languages

[Joelle Lyons Everett]

Jo--

I just finished a week which included a full day of Appreciative Inquiry and
three half-days in Open Space with a group which included eight women from
Siberia, the American project director, and three American facilitators.
Only the Siberian project director spoke both Russian and English.

During the AI, we had people work in same-language dyads, then we formed 2
groups, one working in Russian only and one which included the Siberian
director, 2 Americans and 3 other Siberians.  It was slow to have to
translate all the discussion in the mixed group, but interesting and moving.
At one point each group planned and presented skits, with a brief summary
translated at the end.

During the OS, the women were discussing ways to implement ideas they had
seen during their 3-week trip, so they worked in Russian without
translation--it was fun to watch the animated discussions.  Convenors
hand-wrote a brief report in Russian on a prepared Russian-language form and
these were posted.  At the end, each convenor made a brief verbal report in
Russian to the whole group and these were translated by the interpreter.  I
scribbled notes like crazy and am preparing a report in English.  We were
really glad to have at least a summary of the work available to everyone.  I
could have done it onsite if I had had my computer.

My take on your question is to have an interpreter available to anyone who
asks for translation, and to help with the reporting process.  The OS piece
is that there is no need to translate all conversations and sessions while
they are happening, only as needed.  The interpreters need to make themselves
available for one-on-one conversations as well as mixed-language sessions.
This was not always possible on our project, and I felt a sense of loss at
not getting to know participants in a more personal way.

Best of luck on your ambitious and important project!

Joelle Everett
jleshelton at aol.com

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