Back in the late 1970’s, I was still living and working in Belgium when, almost overnight, thanks to Freddie Laker, airfares between the continent and the U.S. became affordable, as did the mighty U.S. Dollar, and suddenly all my European friends booked flights and were checking in with me about their upcoming vacations in the U.S. and then returning with all sorts of interesting accounts of their experiences. Having lived, studied, worked, and traveled in multiple European countries since age 19, and having returned to the U.S. to visit family and friends at least once a year, I had an intuitive understanding of both sides of the ‘pond’. This prompted me to outline, research, write, and sell a travel book about my own region of the U.S. with a focus on the cultural and linguistic aspects that had so intrigued (annoyed) my friends. The book, West Coast USA was published, as planned, in the United Kingdom and was, most astonishingly, picked at the Frankfurt Book Fair for publication by an American publishing house who marketed the book as a look at “how Europeans view us on the West Coast”.

Later, as a Professor of Translation and Interpretation, I wrote and published a few professional articles, most of them, I’m pleased to say, eminently readable.

Later still I took on a translation-editing project of an economic treatise from German, working closely with a co-translator (in London), the author (in Germany), and the British publisher, Routledge. A wonderful experience!

During my California Period, Silicon Valley was in full development, and on various interpreting assignments at what were then still Start-ups and now (some, at least) have become household names, I imagined spending some time working within a team in the computer industry. The hammocks and cafeteria treats were enticing, the atmosphere so upubeat!  

Be careful what you wish for, right? At some point I found myself working as a commuting consultant linguist, almost full time, in the QA (Quality Assurance) Department, where I was assigned my very own technician as we sorted through streams of text and code. Very challenging. The company eventually failed, but I swear it wasn’t my doing.

 

Testimonials 

“… Her West Coast USA should produce chuckles as well [as] provide readers with useful hints about travel in California, Oregon and Washington State.; van Dam is an acute and witty observer” 

Jonathan Fryer, in The Bulletin
Brussels, Belgium, 1981

 

"I have been privileged to work with Ine-Marie van Dam in several capacities over the thirty plus years that I have known her. Most recently, she used her writing skills and tact to help me with a book manuscript. Who knew that what started as a classic student-professor relationship could evolve and manifest in so many different dimensions? I think it a testament to who Ine is - as a teacher, interpreter, writer, communicator, and human being. Regardless of the activity, you can be assured that it will be engaging and honest. You are in good hands."

Sheila Shermet
Chief, English Booth
United Nations, New York

 

 

See Publications for a list of all writings.