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I love being a linguist and feeling part of an international community – using my languages professionally offers me so many exciting opportunities! 

Being a linguist has given me lots of opportunities in my career including the chance to get involved in different sectors. This week I’ve been working on a virtual three-day annual conference for the Neglected Tropical Diseases NGO Network. The MYT team and I were supposed to be working at the conference in Kathmandu, but due to the challenges bought globally by the COVID pandemic, this year the conference was held via a virtual conference platform. 

Credit: Billy Weeks

Communication is unquestionably one of the most important factors in bringing about change and languages can often be a barrier especially when working internationally. Being able to facilitate understanding across cultures and languages is something I really enjoy. With the added complication of new technology this year, it was even more important to break down those language barriers and ensure a smooth-running virtual event.

The team and I successfully brought together 1000 delegates from 80 countries via Zoom, allowing international public health care experts to collaborate and work towards the global control, elimination, and management of consequences of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). What a fantastic event to be a part of!

My skills as a linguist have allowed me to travel and be involved in things that really matter to me and I really want to encourage a love of language so that others can see the amazing opportunities you can have as a linguist. I love using my French and Spanish and it is great to feel part of an international community whilst we all adapt and cope with the pandemic.