Spanish Studies
Jan
studied part-time for three years at the University of Glasgow and full-time
for four months at a language school in the south of Spain,
while living with a Spanish family. Jan has a Certificate in Spanish Studies (Advanced) from Glasgow University (linguistically equivalent to a Higher Ordinary Degree). Now a fluent Spanish speaker, Jan has a good command of
both Latin American and European Spanish. Jan travels regularly to Spain
and has spent over a year working and travelling throughout Central
and Southern Mexico and has carried out projects in Cuba, Costa Rica,
Panama and Ecuador. During her her time as Scottish Co-ordinator for
Banana Link and working on her
Green_Gold
project
she has gained a knowledge of labour rights terminology, through interviewing
workers, transcribing their testimonies and translating these
into English.
Jan
is particularly interested in human and labour rights.
Interpreting
Experience
Interpreter for SITRAP (Union of Costa Rican Plantation Workers) Union
Activists visiting STUC (Scottish Trade Union Congress) and SCIAF (Scottish
International Aid Fund) invited by World Development Movement and Banana
Link.
Interpreting
for Roberto Tépaz López, an indigenous Guatemalan Human
Rights activist.
Organising
a visit to Scotland and translating/interpreting for Gilberth Bermúdez from
Costa Rica. He is co-ordinater of COLSIBA, an umbrella organisation for
40 banana workers' unions in Latin America - he also represents SITRAP.
Translation, interpreting
and organising visit in collaboration with Central American Women's
Network for Rosibel Flores, feminist activist from MAM, El Salvador.
Translation/interpretation
for Christian Aid for Nicaraguan activist, Sergio Saenz López,
Movimiento Comunal Matagalpa.
