Heccu: “To a certain extent, I really do need to be prepared for the topic we’ll be discussing.”

For example, in sh1ro’s case, if he doesn’t want to give an interview in English, I can provide a direct translation. However, if the sniper, for instance, wants to give it a try and decides to say at least a couple of phrases in a foreign language, my presence will mean that I’ll be like water wings for someone learning to swim—I won’t let him drown. Or when someone is learning to ride a bike, I act as extra training wheels or stabilizers in these conversations. No matter what happens, the player and I won’t end up in a situation where I leave them struggling to find or remember a word. I’ll either provide simultaneous translation, or, if I understand what the person is trying to say, I’ll make an educated guess and suggest an option for them to confirm. I think that’s exactly why many esports players, whose first language is Russian and who don’t know English very well, try to build up a certain repertoire of very simple sentences that are hard to get wrong. This protects them from the so-called cringe moment that most young guys are so afraid of.

That’s exactly what happened during my thirty-five-minute interview with dastan. He kept talking nonstop, and he got into this so-called stream of consciousness. Every time the speaker forgot a certain expression, he’d just tell me it in Russian, I’d immediately translate it into English, and the story would continue. He didn’t have to pause and start explaining that the exact word had slipped his mind, and then try to describe it, after which we wouldn’t have to play “guess the word” to figure out exactly what he wanted to say. But searching for the right term takes time, which could have led to a situation where he lost his train of thought and forgot exactly where he’d left off. That’s exactly why I got the impression that this was a very easy and quick interview for him. He knew he could explain anything, and if he suddenly hit a snag, I’d be able to help him out right away.

Yes, to a certain extent, I really do need to be prepared for the topic at hand. I like hearing about things I don’t know or don’t understand. That’s exactly why I’m a big fan of various podcasts and group discussions. If I don’t understand a certain issue, I feel as though I lack the authority to discuss it. Sitting there and guessing facts while pretending I understand what’s being discussed—to me, that just feels insincere. I’d rather honestly say that I’m interested in the topic, but it’s outside my area of expertise, and I really want to learn more from someone who knows what they’re talking about.