Abstract
Working with multiple languages in group work is a challenge, bringing a host of considerations for members and workers. Although a simple error in translation is at the heart of the episode presented here, we believe this story goes far beyond language fluency and tells how a single phrase would lead to confusion, despair, compliance, courage, and ultimately cross-cultural understanding and expanded competence. This event took place in 2012 as part of a workshop sponsored by the Department of Social Work and Sociology of Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, China.