I offered to translate one wedding reading. How do I say no to translating the whole reception?
Weddings"You can just tell Auntie what everyone says," my cousin said. She was adding my name beside every speech on her wedding running order.
I'd offered to translate one short reading from English into Mandarin, with the text supplied beforehand. My aunt prefers Mandarin, and I want her to enjoy the wedding. The new plan has me translating four speeches live, making announcements and sitting beside her throughout dinner.
I'm comfortable chatting in both languages. I don't feel able to translate unfamiliar jokes on the spot, and I'd like to hear the speeches myself. My cousin says another supplier is beyond her budget. When I explained what I'd actually offered, she asked whether I was happy for her mother to miss the rest.
The wedding is six weeks away and the speakers haven't written their speeches. I don't want to withdraw the reading in frustration. I can prepare that part, but the rest of the running order still has my name on it.