Film translator for Vision Norway – in Romania
Levi Svendsen is a translator of English films to Norwegian for Vision Norway. But he does not do the job in Norway, but in Romania. What is the benefit of that? The benefit is that both he and his wife can be missionaries in Romania and work for Vision Norway at the same time.
Previously, Levi financed the mission work by traveling to Norway and taking shifts as a social worker. After the pandemic hit, it became terribly difficult. Then he contacted Vision Norway and TV manager Gawdat Mtrious. The TV channel was in need of a translator from English films into Norwegian and Levi took the job – from Romania.
“From a purely technical point of view, it has been surprisingly good to work from Romania. We have a fast network via fiber, which comes in handy when I constantly have to upload and download movie clips for subtitles. Additionally, I have the opportunity for a flexible daily schedule, since I work from home. It fits well, since my wife Tania is also studying to be a doctor,” says Levi Svendsen.
Translating three different languages
“The job mostly requires me to subtitle English-speaking programs. But I also translate some scripts, including for “dubbing” cartoons. My superior is TV Manager Gawdat Mtrious, but I also have a lot of contact with Erlend Johannessen who is the Archive anager, and who receives the films and episodes after I have put Norwegian subtitles on them,” Levi says.
There are at least three languages that Levi has to deal with on a daily basis. Romanian, English and Norwegian. “At home, Tania and I speak as much Norwegian as Romanian. We think it is important to maintain both languages, both for our own part and for the children’s part. We also maintain [our] Norwegian culture by making Norwegian food often,” says Levi.
Levi Svendsen working for Vision Norway from home
New opportunities with work online
“All teaching in Romania these days takes place online in primary, secondary and higher education. It is strange to see how the country has developed in recent years, in terms of the development of mobile networks and other technical systems. In some parts of the country students have been given tablets to borrow for school use, so that they can be present for their online classes. With this in mind, it is now normal for me to work [exclusively] over the internet. I think this is a form of work we will see more and more of in the future,” says Levi.
Levi and Tania Svendsen
Challenges as missionaries
Levi and his Romanian wife Tania moved to Romania because they were called as missionaries and settled in a small village in the middle of Transylvania. Levi had to learn a new language, a new culture and a new way of thinking. They started with children’s meetings and prayer meetings that increased in visitors, but then they received opposition from a priest in the Orthodox Church. He strategically created challenges for them, both by allying with the authorities and even went so far as to send curses over them. Tania became seriously ill and was close to death at one point, but they experienced God’s intervention in the situation and healed her.
On the other hand, they also received support from the mayor of the municipality and can now work freely and unhindered as a growing congregation. “We thank God for this opportunity, and thank God for Vision Norway. I am proud to be a kind of Vision Norway representative in Eastern Europe, right in the heart of Transylvania,” says Levi Svendsen in the end.