2007.03.26: March 26, 2007: Headlines: COS - Thailand: Service: Laos: Refugees: Fort Wayne News-Sentinel: Thailand RPCV Steven Major, a translator for the American Red Cross MIX program in Fort Wayne, has helped local refugees with his ability to speak Thai and Lao
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2007.03.26: March 26, 2007: Headlines: COS - Thailand: Service: Laos: Refugees: Fort Wayne News-Sentinel: Thailand RPCV Steven Major, a translator for the American Red Cross MIX program in Fort Wayne, has helped local refugees with his ability to speak Thai and Lao
Thailand RPCV Steven Major, a translator for the American Red Cross MIX program in Fort Wayne, has helped local refugees with his ability to speak Thai and Lao
Major served in the Peace Corps in Thailand from 1981 to 1984 and worked there from 1987 to 1993. He lived in Laos from 1993 to 2005 and became skilled in both countries’ languages. Major did translation work overseas. He translated for the producer of the TV movie “Shooter” in 1988 and during his last five years in Laos he worked at a school. At the school he learned how to deal with sensitive issues such as talking to parents about student discipline problems and financial issues. He met his wife, Den, in her native Thailand and they were married in 1987. She speaks Thai and Lao, which gives him a chance to practice his language skills. Major’s wife said he speaks Thai well but, as her husband translated, “He does have an accent.” He would not call himself fluent, but describes his language ability as, “very competent.” Major moved back to the United States after he and his daughters came to the U.S. for a vacation. His daughters, 17 and 19, wanted to finish their education in the United States. Major thought it was a wise idea and in 2005 he made Antwerp his home once again. He does not know how long he will stay in the U.S., and he misses living overseas. It has been hard adjusting back to life here after living in Southeast Asia for so long. “I haven’t defined my life here yet,” he said. “I would be happy to do more (translation), but there is a limited need for that skill.” For now, he is willing to volunteer his translation services to people in Fort Wayne.
Thailand RPCV Steven Major, a translator for the American Red Cross MIX program in Fort Wayne, has helped local refugees with his ability to speak Thai and Lao
Giving voice
Volunteer Steven Major uses language ability to speak for others
By Allison Graber
agraber@news-sentinel.com
Caption: Steven Major (center), a translator for the American Red Cross MIX program in Fort Wayne, has helped local refugees with his ability to speak Thai and Lao.
Former Peace Corps volunteer Steven Major uses his language skills to help others.
Major does volunteer translation work for the MIX program, a translation arm of the American Red Cross in Fort Wayne. The 49-year-old grew up in Ohio and lives in Antwerp, Ohio, but has a connection with Fort Wayne that is more than 20 years in the making.
He lived in Thailand and Laos after his service in the Peace Corps, which gave him the opportunity to learn two languages.
“He is very qualified and a person you can count on. He is one of our best volunteers,” said Irene Paxia, head of the MIX program.
Because of events on the other side of the world, people in Fort Wayne need Major’s expertise.
When Burmese flee from Burma to Thailand and have children in Thailand, the children have Thai birth certificates. After refugees come to Fort Wayne, Major translates the birth certificates from Thai to English.
Although his work may not seem exciting, it is necessary to keep up-to-date records for refugees in the area.
He also has done translation work in other critical areas in the community.
He was hired as a translator for a court case in Fort Wayne by DeSoto Translation and Marketing in the beginning of 2006. When he introduced himself as the Thai translator, people in the courtroom were confused because he did not look Thai.
“No one expected a tall white guy to speak Thai. I had to explain my background,” he said.
After he graduated with a political science degree from Wittenberg University in Ohio, he wanted to do something different with his life. He served in the Peace Corps in Thailand from 1981 to 1984 and worked there from 1987 to 1993. He lived in Laos from 1993 to 2005 and became skilled in both countries’ languages.
Major did translation work overseas. He translated for the producer of the TV movie “Shooter” in 1988 and during his last five years in Laos he worked at a school. At the school he learned how to deal with sensitive issues such as talking to parents about student discipline problems and financial issues.
He met his wife, Den, in her native Thailand and they were married in 1987. She speaks Thai and Lao, which gives him a chance to practice his language skills.
Major’s wife said he speaks Thai well but, as her husband translated, “He does have an accent.”
He would not call himself fluent, but describes his language ability as, “very competent.”
Major moved back to the United States after he and his daughters came to the U.S. for a vacation. His daughters, 17 and 19, wanted to finish their education in the United States. Major thought it was a wise idea and in 2005 he made Antwerp his home once again. He does not know how long he will stay in the U.S., and he misses living overseas. It has been hard adjusting back to life here after living in Southeast Asia for so long.
“I haven’t defined my life here yet,” he said. “I would be happy to do more (translation), but there is a limited need for that skill.” For now, he is willing to volunteer his translation services to people in Fort Wayne.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a weekly series about people like you living in Allen County. The feature appears every Monday on the Local page. If you have someone we should showcase in Our Town, contact us at 461-8354 or e-mail us at nsmetro@news-sentinel.com.
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Headlines: March, 2007; Peace Corps Thailand; Directory of Thailand RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Thailand RPCVs; Service; Refugees; Indiana
When this story was posted in April 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:
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Story Source: Fort Wayne News-Sentinel
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Thailand; Service; Laos; Refugees
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