How
did
you
first
become
interested
in
interpreting?
My
younger
sister
started
taking
a
class
at
church
in
Ms.
and
taught
me a
few
signs
on
our
"girls
vacation"....I
was
hooked.
Shortly
after
that
- my
church
began
giving
classes......and
then
- I
was
even
more
hooked.
Have
been
since
that
time
-
1992.
What's
your
educational
background?
I
went
to
the
University
of
Southern
Mississippi
right
out
of
high
school
and
had
sooooo
much
fun!!!!
(smile)
I
majored
in
Psych
and
minored
in
Sociology.......but
dropped
out
the
last
semester
of
my
sr.
year.
I
know,
should've
gone
back
-
but
I
didn't.
I
was
hired
at a
psycho.
hospital
my
sr.
year
and
contd
to
be a
floor
counselor
for
many
years.
Also
was
an
office
mgr
and
a
psych
tester
for
a
private
practice
psychologist.
Stayed
in
the
field
for
over
30
years
till
I
started
doing
only
interpreting
about
2
years
ago.
I do
miss
psych.
tho'.
What
interpreter
education/training
have you
had?
I went
to
Central
Piedmont
Community
College
ITP for
almost 3
years
and
completed
the
interpreting
program
requirements,
got a
certificate
for that
- but
didn't
take the
other
classes
to get
an AA
degree.
My main
goal was
to BE
CERTIFIED!
When
and
where
did you
first
join any
chapter
of RID?
I first
joined 5
Points
RID
(local
chapter
in
Charlotte,
NC) when
I was in
my first
year at
the ITP.
My
second
year I
was
asked to
be on
the
board,
which I
served
on until
we
moved.
Are you
presently
certified?
If so,
what
type(s)
of
certification
do you
hold?
I'm
RID -
CI.
Hope to
take the
CT
within
this
year.
Do you
have a
favorite
type of
or venue
for
interpreting?
(can be
anything
--
performance,
church,
medical,
court,
team,
etc.)
My
favorite
venue is
- of
course!
-
PSYCH.
I feel
very
comfortable
there. (I
know -
some
folks
would
say
that's
where I
"belong"!)
Is
there a
humorous
situation
you've
interpreted
in?
Don't
answer
this if
it would
identify
anybody
besides
yourself,
of
course.
Once at
CPCC, I
was
interpreting
for a
first
year
student
who
didn't
have
enough
confidence
in her
skills
and
asked me
to sign
for her
in a
meeting
with a
Deaf
pastor/instructor.
At one
point,
she
answered
his
comment
which
was
voiced
by me.
For her
answer,
I turned
and
faced
him and
said
exactly what
she said
right
out of
my
mouth!
I caught
myself,
covered
my
mouth,
turned
beet
red, and
then
signed
what she
had
said.
We all
got a
big kick
out of
it - and
then he
said,
"See
what I
mean??
We ALL
make
mistakes
- we
have to
learn
from
them!"
(And
then,
there
was the
time I
slipped
off of a
stool at
a Dr.
appt. -
ohhhh my
- I'm
sure my
face was
as red
as my
"bootie!"
We all
laughed,
after we
made
sure I
could
get up
from the
floor
with my
fake
knee!)
Have you
ever
taught
sign
language?
I've
taught
basic
sign and
advanced
sign
language
about 5
times.
Church,
hospital
and
community
center.
I LOVE
teaching
sign
language.
Do you
have, or
did you
have, a
mentor
in
interpreting
or any
other
area?
I
had a
WONDERFUL
mentor
in my
first
psych.
job. I
didn't
have a
FORMAL
mentor
at CPCC
- but
one of
my
instructors
was Anna
Witter-Merithew
- I
loved
her and
often
asked
her
advice
and
learned
much
from our
talks.
What
would
you tell
a new
interpreter
who was
just
about to
go out
on his
or her
first
solo
job,
with a
major
case of
nerves?
I've
mentored
several
folks
before
and I
always
tell
them
this:
No
matter
what skill
level
you
are -
there
will
ALWAYS
be folks
at a
higher
level
and a
lower
level
than
you.
None of
us are
perfect
- we all
need to
do our
best
each
time.
What do
the
Deafies
pay
attention
to the
most?
ATTITUDE!
And now,
just
some fun
stuff...
Do you
have a
"can't
miss" TV
show?
SURVIVOR!!
Describe
what
might be
a
perfect
meal for
you.
LOBSTER,
BAKED
POTATO,
SALAD,
AND
CREME
BRULEE
(sp???)
If
you had
to give
up
either
your
cell
phone or
your car
for a
month,
which
would it
be?
Eeeek -
that's a
tuff
one! I
guess
the cell
phone......luckily
- I
don't
have to
make
that
choice -
right
now!
If
you
could
wave a
wand and
suddenly
have one
particular
natural
gift or
in-born
talent,
what
would it
be?
To be
fluent
in
multiple
languages.
Is there
anywhere
you'd
like to
visit
that you
haven't
yet?
Martha's
Vineyard!!
