| | Powwow Report for Spanien - Barcelona (Jul 6 2002)
Note Browniz will be credited and the list of attendees will be visible when the organizer enters attendance
| Report from Berni Armstrong | The Barcelona Powwow
This was held in the province of Barcelona, but not actually in the city itself. Most people came from the region, but Peter had made the trip up from Madrid, especially for the event.
It was held in a beautiful renovated Masia (Catalan Country Farmhouse) owned by Patrick and his family.
The days preceding the event had been scorching hot, but the morning of the powwow threatened rain and in fact it was pouring down when I left Barcelona city to head out for the event. One of life��s ironies �V I live twenty minutes away from Patrick �V but that day I wasn��t home, but in the big city, and had to face the toll queues to get out of it with the rest of them ��
However, the day brightened up a little as I left the noisy city behind and although the sun never actually came out all afternoon, it remained dry and quite bright. Which was just as well, because the ��pica-pica�� (pre-meal snacks) and cava (local champagne) tasting was held outside.
There were some dozen or so translators in attendance, along with divers accompanying friends, spouses or lovers etc. (See list later�K no�K not a gossip sheet detailing who came with who... or who left with who ��)
Patrick��s farm sits on the top of the hills overlooking Sant Sadurni, the region��s Cava Capital. The view was spectacular �V and we were told is even more so on a sunny day. As it was, you could still see a large part of several Catalan counties, such as Anoia and Penedes.
Basically, after we had whetted our appetites on nuts, olives, pieces of salami, crisps and lashings of Cava, the rest of the afternoon and early evening consisted of one of those wonderfully relaxing Catalan extended lunches that drift along nicely and amicably for hours.
The food was served at a long table inside an old stables �V wonderfully rustic setting.
There was Chicken, Sausages, Rabbit, Rice Salad, Potato Salad, Vegetable salad and more Cava�K plus red wine, white wine and that transparent stuff�K er�K Aigua???
I can only personally vouch for the salads, being a ��veggie�� �V but the carnivores seemed to be in heaven. I adored the dressing made with Balsamic Vinegar �V a thick, spicy, heady mix that really set off the tomatoes.
Conversations were incredibly varied. Of course, initial conversations tended to establish who people were and in what language combinations they operated, how long they had known about the site, etc. But then as I wandered around I overheard snippets of conversation covering everything under the sun.
Unlike the Girona powwow, where the majority of participants were native English speakers, here there was a wide variety of nationalities, so our common tongue tended to be Spanish or Catalan.
I can only really vouch for the directions taken by the chats at our end of the table, but they ranged far and wide too.
We remarked on how incredible it was that so many of us came from families that either were bilingual themselves or had had experience abroad as ex-patriots. We talked about bringing children up to be bilingual, films, whiskeys, Miami Beach (Catalonia), variations of Spanish and Catalan, how words are given a seal of approval (OED, DRAE, etc). We went on to talk in some depth about the incomprehensible success of one William Gates, Esq., seeing as his products give off a distinct fetid odour; the superiority of Word Perfect over Word as a word processor; Macs vs. PCs�K We all supported ��Content is all�� web sites over the ��Image is all�� ones currently dominating thinking (if it can be called that �� ) Then we waxed at length on Spanglish and its future as a possible Creole of Eng/Sp in the USA; the poor quality of technical writing, in general, in many of the originals we are given to translate, and many another topic.
On site specific topics, we talked about how much business the site had generated for us (varied from Zilch to Lots). We talked about an aspect of proz I had never thought about �V Proz as a dating agency. Examples of couples who met on the site apparently abound! Plus, possibly apocryphal, cases of on site harassment were also mentioned.
I asked �V on behalf of Henry �V whether people were interested in holding a Proz Conference in Barcelona, (lots of raised hands) and whether people would be willing to speak at the event; quite some enthusiasm on this last point, especially from Jose Lluis and Rick Zingale.
As for our end of the table��s suggestions for improving Proz.com�K we propose that:
A disclaimer be prominently displayed, warning translators that the glossary is NOT moderated and may be subject to error. It should be stressed that it is a useful tool, but translators should double check if they are not 100% convinced by the term offered in the glossary.
The difference between Interest/ Working languages should be better explained to newcomers.
Any improvements to the site should be broadcast to members by e-mail.
The site should also perhaps offer distinct services for interpreters; perhaps a second area at the site specifically for this branch of the profession. (eg client arrives and is told click here for translators, click here for interpreters �V with a brief definition of the role of each).
Complaints inevitably surfaced over Brownie points for agreeing with agrees, over how 80% of answers seemed to go to the 1st answerer �V right or wrong, and over Kudoz issues, with which all forum regulars are familiar... But we all agreed we could not imagine life today without the site.
As far as entertainment goes �V it was difficult to match Jose Lluis �V who spent half an hour mimicking various nationalities speaking Spanish, with hilarious and biting accuracy. JL is a natural showman and soon livened things up again if conversations sagged a little.
Towards the end of the event, Patrick started us all off singing Billy Joel songs and sixties classics. Then steered us around to traditional folk and it was here that I gave the table a rousing chorus of sea shanties followed by a couple of Bob Dylan covers and an original song of my own.
It was a great convivial afternoon and we all left with reluctance and with a smile and a warm glow that was not entirely attributable to the cava and whiskey.
I look forward to the next one, as I am sure do most of those present.
Thank you again Patrick for hosting the event �V If anyone fancies B & B among those rolling hills, send Patrick an e-mail �V they have bed and breakfast facilities there. What a place to stay �V let alone live!
In attendance�K and in no particular order:
Patrick (our host)
Berni Armstrong (yours truly)
Sean Lyal
Dolly Gonzalvez
Montse Tugas
Jose Lluis Villanueva
Declef Evawein
Tierry Lotte
Eva Wassermann
Henry Vaughan
Peter Bagney
Rick Zingale
Plus accompaniment by:
Dunja
Consuelo
Alejandra
Felix
�K.. and apologies to anyone I have missed off. You will have been paying a visit when I went round and noted everyone��s name.
Photos accompanying this report taken on a portable Vc@m without flash. Not top notch quality - but they give a flavour of the event.
| | (Click on an image for larger view) |
| Postings from ProZians who attended this event Jul 11 '02 Berni Armstrong: Report submitted
Hi all,
I've just submitted my report of the event for approval. It should feature on the site in a few days time.
You get to it by clicking on events and then on the View Reports link (which might just be this: http://www.proz.com/?sp=event/powwow_reports_view
Hope you like it,
anything you'd like to add or subtract get in touch with me via the site.
All the best for the rest of summer,
Berni | Jul 9 '02 Thierry LOTTE: Pow Wow in El Trapiche
Thanks to all of you !
Eva and myselfd had great times .
The best Pow Wow I ever attended to.
Many thanks to Patrick and his family for their great cooking.
Awaiting anxiously for the next Pow Wow there.
Friendly
Thierry and Eva | Jul 8 '02 Sean Lyle: ...must get in training...
Had a great time, thanks Patrick for organising a really memorable event which for reasons better not gone into may be difficult at least for this participant to remember, and to all your family for making it happen!
Great to meet you all, and now there'll be more faces to recognise the next time we meet! - does it really have to happen only once every six months?
Next time we'll have to put Berni on a little platform so he can regale us right through the meal, and not deprive us of a great voice for so long.
...and anyway, Pepelu, was there anyone there with a red polo or a light blue polo - can't say I noticed, but I always was bad at circulating!
Meanwhile I'll work on getting into training...
Thanks to all, fins molt aviat.
Seán | Jul 8 '02 José Luis Villanueva-Senchuk (X): Cava!?!?!?
Those guys drank too much...
Did you notice the guy with a red polo and the guy with a light blue polo? Creo que se llaman Patricio y Joe :-)
Un vez más: GRACIAS por tu hospitalidad y por acoger a esta panda de locos.
Aplausos virtuales para el parrillero, para la repostera cantante, y para la mamá adoptiva de Proz Catalunya.
Ciao a tutti,
JL | Jul 8 '02 patrick32: Cava stock depleted!!!
It was great to put a face to all the nicks inspite of our stock of cava being almost depleted.
Berni: many thanks for entertaining us all with your great vocal and musical talent.
See you soon,
Patrrick | Jul 7 '02 Maria Dolors Gonzálvez Playà: Nice meeting you all! :-)
Lots of fun yesterday. Really enjoyed the English songs repertoire! :-) Never was in a Powwow before and it was a great experience. Excellent "cava" as well! :-)Many thanks to Patrick and his family for organizing such a nice event. Hope to see you all again!
Fins aviat!
DOLLY
| Jul 7 '02 Montse Tugas (X): ¿Cuándo lo repetimos?
Fue fantástico conoceros a todos, ver que tras esos nombres expuestos en ProZ hay personas de carne y hueso con las que charlar y compartir un buen rato.
Ai joup tu si yu ol again ;-)
| Jul 7 '02 Peter Bagney: Great time was had by all
Had no previous powwow to compare to, but no doubt we all had a great time. I add my thanks to Patrick for organizing it - and a plasure meeting you all | Jul 7 '02 RSI EN-ES (AA): One of the best powwows ever!
And Kudoz to Patrick and his kin for hosting it!
Great food!
Great drink!
Great company!
Couldn't ask for more!
Cheers to all!
| Jul 6 '02 Berni Armstrong: Great Afternoon
Hi all,
it was great meeting you all. I'll be turning my notes into something readable ASAP.
JOSE LUIS - you must get a better photo you are younger and better looking than the one on your profile :-)
Anyone interested in hearing more of my music might like to visit:
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/72/berni_armstrong.html
Your appreciation this afternoon has made me want to get my repetory back together again - but when do translators get any free time?
Thanks to Patrick and his family for hosting the event. I'll definitely call in again, if only to appreciate the REAL view without the clouds :-)
See you all on site,
Cheers,
Berni | Jul 6 '02 José Luis Villanueva-Senchuk (X): GREAT!!!!!
We did not talk about business but shared experiences :-))
Berni: did not know you could sing so GOOD!!!
PATRICK: THANKS FOR THE WONDERFUL DAY AND THE OUTSTANDING LITHUANIAN SONG ;-) |
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