Transferring from CODA to CODA Interpreter.
Being a CODA (Child of deaf adults), I feel a sense of appreciation and belonging to the Deaf community. I also feel the appreciation and value from the Deaf community. Comments like: “You just get it when we talk. You’ll make a great interpreter, because you ‘get’ the Deaf way.” Made me feel a sense of worth. Unfortunately, it also gave me a bit of a big head. At 18 years old, I was assessed along with another 60 potential students to get into 16 spots for this interpreter’s course. During my assessment, I had to introduce myself in Auslan (Australian Sign Language). I was a nervous wreck and fumbled and misspelt my name. Yet, I got in… During the course, I was able to put theoretical names to the practical things I was doing naturally. At the end, I passed my test and earned the label ‘CODA Interpreter’. I felt very proud with this identity within the deaf community.
First Interpreting booking at TAFE
I remember going to my first booking. I was comfortable talking with a Deaf person and communicating what is said…. easy. However, the other soft skills I haven’t fine-tuned as yet. I come from a poor ocker Aussie background. My formal wear, outside of my religious meetings, was jeans and a hoodie. I entered the TAFE classroom, hoodie still over my head, and the teacher assumes I’m a student.
Up to this point during my 2min long career, I faced a critical ‘role tension’ issue. The teacher saw me as a student and I was an interpreter…. However, the issue for me is that I was fresh out of high school and saw teachers as an authority in the classroom. I was not in the mindset of now being a fellow colleague with one…. I never thought how my interpreter status changed my place in the hearing world.
I had to quickly adjust my mindset from student to teacher colleague and stood my ground for personal growth and meeting a new milestone with my identity as an Interpreter and….. very sheepishly…. mumbled… I am an interpreter; I have to stand with you to interpret. The Teacher looked puzzled. I had a face of a 12y.o. No facial hair covering my baby skin. Wearing a hoodie inside. Youngest in the room… Yet, she accepted my place as I demonstrated my ability to move around my hands.
The rest of the booking
Alright… I managed to power struggle my way to be the interpreter in the room, as a sheepishly sat in the corner, seeing myself as a deaf ally and giving information that was spoken around him, so he had access. Interpreting was very fulfilling for me. It was a Prac class, so i just lunged into my chair chatting whenever the deaf client didn’t have work to do..
….. Good times
