Fun in the translators’ cabin

A simultaneous interpreter of the Conference 2014 shares her experiences in the cabin…

Un desafío: traducir mientras uno se mata de risas... A real challenge: translating while laughing... Eine echte Herausforderung: Übersetzen, während man sich kaputt lacht
Todos dentro... All within Alle drinnen
Plenario Plenary session Plenum
Momentos de encuentro Moments of Sharing Momente der Begegnung
Fue un momento histórico... It was a historical moment Dabei sein, wenn Schönstattgeschichte geschrieben wird Fotos: Georg Schick © 2009 Álbum de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

CONFERENCE 2014, Angie Santos. I was asked to participate in Conference 2014 as a translator for Spanish into English, and I was the only one doing those translations. Sometimes I also translated the Portuguese, which was easy to pick up... and when someone spoke French, I translated using the English translation of a delightful Scottish Sister.

There were three other translators who took turns translating German into Spanish. One was a lady from the Family Federation in Spain, Maria Paz Leiva, the other one, a seminarian from Argentina, Juan Viñas, and a Sister from Ecuador, Sr. M. Adriana. It was great fun to hear all the comments when the microphones were off. As helpers we had no say in what was going on at the Conference, but we belong to Schoenstatt, and we have an emotional link to what was going on... so when someone said something we liked, we all got really enthusiastic, but when someone came up with something that we didn’t agree with, it was the opposite reaction. It was a small cabin and sometimes all of us were inside, three or four at the same time. When discussions were over, we commented on what we had heard, and tried to 'solve the world', the Schoenstatt world, that is. Well, sometimes we stayed there long after our work was done, and Sr. Adriana used to come, open the door, and joke about our passion for what was happening.

I had a hard time translating while I was laughing

The three German translators were supposed to take turns, but instead, they tried to get there early before the meetings began and took possession of the microphone, especially the first days. They often joked that at some point they would start speaking into the microphone what they thought, instead of translating properly. The good thing was that the atmosphere was mostly very positive and respectful, and they concurred in most of the ideas. That is a pretty overwhelming thing considering there were more than a hundred people there. They said they experienced a Cenacle. They felt that the Holy Spirit was continuously present.

The English speaking people were in the minority at the conference, so I had little work, but it was not that easy to deal with the different accents from India, the US, UK, Scotland, etc. There were two Fathers from Scotland and England who are extremely funny, so I had a hard time translating while I was laughing. It was a great experience, tiring but great.

We were part of something important

Sr Kornelia and Father Mattheus assembled a great team, a "dream team" they called it, because everybody was very cooperative and efficient. I am still in awe at the translators, the editors, the girls, the seminarians, etc. In our Movement, we have our Blessed Mother as a model and our Father’s example, who taught us to always give more than what you can, perhaps that is why working with a group of Schoenstatters is such a pleasure. Just seeing people work long hours, get little sleep, and then show up with a big smile is a great testimony. I am sure most of those who had that experience will miss that exciting week. We will always remember we were part of something very important in the Movement’s history and will be ready to the next Schoenstatt event.