Lost in Translation. This is a constant danger when working across languages and cultures and is why good interpreters are essential to the success of our training efforts.
This summer’s program requires more interpreters than we have ever had before because of the interactive nature of our Level 3 program. When I emailed Thuy several months ago to tell her that we needed up to 12 interpreters on some training days, her response of “my god” said it all.
It is difficult to find good interpreters…in Vietnam, it’s not a lack of people who speak English, but rather, the challenge is finding English speakers who also understand the technical terms that comprise the fields of deaf education and audiology.
And so, when I arrived in Vietnam last week, the first task just hours off the plane, was to join up with Thuy and conduct interviews with university students in hopes to find some candidates to supplement our pool of seasoned interpreters. Specifically, Thuy and I were looking for English speaking talent to serve in small group discussions and in conversations between our professionals and families throughout the four weeks of our training program this summer.
Thuy and I set up shop at a hotel meeting room and carried out interviews with potential candidates. Three hours later, our mission was accomplished. We had our co
ntingent of English-speaking students that would serve our needs.