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Being freelance and being isolated
Thread poster: savaria (X)
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:33
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Felipe Please!!!! Sep 18, 2008

Felipe Gútiez wrote:
Would this be a kind of partial solution?
In that way you are your own boss.
But you are part of a company.


Oh Felipe, please!! ;-/


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:33
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Coworking or sharing an office with other unrelated or related professionals Sep 18, 2008

Serena Dorey wrote:
Shared office spaces and 'coworking' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coworking) places are now springing up in many cities around the world.


Absolutely. I was about to suggest that.


 
Sanmar
Sanmar
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:33
Dutch to English
Isolation biggest problem Sep 18, 2008

I love being a freelancer, determining my own working hours, etc. but I do feel isolated. I am somewhat of an introvert, too (there seem to be lot of us on this forum!). On the one hand, this means that I am very well suited to working alone but on the other I do know that this way of working tends to reinforce my introvert tendencies at the same time. I know that I regularly have to make an effort to go out and meet people, etc. and always feel better with more energy as a result.

[Edite
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I love being a freelancer, determining my own working hours, etc. but I do feel isolated. I am somewhat of an introvert, too (there seem to be lot of us on this forum!). On the one hand, this means that I am very well suited to working alone but on the other I do know that this way of working tends to reinforce my introvert tendencies at the same time. I know that I regularly have to make an effort to go out and meet people, etc. and always feel better with more energy as a result.

[Edited at 2008-09-18 10:58]
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Elfie Kinzler
Elfie Kinzler  Identity Verified
Local time: 15:33
Member (2009)
French to German
+ ...
Is this my first step out of relative solitude? Sep 19, 2008

Well, I’m such a hermit I never even posted a comment in a forum…

It takes a special character to be a translation freelancer!

I started out in 1982 in a small flat in Paris. In 1982, the only fax machine I had ever seen looked like a bright red washing machine – which I certainly could not afford: I spent part of my days picking up jobs or delivering them in/to translation agencies’ offices, meeting other translators, occasionally having lunch or dinner with t
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Well, I’m such a hermit I never even posted a comment in a forum…

It takes a special character to be a translation freelancer!

I started out in 1982 in a small flat in Paris. In 1982, the only fax machine I had ever seen looked like a bright red washing machine – which I certainly could not afford: I spent part of my days picking up jobs or delivering them in/to translation agencies’ offices, meeting other translators, occasionally having lunch or dinner with them. With the increasing work load, I could afford a courier service and sometimes, as long as there was food in the fridge, I didn’t get farther than the mailbox on the ground floor of the building for a couple of weeks (!). Motherhood changed that, right when I started feeling that the walls were closing in on me. For a while, au-pairs kept me company and then another child and husband kept solitude at bay. The internet allowed us to move to a place in the middle of nowhere, an isolated hamlet.

In November it’s going to be 26 years that I started full-time translating, and I have just decided that I need at least to move back, closer to a city, to civilization. I’m not sure I’m going to be less of a hermit, but at least I’ll know that I can go out and be around other human beings. For the time being, I make do with Internet-friends, I run a 24/24, 7/7 trivia room (in English): no complications when I want to see friends (did I mention that a freelancer’s wardrobe doesn’t take up much space? especially when the freelancer has decided that interpreting jobs are to be avoided as there is NO real human contact involved), no driving back late: I just switch to the trivia screen, answer a few questions and chat with one or several of the « regulars » from all over the world. (Juliana Starkman might like it, when it gets dark and cold in Canada, and she’s in the right time zone as most of the players live in North America).

Some of you may think that this is a poor way of living, maybe you blamed yourself for not showing more interest in a « normal » life - but that’s why I said that it takes a special character to be a freelance translator: You really have to like yourself a lot to spend so much time alone, you really have to have certain qualities that I cannot define and that help you losing yourself in texts others have written – keeping just a tiny background line of your own thoughts for up to 10 hours a day (has that ever bothered you???).

One last thing about the « self-taught » translators: When I started out in 1982 and since then, NO one ever seriously asked me about credentials. I did get a diploma (ESIT, Paris), but it was just to prove that I could. I was working as a full-time legal secretary at the same time (and lawyers have the same crazy hours as translators!) and cannot pretend that I attended classes except for a few mandatory ones. Maybe some of you will protest – but in my opinion translating is a potential, a knack you are born with and have developed. So it’s not the diploma that makes a good translator, it’s experience. I guess that close to 100% of us are exploiting a gift – and that’s why we enjoy our jobs so much - with or without solitude.
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Nathalie White
Nathalie White  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 14:33
English to French
+ ...
Love the job, hate the solitude Sep 23, 2008

I have only been freelancing since last February (after working as an in-house translator for years) but I already feel the main downside of it: isolation and loneliness... my own fault really as I spend too many hours working instead of getting out of the house and doing some activities.

I know I should work less and go out more often, but the problem is that there is no one home during the day telling me to take my lunch break or to stop working because the day has ended (as it wo
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I have only been freelancing since last February (after working as an in-house translator for years) but I already feel the main downside of it: isolation and loneliness... my own fault really as I spend too many hours working instead of getting out of the house and doing some activities.

I know I should work less and go out more often, but the problem is that there is no one home during the day telling me to take my lunch break or to stop working because the day has ended (as it would happen in an office environment).

As a result, I work (or do other stuff at the computer), work again, time flies by and then I realise it is already something like 20.30 or so and that I should really shut the computer down for the day...

Sure, as some people might say (my husband being one of them), I can take the afternoon off and go about, do something, but all my friends are working during the afternoon and cannot sneak out of the office to meet me. So yes, I feel I can take 1/2 day or a few hours off whenever I want but, mostly, they are spent alone.

Still, I am quite relieved to read that I am not the only one talking to myself)

As I said, I just love the job, translating for hours, "playing" with words and all, but I still miss some human contact (not the office gossiping though).

Best of luck to you all,
NatW
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Mervyn Henderson (X)
Mervyn Henderson (X)  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:33
Spanish to English
+ ...
Pow-wows are a good idea Sep 25, 2008

I got the impression two years ago that I was tapping away at a computer on my own much too much, whereas previously I had been out and about much more, and that was the main reason I organised a pow-wow in Bilbao, on International Translators' Day in fact, although that was a coincidence simply because it was organised for Saturday, and partially Sunday too. It was a good way to see other people who do the same as you, and it was a good larf, but you can't do it every day.

 
Ligia Dias Costa
Ligia Dias Costa  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 14:33
English to Portuguese
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Isolation??? Sep 25, 2008

I must confess I never feel lonely.

In the mornings, I wake up early, my husband leaves the house, moaning about the early morning hours, and the maid comes in.

My two kids (9 and 11) wake up and take breakfast with me. The maid cleans the house, interrupts me the whole morning about things like what shall I do for dinner, etc.

At 11h30, I take kids to school and have a coffee in a coffeeshop in town.

I get back. The maid leaves. The door clos
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I must confess I never feel lonely.

In the mornings, I wake up early, my husband leaves the house, moaning about the early morning hours, and the maid comes in.

My two kids (9 and 11) wake up and take breakfast with me. The maid cleans the house, interrupts me the whole morning about things like what shall I do for dinner, etc.

At 11h30, I take kids to school and have a coffee in a coffeeshop in town.

I get back. The maid leaves. The door closes.

At last, only myself and the dog (sleeping the whole afternoon).

Uff! silence, at last.

At half past six, kids come in, noise starts...
Husband comes in later.
Diner.
Talks.

What solitude?? Being alone for five, six hours???

And whenever I want to take a break from some text ou sentence that I do not feel like translating, I do what Tomás says:

Tomás Cano Binder wrote:

Hey folks! Any time you have a sense of solitude, please feel free to email! Use Proz email with my profile! We can discuss weather, sports, agriculture, and Norwegian leather industry. Cheers!


.. well, not the part of the Norwegian leather industry!

Cheers!
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Anmol
Anmol
Local time: 20:03
Monks and translation Sep 25, 2008

Are you aware that monks make some of the best translators?

 
Mervyn Henderson (X)
Mervyn Henderson (X)  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:33
Spanish to English
+ ...
Work habits Sep 25, 2008

Yes they do, but then they work all the hours God gives them.

 
Phil Bird
Phil Bird
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:33
Spanish to English
+ ...
He likes them Sep 26, 2008

Mervyn Henderson wrote:

Yes they do, but then they work all the hours God gives them.


And I think God gives them a lot..... (sorry, couldn't resist!)


 
Francesca Battaglia
Francesca Battaglia
Italy
Local time: 15:33
English to Italian
+ ...
my experience Sep 27, 2008

This is a very interesting issue, for real.

I've spent quite a long time dealing directly with customers every day and at the end of the day no-one could even dare spaking to me since I was hysterical. Now that I am working indipendently from home I can appreciate life so much more! First of all, being a female, I can enjoy my house and my family a lot more, carrying on both my houseworks and my translation jobs.
Secondly, I can organize my work to best suit my needs.
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This is a very interesting issue, for real.

I've spent quite a long time dealing directly with customers every day and at the end of the day no-one could even dare spaking to me since I was hysterical. Now that I am working indipendently from home I can appreciate life so much more! First of all, being a female, I can enjoy my house and my family a lot more, carrying on both my houseworks and my translation jobs.
Secondly, I can organize my work to best suit my needs.

I don't feel secluded! I can work hard and then decide it's time for a break and I go out meeting p eople. Not to say that Messenger and Skype are a big resource, you can speak with your colleagues or friends..I never feel alone.
I mean, of course there are busier times when you won't see the sun for days, weeks..but then you'll still be he one deciding when it's time for some social life!

I love my indipendence!!!

Sorry, just forgot to suggest:

have you considered re-planning your working hours? I find it easier and nicer to work in the evening, for example. In the morning I usually work from 10 to 3pm and then have a break to do something at home etc..in the afternoon I may keep on working till 8 or simply (depending of course on the workload) go shopping or meeting people (private lessons or friends) and then work again from 9 to 1-2 am.


[Edited at 2008-09-27 13:24]
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Irene Chao
Irene Chao  Identity Verified
Local time: 22:33
English to Chinese
I do feel isolated, but still I like to be a freelancer Sep 28, 2008

Frankly speaking, I am not yet a freelancer, but I am planning to be.

Well, sometimes I would feel isolated too. First of all, you should find a place to work, whether it is from 9:00 am to 12:00pm, or 3:00pm to 8:00pm. The schedule is up to you. Being a freelancer, I don't have to tell my boss that I must leave the office earlier because my son is sick, nor I will have to come back late because I have my blood test early tomorrow morning. I really hate that !

The mo
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Frankly speaking, I am not yet a freelancer, but I am planning to be.

Well, sometimes I would feel isolated too. First of all, you should find a place to work, whether it is from 9:00 am to 12:00pm, or 3:00pm to 8:00pm. The schedule is up to you. Being a freelancer, I don't have to tell my boss that I must leave the office earlier because my son is sick, nor I will have to come back late because I have my blood test early tomorrow morning. I really hate that !

The most important of all is : I can hear my son saying " Mom, I am back !" when he comes home from school !
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 952313 (X)
952313 (X)

Local time: 01:33
English to Japanese
+ ...
I don't mind being alone but... Oct 24, 2008

I don't mind being alone at home and doing my job, but the loneliness truly hits me when I go out with my few friends and start talking about intriguing linguistic differences between two/three languages and my non-translating, monolingual friends get bored to death. Apparently people do not get excited over languages. I'm weird!

 
Annika Hedqvist
Annika Hedqvist  Identity Verified
Sweden
Local time: 15:33
Member (2008)
English to Swedish
+ ...
Find a social hobby Oct 31, 2008

I do get lonely too. I also get very affected by gray, rainy weather and the shorter days during the winter.

To beat the blues I try to get out and spend some time at a place with people around. If you need to do research go do it at a library. They usually don't just have resourceful books, but also computers with internet access.

One other thing that can work is to take up a social hobby. Preferably something where you really get in touch with people. I've found my p
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I do get lonely too. I also get very affected by gray, rainy weather and the shorter days during the winter.

To beat the blues I try to get out and spend some time at a place with people around. If you need to do research go do it at a library. They usually don't just have resourceful books, but also computers with internet access.

One other thing that can work is to take up a social hobby. Preferably something where you really get in touch with people. I've found my place in the tango community here. Tango dancers have to focus a lot on their partner, they tend to talk about dance steps and technique and there's social chit chat going on beside the dance floor. It's very social and it attracts lots of smart and interesting people.

I think just about any dance would be good. It's an antidepressive drug for the winter. If you don't like dancing I suspect that martial arts classes could do the same thing.
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Anja Weggel
Anja Weggel  Identity Verified
Local time: 15:33
Member (2007)
English to German
Mobbing & Co Nov 17, 2008

Hi there,

There is probably not too much to add to all you have said. I adore my job since I like to be alone most of the time and if I don't there is e-mail, Proz, MSN, calls to friends, etc.

Plus, I heard too many gruesome stories from the business world out there.
Companies where half of the personnel needs counseling because so much mobbing is going on. Colleagues who are absolutely incompetent but cannot be fired due to age or other reasons. Colleagues who a
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Hi there,

There is probably not too much to add to all you have said. I adore my job since I like to be alone most of the time and if I don't there is e-mail, Proz, MSN, calls to friends, etc.

Plus, I heard too many gruesome stories from the business world out there.
Companies where half of the personnel needs counseling because so much mobbing is going on. Colleagues who are absolutely incompetent but cannot be fired due to age or other reasons. Colleagues who are socially incompetent and a pain to work with, colleagues who will step on you just to shine for your boss. A boss who wants your commitment but doesn't give anything back, a company where you work hours and hours of your free time and as soon as they can they fire you because they do not like the way you say something ... I could go on forever like this and these are all true examples!

I consider myself lucky to be able to do what I love the way I like it...
Kind regards
Anja
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