My Very First CIT
Xiaoyan Xiao
Xiamen Unviersity China
(International Scholarship Recipient)
Thanks to the international scholarship I was able to cover some costs and attend the 2012 CIT at Charlotte. This is my very first CIT and it’s been a most enriching and fascinating experience for my career.
The 4-day experience at the conference has been a real feast for my eyes, my ears, and my heart. As one of the few FM users at the conference I was very very impressed by the quality of the English interpretation I’ve received and so depended upon. I was also attracted by the performance of the CDIs and their seamless teamwork with hearing interpreters.
At the opening ceremony President Alan Hurwitz’s talk reminded me of the situation in China today where the interpreting academia has only just started to recognize the signed mode.I’m very moved by his story and hope to do what I can, being a hen or a pig, so that it won’t take as long for China to make advances.
I identified myself and my own students in China in Dr. Mark Taylor’s talk, though we live in such different social and cultural environments. Melissa Malzkuhn’s speech on publishing in ASL is such new concept and an eye-opener for me and most people working with signed language in China. And after the wonderful talk by Dr. Carolyn Ball, I’ve sent dozens of message back to my deaf friends in China, asking them to try find connections with a People’s Congress Representative (Chinese equivalent of a senator ).
I wish I could go to all the parallel sessions in the afternoons, but could only be at one a time. I was impressed by the wide range of research topics, for instance the Gallaudet Interpretation PhD students presentations, and the thought-provoking and liveliness of classroom activities introduced, some of which, I’m very excited to see, are very similar to what I do in my class training spoken language interpreters in China. After all, we are all engaged in one of the best jobs in the world: teaching bright young people to become top interpreters.
I’ve also enjoyed the moments of socializing with colleagues during coffee breaks, lunch by the lakeside in the warm sun, drinks at the bar, and the conference banquet. I’ve met and talked to many fellow trainers and interpreters, most of who have informed me and inspired me in one way or another. And I certainly hope vice versa.
Thank you CIT scholarship committee for selecting me. I’ll pass the iCORE values and the warm spirits and excellent teamwork of CIT, and CIVILITY, on and on and on….