1학년 후기/소감

By Hazel Hyon

I still remember the moment I received my acceptance letter from MIIS, a pleasant email that gave a soon-to-be college graduate a welcome sense of security. Studying translation and interpretation had been drifting in and out of my mind ever since I could remember, and now that I finally had a concrete opportunity to do so, there seemed to be no particular reason to turn it down.

Looking back at that moment, which comprised just a fraction of an otherwise typical day, I now realize that it was a point of no return—my incredible journey began the minute I decided to commit to MIIS.

It is a journey that has transformed and enlightened me in various ways, and the past year has gifted me with knowledge not only about the world, but also about myself.

With that, below are four major things that I have learned as a student at MIIS.

• Interpreting has nothing to do with language. As an enthusiastic learner of foreign languages, I have always set great store by impeccable spelling and grammar as well as diction and syntax. The beauty of language mechanics was what initially drew me to this profession, but after a week of classes, I quickly realized that what made someone’s interpretation beautiful was effective communication of the speaker’s message rather than its packaging. Skillful phrasing and expression are important, of course, but they should not distort the meaning in any way. Staying faithful to the true message, despite understanding, was one thing I personally found slightly challenging.
• Culture is obtained through experience. Although I was raised in the U.S., I honestly believed that growing up in a Korean-speaking household and exposing myself to Korean media meant that I was 100 percent savvy about Korean culture. In reality, there are deep historical, political, and societal implications of Korean thinking and behavior, all things to consider when delivering an interpretation. I may have known about some of them, but it was not easy to apply my knowledge to my own speech and behavior, just as it is impossible to learn how to swim by reading a manual. However, staying immersed in a Korean learning environment for almost a year has allowed me to become more familiar with the cultural nuances (though my breaststroke still needs work!).
• Mental is physical. Prior to starting at MIIS, I never considered hunger, sleepiness, or fatigue significant enough to affect my score on an exam as long as I had studied the material. This is no longer the case. Rather than staying up late to practice or skipping breakfast to cram for vocabulary quizzes, I allow myself at least seven hours of sleep a night and a hearty bowl of oatmeal every morning, after learning that not having either of these will impair my already-shaky memory and concentration. Sleeping is
• Teamwork is key. For the first time in my life, I am studying with the same less-than-ten people every single day, and we are dependent on each other for feedback, i.e. improvement. Maintaining positive, comfortable relationships with them will be beneficial both socially and academically.

Even as I write out this reflection of the past two semesters, I cannot bring myself to acknowledge that the first year is drawing to a close. There were ups and downs, but I can truly say that the experience has been rewarding. Thank you, professors and classmates, for a wonderful year.