Speak Russian? The Military Needs Korean Translation Services!

by Elena Lofgren
The knowledge of foreign languages is an immensely valuable skill. In a rapidly globalizing economy with disappearing physical borders, there are boundless opportunities for polyglots.



Throughout their childhood my children, first generation Americans, were exposed to Russian, our family’s first language. Knowledge of a second language has prompted them to develop a more sensitive ear and a higher aptitude for more languages. My oldest speaks Russian especially well, and takes pride in his cultural heritage and linguistic ability. So much so, that it led him to a military career in cryptic linguistics. Having tested in the highest language aptitude percentile, he was assigned to studying Korean, one of the more “difficult” languages for Americans to learn.



Apparently, due to the looming threat of North Korean aggression, there is high demand for intelligence specialists offering Korean translation services. The Military trains various foreign language specialists at a linguistics institute, a huge facility located in one of the most picturesque places in the country. In the Korean unit, initially teeming with wanna-be’s, only a handful of specialists remained, my son included. These students achieved the level of expertise necessary to succeed in Korean translation services.



During our visit, we noticed that the town culture largely revolved around the linguistics students. It was really interesting to observe the young soldiers from the Korean translation services unit interact with local Korean-born merchants. We had dinner at a Korean restaurant, where my son and his classmates conversed easily with the staff who knew them by name, exchanging jokes and ordering in Korean. Of course, the parents would have required translation services, so we opted to order in English. During dinner, we were entertained by fascinating trivia about the Korean culture and language.



Service is different for linguistics specialists. The more difficult is the language to learn for native English speakers, the scarcer are quality translation services, and good Korean specialists are truly rare. Their skills are too valuable to waste in the trenches, so wherever they go – those boys do get to see the world – they work at safe, well-serviced facilities with state-of-the-art equipment. I am grateful that due to the high quality of his Korean translation services my son is relatively unlikely to be sent to places currently more dangerous. I am kind of glad he didn’t end up studying Arabic, although there was talk of him taking that course. I keep hoping that by the time the Arabic course becomes available, the all the wars will end, or the five years he signed up for will be up. Surely, there is a demand for quality Korean translation services in the civilian world!



In addition to the newly acquired Korean translation skills, my son also received credit and higher rank for his fluent knowledge of Russian. His ability to offer both Korean and Russian translation services makes him a great asset. Recently, my son had an opportunity to prove extremely helpful as part of an operation that required his Russian translation services and had ensured the success of the mission. He is going to receive a medal! The frustrating thing is, he can never talk about what he is working on, since, naturally, it is classified information.



Not long ago, my son had an assignment at the place of my birth – one of the former Soviet republics. Located in Asia, the mission required both Korean and Russian translation services. He called me, describing people and surroundings, thrilled by his ability to converse with the locals and read the signs. Everything that seemed strange to him sounded painfully familiar to me. Then again, many things he described were unfamiliar; some cities were even renamed.



Life works in fascinating ways. It seems to follow a circular path, bound to return one way or the other and attend to the unfinished business. I had unresolved emotional attachments with the country of my birth, and the people and memories I left behind. Twenty-five years later, my son, born and raised in the States, helped me relive the experience, reconnect with the past and heal the pain of the seemingly irreparable loss. Having built a completely new life half way across the world, I was able to see my childhood home once again through my son’s eyes, and finally realize that it’s no longer home, it’s time to lay the past to rest.



This became possible because I allowed my children to share in the knowledge of my cultural heritage and first language. I must have done something right, and in case you couldn’t tell, I am very proud.

Article Source: http://www.lifeischeerful.com

About the author: Helena Lofgren is a Web Content Specialist for Innuity, Inc. in Redmond, Washington.

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