Inspire

Before I was an interpreter for the MAC, I would never have gone to the museum for fun. I wouldn’t have challenged anybody I knew about who could spout out more information about soil, or even egg tempera paintings! Now, I walk into that fine establishment I used to take for granted and breathe in a deep breath of pride. Any one of my fellow Teen Interpreters would attest to the fact that, as we push our carts into their respective locations, there is a certain, indescribable feeling of awe for what we know we’ve done, and what we all know we’re going to do that day: inspire. With words, pictures, and objects, we each set out on our individual journeys to engage visitors with all we know, and hopefully spark the interest of anybody willing to hear it.

Allison studies a baby red wiggler

Another important lesson I have learned as a Teen Interpreter is how to think about and use my time.  All too often we lose sight of what’s important in our all too busy lives. We say, “There aren’t enough hours in a day,” and “I just need a little more time for this.” Whenever I catch myself saying those things, I stop and imagine myself standing still a in a field of time, just passing me by. People, cars, and air planes rush past me as an entire day turns into seconds. Being a Teen Interpreter has done this to me. Not because there are slow days when I have little to do, and certainly not because I don’t want to be there, but because the experience has taught me that time is ALWAYS better spent learning and engaging. (I cannot let myself forget about turning off the coffee pot again, and I am probably going to have to get my English homework done tomorrow morning because, oh yeah, I have to stop by the pharmacy on my way home.) See? Our lives are unstoppable wheels of motion, but taking the time to learn something that interests you, or even teaching it to somebody such as a Teen Interpreter does, is the only way to slow things down for a bit and evaluate what exactly is important, and what exactly is worth worrying about.

Interpreting for the MAC has been an unforgettable experience for me. I wake up on mornings when I have work, and I get excited and wonder about what curious people I might encounter.

This article was conceived, edited, and carefully polished by:

Allison Little