At Arab Canada Newspaper, we strive to be a bridge of communication among members of the Arab community, and therefore we support any work that contributes to introducing the community members to each other and highlight successful models among them to be an inspiring motivation for others..
Today we meet Mrs. Rana Abdul Rahim Hammouda, founder of Calgary Translation Services

First, we welcome you Ms. Rana and ask you to introduce yourself?
I am Palestinian, I came to Canada in 1997. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Arts and Translation, as well as a Master's degree in Education, and I am a candidate for a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Educational Policies from the University of British Columbia located in the province of Alberta, so I am qualified to be the link and communication channel between multicultural individuals. Additionally, I am a sworn commissioner authorized to administer oaths and certify affidavits, affirmations, and declarations. Soon, I will obtain a certification as an immigration consultant.
How did you find the experience of immigration and moving to Canada, did you face difficulties and how did you overcome them?
The immigration experience to Canada was new and full of challenges, and the biggest challenge was the equivalency of my academic degree earned from UAE University. It took me strenuous research until I was able to have my degree recognized by Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, where 80% of the courses I studied at UAE University were credited..
The second challenge I faced was how to integrate and accept the other mentality. In my opinion, integration means that the immigrant harmonizes with local laws without sacrificing their privacy, and this is what I strived for and achieved, which led me to where I am now and enabled me to establish a position for myself in the Canadian business community. With patience and motivation for education and development, a person can reach their goals and aspirations.
Many new immigrants experience a sense of frustration due to the challenges they face, such as language, credential recognition, and integration into a new and different society. What would you say to them based on your experience which I consider successful and inspiring?
I believe the main cause of the frustration that affects immigrants is the immigrants themselves in many cases. It is known that the Canadian government spares no effort in providing many incentives to immigrants, but many of them do not make good use of these incentives, and they retreat at the first challenge they encounter. An immigrant must have strategic goals to pursue in the short and long term, knock on all doors to achieve their goals, seek people and organizations that can offer genuine assistance and help, and above all, be flexible to adapt to society. Most importantly, they must have determination and will to achieve their dreams no matter how great the challenges and difficulties they face.
Through your office "Calgary Translation Services," what is the nature of the services you offer especially since the translation field is broad and diverse? And what languages do you translate?
We offer a variety of linguistic services that cover almost all language needs for institutions and individuals. We provide both written and oral translation services for more than 100 languages, including English, Arabic, German, French, Dutch, and many other commonly spoken languages worldwide. We have an elite group of professionals in written and oral translation with extensive experience in this field. Our services are flexible, allowing clients to receive them online or through other means that suit the client, in addition to other services such as notarization.
Translation is a process that requires accuracy and skill, especially in some legal documents because a word may have more than one meaning. What is the role of technology in the field of translation?
Translation is considered a sensitive profession where accuracy must be observed by those working in it. This applies to all branches of translation except legal translation, which is the most sensitive branch of translation. As you mentioned, a single word can have multiple interpretations. From this standpoint, we are very keen to select members of our legal translation team who are not only proficient in both the source and target languages but also have a deep understanding and knowledge of legal subjects so they can translate documents in a way that reflects the original text very accurately without any errors in understanding or phrasing. This ensures our clients receive 100% accurate translations of their legal documents without errors, saving them time and cost.
Are your services limited to residents of Alberta, or can members of the community in any other province benefit from your services?
Our services are not limited to residents of Alberta only but are available to all members of the Arab community in any province. Our services extend not only to Arab community members in Canada but worldwide.

As a successful Arab woman, what advice do you give to Arab women who have ambition and capabilities but do not know how to take the first step?

The first piece of advice I would like to offer Arab women in the diaspora is to balance personal goals and family goals so they can succeed in their family and achieve personal success, which is the crux of the matter. Personal success and family success are two sides of the same coin.
The second advice: As an Arab woman with skills, you should seek all sources and benefit from every available opportunity to hone your skills to establish a foothold in the Canadian business community. You must turn to the right place that provides resources. The Canadian government truly provides all resources to help individuals achieve their goals, so women should not rush results and must be determined to succeed no matter how much time it takes.
The third advice: Be proactive, willing to learn, benefit from others' experiences, and be patient.

 Through Arab Canada Newspaper, what message would you like to send to members of the Arab community in Canada?
If a person chooses to live in a diaspora country, they must consider that moving to live in a new country will not be easy and they must expect everything. They must adopt the culture of the other society and take the best from it without abandoning their principles and be patient with the difficulties of the new life no matter how long it lasts.
Also, the immigrant must plan well, have a clear strategy, and possess will and determination to achieve goals. They should seek helpful resources that will save them much effort and time and ease the difficulties they face.
Finally, I wish all immigrants happiness in their life abroad and that they achieve their dreams and overcome all their difficulties. They should know we are here for them, ready to lend a helping hand in anything and share our experiences to benefit them in solving their problems.
Thank you for this meeting, and I wish Arab Canada Newspaper progress and advancement.
We, in turn, thank you for this fruitful meeting that gave us the opportunity to learn about your activity and introduce you to the community.. We wish you more success and prosperity.