Frank Abanto

Student

Hi! I'm Frank. I like learning, translating, and spending time exploring topics that catch my attention. I enjoy challenging myself with new languages and meeting people from different backgrounds. I'm always curious to hear different perspectives and learn something new from them. Thanks for stopping by my profile!

I'm passionate about learning across disciplines. Biology, evolution, medicine, engineering, machine learning, languages, astronomy... if something makes me stop and think, "How does that work?" I'm probably interested. I especially enjoy using languages as tools to learn. Studying Japanese has allowed me to access university courses that I never would have discovered otherwise, and it constantly reminds me that every language opens a new perspective on the world.

Knowledge should never be limited by the language someone happens to speak. Every day, incredible ideas are shared around the world, yet many people never get the chance to learn from them because of language barriers. Translation isn't just about changing words from one language to another; it's about giving more people access to the same opportunities to learn, question, and grow. A single translated talk can inspire someone to study a new subject, change a habit, or see the world differently. I know this because I've experienced it myself. Some of the questions that now drive my curiosity began with content that someone else made accessible. The more knowledge travels, the more curiosity grows, and curiosity has a remarkable way of changing lives.

Language learning

I joined TED Translators because I believe great ideas deserve to reach more people. At first, I was nervous. I worried that my translations wouldn't be good enough, and for a while that fear kept me from finishing projects I'd started. Eventually, I realized that improving doesn't come from waiting until you're perfect; it comes from doing the work, learning from it, and coming back stronger each time. Translating TED Talks has shown me that language is more than communication. It's a bridge. Every completed translation is another opportunity for someone to learn something they might never have encountered otherwise. For me, volunteering as a translator isn't just about practicing languages. It's about helping ideas travel a little farther.

Connecting ideas. I love discovering links between subjects that don't seem related at first. A Japanese language lesson might lead me to a university course on evolutionary biology. A course about dinosaurs might change the way I look at birds outside my classroom. Learning one thing almost always leads me to another. I'm also patient when learning something completely new. I don't mind being a beginner, because every new skill starts that way.