On my internship at Compañeros Immigrant Resource Center:
In August of last year, I started as a volunteer/intern at Compañeros. During the school year, I helped Danny Quinlan with various projects, learning about immigration law and the process of immigrating. However, the most valuable lesson I have taken from this experience is a better understanding of the many obstacles immigrants have to overcome in hopes of obtaining the life they want in this country.
I chose to pursue this internship primarily because of my desire to continue speaking Spanish with native speakers. The previous year I lived and studied abroad in Valencia, Spain. Coming back from that experience, I wanted an internship that would help me practice my Spanish and allow me to form new connections with Spanish speakers. Compañeros has helped me do both of those things.
Projects I worked on included creating a rapid response plan in case of mass ICE raids, making a PowerPoint presentation for community responders, and compiling data on clients, as well as other small projects. Yet, the project that made the most significant impact on me was being able to volunteer as an interpreter at a Compañeros event. When preparing for this event, I was a little apprehensive, fearing that being back in the United States for so many months had debilitated my Spanish skills. Looking at the legal documents I was expected to understand and interpret, I realized that these documents contained some words I had forgotten, some I did not know how to translate, and some words that I had never learned in the first place.
It was a little intimidating, but I kept my promise that I would be an interpreter at this event, sat down with my mentor Danny, and translated every legal term I did not know. I went to the event and successfully interpreted for a client and a volunteer lawyer. I did not know I was capable of interpreting until I did it. Now, I am proud not just of my ability to interpret, but also of my determination to do it in spite of my doubt. At the same time, this internship has helped me identify areas I need to work on. I need to continue practicing Spanish and I need to use my creativity more to think of new projects and carry them out.
Moving forward, I do not know exactly how this internship will help me in the future. I plan to continue to travel to Spanish-speaking countries and perhaps one day work as a translator/interpreter, but I do not think I will pursue a career related to immigration law. Most of all, this internship will help me continue to work to better understand all people and all cultures, no matter what.
I chose to pursue this internship primarily because of my desire to continue speaking Spanish with native speakers. The previous year I lived and studied abroad in Valencia, Spain. Coming back from that experience, I wanted an internship that would help me practice my Spanish and allow me to form new connections with Spanish speakers. Compañeros has helped me do both of those things.
Projects I worked on included creating a rapid response plan in case of mass ICE raids, making a PowerPoint presentation for community responders, and compiling data on clients, as well as other small projects. Yet, the project that made the most significant impact on me was being able to volunteer as an interpreter at a Compañeros event. When preparing for this event, I was a little apprehensive, fearing that being back in the United States for so many months had debilitated my Spanish skills. Looking at the legal documents I was expected to understand and interpret, I realized that these documents contained some words I had forgotten, some I did not know how to translate, and some words that I had never learned in the first place.
It was a little intimidating, but I kept my promise that I would be an interpreter at this event, sat down with my mentor Danny, and translated every legal term I did not know. I went to the event and successfully interpreted for a client and a volunteer lawyer. I did not know I was capable of interpreting until I did it. Now, I am proud not just of my ability to interpret, but also of my determination to do it in spite of my doubt. At the same time, this internship has helped me identify areas I need to work on. I need to continue practicing Spanish and I need to use my creativity more to think of new projects and carry them out.
Moving forward, I do not know exactly how this internship will help me in the future. I plan to continue to travel to Spanish-speaking countries and perhaps one day work as a translator/interpreter, but I do not think I will pursue a career related to immigration law. Most of all, this internship will help me continue to work to better understand all people and all cultures, no matter what.