Transitions

The fall season is a time of transition, with nature preparing for the onset of winter. It's cherished for its vibrant colors, moderate temperatures, and the cultural traditions and celebrations associated with it.

As fall progresses, temperatures tend to cool down from the summer months, leading to more comfortable weather. Days become shorter, and nights grow longer. People often find this moderate climate favorable for outdoor activities like hiking and camping.

One of the most iconic features of the fall season is the changing colors of tree leaves. Deciduous trees, such as maples, oaks, and birches, transition from green to vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow. This phenomenon is known as "fall foliage" and is a popular attraction for tourists in many regions.

While most of us tend to view transition and change as a challenge, perhaps even a negative force often met with resistance, the Fall season shows us that there is beauty in transition as well. Transitions, while sometimes difficult to face, provide opportunities.

This past August, 30 years ago, I moved to the United States from Panama. Due to its location at sea level and proximity to the Equator, Panama does not enjoy the rich Fall colors that we experience in the US. Moving to a new country as a teenager was likely one of the hardest transitions I experienced in my life to date. I left my family, friends…my home, to move to the unknown. However, as difficult as it was, I was greeted by the beautiful Fall colors as a welcoming sign.

One of the biggest challenges of moving to the US was of course, not being able to speak or understand English. I recall the phone ringing at home, and my brother and I would freeze in fear and would challenge one another to pick up the phone, knowing that there would be little we could say to the person on the other side of the phone.

I also recall going to McDonald’s and thanking God for there being numbers associated with the combos to make ordering easier…. “Can I hav nomber uan pleez!”

While I experienced great challenges adapting to the new culture, language and people… the opportunities that birthed from this transition were even greater.

I developed a passion for helping others adapt to the US culture and broker language barriers. 10 years later, following my move to the US, in the Fall of 2003, I began to work as a translator and interpreter helping my community out. I opened a small office in the metro Atlanta area to serve limited English proficient individuals who needed help.

As I grew professionally, so did my desire to grow my business into a global firm. In the Fall of 2018, I established Translexico, LLC. With the slogan: “Bridging Cultures, Empowering Communities,” my vision for Translexico is to Bridge Cultural gaps by providing language access to business and individuals across the world and to Empower Communities by offering cutting edge training courses to foster professional growth.

I’d like to encourage you today to look at transitions as opportunities to grow. Find the beauty in the middle of the circumstance you may be facing.

Like me, maybe you moved to a new place, or perhaps you took a new job or joined a new family.... whatever your transition, I'd love to read about a transition you experienced, the beauty you saw in it, the challenges you may have faced and the opportunities that birthed as a result.

Share your story with me at info@translexico.com.

Happy Fall!

José Manuel Vejarano