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The Legacy Of The First Peoples

7/22/2021

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Buried under the earthen ground of this twin-island state, are the whispers, stories and memories of a time once forgotten and unfamiliar faces. Trinidad and Tobago, much like Latin America and the Caribbean chain of islands, once beheld the presence of the indigenous peoples: Tainos and Kalinagos. With the arrival of Christopher Columbus, Christianity and the European colonisers, such tribes were decimated and close to perishing as they slaved away on estates. Yet their resilience and blessing of the Great Spirits, made them persevere.
 
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In 2013, restoration of the Red House, one of the most iconic national buildings in Trinidad and Tobago, disrupted the sands of time and unearthed the treasures of the First Peoples. Their implements and very bones were discovered. Could it have been fate that served as a reminder to T&T that we ought not to forget our historical roots? Was it sheer luck? But the irony of it all — to uncover the burial ground of the first inhabitants of this country under the edifice where parliament and all major political  icons sit and decisions are made for this Republic.
This brought great joy to the current descendants of the First Peoples’ community and so a call was made for a reburial to be held at the Red House. Six years later, once restoration was completed, a grand yet solemn ceremony was held by the surviving First Peoples of Trinidad and Tobago, along with others visiting from Guyana, Suriname, Guatemala, Venezuela, Dominica and as far as Canada and the US. They came to participate in a historical event, pay homage to their ancestors and an ode to the Divinities who walk with them. 
The reinterment took place with huge pottery jars made with Amerindian accents from sister countries and the ritualistic outlay of the remains of almost 60 persons. Offerings of water, flowers, incense, tobacco and traditional music were made while vibrations rocked believers to heartfelt tears and ecstatic states of ‘manifestation’. The present Carib queen, Nona López Calderón Galera Moreno Aquan, participated along with First
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Photo published by the Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
Peoples’ Chief, Bharath-Hernandez, along with shamans, political ministers and other prominent guests. A call was made to institute a public holiday, 14th October, to commemorate those who first shaped the entire Caribbean. Many ethnic and religious groups are honoured; however, the Amerindian community was awarded a one-time holiday in 2017. Perhaps we need to reconsider the need for greater recognition and remembrance of their mark upon this land, similar to other communities. 
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Photo published by the Trinidad Express Newspaper
As part of the revival, monuments that serve as reminders of their legacy were erected throughout the land: ‘Hy Arima’ in Arima, ‘La Venezuela’ in Santa Cruz and now a new statue in Moruga, where there was once a very strong Amerindian presence. The new statue will be named once the elders receive enlightenment and it will be unveiled by Grand Chief Paul Navarro and members of the Warrao community. Finally, a statue 
​has been proposed to be erected over the Red House’s burial site in the near future called ‘The Blood of The First Peoples.’
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For more information:
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  • https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2.398697.ac1612a78f
  • https://newsday.co.tt/2019/10/20/60-first-peoples-remains-laid-to-rest-at-red-house/
  • https://newsday.co.tt/2020/10/10/purublaka-at-red-house/
  • https://trinidadexpress.com/features/local/first-peoples-monument-unveiled-in-moruga/article_ad14e1da-a878-11eb-84b1-a7d6635632be.html
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Let us know if you enjoyed this article in the comments below. Be sure to look out for Hy Arima and the Santa Rosa feast in August.
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Cuba: An Eye-Opening Experience

7/8/2021

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A couple days after writing this article, on Sunday 11 July 2021, demonstrations broke out on the streets of Havana with citizens expressing their discontent with economic hardship exacerbated by the pandemic — resulting in shortages in food and medicine and electricity cuts — and after decades of repression. The current context is important to see and understand the effects of sustained economic sanctions (the blockade) over time, but I would like to share the perspective I gained from my visit regardless.​
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My visit to Cuba on an exchange programme, where we attended classes at El Instituto Superior de Relaciones Internacionales ‘Raúl Roa García’, the Cuban Diplomatic Academy, was such an experience. I went to Cuba on an exchange programme in 2004 during my master’s programme in international relations and this opened my eyes to the differences in
what we expect of a ‘western’ culture and the reality of a ‘western’ economy with a different way of life in terms of the lack of commercialism to which we, in T&T and the western world, have become so accustomed in our day-to-day lives. 

In Havana, there were no such things as malls and shopping centres per se, but open-air craft markets with lots of art, crocheted items, hand-rolled cigars, handmade cigar boxes, wooden handcrafted items, lots of historical books in stores and book stalls, sculptures and other beautifully crafted items which were available at a fraction of the cost that such items would be priced in other countries.
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A well-managed healthcare system, education and housing for all, pride in their resourcefulness, values such as family, education and the importance of people — the value placed on their human resource — were all aspects of this society that stood out for me.

The simple things like enjoying music, the sea breeze and dancing; being able to take a walk at day and night, especially as a woman, without fear of being attacked, robbed or being faced with some form of gun violence, were some of the experiences that made me question the way of life in my own country.

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Everything I had heard about Cuba, or to which I was exposed in the media prior to my visit, seemed so far away from my experience while there. Not to be idealistic, I did learn that people had become accustomed to living without, to getting by on necessities and many were not free to express their political opinions. I even experienced having to buy ice cream in a place dedicated to tourists as opposed to the place set aside for locals, which was purchased in a different currency by tourists (the Cuban Convertible Peso or CUC, now being eliminated).

Visiting a grocery store was definitely an eye-opener. The very basics were available. Having endured a blockade by the US for 46 years by then (the Cuban revolution took place from 1953-1959, the first embargo was imposed in 1958, I visited in 2004), this was the norm for them. Being made to rely on purely or mainly local resources in my country was not something I was able to imagine, but here were these extremely vibrant, creative and resilient people restoring and making do with the assets which they had, by repurposing 20th century cars, and living in buildings built in the previous century, that many owners did not have the resources to upkeep or refurbish.

Attending a ballet show at El Gran Teatro de la Habana was another fantastic experience. This is home to the Cuban National Ballet — the Russian cultural influence is well known here — and I would even say this is among the very best ballet shows I have experienced.

So impressed was I by Cuba and fascinated with this country’s ability to thrive despite many setbacks, that I, about to start my master’s thesis, changed topics completely to focus on ‘Cuba: Development in the Post-Cold War Period’. Perhaps this can be discussed in another article.

For now, I look forward to returning to this beautiful island that is full of culture, music, dance, that is of a different century, a simpler way of life, natural island beauty and people who have adapted to circumstances which, may not be ideal, but necessary perhaps for survival.

What is your experience of Cuba? Share your photos and experience in the comments.
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Journeying Towards Your Dream Career

6/22/2021

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I like to provide hope to those who are looking for career options – whether early in life or later down the road. Since I speak to students in my alma mater during career week every year, I felt the message of hope could also work for a wider audience, since we could all use a little hope and encouragement from time to time.
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What’s more hopeful than sharing your experience – the ups and downs – so that others may see that there is not always a clear-cut path to success? The journey is often more round about than one might imagine. You would not believe that many who have found their niche, found it later in life. I did not always know what my career was going to be. I was not one of those children who, when you ask them, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' had a hard and fast answer. In fact, I had an answer, but it was shot out of the window!! Guess what I wanted to be? I wanted to be a flight attendant. My father would not have it!

There were a couple things that I did know though… I knew I was very good at languages, I was disciplined, had lots of support and positive reinforcement and I was involved in many activities, creating a balance outside of academics.

Having fantastic teachers in school was a blessing. My language teachers, Ms. Edwards, Ms. Lee Pow and Ms. Bartholomew come to mind. My business teacher, Ms. Nicholas, also encouraged me to take on an extra subject – economics – and for that I am also very grateful. In addition, having a family that exposed me to different cultures and experiences from very early played a very important role in my development.

I also had discipline…lots of it. How did this develop? My parents ensured that I was involved in tonnes of curricular activities from very young, so having experiences outside of the academic world helped to create a balance that was key to my holistic development – ballet and modern dance, playing hockey (learning about teamwork), playing the piano (this took loads of discipline for a child who wanted to do gymnastics instead), tennis, all of which helped in developing the discipline to practice. Attending ballet and piano classes and completing exams at various stages of these activities was consistent, even when I wanted to give up. Having the undying support of my parents naturally played a huge part in believing that I would succeed and this was probably the most important part – positive reinforcement was key.

During my secondary school years, yes, I felt uninterested at times and know I did not always live up to my full potential in many areas, but fortunately, by the time Form 5 rolled around, I was focussed enough to hit it out of the park and progress to Advanced Levels (A levels or pre-university).

Ask me during A levels what my career would be, and I’d say I still didn’t know. I originally wanted to study business at university, but guess what, I was not admitted to the business programme. I was admitted to the language programme. At first there was disappointment, but this turned out to be one of the biggest blessings. Even during my university years, I could not say with certainty what my career would be. I just kept doing the things I was good at and continuing to apply discipline, knowing that I was on a path to completing my undergraduate and eventually my Master's degree.

I say all of this to give hope to students and even to those later on in their careers. Secondary and tertiary students especially should not worry too much about not knowing their exact destination. For those later on in their career development, choose one thing to focus on, do it well, and then take the next step. As they say, ‘Rome was not built in a day’. Even if your current job is not your dream job, it is allowing you to get one step closer to your dream. Work experience is a critical part of development, even if that job is not in your ideal field, because you learn key skills in the workplace which can be applied in other scenarios.

In this internet age, there are many opportunities for learning, even for changing directions and creating your own path and these opportunities are available to those willing to put in the time, make sacrifices and use resources that are available – self-help books and videos, coaches, online classes, student and business loans, webinars – free and paid – and so on. I really believe that one’s age and stage in life should not be a deterrent. The time will pass anyway. Why not create the life you want?

Continuing to define your path and adding new skills is a lifelong journey. As long as we are alive, we can make a new choice that will put us in a better position one year from now. What is one step you can take today that will move you closer to your destination? If you do not know your exact destination, what one step can you take towards achieving success in one area of your life?
 
#hope #careerpath #lifechoices #languages #positivereinforcement #lifelonglearning
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The Statue of 'La Venezuela"

6/14/2021

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PicturePhoto by Don Dada Innovations LLC and uploaded by Curly Sue.

In the once hushed valley, neatly tucked away with the overgrowth of trees and plants and rich with biodiversity, existed the settlement of the Santa Cruz valley. At first, the area was settled by the indigenous Amerindians who had spread throughout the island, hailing all the way from the South American mainland. A peaceful life was slowly taken from their grasp with the encroachment of the Spaniards and French creoles who decided to use this fertile and lush land to establish cocoa and coffee estates, as land grants were given to them around 1785. This area became one of the most economically significant plantations in Trinidad.
 
What once was a thriving rural indigenous community became not only colonised, but also a pseudo battlefield. In many portrayals of this history, the Amerindians were illustrated as being aggressors, but they were triggered by the fact that their livelihoods were slowly being taken away from them and so they defended their territories. This was the case with Santa Cruz. With each new move by the Spaniards, the natives retaliated with their primitive weapons, which were no match for the supremacy of European artillery.
 
However, there seemed to exist a mutual truce between certain members of both social groups whereby they cooperated with each other. This was the case with the historical figure behind La Venezuela. This native worked alongside the Spanish in harmony, but was considered a traitor to his people as he exposed their plots of attack to the foreigners. In the end, to silence the snitch, the death sentence was required and so, he was murdered by his tribesmen for his betrayal. In gratitude for his work, the Spanish built the cylindrical tower with an effigy of the heroic Amerindian atop.
 
Some residents claim that the statue once held a bow and arrow which were stolen. Another believed there was an escape tunnel from the tower to the San Juan river dug by the Spaniards in case of rebellion. But who really knows? The valley is shrouded in mystery and history, as are many parts of Trinidad and Tobago, the stories and meanings of which we may never know.
 
We hope you enjoyed this segment of our ‘Know Your Country Tour’. If you have suggestions on artefacts, persons or sites to be featured next, let us know in the comments below.
 
For more information, check out Angelo Bissessarsingh’s Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago on Facebook here: https://www.ttao.ca/news--info/the-story-behind-la-venezuela.

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Limelight Featured RMC on their IG page

5/28/2021

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We were featured by Limelight today. Limelight is a hub, using Instagram as its platform, showcasing Trinidadians and Tobagonians, at home or abroad, who have a positive impact within society. They would like to feature more Trinidad and Tobago entrepreneurs. Check out their Instagram here to be featured: https://www.instagram.com/followthelimelight/. 

You can also Like, Share and Follow RMC's IG here: https://www.instagram.com/rmclanguageconsultancy.
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"Rebecca Cockburn is the Managing Director of RMC Language Consultancy Limited.

She enjoys helping her customers to communicate, negotiate and transact business in foreign languages, and develop intercultural skills for success in global environments.

She studied six languages and firmly believes that understanding the languages and cultural nuances of one’s target market is one of the best ways to connect with them.

With a background in languages, economics, a Master’s Degree in International Relations and certificates in translation, Rebecca’s passion for perfecting languages, especially in the written form, led her to a career in translation. This was a skill in which she excelled at university and throughout her professional career. She was exposed to it in varying degrees through her work at a Spanish-speaking diplomatic mission, while working for the Trinidad and Tobago Government as foreign language specialist and through a private sector translation retainer, all before starting her company — RMC Language Consultancy — nine years ago.

Her exposure to foreign languages and culture through university exchange programmes to several Latin American countries, work in Spain, personal travel and intercultural adventures, all contributed to her love for and deep understanding of these cultures. This experience also led her to intercultural coaching where she supports clients to develop intercultural skills to achieve success when relocating or working with global teams.


How did Rebecca find her calling?

While still working in her full-time eight-to-four job, an opportunity arose and she partnered with another translator (in a freelance capacity) to translate and deliver a very large financial translation. At the time, she did not know how much she would have loved the experience of collaborating with another like-minded professional translator to deliver this large task on time. It meant working some long hours and pushing through to the end, but she did not mind at all, in fact, that experience was the hook for her.

This took place at a turning point in her life and career and it was an experience that showed her that this was the path that she could see herself taking long term. She didn’t think about it much before, but that experience also reminded her that she had the discipline and drive to do this type of work on a full-time basis.

Just a couple months after that, she resigned her full-time job and started her business. The benefits of being her own boss are numerous – independence, a flexible schedule, the ability to work from anywhere, the ability to chart her own path, take charge of her time and the opportunity to create employment for others. It’s very exciting to relive that moment in time when she decided to start her business and not once has she regretted the decision to leave a full-time job behind."


Thank you LimeLight!
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The Challenges of Entrepreneurship and Work-Life Balance

5/5/2021

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8 Tips to Achieve Work-Life Balance as an Entrepreneur
 
After a difficult week last week — besides feeling exhausted while keeping up with a hectic pace daily and in the face of one particular disappointment, this week, I am very grateful to have landed two new customers and I feel a lot more positive.

Do you bend over backwards for your customers to have your efforts overlooked? I go to the end of the earth to make sure my customers are happy, but as in any relationship, our efforts as entrepreneurs are not always recognised or appreciated.

As entrepreneurs, we have to constantly find ways to renew ourselves, keep up our energy and engage with our customers, while still delivering quality work which keeps our customers satisfied. It is a lot to balance with our own physical, mental and emotional needs. How can we do this successfully? Here are a couple things that I try to do. I am a work in progress so none of it is perfect, but I keep trying.
 
1) We can work on our mindset. How do we maintain the right mindset? I do this by connecting with other like-minded professionals either through checking in with a coach or other colleagues in my field from time to time. Attending industry events and being a part of business and health (spiritual, physical and mental) groups online has been a really good way to connect with people who understand the challenges unique to our industry and who are also balancing life’s challenges.

2) Remain positive — even in the face of challenges, which we continually face, know that there is a bigger picture and even if we can’t see it at the time, thinking about what is possible tricks the brain into finding solutions to problems which can seem insurmountable at the time.
 
3) Be persistent. The rewards that come from persistence, having a work plan and sticking to it, regardless of the current circumstances, make it possible to keep going during the difficult times.
 
4) Take breaks and holidays — whatever the form — away from your regular routine. One thing I have not been practicing enough due to the pandemic, but which is also critical to refreshing myself, is scheduling time off. I know from experience that this allows my energy and creativity to be renewed and allows me to pick back up and continue doing what I love with renewed vigour.
 
5) Gratitude for my support system has and continues to be a very important practice in maintaining a positive mindset. ‘No man is an island’ rings true especially now when we are asked to physically distance, so staying socially connected becomes even more important during challenging times like these. If we can recognise everything in our lives that is going well, it makes room for more good things to happen.
 
6) Staycation activities are key. Even though our borders are still closed here in Trinidad, we live in such a beautiful country that it would be a shame not to participate in some local tourism activities. As I write this, we are now faced with many more restrictions in movement due to the current spike in C-19 cases, so this will take some creativity — learn a new recipe, colour, draw, dance, spend time in nature, pray, meditate, hug those in your household. Tap into what makes you happy.
 
7) Structure the work day and officially sign off once the work day has ended. This means intentionally having a start and end time. For many of us who work from home, separating work time from personal or family time is not easy. This has been a big challenge for me because it is so easy to go into work mode as an idea jumps into my head, because I want to act on it immediately. This results in less time for social and family activities or just much needed rest time.
 
8) Sleep – everybody needs it, albeit in different amounts. Figure out how many hours of sleep you need and consistently make an effort to get quality sleep every night. I know how much I need and I’m still working on getting enough of it.
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What are your go-to activities to create and maintain work-life balance? Share them with me in the comments.
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Upcoming Basic Conversational Spanish Class

4/22/2021

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So…our lockdown measures have been tightened again.

Our borders are still closed, so international travel is still limited here in Trinidad & Tobago.

This could be an opportunity to work on your foreign language skills.
 
Why not join one of our language classes and have some conversational skills under your belt 10 weeks later?

Take one step towards realising your goal of achieving conversational Spanish.

Sign up today. 

​Details:
Start date: Monday 31 May, 2021
End date: Wed 4 July, 2021
 
Register here!

Your Investment:
Early bird price (individuals):
TTD$995/person if you register by 12 May 2021

Early bird price (groups):
TT$2700/group for 3 people or more (payable as a lump sum) if you register by 12 May 2021

Regular price
TT$1200/person after 12 May 2021

For more information, email us at admin@rmclanguages.com or send a WhatsApp message to +1 868 750 6315. 

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Specialising in Financial Translation

4/17/2021

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If you were to ask me what my favourite topic to translate is, I’d probably say finance.

Why is this supposedly mundane topic interesting to me? As a director on the board of a financial institution, I am responsible for reviewing financial reports every month. I am therefore very familiar with documents such as balance sheets, profit and loss statements, cash flow statements and budgets, to name a few.
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This familiarity with financial documents, such as end of year financial statements, (internal and external) audit reports, directors’ and managers’ reports, meeting minutes, bank statements, loan documents and investment documents, is a perfect scenario for specialising in a subject matter as a translator.

Why is this? When you are intimately familiar with a subject matter, you are able to render the document in the target language with expert care and knowledge. As a subject matter expert, the quality of my output is expected to be superior to that of a generalist translator or someone who is handling the topic for the first time. Not only am I familiar with the subject of finance, but I also enjoy it — a win-win situation in a working environment.

Specialising in a particular field also results in efficiency when translating. Since I am deeply familiar with the terminology, and have frequent, real-life experience using this type of language, as opposed to just having theoretical knowledge, I can work faster, be confident of accuracy and deliver to my customers in a shorter timeframe than when working in another topic in which I do not specialise or with which I am less familiar. This is another win-win scenario.

In my case, I also have an academic background in accounting and the related subject of economics, which gives me a deeper understanding of material which I translate in these fields.

Specialising in a subject matter also allows you to earn higher rates because you are recognised as an expert in your field. In addition, your clients have more confidence in the work you produce and are also likely to refer you to their colleagues in the field.

Having specialised in this field for years, I have also built up a lovely financial terminology bank among other resources which contribute to efficiency and accuracy when working in this field.

Did you know that translators work better in fields in which they specialise? Translators choose their subject areas differently. If you are a translator, what are your favourite fields to work in? What do you specialise in? What are the main factors that drove you to work in those fields?

Let me know in the comments and connect with me at rebecca@rmclanguages.com.

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Interpreting for Success

3/25/2021

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Any organisation hosting a meeting where the participants speak multiple languages needs to hire interpreters. For about one year now, at RMC we have been providing virtual interpreting services in multiple languages for our clients. Technology has been very beneficial in the hosting of virtual meetings, but it also comes with its own challenges. There have been many lessons learnt along the way and we are in an excellent position to guide the process for the hosting of successful virtual meetings. 
 
Believe it or not, even though the successful communication of all parties in attendance is a main goal of event planners, oftentimes, in the planning of meetings where participants speak multiple languages, interpreters and their needs may be the last thought on event planners' minds. Regardless of whether a meeting is being held virtually or in-person, the preparation of our interpreters has been a key ingredient for success. We impress upon our clients the importance of providing as much background information and documents well in advance of the meeting as possible, and we work closely with our clients and interpreters to ensure the smooth flow of communication on the day. Such background information and documents include:
 
  • Agendas;
  • Speakers' biographies;
  • PowerPoint presentations;
  • Participating countries / language variants;  
  • Previous meeting minutes and decisions taken;
  • Useful websites; and
  • Any other relevant information.
 
If we can help you host a successful multilingual meeting, reach out to us at admin@rmclanguages.com.
 
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Careers – Opportunities for Language Students

3/15/2021

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​Last week, I presented virtually to the students at my alma mater – Holy Name Convent Port of Spain – for their Career Week on opportunities that are available to language students. During the talk, I spoke about the fact that regardless of the field or career path that students choose, languages can always be combined with other careers in multiple fields such as medicine, law enforcement, customer service in several industries, education – teaching/lecturing at primary, secondary or tertiary level, private tutoring online, the foreign service, in export and manufacturing and in many other leadership positions.

Another topic we discussed was how the translation industry is being impacted by globalisation and technology. I recommended some online tools for language students and their language teacher asked me to impress upon them the importance of not using Google Translate as a learning tool, so I also spoke about the reasons why machine translation relied heavily on the intervention of human translators who are trained to post-edit.
 
In all, the girls were very enthusiastic and I was very happy to connect with them and hope that I have inspired some of them to follow a career in languages. Hats off to our dedicated teachers who, within the space of a couple months, have adapted to online teaching and continue to dedicate themselves to the education of our future leaders. 
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