Laura Dixon, native English Translator

My name is Laura.  I’ve always loved languages.  From the day I started learning Spanish at school, I knew I wanted to work in this field.  I studied Spanish and Human Resource Management at the University of Leeds, falling in love with Spain and all things Spanish, especially when I spent my Erasmus year in Alcalá de Henares, near Madrid. After graduating I was lucky enough to qualify and work as a teacher of English as a foreign language in Palma de Mallorca.

Why a career in translation?

Before entering the world of translation, I worked as a high school Spanish teacher with children aged 11 to 18 (never a dull moment!).  As well as being head of department, I served as an advisor for a major examination board. After 10 years of teaching, I decided to embark upon a career change and take time out from the classroom.  I completed a masters in Applied Translation at the University of Leeds and now work as a freelance Spanish-English translator and interpreter.

Combining BigTranslation with other projects

I have worked in translation and interpreting for the last 2 years, including 6 months as a translator  and proofreader for BigTranslation. The flexibility of the BigTranslation platform allows me to organise my translation work along with other commitments including interpreting for the NHS and other public and private services.  This makes for an interesting and varied work environment.

As well as my paid work, I also volunteer one day each week with an international charity supporting refugees and asylum seekers.  I love this work. At the same time, it makes me aware of the local and national background surrounding my paid work.

Translation brings me into contact with a wide variety of informative texts; with BigTranslation these range from product descriptions and promotional materials to contracts and legal documents.

The admin staff at BigTranslation are always on hand if I have any queries and are really great to work with.

Expanding horizons

In my spare time, I enjoy travelling and spend a great deal of time in Palma de Mallorca (mostly to escape the English weather and enjoy the delicious food!).