En 1991, estaba trabajando de gerente administrativa en una empresa que tenía una sucursal en san pablo. tenía que viajar para hacer la auditoría de los tornillos con los que se hacían unos compresores de aire; una cosa tremendamente aburrida. yo iba en el avión, supongo que iba llorando, y leo en un recuadro muy chiquito en el diario el llamado a concurso de 'la sonrisa vertical', el certamen de la editorial tusquets.

In 1991, I was working as an administrative manager in a company that had a branch in San Pablo. I had to travel to do an audit about the screws with which some air compressors were made; a tremendously boring thing. I was on the plane, I guess I was crying, and I read in a very small box in the newspaper the call to contest of 'The vertical smile', the Tusquets publishing house contest.

Explanation:

Translating by parts:

->En 1991 = In 1991

->estaba trabajando de gerente administrativa = I  was working as an administrative manager

->en una empresa que tenía una sucursal en San Pablo = in a company that had a branch in San Pablo.

->Tenía que viajar = I had to travel

->para hacer la auditoría de los tornillos con los que se hacían unos compresores de aire = to do an audit about the screws with which some air compressors were made

-> una cosa tremendamente aburrida = a tremendously boring thing.

->Yo iba en el avión, supongo que iba llorando = I was on the plane,  I guess I was crying.

->y leo en un recuadro muy chiquito en el diario el llamado a concurso de 'La sonrisa vertical' = and I read in a very small box in the newspaper the call to contest of 'The vertical smile'

->el certamen de la editorial Tusquets = the Tusquets publishing house contest.