Aqui vamos...

I was unsure of what to write about in this, my first blog entry. The others suggested that perhaps I discuss the benefits and challenges of being the "translator" of the group. Here goes...

Of the 6 of us, I do speak the most Spanish. This definitely brings some advantages. I can easily convey what it is I want to say to the clients, their families, the staff at Armonizar, and even cab drivers! Coupled with that is my ability to understand what they tell me. It definitely facilitates the therapeutic process and makes interviewing families so much easier... I can't imagine how I would deal with it if I couldn't speak the language. I definitely take my hat off to the others for their patience, their persistence and their creativity!! I may do a lot of the talking, but I still couldn't imagine doing this without the others. You ladies are awesome!

The downside to the translation piece is the sheer exhaustion. I feel like my brain is split in half right now and as a result, neither half can operate as quickly or sometimes as effectively. It's always funny when I start forgetting words in English. Being pulled in multiple directions for translation purposes is tiring... but I know that it is all worth it!

I've been speaking Spanish since I was ten years old and it's something I've often taken for granted. I've been fluent for most of my life, so it's just a part of me. But I've never really used this part of me for such a worthwhile purpose. I never thought that when I was struggling to learn different verb conjugations (I still shudder at the thought of all those darn irregular ones) that they would come in so handy for a professional opportunity like this. I am truly grateful that I have this skill and that I can use it to help other people.

However, I am still looking forward to telling all my family in Mexico about how much I've been translating and how much Spanish I've been speaking :)

Hasta luego!