The jet black remote with broken buttons was my first microphone. Every summer when my family returned to Romania, my grandparents would sit with their eyes fixed on the television screen with the goal to conquer a language that screamed opportunity: English. Although they understood and articulated basic phrases, I could still sense a lingering hunger to vanquish something just beyond their reach. So, I decided to become their translator.
“Stai, stai” my grandfather would point to the outdated television screen, “Ce a spus?” Slowly and intentionally, I would pause the show, listen carefully, and attempt to guide them through the unfamiliarity.
Growing up, I frequently juggled between two languages. While English surrounded school and the life I wanted to pursue, Romanian embraced familiarity and the life I knew I couldn’t leave behind. For a while, I thought I bridged these two worlds. But bridges require maintenance.
Gradually, I stopped speaking Romanian the same way I used to. Sentences grew weaker and native conversations with my parents now were distant memories. For the longest time, I felt my ability to translate fading: dwindling. I viewed each forgotten expression as hard evidence that the bridge of translation was crumbling beneath me. Yet, I soon found that I completely misinterpreted the meaning of translation. Translation isn’t just converting between words- but the delicate process that involves carrying someone’s challenges, questions, and curiosity across an invisible border they cannot cross alone. And the hardest part isn’t finding the right words-but the right way to represent meaning.
Every now and then, I still miss being able to translate between two languages with the same confidence I once possessed so vibrantly. Yet, I no longer view these forgotten words as evidence of a collapsing bridge. Instead, it reminds me that translation isn’t rooted in language alone. Sometimes, the most meaningful translations aren’t between words-but between people.
Author Bio
Catarina Pirvu is a Romanian-American student, writer, and youth diplomatic advocate based in Washington State. As a high school junior, her interests include diplomacy, international affairs, education, journalism, and youth civic engagement. She is actively involved in Model UN and cross-cultural initiatives that connect young people across borders.
