Working full-time can be in many cases very difficult for expat wives abroad due to work permit issue or partner’s company rules.
They too often needed to give up their career back home and feel anxious about their career after their expat life -repatriation.
While the length of expat life varies by people, it’s important for struggling expat wives to reflect on what they really want to do in their lives in terms of both life and work.
In other words, the experience of living abroad as an expat wife can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for reflection and challenging to do something you really want to do.
For one of many examples, I’d like to share in this post about “Visual-Media Translation“, the recommended skill for expat wives who, just like me, love movies and speaking English or other foreign languages.
What is Visual-Media Translation?
Quintessensial example of visual-media translation is a movie subtitles translation.
The same skill is necessary for not just movies but for TV-programs like documentary or sports, corporate promotional videos, etc.
These days,
- Streaming services such as Netflix or Hulu
- Video platforms including Youtube or TED Talks
- Social media like Instagram or Twitter
All these websites/services above are full of videos and are generating more and more demand in the translation job.
Schools to learn visual-media translation
I shared the specific school names for Japanese in here but am not sure much about schools in the US or other countries.
Some schools allow you to take courses online/remotely wherever you are and that’s what I recommend.
The school I checked out in Japan before moving to Chicago was providing a trial class where we actually do English-Japanese or Japanese-English translations using movies, and it was fun!
Benefits for expat wives
If you are an expat wife who studies visual-media translation online, these are some benefits below.
- You can complete one course (English to Japanese for example) by taking one class per week for 1 year and a half, and it’s highly possible for you to finish the course during your expat time abroad
- Finishing a course and getting a certificate gives you confidence and sense of achievement
- Some schools will find you translation jobs that you can do online/remotely outside of your home country (career opportunity!)
- Good motivation for studying a foreign language
（＊All above is an example of the school I visited in Japan）
One of the possible solutions for expat wives who need to rethink about their career every time their partners get an overseas assignment in life is to acquire “mobile” skills.
English (foreign language) and visual-media translation are good examples of these skills.
Taking advantage of what you “like”, let’s get and improve a skill that allows you to work and earn wherever you are!
Go JVs!
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