Attending Andrew Zawacki’s reading translation of Sébastien Smirou’s See About: Bestiary showed a unique perspective and a different definition of translation. Never have I thought of a different definition for translation, but attending Mr. Zawacki’s reading gave a different insight on the same word. Translating is a form of art. It isn’t as easy as you think it is. As a person that’s bilingual, I believed translation is a piece of cake. That is, until you try translating yourself. You must be efficient in both languages and must know them by heart. There was always something said in a different language that I had difficulty translating. Zawacki talks about his experience translating, the hardships, and the benefits that came from this.  There isn’t an exact translation for every word. The techniques used by the author can also affect the translation process. There were poems that ended with an “oh” sound, and by changing this will change the meaning and definition of the original piece. There are always things that can be done in one area while it can be done in another area. In this case, it would be language. There is a certain rhythm in French that won’t be exactly the same in English. Zawacki knew that, which is why he tried his best to make every translation as meaningful as the original without losing its poetic feeling. Translating is an arduous process. Whether it is in a different language or not, translation will not be perfect, but perfection takes time.