Zhang Chang
"I would say University of Surrey is really a nice place to live and study. The campus has breath-taking scenery with luscious greenery and an opulent lake."
Course
Interpreting (Chinese Pathway) MAEntry year
2018Placement company
International Maritime Organisation"My endless curiosity and strong desire to learn from interactions and experiences with a diverse range of students, teachers and other individuals I encounter have been my driving force towards this course.
"I chose to study interpreting at the University of Surrey, which became one of the greatest experiences for me. Its practice-oriented course setting provides me more interpreting training than other universities."
After comparing several offers that I got from UK universities, I chose to study interpreting at the University of Surrey, which became one of the greatest experiences for me. Its practice-oriented course setting provides me more interpreting training than other universities. I especially like mock conferences in the second semester, which simulate the real working scenario of an interpreter. I am trained doing research, establishing core glossary, making speakers’ bio and so on. Those preparation skills prepare me for my professional daily-routine because an interpreter will always encounter something new and therefore, needs to know how to have a quick understanding of a given topic.
One exciting thing is that we do have opportunities to practice what we have learned in the class. My most unforgettable placement was in the International Maritime Organisation, which is the United Nations specialised agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping. UN is absolutely a dream place for every student who studies interpreting. I never thought before that one day I could have a chance to sit in a booth of IMO and experience what it is like to be working as a professional interpreter for such high-level international meetings. Sometimes it is only one thing or one moment that makes you so determined about the way of life that you choose. Sitting there, I was thinking about how to convey both his content and his emotion to the most extent to my target audience and it pushed me to work harder in my following study.
I would say University of Surrey is really a nice place to live and study. The campus has breath-taking scenery with luscious greenery and an opulent lake. I enjoy spending afternoons reading a book on the lawn beside the lake with a cup of latte from Lakeside Coffee Shop. Besides, it is close to London (only about 40 minutes’ train) where we can have a lot of opportunities for volunteering and internships. Not only has this provided me with plethora of vivid and colourful experiences but has also pushed me to visualise and appreciate the simultaneous existence of diverse perspectives. I aim to be an in-house interpreter after graduation and then gradually move into a freelancer after several year’s immersion in areas I am interested in and building a relatively mature network of contacts."
