Winter sports of all kinds is well under way as the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 draws to a close. Located in Yanqing, the National Sliding Centre is the first sliding track in China, the third in Asia and the 17th in the world for Olympic sports. Part of what UPC takes pride in is that our three outstanding alumni, Xiao Xiao, Wei Youwei and Wang Na, have the opportunity to contribute their share to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 as translators in the National Sliding Centre.
Xiao Xiao, a master of English translation of grade 2012 (instructed under Prof. Wu Xuefeng), has been working for MCC-BERIS Translation Center after graduation. Up to now, she has managed and operated 15 projects altogether such as the construction project of the National Sliding Centre for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, the Birla Copper Caster Project in India (stationed abroad), and served as an off-campus instructor at the College of Foreign Languages of Ocean University of China (OUC). In 2021, she was responsible for the “National-level Language Service Export Base” project and applied successfully. She has won the title of “Excellent League Member” of Qingdao West Coast New Area and many honors, such as “Talents Award”, “The Production Star”, “The Advanced Individual Award of Production” in MCC-BERIS.
Wei Youwein, a master of English translation of grade 2014 (instructed under Prof. Guo Yueqin), has been working for MCC-BERIS Translation Center after graduation. In 2018, the CATTI Level-1 Certificate (China Accreditation Test for Translators and Interpreters) earned him fame as the youngest Level-1 translator in the company. He is also an off-campus instructor at the College of Foreign Languages of Ocean University of China (OUC) and Qingdao University of Science & Technology (QUST). He has won critical acclaims from business partners and other brother units during his work as the project manager of many large translation projects in MCC-BERIS Translation Center. In 2020, he received the honor “Outstanding Individual of Qingdao West Coast New Area during the 13th Five-Year plan”.
Wang Na,a master of English translation of grade 2014 (instructed under Prof. Liu Dianzhong), has been working for MCC-BERIS Translation Center after graduation. During postgraduate studies, as a leader of Postgraduate Student Union of School of Foreign Studies, she held many academic lectures, English translation competitions and other activities, accumulating rich experience in organizing activities. After entering in BERIS, she has participated in the National Sliding Centre translation project of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, on-site translation project of Shandong Steel·Rizhao Co., Ltd., military-civilian integration project, mango TV drama translation project, East Asia Maritime Cooperation Forum, Qingdao International Beer Festival, IPA conference and other large-scale international projects, and has gradually grown into a young expert in engineering translation.
Though they have different experiences, the grand event of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 brings them to work together.
Xiao Xiao—Communicating with Overall Consideration
Xiao Xiao participated in the acceptance project of the Giant Slalom part of the National Sliding Centre of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. When it comes to that experience, she said: “It was in October 2019 that I worked with Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games on the acceptance project. At that time, I was a little anxious as it was the first time for me to carry out on-site work related to the Olympic Winter Games. I have done a lot of preparations, including learning professional knowledge. The construction of the Giant Slalom of the National Sliding Centre was unprecedented in China. We did not construct completely following Canadian experts’ instructions but innovated the construction process according to the actual situation. Fortunately, the whole process of acceptance (lasted only three days) went very well, proving our successful innovative practice. For the follow-up work, I was mainly engaged in the management, communication and publicity of the National Sliding Centre translation project. Of course, whether working ‘in front of the camera or not, it’s an unforgettable experience to contribute to the Olympic Winter Games.”
It requires concerted efforts from both behind and in front of the scene to make things work, and Xiao Xiao, as a bridge between the two, making the translation project carry forward successfully.
Wei Youwei—Assuming Great Responsibilities
In October, 2020, Wei Youwei and his colleagues went to the National Sliding Centre in Yanqing, Beijing, the host city of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, to ensure the success of the pre-certification of venues of the International Federations as scheduled. But they faced with a challenge in the process as interpreters are required to get COVID vaccines which had not yet completed the clinical trial at that time. However, Wei Youwei took the initiative to ask for vaccination on concerns about the delay of the pre-certification.
Wei Youwei has to accompany the foreign experts using timing system to walk the venues at least twice a day, in order to ensure the success of the pre-certification. Clad in a protective suit, he was soaked to the skin by the end of his rounds. To minimize the physical interaction between the Chinese and foreign personnel, he took the initiative to communicate with foreign experts and maintained close contact with them. After that, they were asked to self-isolate in designated hospitals and under closed-loop management, thus achieving “zero suspected case” and “zero infection” during the pre-certification. Due to his excellent job, Wei Youwei was commended by the foreign experts and the host units. During the Chinese New Year, instead of coming home for family reunion, Wei Youwei, as he did last year, remained on the front line of the Winter Olympics preparation work, providing on-site language services and technical guidance.
Wang Na—Pursuing Excellence through Improvement
During the certification of the track in the National Sliding Centre, Wang Na was responsible for assisting 20 Chinese ice makers and 8 international ice makers from Russia, France, Canada and Latvia to maintain the track. In maintaining the track, the international ice makers shared know-how in making perfect ice with Chinese counterparts ice makers. As an interpreter, Wang Na witnessed how the ice crystals evolve into a flawless white ice track, signifying not only the technical breakthrough, but also the hard work of all staff.
After the certification of the sliding track, the expert from the International Luge Federation spoke highly of all the workers: “I appreciate all the workers’ efforts for the clean and smooth surface and great ice-making—this is absolutely the best project I've ever seen!” Having heard the praise from the expert, Wang Na felt that her arduous efforts everyday finally paid off and she would never forget the booming excitement and rejoice at that moment. She said: “It has never occurred to me as this time that there is such a close link between the development of the country and me. As the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games catches the eyes of the globe, I follow all the sports, especially the bobsleigh and skeleton and wave my hands for the athletes. Every time I see those athletes sliding over the track that I have set my feet on, a feeling of pride cannot but surge from the bottom of my heart.”
Wang said: “Although engineering translation spares me the trouble of fully acquaint myself with engineering techniques, I still need to get a general understanding of the project by learning how the track is designed, how it works, how to make ice as well as its final effect. Doing so can make my work easier and ensure the unimpeded progress of the whole project.
Before going to the site, Wang has spent plenty of time acquainting herself with relevant knowledge in the track of bobsleigh and skeleton and ice-making. Besides, she also learns some medical terms as all persons on set are required to take nucleic acid test on a regular basis in response to the China's epidemic prevention policies.
To Wang, the complicated professional knowledge and vocabulary mean not only challenges but opportunities, which encourage her to rise to the difficulties and seek for excellence with vigor and vitality. She pursues high and stringent standards so as to ensure the success of the project.
Born at the right time, we are entrusted with important tasks. We should keep our aspiration and faith firmly in mind and find our niches in the development of our country and strive to make ourselves the professional personnel in foreign language, foreign affairs and foreign trade that our country needs. We should tell China’s story well and spread China’s voice well and make our own share of contribution to the prosperity of our country.
