.
I don't know why I assumed that I'd get in without actually knowing, but I got to TAFE today to have a look at the results, and my name wasn't there. I was gutted (Australian for 'very disappointed'). I guess it's my own fault for just assuming that I was in.
So what now? Well there's another course in interpreting at a place in the city. It's a bit more expensive, and might not be available part time, but I think places are easier to get.
So I hope to enrol in that other place. That's what I hope to do next. That and practice. My mandarin was probably where I came unstuck in the first place, so I'd better get it up to scratch.
On the up side, I got into the translator's course. (If you didn't know, translating is written where interpreting is spoken.) I'm not so interested in doing it though. The subject matter of the tests seem to be easy enough that I think I could pass the NAATI accreditation test without taking a course.
I'm much more keen on interpreting than translating. I see it as a way to travel around the world, while doing something that I am really interested in. It's hard to get knocked back like I was but I can't just sit and whinge about it.
EDIT I made a video about it.
February 4th, 2010 - 18:00
Man, this is not your problem, and it is not your fault at all. Perfect, is that the word you just mentioned, you know what, even the native Chinese cannot achieve that. Keep in mind, you are in China now, one of the phrases that frequently appeared on the post forum is “你永远不能战胜一个傻逼，因为他会把你的智商拉到跟他个水平然后用丰富的经验打败你” ， yes, I am saying those exam judders are 傻逼.you are a genius to me
February 4th, 2010 - 18:15
I guess there were so many ABC (America/Australia/Canada born Chinese) there, I do not know if you are an ABC, does one of your parents have Chinese race ?
February 4th, 2010 - 18:18
Thanks anonymouse! Yes, my mother is Chinese. I’m not in China now! Please tell everyone of my genius!
I think you can see that my Chinese isn’t that good though, I say um and ahhh so much.
April 21st, 2010 - 15:30
Late comment I know, but I’ve only found your blog off of Proz.com =)
I was in the same boat as you last year. I’m ABC too, and initially, I failed my entrance exam (consecutive Eng->Chi) for T/I at RMIT. After a bit of badgering them though, they gave me the chance to to a second test in consecutive interpreting (Chi->Eng), passed that one alright and got into the course. Got my NAATI a few months later.
Just keep trying Max. You’ve got the motivation and judging from your podcasts and ChinaSMACK translations, you’ve got the goods linguistically, too. There are a few specific things NAATI testers look for, and there are some ways around them.
Good luck, mate!