Episode 233: EwK232 Mónia Filipe on how living and working abroad can help you to develop your language skills

Mónia lives in Portugal and is a freelance translator from German and English into European Portuguese. She’s now specializing in the literary translation field, after fifteen years of a solid background of translating in the technical field.

She loves languages and is constantly seeking to improve her linguistic skills. She has learned French, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, and even Icelandic, for which she has a special affection, although she can barely remember a word now. She considers herself an introvert and struggles with speaking in public, but she does not let her fears and insecurities prevent her from having great experiences. She lives by her recent motto: ‘doing difficult things makes you grow’.

We talked about:

Mónia's work as a literary translator.
How spending time living and working abroad can help you to develop your knowledge of another language and culture.
The difference between what you learn when you study a language and what you need for everyday conversations.
Mónia's advice for anyone who is starting out on their career journey and who wants to develop their language skills by working abroad.

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode232