Hi everybody!

As shy as I may be, as every little bit helps, here I am introducing myself so that “Meet the delegates” runs until the Conference.

My name is Raquel Madrid, although I am in no way related to the capital city of Spain. I was born in the capital city of the Basque Country, Vitoria-Gasteiz, in the north of Spain; but all my mother-side family comes from Galicia, in the northwest of Spain. That’s me, a half Basque-half Galician young woman in her mid-twenties.

I am a translator and interpreter working from English, German and Basque (not Galician, though) into Spanish and I also a language tutor. I work just part-timely as I am currently pursuing my second degree, this time in Tourism Science. I am the first linguist in the family thanks to my mum, who suggested me studying a BA in Translation and Interpreting when I wasn’t even aware such existed, because she thought, “it would suit me”. And it did, indeed. I moved to study at Salamanca University and graduated in 2011; and so much I liked the profession, that a year later I took a step forward and did my MA in Specialised Medical-Healthcare translation at Jaume I University, from Spain.

I translate and interpret the most comfortably in the fields of Medicine, Music and Tourism. Medicine, thanks to my MA and maybe because my family is full of nurses; tourism, from my passion for travelling and experiencing different cultures; music, because I always knew that my 6 years learning music theory and 11 years playing accordion were not just a “mere hobby”.

I will be travelling to Newcastle from Leeds, where I have been living for the past 3 years since I first came to work as a FLA. Being that close, it was an opportunity I couldn’t miss! Despite my musical background, I will not be joining the “Singing translators”, but I may make up my mind and go for a run or some yoga sessions. You will also see me on Thursday in the #TweetUp (of course!) tweeting under @Rml_vito and on Sunday taking part in the Northumbrian Castles Tour.

I will be a Newby in this conference and, less than a month ahead, I am looking forward to meet my Buddy!