Voices from the Journey

The Chicago experience through the eyes and heart of our team.

“Formally it was the first time that I interpreted, I had done it a couple of times for a friend, but these were the big leagues, !AND GO TO THE GREAT LEAGUES!

I was scared to death, I had to listen in English and interpret it in LSM, however there is something that has always existed in DCYIA at least since I am part of them and it is THE TEAM WORK, my team never left me alone and at that time I had Julio de Mérida who spent it supporting me at all times, really strange is a great guy like all members of DCYIA.

I got to visit CHICAGO, it was the first time that I went on a business trip outside my country and I saw a beautiful city, where later Chelo told me that Batman Begins had been filmed, this made me fall in love more. I even had my first cultural error in the Chicago subway, I had to tell the deaf of USA and Mexicans that we should get off at the “The Bean” station, “The bean” the problem is that bean in Mexico is said in a way that in USA is not at all something that looks like a bean.

I loved from the beginning the way DCYIA works with the deaf community, I began to understand how I should work in the future if I wanted to continue collaborating with the Mexican deaf community, I understood that when working for the deaf community we had to work side by side; this I am not ashamed to say since in Mexico many people do not do it like that and I like to be today, someone who can proudly say that my work environments strive to achieve equal opportunity atmospheres, no matter if you listen or not.

I met wonderful people like Gerardo who since then has not let me go and is a person whom I love very much and who has taught me a lot, always so humble, always so handsome, always so mexa, always teaching, always so GERARDO. Hard but always at the service of those who need it.

Alvaro was also there, with the challenge was different, Mexican interpreter and the best in the republic, it was not easy to meet their expectations and I even came to think that this would be my first and last encounter with DCYIA in which I would be, their looks were hard, but as soon as I had time approached to give me retro.

I also remember whoever rests in peace, Kenwin and his enormous songs, UFF a challenge to follow the rhythm.

And of course I forgot Father Joe, my insecurity was immense when I had to get close to him, it was the first time I had to put my English into practice, but I never even made a strange face, since then I was very recorded the way he pronounces my name “Rodrigo”, I love my name and Father Joe reminds me every time he calls me, at that time I did not finish understanding who he was and what he would represent in my life.

And finally… Chelo, that little woman, with equally small steps but with a heart totally disproportionate to her height, was the beginning of an intimate relationship that I treasure today, is today the person who made me enter the deaf community of the world and who has undoubtedly marked my life to even turn to see my most human and erroneous part, always so hard, always so scolding, always so loving, always so Chelo … I will never forget my first experience with DCYIA and what it meant in my life.

Without Chelo, my life would not be the same.“