By Sheila Shermet
Now, you might be thinking interpreting about all these wars and conflicts is bound to be difficult and emotionally wrenching. I think the crux of the matter lies not in the thorny topics in and of themselves, which all interpreters can handle from time to time or as a one-off. For a staff interpreter, the problem arises because of the relentless nature of it. These conflicts go on for years and staff must cope day after endless day.
Meanwhile, it’s not just about having to discuss the horrendous acts of violence and cruelty that human beings perpetrate upon each other that can lead to a crisis. Just the ongoing daily performance pressure and stress can be like the water dripping torture. To my knowledge, two of my English booth colleagues have had nervous breakdowns at work- one in the booth. Granted, there may have been some family or personal medical history or circumstances at play, but the emotional stress of the job certainly contributed to pushing them over the edge.
Then there is also simple burn out. For me, it started as boredom with the news and blossomed into full blown aversion. I first tried changing my sources, canceling my subscription to the New York Times, once the highlight of my mornings. I tried Le Monde as a replacement, but it did not satisfy either. I stopped reading the news for well over a year. I confined myself to reading the NGO newsletter Security Council Report to prepare specific assignments. By the time I retired, I was essentially trusting in my resourcefulness and experience of over 30 years to deal with whatever topic might bite me in the proverbial posterior. I knew it was risky, but I would be out soon anyway. Besides, contrary to popular belief, a bad interpretation will not trigger a war. The delegates do have sense enough to verify what was said. The tail is not wagging the dog.
I rarely admitted to anyone that I wasn’t reading the news. Colleagues would have judged me irresponsible. Friends would have been more accepting of course, but it was hard to make them understand what was perceived as dropping out of society. For the few I did trust with my secret, I explained my need to avoid negativity and distress with the escape of a good novel. It was not until I had been traveling for nine months, completely removed from not just news, but also political meetings and work, that I came to understand that the problem was not the news per se, but that the underlying issue was burn-out. Upon returning to the States after my “retirement” trip around the world, I realized that I had recovered. The news no longer bored me, and I could even enjoy a well-crafted paper like Le Monde or a good current events podcast. I could once again stand my friends and colleagues talking about politics and I might even engage.
So, you may be asking yourself, what is the point of these confessions?
The take-away here is two-fold and may be fairly obvious. First, freelancers, your career and lifestyle have some definite advantages and be grateful for them. Staff, be thankful for your lot too- the job security, regular paycheck, and other benefits. But learn to take care of yourselves.
Second, it might behoove everyone to be aware of the emotional price. I have learned from colleagues in the court market in California, for example, that they are aware of the importance of “self-care” and include it in their classes and discussions. I now realize that training programs for all kinds of interpretation should include a component not just on performance and stress management but also tools for emotional self-care over a career. It’s not just the latest buzzword.
My last confession or discovery? Retirement or even semi-retirement can be a wondrous start to self-care.
Sheila Shermet is a writer and freelance interpreter. She now lives in Annapolis, MD after serving as staff at the United Nations for 23 years. Her website: www.sheilashermet.com