It was 1960. They said goodbye with hopes of a reunited future and with only uncertainty leading them. They made a new home, created a new history, and redesigned their futures. Memories, sadness, desire, curiosity, surprise and shock were the substance of reality, and their mission was survival.

Operation Peter Pan is still alive in the memories of many, and it is coming to life in the hearts of many more who are touched by the new exhibit at the History Miami Museum, in downtown Miami.

ATIF is in luck because our Vice-President, Daniela Guanipa, was one of the individuals involved in bringing the exhibit Operation Peter Pan, The Cuban Children’s Exodus to life. The exhibit is a nostalgic and poignant experience for many.

Q. Daniela, how did you feel when this project landed on your desk?

I could have never guessed what was in store for me when my neighbor and friend, Gaspar Gonzalez, the producer of the videos that play continuously throughout the exhibition, knocked on my door (literally) and asked if I’d be interested in doing some transcription work for him. As we sat talking about his project, I thought it would be interesting to transcribe these interviews —even though transcription doesn’t particularly appeal to me these days. But I thought, “I can use Dragon® NaturallySpeaking; I don’t have any particularly big translation project at the moment. Why not?” A month after I delivered the transcriptions, Gaspar stopped by again, this time to see if I’d be interested in subtitling the videos in Spanish. Then, a few weeks later, HistoryMiami contacted me directly to see if I could assist with the translation of the main signs and texts that visitors see as they walk around the exhibition.

Q. I have been to the exhibit and those 40 minutes were dificult. The amount of material I saw represented hours and hours of work. Hard work. Emotional work. How did you manage to get through all that?

You’re absolutely right. It was hard, emotional work. As a Cuban descendant, the stories I had heard numerous times from my mother and grandparents came to life again. That was all magnified by the fact that I, too, am a mother now, and hearing the accounts of these then-children, and those of their parents, was heartbreaking.

I also got to see footage that didn’t make it to the final cut, which was just as poignant. I could only work for so many hours each day on this project and then I’d have to go exercise, or simply go for a walk to unwind. I used to joke with Gaspar and Mr. Zamanillo* that I’d have to add a Kleenex™ surcharge to the project!
*(Jorge Zamanillo, Museum Director)

Q. What was the best light moment of the project?

Being able to use my Cuban lingo was definitely a perk, and a rarity for me. Gaspar Gonzalez, the video producer, is a Cuban descendant as well, and we’d sit and discuss the best way to say this or that, and would reminisce on what a family member would have said in a particular context. He wanted the subtitles to have a Cuban flavor, without making it hard for Spanish-speakers from other countries to understand. I added the same flavor to the exhibition text.

And, of course, opening night was absolutely amazing. Seeing all that work being displayed in an exhibition of this caliber was a first for me. I had seen the videos, and had a rough idea of the layout, but the experience of walking through the different rooms is something that cannot be described in words.

Q. So now I have to ask, what was the hardest moment of the project?

As with any transcreation project, you develop an intimate knowledge of the material, and an ability to see beyond what is said, in order to convey the message to your audience; that psychological component is what made this experience exceptionally emotional for me. 

Q. How do you feel knowing that thousands of people are walking through that museum and being touched by the words you chose to tell that story of fear, daring and courage?

I feel humbled. From the very beginning, when I was just transcribing the interviews, I wanted to be a part of this project because it was close to my heart, so it was a dream come true when I was invited to play a bigger role. I am very grateful for this opportunity, both as a professional and—and perhaps more importantly—as the daughter of a Cuban exile. It is a unique exhibition that cannot be described. It needs to be experienced to feel the powerful story it tells.

The parents of the Peter Pan niños had a vision fueled by fear, strengthened by love and hope, and supported by history. Change is a constant, and in order to survive we have to adapt, adopt, learn, use and grow. The exhibit, which runs through January 17, 2016, is a tribute to their sacrifice and strength of resolve.

Daniela Guanipa is a freelance language consultant and translator with over 18 years of experience, specializing in biosciences, marketing, and luxury brands from English and Brazilian Portuguese into Spanish. She is the Vice-President of the Florida ATA Chapter, ATIF, and webmaster of ATA’s blog The Savvy Newcomer. For more information, and to connect, go to www.danielaguanipa.com. Twitter: @daguarez.

Brazilian-born Giovanna “Gio” Lester’s career in translation and interpreting started in 1980. Gio is very active in her profession and in the associations with which she is affiliated; she has created and contributed to various T&I publications; and she frequently gives presentations on T&I in the US and abroad. In 2009 she co-founded and served as the first elected president (2011-2012) of the ATA Florida Chapter, ATIF, and is the current President of its interim board. Learn more on Gio’s ATIF Profile or follow her on Twitter: @cariobana  

Please let us know if you have any questions or comments.

Getting Into the Market

In installment III, Gio will discuss your resume, business card, and finding your customers.

Your comments are welcome!

Source: The Wall Street Journal – originally published in September, 2011.

The interpreter is both listener and speaker, working in real-time, without a safety net, and with little room to correct errors.

Source: What makes language interpreting different from translation? | Catálogo Premium de Intérpretes

1. Come to FIRST TUESDAY on November 3. It will be held at the hotel to allow our visiting colleagues to meet the local T&I community. More info to come!
2. Volunteer at the HOSPITALITY DESK. We are the main reference for visiting attendees. Hospitality Desk Volunteers help our guests get to the right place – be it the next session or the best restaurant for a quick lunch, or…

The Hospitality Desk is to be manned from Wednesday through Saturday. Shifts are 90 minutes to 2 hours long and volunteers will have a slew of information at their disposal.

Come join the party! Linda Dunlap, is the volunteer coordinator, and you can contact her by email.

3. If you are an ATA Conference Veteran, plan to be a Buddy and help a Newbie feel at home. Newbies and Buddies will be paired off at the event held on Wednesday, Nov 4, from 4:45 to 5:30 pm.

If this is your first ATA conference, you are a newbie and will benefit from the experience your buddy will share.  If you have attended ATA conferences in the past, you will enjoy connecting with your new colleagues, and we encourage you to be a buddy to a new T&I colleague. Most buddies are assigned 1 to 2 newbies.

Click on the conference’s logo above to take a look at the program and plan your activities – including your volunteer schedule. We hope to see everyone at the conference!

Interpreting without visual stimuli is more stressful, speaking for stretches longer than 45 minutes compromises accuracy, which creates more stress, vocal chords need to relax, the interpreter needs to unwind…

Source: What Do You Call THAT? Increased Demand for Hybrid Skills

Source: How and who to help | Rose Newell

So here are a few very basic legal concepts that may help you understand why translation is not a commodity good and gain a little perspective on how to exercise your rights.

Source: Read more at Translator Digest