I was born May 26, 1976 from a family of translators (my late grandfather, my late father, and my late mother were translators). I started working part-time to assist my translator parents in 1996, and made it to the professional world of translation business in 2002 as a part-timer in a local translation agency while still assisting my parents with their translation jobs. I started my full-time work as a translator for international translation agencies in 2010, introduced by a few seniors that was already in the business longer before me. I joined HPI (Association of Indonesian Translators) the next year (2011).
In 2013 I passed my first TSN (National Certification Test for Translators) and became a certified professional translator. Previously, I have worked with many translation agencies and did so many projects that became my long-time favorites to date. I joined Google as their offsite reviewer in 2012, I quit in 2013 after my father passed away. I re-joined the Google team in 2019.
Officially I only work for one pair of language (EN-ID) and it is not vice versa; I don’t generally think that I am good in translating Indonesian to English and that is why I always refer ID-EN jobs to people who are really good in doing them. I also don’t interpret; I can’t process verbal translation fast enough – I stay off that profession since it is a very different ballgame for me. My main specialization is in medical, medical-related contents, medical software and equipment, but I also enjoy translating games, some novels, surveys, and commercials/marketing-related content.
I have around six active translation agencies that sends me jobs regularly. I love working with them and have build a strong professional relationship with them. I always anticipate new approaches, new software and new materials to work with. I love challenges and I approach them with the no-bullshit kind of way; I don’t favor drama and I always seek the fastest (and most accurate) way possible to complete a job. Because of this, my main tools to work with has always been SDL Trados. I have become very competent in using the tool to the point where I can guide others to reach the same. I have been involved in a couple of SDL Trados training conducted by HPI and have no intention to stop spreading the knowledge on how to use Trados effectively and properly.
My personal life is a roller-coaster filled with rainbows. I have a loving husband who works as a professional interpreter, two loving smart sons, and four furry kids (cats) at home. I read novels in my spare time (I am so in love with Stephen King’s works), other times I make jewelries from silver wires and gems, and now I have added a long lost hobby: sports. I swim and run regularly and I also go to the gym at least 2 times a week. I join running sport events every now and then and travel to foreign countries to open up my horizon. I am also a pretty good cook and currently striving to provide healthier (but yummier) meals for my family.
My blog is mostly in Indonesian but you can hit “Translate to English” and I think you will have the general idea of my thoughts. I will try to also write in English – not very good at that I supposed, but I can try. This blog is mainly about my opinion and/or analysis about the translation world, and another fraction is about my personal life.
View my professional profiles on
Linked In, http://id.linkedin.com/pub/maria-perdana/30/2aa/435
SiHapei, http://sihapei.hpi.or.id/member/profile/HPI-01-11-0275
I also exist under the name of Dreams of Gems in DeviantArt,
What's On My Mind 