Modern indentured servants

One of the ways that many reached the New World was through a labor contract, a rather draconian one at that, in which people contracted their labor for a period of years in return for room, board and clothing and eventual free status. In practice, it was legal but temporary slavery.

Of course, those days are long gone or maybe not. In fact, those conditions have become more common and less temporary. I am referring to people that work multiple jobs merely to pay rent and put food on the table. In practice, the only time they have to “pursue happiness” as stated in the American Declaration of Independence is during their few hours of sleep. I am not referring to young people just starting their adult life or those middle aged trying to pay for their children’s private school. I am talking about people in the 30’s and 40’s who do not have the “luxury” of resting.

Many years ago, I visited a friend and her family in Mexico, a middle-class family. What struck me the most was how hard they worked. Both parents had management jobs but they also cooked soup and sold it to workers, all to make ends meet. The exact opposite from the stereotype of lazy Mexicans, this family, like many of their countrymen, worked endlessly to provide their family with moderate means.

On my just completed trip to LA, I had a conversation with the weekend clerk at the hotel where I usually stay. Discussing the high local prices, some $20 USD for a full breakfast, he mentioned that he also sold in eBay and worked as a Lyft driver, similar to Uber. He stated that without all these income sources, he simply could not afford to live in LA.  The man was in his 30’s.

In Israel, the shocking fact, according to the newspaper the Marker, is the 80% of all Israelis are in overdraft.  Granted, some are young and trying to get by on minimum wage while others are trying to live beyond their means. Yet, a great number are simply trying to end the month properly and are failing on a regular basis.

Further exasperating this trend is the fact that more and more tasks are being subcontracted to personnel agencies. This means that these workers earn less money but also lack sick leave, pension, medical benefits and job security.  This vulnerable situation adds stress but prevents these hard-working people from handling that stress.

According to the Bible, Jacob worked a slave for 14 years for Laban but eventually got Rachel (and Leah). It was painful but temporary and fruitful (in the Biblical sense). Modern indentured servants have neither the knowledge when their ordeal will end or the assurance it will end. The solution to the problem may be complex but its existence is undeniable no matter how much this situation is hidden in the economic statistics. More important, slavery, however framed, is morally wrong and should be eliminated. To highjack the expression, do not wish on others what you would not wish on yourself.

Everything you ever wanted to know about translation but were afraid to ask.

When I tell people that I am a translator, I sometimes get a quizzical look, followed by questions that indicate just how "hidden" the profession is despite its omnipresent impact on the Internet and media, among other.  So, as a public service so to say, I will answer a few common questions that people think about and even sometimes ask me.

"You mean like translating books and literature?"

There are some translators that do translate literature. I admire them very much but it takes a lot of time and skill, generally for not too much money.  I translate contracts, business articles, official documents and wills, to name a few.  My wife translates medical material. Most translators have a technical specialty. That is where the demand and money is.

"You can make a living off that?"

Yes, you can make a nice living off that or it is an ideal second income, whatever is more practical.  In fact, many of us have the actual problem of finding time to enjoy other things as it tends to be a bit of a time-consuming job. As the world becomes smaller, demand will continue to grow.

"But isn't it boring?"

Not at all.  Every document has a story. The details of a will or divorce agreement raise my curiosity to know the reason for their existence.  Even simple certificates have strange coincidences, such a person being born and dying on the same day of the year or their last name. Given a choice, translators veer towards material they find interesting and away from that they find boring. The Hebrew expression says "you can't argue about taste and smell." Add interest to that list. Besides,

"Why don't people just use Google Translate?"

In some languages, machine translation is quite effective for getting the gist of an email or Internet article.  I occasionally work with an Austrian project manager who, for some reason, doesn't write in English.  I run her emails through Google Translate and get what I need.  However, try that with technical material or the more exotic languages.  The results range from non-sensical to comic. An example is "viande de terre" for ground beef (from a real Canadian site).  In any case, for a marketing, legal, scientific or medical document to name just a few, Google translate is unacceptable.

"I studied Spanish in high school and college. Could I do translate?"

It is possible. Clearly, a translator has to be familiar with the source language.  However, that is just one element.  Other requirements include mastery of the written aspect of the native language, thorough knowledge of a field, such as engineering or business, and the love of a beautiful sentence.  Words have to be important in their own right. So, as many translators discovered, they never had any idea how much they enjoyed and were good at the profession.

To paraphrase my favorite magazine, Le Canard Enchainé, this has been a fictional but probable interview of a translator.