We're a group of highly trained interpreters who are immersed in the communities where the languages we interpret are spoken. We are either native to those countries, non-natives who have lived in those countries, or have fully immersed ourselves in the cultures of the limited-English speaking communities here in the U.S.
This is important because there is more to interpreting than knowing a language. Knowing a language allows us to speak it. Understanding a culture helps us know "how" to speak it. Body language, colloquial phrases, family relationships, what might be offensive or complimentary... all are important to clear, effective communication. Knowledge of this kind is what defines our interpreters as unique professionals with in-depth understanding of both our clients and healthcare.