Airports are very often a visitor's first impression of a country. With that in mind, one could be fooled into thinking that this would have spurred governments into action to ensure their international airports create a good impression. This is not always the case. Airports fall into three categories for me: the great, the average and the downright wretched. At one end of the spectrum lies Singapore Changi, a wonder among airports with its peaceful ambience, fantastic shopping and entertainment including cinemas, a swimming pool and a butterfly garden. You will find good, reason... ›Read more

I left behind a very cold, wet London yesterday morning as I embarked on an 8 day tour of Western Europe. First stop, Dublin! During the flight, neighbouring passengers witnessed some inflight entertainment: our plane was struck by lightning, and I practically leapt out of my seat. How embarrassing. (In my defence, I was quietly consumed by reading the business news when a bright flash of light struck the wing beside me, with an accompanying crash of sound. It did rather take me by surprise...) Outside Trinity College on a chilly evening I spent a quiet evening exploring... ›Read more

This is a guest post written by Deborah Cornwell-Kelly, a myGengo Senior Translator in the Italian to English language pair. Learn more about Deborah at her translation website. There is a recurrent conversation I have always found difficult to handle. It’s one that threatens my sense of identity––one that happens more often than not. Whether it takes place at the playground after picking up the kids, over an aperitif in a trendy bar in Milan or at a dinner party with newly acquainted friends––it’s inevitable. Sooner or later, the conversation shifts and somewhat hesitantly the... ›Read more

Contributing from the far corners of the world, travel writer Victoria Bowskill shares her perspectives on globalization, multilingualism, and the human experience. My recent flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles unfortunately coincided with the start of Japan’s major national holiday, Golden Week. I may be a Star Alliance gold member and hold a United Premier Platinum card, but on a fully booked flight, there was nochance of an upgrade on United 890. After ten hours in cramped economy class, I was longing for some fresh air, eager to stretch my legs, and excited to see something of... ›Read more

Contributing from the far corners of the world, travel writer Victoria Bowskill shares her perspectives on globalization, multilingualism, and the human experience.  2011: one year, 150 flights, 200,000 miles and 125 nights away from home in more than 30 countries. Welcome to my world! I’m Victoria, a twenty-something, London-based international jet-setter. I’m in the lucky position of having a career which allows me to travel the world for a third of the year, eating breakfasts in Barbados or Budapest, enjoying evenings in Singapore and Hong Kong, and meeting friends in Los An... ›Read more

Ever wanted to set a Guinness World Record? At myGengo, we believe we’re on track to becoming the largest team of translators worldwide, and when it happens we'll be sure to tell you. In the meantime, check out our language edition of Guinness World Records. We've sorted through all 30,000 of the official records to bring to you the top 5 we think are the most impressive and interesting.  1. Shortest Word in the English Language That Contains All Five Main Vowels Next time you’re playing English Scrabble and you find yourself with nothing left but the five main vowels—tha... ›Read more

Does the number 38 ring a bell? Any gambler knows there are 38 slots on a roulette wheel. Sci-fi geeks will quickly point out the fact that a Stargate will only stay open for 38 seconds. But if you’re a translator, without a doubt you must be thinking "The number of language pairs supported by myGengo!"  ...And as of yesterday, you'd be correct.   Available Now! For the uninitiated, that’s 38 different combinations of languages, completely supported by qualified human translators, available for immediate ordering. Heck, if you’re a translator yourself, that could even mean... ›Read more

This is the second of a two-part post (Part 1) written by Thaís Castanheira, a myGengo Senior Translator in the English to Brazilian Portuguese language pair. Learn more about Thais by checking out her translation website.   A Successfully Localized Game With the huge amount of games being released daily and the fierce competition for the next big hit increasing rapidly, the localization process is in many cases, unfortunately, becoming more about speed and output and less about quality and consistency. In many instances, translators simply don’t have enough time to study th... ›Read more

This is part one of a two-part post written by Thaís Castanheira, a myGengo Senior Translator in the English to Brazilian Portuguese language pair. Learn more about Thais by checking out her translation website. When people ask what I do for a living, I usually tell them I’m a translator. The fun part is when they ask what kind of translation and I get to say “I localize games.” Of course, anytime I share my secret with kids (especially young boys), their response is always the same. They light up and marvel with envy, “wooow! She translates video games!” Yes, localizing game... ›Read more

At myGengo, we know an opportunity when we see one. That’s why we weren’t about to miss out on attending CeBIT 2012—the world’s largest computer and IT-trade show—an annual event held in Hanover, Germany that spans 5 days and attracts industry representatives from 100 countries worldwide. During the event, our German team was hard at work (and at play) meeting existing partners, networking with potential clients and most importantly, making new connections in order to land even more jobs for our talented team of translators. The History of CeBIT The first independently organi... ›Read more