Language Barriers in the Workplace

            There is no secret that today's workplace is rapidly becoming vast. Like many other major metropolitan areas Arizona experiences a high volume of individuals in the workplace who may have grown up without English as their primary language. Today many major companies like to employ a diverse variety of employees, however the problem with having a multi-culture workplace is the intercultural communication issues that follow. Currently, I am employed at a private golf course in Gold Canyon, Arizona as a restaurant waitress. As a waitress at Superstition Mountain we are required to work closely with the chefs, or as we call them “the back of the house”. You may find yourself asking here, why would it be an issue having to work with the chefs?  The answer to this is that many of the line chefs employed here are primarily Spanish speaking individuals. You can see as to why this may turn into a problem when a customer has a special request and we have to try and communicate to the chefs what we need.

During the two years that I have worked at Superstition Mountain, there have been a number of times when communicating has become an issue. Most of these issues have stemmed from the fact that many of our line chefs speak little to no English. When a problem arises there are a few people who are fluent in both Spanish and English that I go to so that they can communicate to the chef what I need.  There are times when this can be very frustrating because seeking out someone to translate can be very time consuming, and in the restaurant business time is a very important factor. Another small issue that happens is when the employees who do speak predominantly Spanish, speak Spanish among themselves in front of other employees. I don’t feel that they are necessarily talking about me, but it can make you feel a little uncomfortable at times when you cannot understand the conversation going on.

In a recent survey of 71 human resources managers, 66 percent said their companies do not offer English-language training, and according to the latest Census data, immigrants currently make up about 15 percent of the United States labor force. More than half are from Latin America and a quarter are from Asia. Only about 40 percent speak English when they arrive in the United States. (Zendrian 2008) These statistics and percentages show that many companies recognize the number of immigrants moving to the Unites States because they are hiring them, however refuse to offer a training course for them to try and learn English. I can understand the reasons as to why many companies have not taken this issue very seriously and that is because most of the predominately Spanish speaking individuals are not hired in high enough positions to where it usually creates a problem. Most of these people are hired on as maintenance workers, kitchen cooks, construction, landscaping, etc. Therefore they do not need to communicate often with the people who companies may look as being of high importance.

This issue has obviously taken somewhat of an importance to the nation as, talks between Mexican President Vicente Fox and President George W. Bush about a proposed amnesty for illegal immigrants have heightened awareness that employers need to do more to improve workplace communication in the future due to the population boom (Mader 2001). I feel that the country needs to view this issue seriously now, because the population of immigrants is only going to grow in the future.

Another major factor the subject of language barriers in the workplace brings up is the issue of safety. According to government data, nearly 7,000 Hispanic workers died on the job from 1992-2001. Many of these workers were from Mexico, who could not read or understand English and worked in dangerous industries. Most were poorly trained and not adequately supervised. Tragically, in search of their piece of the American dream, these workers paid the ultimate price (Wist, 2003) (McDonald 2008).  This statistic is very sad, because many could argue that if these individuals knew how to speak English than they would still be alive today. Does this situation occur because these individuals choose to, or have no other options other than to work in a dangerous atmosphere? I suppose this could be argued both ways. However, I believe that no matter where you work or what you do, it should be mandatory in any workplace environment in the United States for a person to speak, or at least understand English, with safety as the main concern. This however could never be made possible because it is unlawful under the Race Relations Order in 1997 to discriminate on grounds of color, race, nationality or ethnic or national origin.

Language barriers can also cause different misunderstandings. Words in one language may sound the same yet have unlike meanings in a different language. Therefore if an employee is prodded by her supervisor to say a few words in Spanish, she may exclaime, "Estoy muy embarazada." With her supervisor adding, "¡Y la culpa es de él!" (She thought she was saying, "I am very embarrassed and it is all his fault!" Instead, she had exclaimed, "I am very pregnant, and it is all his fault!"). (Billikopf). Circumstances like these are the reasons why it may be very important to understand exactly what you are saying if you are going to try and talk to a Spanish speaking person, in importance to not offend someone.

All in all nobody is born with the language they speak, everyone is born with a clean tongue that is transformed to make sounds and words that are native to their homeland and people they were raised by. Language can not be described as a trait, like the color of your skin. When society discriminates against individuals that speak differently, they are judging them based on how they were raised and how they were taught to speak, people do not see them as just a person that did not have a choice of how they wanted to communicate.  I believe that people are molded by experience and adapt to the environment they were placed in. Life is based on survival and if you want to survive people have to absorb in their surroundings, including the way the human beings communicate with one another.

Accomplishing the Impossible

Growing up in a small town in Londonderry, New Hampshire there was one thing my dad would reiterate to me at least twenty times a year, “You will never in your life time see the Red Sox win a World Series!” Now to most people this would not be a big deal, they may hear their father and think, “Okay dad, who really cares.” However to an obsessed Red Sox fan like myself, this phrase became more and more disheartening the more he conveyed it.

He said it was impossible, he said it would never happen, well he was wrong. The impossible was made into a reality when the Boston Red Sox won the World Series on October 28, 2004. It took them eighty-six years to reverse the curse, but they did it and made their fans proud. It almost seemed like the World Series was handed to them on a silver platter when they were teamed up against the St. Louis Cardinals. Four straight wins, to complete a World Series sweep marked forever bragging rights for me to throw in my dad’s face. Although I was overjoyed by the results of game four, I must admit that the team I most admire had not been so lucky in the past. 2004 conveyed their determination, teamwork, and support from their fans to make it so special.

The phrase "reverse the curse" should be the first clue. Prior to 2004 season the determination of the team could be questioned. It was obvious that they yearned to win and regain that ultimate title but when things got tough for the Bo Sox, it seemed as though they had already concluded it was over. However, 2004 marked a whole other story. Playoffs against the New York Yankees gave the impression that Boston's fate had already been decided. Those horrible, nerve wracking first three games gave fans little to hold on to. As I sat chewing my freshly painted nails, I could only pray for something amazing to happen. Suddenly, the dark cloud disappeared and the Red Sox were blessed with a miracle. Four wins later New York was history and the dream of making it to the 2004 World Series was now a reality. It was because of the determination they possessed and held on to, that the Red Sox got to where they were.

Have you ever seen those posters in school that read, "There is no I in team"? It seemed that nothing could be more true in the case of the Red Sox during their 2004 miracle season. Past years had given the illusion that certain players were out to make a name for themselves. That the only thing they cared about was the popularity of their name, how many times it was being seen in the media, and how much money they were making. However, teamwork was a major factor in Boston's winning streak in 2004. Sure there were players that were more well known than others, but there didn't seem to be anyone craving for the media attention. They stuck together, actually looking like they were just out having fun hanging out with each other. Referring to themselves as, “the idiots” when the media asked them questions! Due to the fact that everyone was on the same level, it allowed the Red Sox to work together and receive what was finally,  rightfully theirs.

Last but certainly not least was the unconditional devotion of the Boston fans. Without the support of the fans where would they be? Some fans lost interest when Boston had been having difficulties in the past. They would claim they didn't like them and desert them for a team that was doing better that particular year. That's what I call being a “band wagon fan". In 2004 luckily the true fans stuck by the Red Sox through the bad times. Boston needed encouragement when things weren't going their way, and that is exactly what they got. Countless people going to games, wearing hats and other merchandise, and just turning on the television and watching those nine or more innings gave the Red Sox the hope they desperately needed. Even I would wear the twenty-dollar hats I bought at the mall to show my support. It didn’t matter what the price was, my devotion even went as far as to buy a sixty-dollar Red Sox jersey, which I proudly display every time I wear it. These purchases were not frivolous, it was money well spent and I would do it all again in a second.  You must be thinking I have no pride, no dignity? When it comes to Boston I’ll be damned if I let an ounce of pride stand in my way of catching a glimpse of any member on that wonderful team. It is very apparent that they appreciate their fans as well, which makes the devotion to the team even stronger.
I have to say that it was a wonderful moment to see the Boston Red Sox become victorious. It made their fans around the world proud and the others envious. I can now have faith that the curse of the great Bambino is gone!

            There are a few things in my life that I could have choose to write about for this memoir, however being that I have such a strong passion for sports and am looking to pursue this in a career, I choose to write about that cold day in October, in which I will remember for the rest of my life. Some may sit back and think how can just a simple World Series win take you back to that day and the vivid details of what was going on all around you? The answer to that question is that the Red Sox had surprisingly meant that much to me in my life and it was almost like overcoming adversity at the same time, because my father would always tell me I would never see that happen.

            In a bigger sense I feel that this was a very important life lesson learned, because I now had proof that anything is possible!  I never let my father think he was right after all those years, I would just simply reply, “just watch dad it will happen.” Always showing faith in my beloved team, however there was always a little bit of question in the back of my mind whether they would ever win another world series due to the negative reiteration by my father and other non Red Sox fans.

I am forever grateful that the 2004 Red Sox season ended the way that it did because I now believe you can do anything you can put your mind to, and also I do not have to listen to anyone tell me that the Red Sox will never win a World Series in my life ever again!

 Solo Performance

It was a cold Sunday night in October, October 28, 2004 just to be exact. A group of friends and I were all huddled inside my friends house surrounding the flat screen TV awaiting what could be the greatest win by the Red Sox in our lives. As the innings came closer and closer to the ninth we became more and more eager questioning, would this be our year? Then it happened! Joe Buck and Tim McCarver broke out announcing they did it! “The 2004 Red Sox have just won the pennant!”   Everyone in the room starting jumping up and down, screaming, giving hugs to one another, we almost didn’t know what to do we were so happy! It was such a surreal moment, we were all scared to even go to sleep that night, thinking what if this is all a dream and we are going to wake up tomorrow and it be like this never really happened. Thankfully it was true and I can now forever tell my dad that I DID see the Red Sox win the World Series in my lifetime!