Jason Gavin (28), hailing from Achill Island in Co Mayo, is an officer responsible for language interpretation at the European Commission. His duties incorporate translating live exchanges from French, Spanish and Irish into English at various gatherings. Despite not considering Irish as his first language, his affection towards it has been consistent due to his education in it throughout primary and secondary school, and ultimately university.
His professional commitments lead him to interpret at European Commission sessions, as well as the Council of Ministers, the European Council, and the economic and social committee meetings amongst others, ensuring variety in every workday. He could be interpreting matters related to fields as diverse as agriculture, defence, education, maritime, or legal affairs; making his role intriguing and dynamic.
Gavin’s role is not just engaging but also highly collaborative, often requiring him to partner with teams of two to three people. His job description emphasises social interaction and teamwork. Even though his work puts him behind a glass barrier, he gets the opportunity to rub shoulders with a wide variety of individuals – politicians, delegates, and other influential personalities in a multicultural setting.
Gavin is quick to highlight the marked difference between his role as an interpreter and that of a translator. He explains that translating is live and instantaneous, with interpreters like him dealing with spoken words during conferences, equipped with headsets and microphone for listening and speaking simultaneously. In comparison, translators work with textual content in a non-real-time environment, affording them the liberty to finetune their translations. His own family often confuses these two roles, he adds amusingly.
In discussing his way of life, he depicts Brussels as an impressive city characterised by diversity and multiculturalism. “It’s a youthful city,” he articulates. “It’s full of life. Activities are in abundance. Recurrent cultural events occur and the nightlife is excellent. Its excellent connectivity makes it an ideal spot for embarking on weekend getaways.
“A vast international community exists here, along with a sizable Irish community. The city hosts numerous Irish-language speakers as well as various Irish clubs. At times, I overlook the fact that I’m overseas.”