Aiming to be a Professional Translator, a Personal Statement to the AAS

I still have two days left before submitting the documents while I am waiting for the referee reports from my skripsi advisor.
Proposed Study: Master of Interpreting and Translating (RMIT University), Master of Interpreting and Translation Studies (Monash University)

1. Please describe the efforts you have undertaken so far to obtain information on your study options in Australia?
I have known the Australia Award Scholarship or AAS in short from my lecturers in the English Department, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, which are the alumni of AAS. I was mesmerized by their experience during studying in Australia and inspired me to study there. Unlike the other provinces such as Manado and Makasar, getting sufficient details of the scholarship in my area needs extra efforts considering the education fair is still limited. Hence, I manage my time in learning the scholarship from the guidebook, official websites, several blogs of the AAS recipients, asked my lecturers and the centre of language and overseas study in my campus. Moreover, I conducted an initial research about the offered courses in Australia and its components such as the overview, program structure, program objectives, and admission through the university websites and correlate it to my future aims as well.

2. How did you choose your proposed course and institution?
I am applying a master course in translating and interpreting because the roles of translation that overlaps in every sector of humanity and culture. Currently, there are no certified translators in Gorontalo while the demands in translation are rapidly growing. People who are in need of translated certified documents are difficult to find a certified translator in my area. Most of them are working in Makasar which takes one and a half hour by plane and almost a week through bus from Gorontalo. Therefore, I would like to dedicate myself as a certified translator.

Studying at English Department for my bachelor degree expands the understanding of language skills and its application. I partake myself as the speaker at international students' conference on ELT, linguistics, and literature during the seminar on language project. Furthermore, I successfully completed my study as one of the best graduates. Two-years work experience as a freelance translator and proofreader grants me awards of 62 best essays in LPDP Essay competition. I believed that translation is another way in educating people through converting information from one language to another. For instance, I could disseminate my knowledge by facilitating future translators in Gorontalo as well as giving academic writing workshops by initiating private institution, and probably becoming a lecturer. Therefore, I am positive that these considerations provide me to be well prepared to continue my future study.

I conducted an initial research about possible master in interpreting and translation courses offered in Australia. Considering the goal to be a certified translator as well as pursuing a career in proofreading, I need to find a university that involves some elective courses in relation to my aims which I believed that both RMIT and Monash University are the right options since they offers Indonesian language in its course structure.

3. How will the proposed study contribute to your career?
I would like to contribute myself in embracing the ASEAN Economic Community by working as a, probably the first, certified and translator in my area and joining the Indonesian Association of Translator. My previous major, my achievements, as well as my work experiences provide me the initial knowledge and practice of translation. With this, the proposed study will be the facets which help me to be professional in the world of translating and interpreting, theoretically and practically.

4. How have you contributed to solving a challenge and to implementing change or reform?
My senior said that the personal statement should be in-line with my proposed study. Since I would like to apply for a master degree in translation studies, is it appropriate to write that I was successfully helping my friends to improve their writing (expanding the insights of how to transfer their Indonesian-English writing into the truly-English writing) as well as their comprehension regarding the plagiarism issue in responding the question of my efforts in implementing change or reform? Mind to share some ideas?

you may consider my thoughts:

- Manado and Makassar are not a province
- On point 3, I don't get it when you said '...probably the first, certified and translator ...'
- On point 4, underline the phrase 'solving challenge' and 'implementing a change or reform' these may help you to outline what's the first things first to put in your essay, You may provide challenges and obstacles you've met so far in terms of playing your role as a translator, and how is your solution to overcome that.

Hi Akbar, here's an additional insight to your essay.
First paragraphs first.

Please describe the efforts you have undertaken so far to obtain information on your study options in Australia?
- in short from my lecturers in
- whichwho ( which - is for non living things / who - is for living things such as people ) are the alumnis of AAS.
- during studyingtheir study
- and this has inspired me to study therefor AAS .
- offor the scholarship
- fair is still very limited.
- the courses offered courses in
- future aimsgoals as well.

There you have it Akbar, I hope the initial review above, helps in your revision and I will try to get back to you for the succeeding paragraphs.

Aiming to be a Professional Translator, a Personal Statement to the AAS cont'd

4. How have you contributed to solving a challenge and to implementing change or reform?
During the last semester studying as college students, we were struggling with the research proposal to finish our study as soon as possible. Some of my friends considered that the academic writing was quite intricate. I found that the major issue is their inaccuracy in writing English; their advisor asked for them to write in "full English". These constraints them to proceed to the thesis examination and even they felt they cannot make it. Therefore, I initiated myself to help them solving the problem. I explained that they must not give up yet, it is normal for the foreign language learner to produce an 'awkward' writing due to the fact that we were actually translating and writing at the same time. I shared several tips to transfer one's thinking from their native language to the "full English" such as reading more English literatures, adapting one's writing style, and avoid to write word by word. I and my friends sometimes have a group discussion in addressing what problems that still to be addressed in writing as well as proofreading our work each other. I convinced them that they can make it as they work hard patiently and keep aiming for the best. Slow but sure, they were having the thesis examination with major improvements in producing accurate English, it was a pleasure to me and my friends as well.

5. Please: a) give up to three practical and realistic examples of how you intend to use the knowledge, skills and connections you will gain from your scholarship. Possible tasks can be personal and/or professional; and b) list any possible constraints you think may prevent you from achieving these tasks.

My first practical and realistic example will be working as a full-time translator by initiating private institution in my area and joining the association of Indonesian translator and interpreter. Furthermore, I will cooperate with several English-study communities in Gorontalo to transfer the knowledge that I got from my study in attempts to improve their English language proficiency. Lastly, I will partake myself as a lecturer, or at least as a tutor, in disseminating the insights of being a professional in translating and interpreting through workshops, seminar, and publishing books or writing related to the issue of translation and the pedagogical translation in my area.

Prior to working as a certified translator in my area, I need to meet the requirement which is having sufficient work experience as a translator and following a translator examination. Therefore, while gaining as much as possible work experience through the above practical and realistic examples I planned.

Thank you very much for the comments. It helps me a lot and inspire me to write more and contribute myself here on EF.

Hi Akbar, thank you appreciating our work here on EF, I'm back for the second part of the essay.

- I am applying a masters course
- in need of a translated
- certified documents arefind it difficult

- Studying at the English
- bachelors degree
- of the language
- grantsed me awards
- I believed that translation
- is another way inof educating
- by initiatingwith the help of the private institution,
- considerations will guideprovide me
- to be a well prepared
- and to continue my future study.
- I need towill find a university
- that involves some elective courses
- in relation to my aimsgoals which
- I believed that both RMIT
- sinceas they offers Indonesian

There you have it Akbar, I hope this modification helps.
I will get back for the rest of the paragraphs soon.

Thank you very much. I do apologize that I posted same thread. Thank you for your consideration and comments. Happy to be here.