During Spring 2020 I took a Spanish translation class that transitioned to online learning and we began translating COVID documents for the community. At the same time, I was taking a public health course where we were exploring the impact that COVID is currently having on the community. I decided to translate COVID documents into Portuguese because I realized that if the Spanish community was in need of these documents then it was likely that the Portuguese community needed them as well. From my public health course, I learned that communication is key for getting the community to make positive changes towards a better community. I am grateful that I got to make a positive impact on the community. These two courses taken together gave me a better understanding of how connected public health is to communication and how I could use my knowledge of Portuguese to benefit the public health movement towards a healthier country.

An inside look into my experience:

My desire to translate COVID documents was essentially a spur of the moment thought after receiving another translation assignment in class. There were over 20 students in the class working to translate documents into Spanish and I thought it might be a good idea to contribute in a different area and diversify our efforts. I may have originally thought that translating into Portuguese would be an easier endeavor because I was raised speaking the language in my home, however I was very naïve in thinking so. The first document I translated was a brochure that explained to families how to apply for government benefits for essential items during this financial hardship.

Once I began the assignment, I realized I had never used these words in my daily conversations with my parents at home. I was immediately humbled by the fact that I may not be as fluent as I considered myself to be. With the help of my mother and the internet, I was able to finish translating the document and received the help from P.h.D students in the Portuguese department for revision before submission. I continued translating documents for the rest of the semester and this experience not only challenged my knowledge of the language but made me realize how something as simple as translating a document could help families around the state find some relief and hope during this challenging time.