Frankly, I am not quite sure where to begin, because I never imagined that I would one day become an international interpreter. I believe I owe much to my parents: at home, we were only allowed to speak Spanish among ourselves, except when guests who did not understand it were present. In those cases, we used English or Tagalog — the latter especially with the household staff. That is how, from an early age, I learned three languages, not only at home but also at school — the Assumption, of course.
Later, during my novitiate in the Philippines, I learned French and Latin, and I even tried Japanese thanks to the Japanese sisters in our community. However, since my request to be sent as a missionary to Japan was not accepted, that adventure was set aside.
In 1971, barely a week after my perpetual vows and after participating in the first session for young sisters in Auteuil, I was sent to West Africa. There, I was asked to teach Spanish to the students of our school in Nuatja. Afterwards, I spent a year in Olivos and later taught in Vallecas.
Back in the Philippines, I spent a year teaching Spanish and French both to students and to sisters. Later, I returned to Paris, where I assisted Sister Blandine — may she rest in peace — at the General Secretariat. During the three years I spent there, I served as an interpreter at the first international session on education. At that time, the Little Sisters of the Assumption, the Ursulines, the Assumptionist Fathers and even the Federation of Asian Bishops asked me to collaborate as an interpreter for their international meetings.
Upon returning to the Philippines, I began to travel frequently to Auteuil as an interpreter for general chapters and other international sessions. There, I also resumed teaching Spanish until I was sent to Thailand. In that country, I spent nine months learning the language and eventually stayed for eighteen years, until returning here in December 2018.
What impact did all this have on me? As I mentioned at the beginning, I had never thought of becoming an international interpreter. However, this experience deeply shaped me:
The joy of being in service. Serving the Congregation, the sisters and so many people was a great grace. I remember, for instance, meeting a sister at the airport who had arrived from East Africa: her suitcase came out of customs completely damaged, and, unable to understand anything, she was very distressed. I assured her that we would not leave until she was given a new one. And so it happened.
The satisfaction of facilitating communication. Being able to help people from different nations understand one another was always a source of joy.
Personal learning. Beyond translating, I learned a great deal from others: from their lives, their culture, their way of seeing the world. This taught me to better understand their reactions and not to judge their actions.
This gift that God has given me lifts my spirit, fills me with joy, and helps me live what He asks of me: to be compassionate, attentive to the needs of others, and always open to what is new and different.
Sr. Stella María Sanz Asia Pacific Province