MIDDLEBORO – Translators who speak Haitian Creole have been crucial to helping officials communicate with migrants staying at Quality Inn in Middleboro.

A translator at the hotel, Ketia Georges, said that she spoke both English and Haitian Creole because her parents were originally from Haiti before moving to the United States. 

The migrants “feel like someone can actually answer their questions,” Georges said. “Sometimes Google Translate doesn’t actually translate all the way, and it can be confusing for both parties.”

One of the migrants at the hotel, Jean, said through Georges’ translation that he and other migrants “are comfortable and feel good” at the hotel.

Jean said he was from Haiti and left the country in 2017. Haiti “was a headache, it had a lot of problems,” he said.

Jean said his priorities now that he is in America include finding jobs and learning how to speak English.

“We all want to work. But we haven’t found work yet,” Jean said. The migrants “need help getting oriented with their [immigration] paperwork” so they can get jobs, he added.

Jean said he had two children, one of whom is old enough to start attending school in Middleboro. He also said that he and other adult migrants wanted to go to school as well, so they could learn English.

“In America they give immigrants a lot of opportunities, but you have to be able to speak the language,” he said. Jean explained that he and the other migrants “would like a school to help them learn to speak English so they can be more comfortable here and be able to learn the language.”

Jean said that he has been “watching the news, and all the stuff on TV” in order to start learning English on his own. “I don’t understand what I’m saying or doing but I’m trying,” he explained. “An explanation [from a teacher] would be great.”

Georges and Middleboro Health Agent Kayla Smith said that translators helped make the migrants feel more welcome.

“I was raised in America, but I’m showing them, ‘hey, I’m also Haitian,’” Georges explained. “I’m making them feel welcome by giving them the Creole I have.”

“You could see the faces light up earlier when they realized she spoke it,” Smith added.