Sometimes you get this feeling that the Universe conspires not against you but for you. Seemingly complicated things happen smoothly, the unlucky event turns out to be in your favor, chance encounters will provide you with the necessary information. Somehow everything clicks.
When I got into my mind that I was the one who had to translate Elizabeth Gilbert's book into Hungarian I had no idea how to actually do it (besides the obvious - to sit down and translate it). The internet seemed a good place to start my search, and within minutes I found a literary translation course in Budapest that was about to start. I e-mailed them, got a positive answer and I booked my ticket to Hungary - leaving California and my old life behind. I literally drove from the airport to the first class. Since there were only a few students there, we were told that the course might not even start. The last minute, though, another hopeful candidate arrived, and we had our first lecture.
While I maintain that literary translation cannot really be taught, there were a lot of things that we learned - mostly by trial and error. Useful pointers were given - alongside with tons of homework: translating everything from some of Hemingway's short stories to some of the adventures of Adrian Mole.
My next step was finding out who had the rights for Gilbert's book in Hungary. I contacted them, told them I was a beginner translator and I had a few chapters translated from Eat, Pray, Love. Could I send them in? Sure! Send it in! And just a few days later I got an answer: If I want, I can translate the book.
So, suddenly, I was there with a whole book to translate. Which is what I wanted, right?
Of course, I freaked out.
http://elizabethgilbert.com/
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