I first joined the Oviedo Project the fall of my freshman year after seeing an email from the Hispanic Studies Department about a relatively new translation project. Lisa was holding an informational meeting in the community lounge, which I remember only a few students attended. I remember her presenting the project as a new endeavor, something that had never been done before, which piqued my interest. I was looking for ways to get involved in the Hispanic Studies Department as a freshman, and considering how I was already curious about translation, it seemed like the perfect fit. Also, although I have near-native fluency in Spanish, it was still something that I needed to practice and the Oviedo Project provided me with the opportunity I was looking for to develop my skills and to try my hand at translation in a formal setting, not just as a hobby.

I originally began working on the project as a student translator, which helped me grow as an academic. Translating Oviedo’s works requires a certain level of creativity and drive unlike any project I’ve worked on before. The challenge comes from the fact that we’re translating texts from the 16th century; there are outdated words, curious spellings, and unheard-of phrases that make this project similar to a puzzle. I’ve had to come up with some pretty out-of-the-box solutions in order to make Oviedo’s writing intelligible for modern-day, English-speaking readers. More than anything, because of this project, I’ve improved my ability to investigate, to think critically, and to communicate effectively.

In the spring of my freshman year, Lisa suggested that I apply to the Ford Scholars program as part of the Oviedo Project, and I was accepted. That role afforded me the opportunity to be more involved in the managerial side of the project, instead of just as a translator. I’m a very detail-oriented person, so it provided me the opportunity to utilize and hone my skills. I got to see the inner workings of a project of this magnitude, and I was able to understand better the decision-making process. It was the first time that I was able to work so closely and collaboratively with my professors. Not only that, but I received a lot of guidance and encouragement from them. It helped me gain more confidence as a translator and coworker, knowing that my work and my work ethic were so highly valued by people that I admire.

The following summer, another student was added to the project as a Ford Scholar and I became the project’s research assistant. Part of my job then became to help train our new student, which gave me teaching experience. I was able to show her the process, pass on the skills that I had already learned, and trust that this knowledge would continue to be passed on once I graduate. With this new role, I was also able to form part of the editorial process, which widened my perspective even more.

Even this year, during my time abroad in Spain, I look forward to working on the project again this summer and continuing to learn. I admire how committed my professors are to this project and to our team of student translators, and this commitment only serves to reinforce my own. I’m highly considering moving back to Spain when I graduate, and the skills I’ve learned as a student, translator, and person give me confidence to continue. Because of the Oviedo Project, I know that I’m on the right track.

The Oviedo Project will be the first unabridged translation of Historia general y natural de las Indias, so from an academic perspective, I know it will be helpful to English-speaking scholars who want to study anything related to the topic: ecology, biology, history, anthropology, etc. It is undoubtedly a very valuable resource and will be appreciated. As for students, the Oviedo Project is a wonderful and successful example of what can be achieved by undergraduate students. Lisa has mentioned before how often others have doubted the ability of undergraduate students to complete a project of this magnitude, but she proudly defends that we have always done and will continue to do great work. The Oviedo Project is proof that undergraduate students deserve opportunities to gain experience, build confidence, and contribute to the field in meaningful ways.

Your translations are published digitally, and will be a print publication eventually as well. What are your thoughts about how offering Oviedo’s work in multiple formats might affect/change access to, work with, and experiences of the work?

Digital publications are a brilliant resource, accessible on all levels, and widely available. However, they are still very much ephemeral in my experience. Digital footprints can be lost so easily and are hard to maintain. As a team, we’re always so careful with our digital publications, always making sure to have back-ups and to save the translations properly, but it still feels so unpredictable to me.

A print publication, on the other hand, would be physical proof of all of our hard work, proof that would be hard to lose or destroy. Just the fact that the print publications of Oviedo that we’re translating are from 5oo years ago goes to show the reliability of print publications when compared to digital publications. Also, this is just personal preference, but reading on physical paper feels more enjoyable and the information always feels more digestible.

That being said, print publications would be much more costly in both time and money compared to digital publications, so having both options available is certainly ideal.

Interview conducted by Carollynn Costella, History and Multidisciplinary Librarian