TranslateCluj

Ciprian’s memory about TranslateCluj:

I joined the TranslateCluj organizing team a bit later than the rest of the members, but my journey with this community started years ago.

Back when the very first editions were taking place, I was still navigating my way through the translation market. I was working full-time as a Project Manager and part-time as a freelance translator, feeling quite hesitant about whether I was heading in the right direction. I had always loved conferences, where I could discovering new things and meet new people, but there weren’t many options in Romania. So, when I heard Thomas, who was my teacher during my MA programme, was organizing an event right here in Cluj-Napoca, I was thrilled.

When I attended my first TranslateCluj, I was absolutely amazed. The quality of the event and the overwhelming kindness of everyone left a lasting mark on me. I vividly remember my first exchange with Thomas and Laura. I walked up to them and said: "Congratulations! I really admire what you have done for the translation community. If you ever need my support, I will open-heartedly offer it."

That single conference gave me the push I needed. I was encouraged to truly value my work, to hone my skills, and, most importantly, it helped me to let go of my fear of pursuing a full-time freelance career. Honestly, I wouldn’t be where I am today had I not attended.

We have a saying about TranslateCluj: "You only need to attend once with an open heart, and you will gladly return on your own next year." It might sound a bit bold to some, but I am living proof of it. I attended once, returned every single year, and a couple of years later, they actually took me up on my offer and invited me to join the team. I couldn’t be more grateful.

Want to read the full story of how it all started? Thomas put it into words perfectly in a blog post here: https://translatecluj.com/.../07/the-story-of-translatecluj/

Andreea’s memory about TranslateCluj:

I recently found myself going down memory lane, and the first thing that came to mind was the very first edition of TranslateCluj. The excitement, the thrill, the pages and pages of notes...

Every edition has been special in its own way, but this year's will always hold a special place in my heart.

If you were at the conference dinner, you probably remember that Ioana and I somehow ended up sitting on tree stumps instead of actual chairs. Such a random little thing, yet it turned into an evening of endless jokes, laughter, and one of the funniest nights I've had in a long time.

That's what I'll remember years from now. Not just the presentations, but the people. The friendships. The moments you could never plan for.

That's TranslateCluj to me.

Want to read the full story of how it all started? Thomas put it into words perfectly in a blog post, linked in the comments

Ioana’s first memory about TranslateCluj:

I’ve been part of the Xl8 Cluj team since 2019, and I’ve gathered so many memories from organizing the conference over the years. I remember everything from packing goodie bags in Laura’s living room to dealing with backstage crisis moments, but mostly, I just remember the laughs.

I'll never forget the first time I spotted a luggage trolley in the DoubleTree conference room and decided to make a funny video with it. Since then, that trolley has become an annual tradition in our videos. It also helped me loosen up and really be myself in such a professional setting. Sometimes, all it takes is one little thing to break the ice, and a team that fully backs your silly ideas.

Curious about the full story of TranslateCluj? Thomas put it into words better than anyone could 🧡

Link in comments.

Sabine’s first memory about TranslateCluj:

I still remember the moment I heard about TranslateCluj for the first time.
Thomas mentioned it during one of our MA courses, almost in passing. But something about it stayed with me. I was hungry for more. More knowledge, more connection, more of the profession I was just beginning to discover. And something told me that this was exactly the kind of place where I would find it.

So I showed up. As a student, slightly wide-eyed, not entirely sure what to expect.
What I didn't expect was to feel so immediately at home.

Nobody looked at me differently because I was still studying. Nobody made me feel like I had to earn my place at the table. I was surrounded by experienced professionals who were generous, open, and genuinely passionate about what they do. And instead of feeling small, I felt inspired. I remember thinking: this is how I want to be one day.

That feeling never really left me.

Over the years, I kept coming back. And somewhere along the way, TranslateCluj stopped being just an event I attended and started feeling like a community I belonged to.

So when Thomas asked me to join the organizing team in 2023, there was only one answer. 😊

Curious about the full story of TranslateCluj? Thomas put it into words better than anyone could 🧡

Link in comments.

Eight editions. One terrace table in 2017. A lot of dinners we probably shouldn't have scheduled on weeknights. 🍷

Thomas just wrote down the whole TranslateCluj story, from his own seat at that first table: the good, the awkward, the "wait, is this conference actually going to happen" moments (2020 and 2022, we're looking at you).

And somewhere in the middle of it all, there was a revelation:

Looking back, the main lesson we've all learned since then is that the conference was never really the product. The community was.

Everything else — the speakers, the venues, the themes — came and went. You stayed. 💛

Full story is up now. Link in the comments 👇

There are some people who just make the whole space brighter, and today, we get to celebrate one of them. Happy birthday to the one and only Thomas! 🥳

Tomi, we hope your day is filled with great coffee, excellent food, absolutely zero urgent notifications, and plenty of time to celebrate exactly the way you want to. 💗

The hardest part about a freelance weekend? It’s not finding the time to chill. It's convincing your brain that you actually deserve to. 🙂

When you work for yourself, you don't just leave an office and lock the door. Your brain is the office. So when you’re sitting on the couch on a Saturday, it’s way too easy to let those invisible mental tabs run in the background, quietly calculating next week's schedule or making you feel guilty for doing absolutely nothing.

The reality is that rest isn't something you have to "earn" by burning out first. Taking a genuinely unproductive weekend is the only way to protect your creativity and your sanity.

The inbox isn't going anywhere, and it certainly won't crash if you ignore it until Monday. 😉

Take a breath, close the mental tabs, and have a beautiful, quiet weekend! 🙌

June 24th marks the summer solstice celebration of Sânziene, a day traditionally rooted in the slow rhythms of nature, open skies, and waiting for the sun to align.

It stands in stark, almost comical contrast to the way we live our workdays. We spend our weeks checking time-trackers, managing notifications, and moving at the frantic pace of digital deadlines.

The most valuable thing about a holiday like Sânziene isn’t necessarily the folklore itself, but the permission it gives us to completely unplug. Ancient rituals required people to put down their tools, walk into a field, and just look at the sky.

Perhaps the best way to honor the solstice today isn't by overthinking the traditions, but by mimicking that exact stillness. Close the laptop lid, ignore the inbox, and let the afternoon simply pass by without measuring it. 😊

Forget the standard iced lattes! If you are working from a terrace, a kitchen table, or a balcony in Romania right now, there is only one drink that officially signals that summer has arrived.

Yes, we’re talking about socată (elderflower juice).

That perfect, naturally fizzy, sweet-and-sour magic made from elderflowers, lemons, and just enough sunshine. For many of us, it’s pure nostalgia in a glass.
It’s refreshing, it’s local, and honestly, a cold glass of this stuff is the ultimate antidote to a hot day.

(P.S.: we hope we didn't crave-trigger you too much!) 😁

June 11th is the International Day of Play, and it’s the perfect excuse to step away from strict style guides, serious glossaries, and client deadlines.

Before we were professionals dealing with character limits and client feedback, we were just kids who found languages fascinating. Today, let’s bring that playful energy back! 🎭

In the comments below, describe what you do for a living or what you currently work on, but make it sound as chaotic, dramatic, or confusing as possible without using keywords like "translate", "localize", "interpret".

And let the rest of the community guess what you’re doing.

Let’s give our minds a well-deserved playground today! 😊