I traveled to Buffalo this morning to take the Unified Court's Interpreting Exam. I listened to the Jesse & Joy CD on the way, and I imagined "Aquí Voy" to be the day's theme song. AQUI VOY, ALGO INSEGURA PERO VOY HACIENDO MALABARES PA´ PAGAR LA RENTA DE HOY QUE VENGA MAS YO AGUANTO ESO Y MAS PERDIDA, AFINADA AUNQUE DESUBICADA YO LLEGO HASTA EL FINAL It's a song about confidence, "I'll reach the end, even if I'm lost, tired, hungry, and disoriented." I got lost. By the end of the day I was completely exhausted, disoriented and hungry. I was not well prepared for the exam, and I'm disappointed in myself. I did enjoy meeting the regional director of court interpreters. She described the severe shortage of bilingual staff, and her experience as the interpreter for the defendant known around her as "The Walmart Murderer." She told me that she cried all the way back to Buffalo, after telling the victim's family, in English, in first person, the horrible things he confessed to. If I don't pass I can take the exam again after a year. It's out of my hands now.