I translated a particularly complex one-pager today and felt it appropriate to describe what I do at Bellona, beyond the obvious translating duties.
My roommates can’t understand why I devote a full Monday to translating grant applications and articles about short-lived forcers…for no pay. I consider pay to be relative: I take advantage of the free wireless (we have to pay for internet in the dorm, and some days I spend as much as 120 rubles streaming videos; 30R=$1) and cookies and in return translate articles that are so intranslatable that they have me almost literally banging my head against the table. Don’t believe me? Try translating, “To achieve emissions reductions quickly, a sectoral approach is essential as a supplement to a comprehensive agreement” into Russian, or “Зеленые зоны предполагается перевести в эксплуатационные леса, основной целью ведения хозяйства в которых является заготовка древесины” eloquently into English, “eloquently” being the operative word here. Kudos to anyone who can make sense of that last sentence.
The almost weekly birthday parties are just an extra treat. If it’s a birthday day, I leave around 7; otherwise, I leave when I finish my projects. I then wander over to Nevsky, usually zigzagging so as to not have to wait at stoplights. I stroll along Nevsky, check out what Russians consider to be trendy, and stop by numerous stores: Mango, Puma, Zara to see if anything new has gone on sale. Occasionally, I’ll buy something, like the 30R cactus I bought from a babushka last week. If I’m really lucky, something interesting will be taking place on Nevsky; probably the best show yet was a troupe of tapdancers ranging from elementary-school girls to a greasy man and his friend who had a tap dance showdown over a rather unattractive tap dancing woman.
True, work at Bellona can be tedious, but when you consider the benefits — free internet, free cookies, free tapshows — it’s hard to turn down.
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