Ron is a certified interpreter who worked for many years at Columbus Colony Elderly Care in Sunbury, Ohio. Ron definitely has Deaf Heart, and is a hoot to work with! Listen/read Ron's story of growing up CODA.
Ron is a certified interpreter who worked for many years at Columbus Colony Elderly Care in Sunbury, Ohio. Ron definitely has Deaf Heart, and is a hoot to work with! Listen/read Ron's story of growing up CODA.
Hello and welcome to Tina's Corner podcast. We are a group of like minded sign language interpreters set out to improve the field of sign language interpreting. We have deaf, hearing and DeafBlind consumers and both hearing and deaf interpreters. Now the focus of this podcast is to strengthen the bond between those groups of individuals, all persons, regardless of years of experience will benefit. I am Tina Perry, and I welcome you. Now today I have run invited Ron Opitish or also known as Ron Opitich to share his insights and experiences so that others can see that interpreters travel different roads on their journey, only to arrive at the same destination, equality of information for all consumers. Welcome, Ron.
Ron:Thank you. It's wonderful to be here.
Tina:Well, I'm so glad you're here. Now, let me do a little introduction of Ron because this could take all day, so I had to cut it down just a little bit. Now Ron is a CODA, a child of deaf adults, and hails from Youngstown, Ohio. Now, yeah, yeah, Youngstown. In 1980. Ron went to work at Columbus Colony Elderly Care as a sign language interpreter. Now, he went there, and wasn't educated in the field of interpreting but had what we call "on the job training". Now while he was there, he also co-hosted what's called "Hand in Hand", where it he was the hearing co-host of this talk show, if you will, and they even won two awards. How awesome is that? Now, Ron worked at Columbus Colony from 1980, to about 1993. And then in 1994, Ron then went to Deaf Services Center in South West Florida. And now currently, Ron, for the past 18 years, has worked as a VRS interpreter for Purple Communications. Ron is a great friend, a great interpreter, and I welcome you.
Ron:Well, thank you, Tina. Appreciate that. You know, the one thing that and I understand why you left it out, but I would like to focus on it, if I could just a little bit in the fact that I worked in the steel mills, you know, we were in Youngstown, when I worked in the steel mills. You know, I've always wanted to be an interpreter, but I had no idea how to do that. You know how to even get into that, until there was this opening at Columbus Colony, which is, you know, at the time, the only nursing home care for the deaf in the United States, they also have the apartments, and I just, you know, went out on a limb and I was able to get the job, right. And here I am working in, you know, in that environment, no training, no background, you know, information even, and nothing, you know, no ITP program. For me to that I went to at that time, even though there was one, but it was very formative in those days. And when I look back on that now, that was hugmongus is just so challenging. And I look back and I go, wow, it's pretty cool. But anyway, I just wanted to say that
Tina:So to our listening audience, what you're going to hear today is the challenges of CODA interpreters. We I'm a CODA and Ron's a CODA. So we're going to see who's going to be the leader of this podcast, because Ron I was going to get there. (laughter) So to our listening audience, you may hear a little bit of challenges between he and I, but we'll work with it.
Ron:Oh, right. And later on, I am going to talk about one of the greatest interpreting assignments I ever had. And that was with you.
Tina:Oh, boy. Okay, Ron. Ron, should I just let you just take off and just I just mute myself?
Ron:No,no, sorry. Sorry. Sorry. You're the host. I'm sorry. Go ahead.
Tina:Ron. Oh, goodness. So we started at Columbus Colony Elderly Care CCEC in in Sunbury, Ohio, where both my parents lived until they passed one of the greatest places for people who are deaf and in need of nursing home care. But back in the day, when you were there you and Linda and the other staff that were there. It was boy beyond awesome. I would say, tell me what. Okay, so I kind of refer to it as on the job training for you there. (Ron) Yeah Yes. Yeah, (Tina) Tell me Tell me. Why did they hire you?
Ron:I have no earthly idea. Oh, I do. Wait a minute. I do know I had an in that I didn't even know I had at the time when this happened. You remember Marguerite Moore? (Tina) I sure do. (Ron) And somehow in that now as I'm thinking, you know, going back then I initially contacted Skip Bergquist way back in the day. And I don't know how I got him I don't know where that came from, but I did contact him. He led me to Marguerite and then Marguerite led me to the powers that be at the time in Columbus Colony Incorporated the administrators there so they, she gave them my name. And and I went to interpret for you know, I don't know for it's okay to name drop like this, but like Tom Penny, who was the the accountant there the comptroller at the time, and they needed an interpreter for him with them. So I auditioned, at the time with Tom and one of the administrators. And there came to a point where you know, you know, Tom's challenging and this was cold, I've never, never knew it, never met him, didn't know him. Never seen him sign. And here I am interpreting for him, just straight out of the box. And the one of the the administrator, I'll give him a name. His name was Mickey. He said, Whoa, stop. I think you made a mistake there. So he asked Tom again, to repeat what he said. And then when he said it again, I was correct. And he was wrong. Oh, that that's why I you know, I'm here today. What I mean is just that moment alone, right there was thumbs up or down for me, you know, and that was it. And then I that's where I started to my career there at Columbus Colony. So that's how,
Tina:And Tom just recently passed. And yeah, we all loved him. He was just awesome. But you're right. He was you better know how to interpret for Tom Penny.
Ron:Yep. you really do.
Tina:You became the interpreter there. Now. Were you the were there other interpreters at the time? Or were you just the only one?
Ron:I was in the beginning. The first six months, I worked at CCI Columbus Colony Incorporated, there's three parts there's CCI Columbus ColonyIncorporated, CCH Columbus Colony Housing, and then CCEC Columbus Colony, Elderly Care, and that's the nursing home. So the first six months I worked at CCI, and they could see the funding was it's all government funding and, you know, grants things like that. Nonprofits that that carried CCI, and they were running out of money. So, Linda Ford at the time, she was Linda Ford. She was the interpreter at the nursing home. She was able to bail me out of CCI and and hired me over at CCEC. So she saved my butt there. And she saw I worked there. Yes, she's another CODA. Exactly. So I worked with her for 13 glorious years. She was awesome. She was she was the, you know, the boss. She was the the lead interpreter there. And she was amazing. So it was just a great 13 years at the nursing home.
Tina:And it was amazing for the residents there as well.
Ron:Oh my gosh, I love those(inaudible). You know, we developed like, three or four trips, we you know, because, you know me Tina I'm a traveler and these, you know, these patients, these the residents there, a lot of them that never been anywhere, nowhere and we fundraise and did you know, collected bottles lunamon All kinds of things to raise money to take a trip somewhere and we took them to you know, we did the local things like Kings Island, you know those things, but we took them to Disney World. We took him down to Disney World. We went to we took him to the Smoky Mountains. We went down there to Gatlinburg. We took him to Niagara Falls. We went there. And I know there was another place that I can't think of. But what I was proud of is that they kept doing it for another couple of years. Even after I left. They took them to Boston In Philadelphia, and it was really nice. And you know, and as time moves on regulations and paperwork, where they they're not able to do that.
Tina:Yeah, things are much different today. . So you were an on staff full time interpreter?
Ron:For CCEC. Oh, we have both. Yeah. I was 40 hours a week. Yeah. And do you we work we work from like back, back then we both of us work from nine to five. And now they have, I think, either 24 hour coverage or 12 hour coverage? Yeah.
Tina:Yeah. So where do you think your Coda-ship, If I I'm going to call it that. Do you think that helped you in this? I'm sure it did. But can you kind of let us know? How do you think being a CODA helped you to get those positions?
Ron:I think well, okay, we're gonna we I think you need to put it in the context of 1980. In 1980, I think being a CODA was even more of a bad, credible, you know, missing a word that I'm trying to think of it, I think it had more weight back then. Because it was so new, everything was just so new. And if you're a CODA, you're automatically a , you know, you know, sign language. That doesn't mean you're an interpreter. At least you know what I even knew that I even knew that in 1980. Just because I knew how to sign doesn't mean, I am an interpreter. I knew that. So I was very aware of that. But I think that carried a lot of weight. So even though you didn't have the training, or experience anywhere else, they didn't, I don't think they care. As long as you were CODA you, they figured you could sign and that is credible enough to get you a position. And because I auditioned, I made it through the hoop. And I was able to, you know, work there.
Tina:So I think the other part of this is, obviously a lot of the residents, there are elderly, and their signing style, their choice of signs. Maybe were a little more knowledgeable to you as a CODA, would you agree?
Ron:Correct? Oh, absolutely, with my parents, I mean, I used to when I moved there, I used to use the old side of phone where you have your left hand, you know, over your mouth and the right hand over your ear. And they were going, you know, we're in the 20th century now. And we have, you know, we have these kinds of phones. And it's the, you know, the, by the way, I'll use that, you know, and I go what in the world, you know, what is wrong with me, you know, so that was the learning curve. I was just going through that with many signs like that there were many, but at least I knew them. So when I see the residents use them, I knew what they were.
Tina:And a lot of residents still use those older. I just, you know, recently, before my dad passed, I would see some of those old signs still being used by those residents.
Ron:And God love them. .
Tina:Yeah then the opposite is, but we've gotten young interpreters who are not familiar with those signs becoming challenged by those signs. Although, as we are hearing in the inner other interviews, the more possibilities you have as an interpreter, the better off you are. So when you see those older signs as a new interpreter in the field, it's like yeah, I know what that is. I've been exposed to it. I've got that in my bank. I may not see it a lot. But I do see it and now I understand what it is. But for us as CODA who are, you know, grew up with those older signs. You know, that was that was a blessing to us. The other part is having home signs. Did you ever encounter that? Do you have what we would consider home signs and they were like, Wait, nobody understands. That's not the sign for cereal?
Ron:Right? Oh, yeah. My big one was Milk my sign for mill. My mother would be embarrassed if I use that sign, you know, anywhere else the public would say. You don't say that around hearing people or other deaf especially other deaf people. This sign I used for milk. It's the flat o handshake in front of your mouth, and it's just going up and down just in front of your mouth.
Tina:And that might be a problem Ron.
Ron:(laughter) Guess so I guess that is a problem. But that was my sign for milk. And it's because I was I was using that sign since I was a toddler. You know, for milk, verify that. Yeah. And I tried to tell my mom, I said, Mom, well, you know, hearing people, their kids have little, you know, words that they use that you really don't use out in the public, you know, hearing people have them too, you know, so it's not that bad.
Tina:I'm sorry, but you know what I forgot to do. Tell me about your mom and your dad a little bit, please.
Ron:Well, my mom was from South Carolina, in the Deep South, and she wanted to I think she never said it this way. But I think she was looking for a guy, a husband. You know, someone that she could marry in other words, but see, they were slim pickins in South Carolina, and her opinion at the time. So her best friend was already working in Akron, in at Firestone, Firestone, Rubber Company and tire, and she got her a job there. So my mom moved to Akron from Greenville, South Carolina, and I have her on videotape telling that story. It's an amazing story of her going there. So she did get a job at Firestone but they weren't making tires. This was during World War Two. They were not making tires. They were making airplanes. They were making bombers. I guess, they're making World War Two type fighter planes out of a thing. So she was so tiny at the time, she could fit in between the wing. And she would be Rosie the Riveter kind of person where she would hold the, the, I guess, the butt of whatever is that you have to hold down and that her friend Mary, who's deaf as well, she would be riveting from the, from the from the bottom, just riveting up so that they could secure it. Yeah, that's what my mom did. And then my dad, he grew up in Youngstown, Youngstown, Ohio, and he would go to school and just as an aside, but you know, he would go to the School for the Deaf in Columbus. And, you know, he would go back and forth. But when his when his, when he graduated, he ended up being he was an entrepreneur at heart. So he had a shoe repair shop in the basement of his home. And that's what I remember when I grew up there when he had the shoe repair shop, but by the time you know, the mid 50s, when the war was over, and people did not need to, you know, repair their shoes as much as they would just go out and buy new shoes. His business really went down. And he he went in and just worked in factory work around Youngstown, he couldn't work in the steel mills, they wouldn't hire him. So he couldn't get those really good high paying jobs. So but anyway, that's an aside. So he back in the 40s he would go to Akron to look for a lady, you know, look for a woman so he would go there and that's where he met my mom because Akron at the time was the mecca for deaf people because the factories there would hire deaf people as opposed to car manufacturers would not at the time, steel mills would not you know, the tire companies would so that's why Akron became so so popular with the deaf that the population there was booming, it was the New York City for deaf people. And that's where he went that's where he met my mom. And and then they got married and lived in Youngstown and and then I remember growing up going to Akron almost every other Sunday to function somewhere in Akron. And it and I had to go and it drove me crazy. There was no radio in the car. I mean, oh my gosh, the 1955 Ford custom home I got in the backseat staring at the dashboard where the radio should be. It has a little plug, you know, because you know what if my dad made a radio for? Come on, I'm not going to pay that extra option of any dollars for a radio. (Tina) This is great.(Ron) So there I am in the backseat only child, don't say anything about only children. Backseat only child and I my mind is running rampant with all kinds of crazy you know Ccazy stuff in my head, all the all the things that I thought of I think that's why I have such a vivid imagination, even to this day, but anyway go ahead..
Tina:So both your parents signed, correct? (Ron) Oh, yeah. (Tina) And you signed with them as well as a kid.
Ron:Yeah, would you My mom was a little different than my dad. My dad was more ASL. My mom had a little bit more English, she loved to read, love to read. So she would read a lot of things. But then she would her guilty pleasure was, you know, Hollywood magazines at the time, not people wasn't even didn't even exist that it was Screen Gems, photo play, you know, those kinds of magazines where you would see the, like Doris Day and Rock Hudson and their homes and what they look like, and you know, where they went out. And if she would read those kinds of magazines a lot. And then she bought, then she would have LIFE magazine also and look. So she had those magazines, too. So she read a lot. My dad did not, he did not read. He read the newspaper as best he could. Yeah.
Tina:Were they both? How far did they go in their education.
Ron:Both of them graduated. Both of them graduated from, my dad from OSD. And my mom from the South Carolina School for the Deaf in Spartanburg, South Carolina. But she said that the grade at that time only went up to the 11th grade. So she graduated at the 11th grade is as she told me now, you know, she was born in 1913. So graduation would have been what in the 20s? Early 20s? I think and so that possibly could, you know, probably is what it was back then.
Tina:Yeah. So Ron, were you? Were you considered the child interpreter for your parents?
Ron:I wasn't. That's one of the things that I regret. I wasn't. I was not, a little bit, a little bit. But I was, believe it or not very shy.
Tina:I don't believe it. Okay.
Ron:I, I was I didn't use the we didn't have a phone for a longest time. We did not. I don't know why we didn't. When I was afraid to use the phone, they would take me somewhere maybe for meetings. And I was just scared. I was so afraid to use phone to pick it up to dial talk to someone cold like I was I was just frozen. You know, scared to do that.
Tina:You've come out of your shell. That's for sure.
Ron:I did. Didn't I we finally did get a phone. As I got older in my teens, and then I was you know, I was loosening up and I was more confident. And yeah, I made phone calls for them. Then when I was in my late teens,(Tina) I see.
Tina:So you did interpreting quote unquote, phone calls. So what did how did when they went to the doctor or whatever, how did they communicate then, you know,
Ron:My mom did not, she needed an interpreter and she and I look back on that. I knew she needed one. And I knew she you know, she knew she needed one. But where? how do you there's there was no such thing back then. And she really had some I guess female problems. And she didn't want me to do that. So there was no way that I was going to do it. You know, and I didn't realize that that's what the situation was. But no, I never I never really did. I never really interpreted that much.
Tina:So they would just write notes?
Ron:Yeah, Yeah, they did. And they were happy to do it.
Tina:Yeah. I think there's two two groups. I've been I interviewed other interpreters who are their parents were the same way. They had that little pad, you know, not the women, but the men had their little pad in their front pocket, pencil and pad ready to go and didn't want their their daughter to do the interpreting. Do you think your parents didn't want you to or just, it just didn't work out that way?
Ron:I just, I think for my dad. He really didn't want me to he really I think he liked, you know, being the lead person in To me. That's probably why he taught him that Ron. So you his mind, you know, just doing it himself. And because he did it his whole life. I think Youngstown was very, I think they really accepted my dad. They weren't afraid of him is you know a lot of hearing people are afraid to deaf people to you know, communicate with whatever. But Youngstown just awesome. It's almost like New York. They don't care. You know, you come in you want to talk to me you want to write something out write it. You know, just write it out. (Tina) That's why you love New York right? (on) I do. I do. I love that attitude. And yes, is exactly the same way, really is. So they come in, they're not fazed. They just write okay, my dad wants to write and they write back, you know, and they get along really well. My dad got along in his neighborhood. He was so loved in his neighborhood. And he never was left it out there but he didn't leave it until way later in life. So when I grew up there, it was just all accepted. Everybody knew him. We it was just family. I mean, everybody, nobody, it was. It was amazing, really was it my dad, my neighbor, learned, he taught, okay, my dad taught my neighbor sign language, but for some reason, he didn't teach him ASL, you know, fingerspelling from ASL, he taught in the British sign, like the British alphabet what did he do that for??? You know, you know, after I realized what was going on, what did you teach know, it's the ABC, you know, and those two would be going back and forth in a fluid conversation. fluid. It was amazing. I didn't know what they were saying. didn't know what they were saying. They were probably talking about you. They probably were. But the thing is, he taught him this when they were kids. They grew up in the same they grew up in the same house. I mean, they were still there. Well, you know, yeah, he taught him this when he was a kid when they were in their, you know, teens probably. Yeah.
Tina:So you did not interpret so but you still became an interpreter. But there are other things that we as CODAs have, as far as our personality goes, Do you believe you still have some of those CODA personalities such as bluntness, protectiveness direct, being very direct? Do you possess those characteristics?
Ron:This is going to be the one time I could just give you a one word answer. Yes. (laughter)
Tina:Okay. Yes,
Ron:yes. Yes, I do. I know. That I I might take another step in there. Yeah, I might. But I think I do it just to make sure that the information is as clear as it can be. You know, I that's, that's how I look at that.
Tina:So, you know, I don't know if you have seen this, but I have that we as CODAs really have a reputation. And sometimes it's not very good. Among other interpreters, even so much, I think it's just a really a matter of misunderstanding us. Now, there are some of us, as far as CODAs go that kind of give us a bad, a bad rap, you know, maybe a little egotistical or, you know, thank God, I'm here, because now we can get on with the show. That happens. But that probably happens in all professions. But I think for us is CODA I think CODAs, we get a bad rap. What if you have a brand new interpreting student or a person who's just starting in the field, and they're like, I don't really want to work with a CODA, what advice would you give to that person about teaming with an with a CODA?
Ron:is the first thing I tell them. I admire you so much for getting into this field coming from a totally hearing background, you are taking the challenge of learning this language that takes a hell of a long time to get from absolutely not knowing one sign to getting your certification. There's a friend of mine that that, you know, in their estimation, in their opinion, it is more difficult to go from zero to getting your certification than it is to become a doctor. But, I mean, it is just an incredible, you know, challenge to get from A to Z, you know, so I tell them that first, I admire you so much. You all have got to challenge us as CODA easy. It's easy. Sometimes we have to get around our ego to get where you go where you're going, you know, we got to get around our ego to get there. You know, that's our challenge to get around that. But I admire you all so much for for doing this and taking, you know, trying to be a professional in the in it as an interpreter as where I start.
Tina:That's awesome. That is awesome because I don't I think what non CODA interpreters don't realize is, you know, you have something we want too I know you look at CODA and like oh I wish I could have that sensitivity as far as I sensitivity to be able to see things that I as a non CODA cannot see CODA cannot see. But you also non CODA have things that we are kind of envious if that's a good word envious of like you, you know, what you're doing is called, when you say to us, why did you do that, CODA? We were like, because it felt right. Is a hard concept to explain to a non CODA interpreter. Wouldn't do you agree?
Ron:Yeah. Oh, yes. That, that we go way down into our soul and go back to when we were Oh, yeah. To what our experiences were as a kid, as a young adult, whatever it is. Yeah. I mean, we just, it's just that's ingrained. It is, it permeate permeate us.
Tina:Exactly. And you know, CODAs have their own culture or their own, we have our own identity, as well. And I think, you know, there are times where I may see something that somebody has signed, it's like, I got it, but boy, that only because it came to me only because of maybe me being in the world of the Deaf world, the way I have been, and whatever, just sometimes, you know, you try to get a non CODA. And I'm talking to you as an educator, when I'm trying to get a student to, did you see that? They're like, No, yeah. And we replay the replay. And they're like, I just don't know , that, that's what that means. Those are very challenging things to teach, and very challenging things to learn. But the key, I believe, and I think you're going to agree with this is that immersion factor, like you, you want to be in the middle of it all, as with Deaf people, because once you're there, and you see the different signing styles of different signs, you're on your way. (Ron) Right. So you're right. And so go ahead. (Ron) Oh, go ahead. Go ahead.
Ron:I have a what I was gonna say is that, I think for me, I, I'm, you know, I still continue to be in the Deaf world. You know, I mean, I have a lot of deaf friends, you know, just the other day, you know, Ron Patterson and I went down to the that model train display in, in Cincinnati, and it's just, I just become a deaf person. When I'm with them, you know, I'm not talking about you know, so I really get into that ASL mode, but it's more than that. It's more than that. It's just is and I, I feel so comfortable there. You know, I mean, the lady that cleans my house is deaf, you know, I mean, we spent an hour talking before she, you know, picks up a broom, you know, I mean, you know, and we just, you know that
Tina:Your Deaf hellos and your deaf goodbyes.
Ron:Oh, man, so we just, you know, but that's my, that really is my world. I kind of I left it after high school, you know, but I got back into it, I think when I started interpreting Columbus Colony, and then Tom Penny, and then I think, you know, got into it more and more, that, you know, Ron Shillingburg, who has passed and he ended up being an interpreter as well. We were, you know, best friends along with John Moore. He's my other best friend, I'm lucky to have two, you know, and then you, you know, and then our things that we did. were amazing, you know, you know, so I was in that world, so I think I'm always in that world, you know? Exactly. It just, it just is. And I've also learned that you know, in relationships. You know, CODAs can be good. They could be good and bad. It when you're dating or you're married to or in a relationship with a CODA. But mostly, I think, as I look around with CODAs, in the in, in the, in the organization, there's a lot of happy CODAs that are together. They're happier than they've ever been. And they met at, you know, through COVID, you know, so it's
Tina:I can't imagine being married to another CODA. I just can't. But
Ron:oh, (laughter) I think you'd be great. I think you would
Tina:Well, we know what my husband is like, and he does not understand me. And I know, because I'm a CODA or just because I'm Tina.
Ron:That's right. Well, both, but yes, but another CODA of would. But, but what you two have though, is well, we're not going to get into that now. But there's, it's more than between you two, it's more than just being you know, because you're a CODA he's not. Oh, so that it works. It works for you guys. But a lot of times it does not. It does not. Yeah, they don't they don't get it for you know, they don't get CODAs, or they don't get CODAs, and then they don't try to understand it.
Tina:Yeah. Well, sometimes it's, it's a little different. I'm not gonna lie. But But what I'm hearing you say, Ron, is is Deaf Heart, that you have Deaf Heart. Ron Schillingburg had Deaf Heart, you know, yeah. Linda Ford, myself. Yeah, we have Deaf Heart. That means, you know, I am an interpreter. That's my occupation. But I am part of the world of deafness and deaf people. And we are their advocates. And they see us, you know, as part of them,
Ron:Right. And then there's, then there's a few that are CODAs that have that part. And you know, and I say the hearing the hearing John Moore you know, Mm hmm. Definitely has Deaf Heart.
Tina:Yes. Yeah. So I'm sorry, if I made it sound like it's only CODAs that have Deaf Heart? Absolutely not. There are many, many awesome, non CODA interpreters who I think the deaf community would consider them having Deaf Heart. And I think that's so important. So for anybody that's listening, and you're just new, and you don't understand, find out what that means. I hope that if you've been through an ITP program that or an IEP program, or whatever they're calling it, that they have talked to you about that, and I think that's so important to our success. Ron, we got to wind down, this has been awesome. But yes, I'm gonna give you one more opportunity.
Ron:I got I got two and then I'll stop. Okay, in the fact that there, there are some interpreters that do not have what we consider Deaf Heart, you know, that's okay. You know, if they just want them as a profession to be a good interpreter, to really, you know, hone your craft. And then you're, you're, you're done, you don't clock out. But I mean, you know, you're kind of done with with the responsibilities that you have, and you go back to whatever life that you, you know, are comfortable with and want to have. That's fine, too. You know, in my opinion, I mean, there's variations of that, but if that's what they want in and, and that's where they're the most comfortable. I respect that as well. I respect that as well. And the last thing is, in interpreting when you and I interpreted for that one performer that was deaf, and we were voicing, and we were going back and forth. If you remember that in the auditorium, that was the greatest interpreting day I ever had in my life, if you remember that, it was awesome. Well, thank you. You're always so much fun to work with. And you know what, when you can look back and say working with another interpreter was awesome. That means it was a great. I don't know what I want to call that everything worked. Like if we were a gear, everything Yeah, work together. And no competition. You're no better. We worked together. We were I mean, I think we I think I even remember, we were so shoulders to shoulder. Like, yeah, we were an extension of each other because it was it was stressful. It was fun. But it was stressful. And the two of us working together. And I think those make the best teaming assignments when you can walk away from that and go, we both rock that. Oh, and there was the person that hired me to do that. She said that that was awesome. You know, and, you know, see, she's hard to not hard to please but, you know, she's her opinion matters, you know, and she was very impressed at what we did. It was like riding a surfboard on a wave. It was just amazing. Yeah.
Tina:That's awesome. Thanks, Ron, for that. I appreciate that. I really appreciate you coming here and, and just kind of opening up to us. You know, that's, there's probably we could go on for hours and days. Well, we have, I know I've run before Ron, I've got 10 minutes, and then four hours later we're still talking. Ron is Yeah, loves to talk, but so why so I that's what makes these sometimes challenging for us, but I appreciate you coming here, and just giving us your all in talking about how awesome it is to be a CODA. And you got one last thing to say, before we go?
Ron:Yeah, you know, I think it's someone who is not a CODA and would like to get into the Interpreter Training Program, or would you even think about being an interpreter. Just give it a try. Just, you know, see where it because you would have to I think, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think to be an interpreter, you have to love languages. And not have to, but it helps. But I think that that's what that I think that's what draws people into the, into the program or to be a sign language. They love languages, and they love the mechanics of it. Whereas me, I mean, I'm a CODA I did not come from that place at all. I mean, I still don't know what, uh, what do you do? an adjective and an adverb. You know, any of that? I don't know, you know, I just do what I do. And I love what I do so much. That for the CODAs out there on the other side, that would think about wanting to be an interpreter. Just don't think, you know, you know, that what an interpreter is, you don't, you know, when you're coming into it cold like that, you know the language and that's such a big step. But you need to get the training so you can get the full picture of what it is to be a certified sign language interpreter.
Tina:Exactly. Thank you, Ron, so much. Thank you to my listening and reading audience. I hope that you've learned something from us, or from Ron at least today. I think we have and again, we all here are our roads are different. Our journeys are different, but we all seem to get to the same destination. Ron, thank you so much.
Ron:You're welcome. Thank you for asking me to do this. This is a pleasure and an honor.
Tina:Thank you so much. Bye now.