Every month or so the OTW will be doing a Q&A with one of its volunteers about their experiences in the organization. The posts express each volunteer’s personal views and do not necessarily reflect the views of the OTW or constitute OTW policy. Today’s post is with Adi M., who volunteers as a translator.
How does what you do as a volunteer fit into what the OTW does?
Translation helps make the OTW’s content accessible to as many people as possible, which is a fundamental part of the organization’s vision. I know a lot of people in my country shy away from any English content, whether because they don’t feel comfortable reading in English or because they simply don’t understand it enough. Knowing my translations help bring people in my country closer to fandom is one of the best parts of the role.
What is a typical week like for you as a volunteer?
My team is still fairly new, so there’s a lot of content to translate and many terms and protocols to discuss, so there’s always work to do! I get my task from Translation staff, usually with a deadline of one week, and as soon as I finish a task there’s another one waiting.
I also note down any new term that needs to be discussed, or any question I have for the rest of my team, and when the list gets long enough I contact my team to set a meeting to figure out everything. Some terms can be frustrating, but that’s all part of the fun!
What made you decide to volunteer?
I have been in fandom for 7 years now, and have always loved to translate everything I could get my hands on. Joining the OTW as a translator brought two of my favorite things in the world together.
You volunteered this year to be a chat room moderator for International Fanworks Day. What was that like?
It was a great experience for me. I was hesitant to volunteer for it in the beginning, but as the day drew closer I got more excited, and in the end, I am very happy I did it. I had the chance to meet new people I don’t share a fandom with, and it was amazing how we still managed to bond over fannish joys and ideas even without liking the same things. When we need volunteers for next year, I’ll be signing up!
What fannish things do you like to do?
I (try to) write fics, and I can’t manage without reading at least one fic a day. I also love translating fics from English to Hebrew, both to make them more accessible for Hebrew-speaking fans and to practice my translation skills.
Now that our volunteer’s said five things about what they do, it’s your turn to ask one more thing! Feel free to ask about their work in comments. Or if you’d like, you can check out earlier Five Things posts.