As the New England Revolution settled down on a bus ride to New Jersey to play the Red Bulls last month, a couple of movies were popped into the DVD player.
After a short while, a question worked its way up to the front of the bus.
Can we turn on the Spanish subtitles?
It's a question the team has dealt with frequently this season after acquiring Mauricio Castro and Argenis Fernandez during the offseason. Neither player speaks much English, leaving the team to devise other methods of communication.
While a couple of Revs players like can function in rudimentary Spanish, the fluent Chase Hilgenbrinck bears most of the translational burden. The defender spent a couple of years in Chile and picked up the language. Hilgenbrinck serves as the de facto translator for the pair.
"It's funny because a lot of guys are saying that it must get tiring, translating for these guys, going to a lot of places with them, and making sure they get settled," Hilgenbrinck said. "To be honest, I really enjoy it. I feel like I'm paying back from my experience in Chile."
Settling in a foreign country can sometimes require an expertise of language Castro and Fernandez don't have. That means Hilgenbrinck tags along sometimes to facilitate the basics, whether it means opening a checking account or finding an apartment.
"I know the first few months are the most difficult," Hilgenbrinck said. "I loved having people help me out when I was [in Chile]. I wish I would have had a teammate who spoke English at the time who could have helped me out a lot more. I just know what these guys are going through and that's why I want to help them out as much as I can and that's why I enjoy doing it."
While the fans only see the players when they take the field, Hilgenbrinck said most of the work to adjust to the new culture comes off the field.
"There's a lot that goes into it behind the scenes," Hilgenbrinck said. "Ninety percent of it is off the field."
The 10 percent that comes on the field may be the easiest part for Castro and Fernandez to grasp, Revs head coach Steve Nicol said.
"We keep it simple and straightforward," Nicol said. "If you play football, you know what's expected of you. Individuals can make it as complicated as you want, but the guys are good guys and we take it for what it is."
Compared to settling into a new country, trying to get visas for your family members and adjusting to a new city and life, figuring out what to do in Nicol's formation is easy, Hilgenbrinck said.
"The beauty of soccer is that it is universal," Hilgenbrinck said. "The game doesn't change, except for maybe a few tactical strategies, with coaches. The game speaks for itself. These guys have the experience and they know how to play the game. It doesn't take a whole lot."
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
