My Biggest Adventure Yet

You haven’t heard from me in a long while because I am at the start of something new…

Everyday I find more and more encouraging and inspirational blogs about breaking free of the full-time, 9-5 routine and making the leap into a freelance life. Not nearly as common is the story of a freelancer who gives it all up to go work for a corporation.

A few months ago, I was offered an in-house translation job at one of Germany’s largest corporations. The job comes complete with a one-hour commute, an office with a view of a brick wall and my very own corporate ID.

I have been a freelancer all my life…until now. I have always been my own boss, always worked evenings, weekends and holidays. This new full-time job means more than a major lifestyle change for me; I see it as a learning experience and perhaps my biggest adventure of all.

I have always been happy and content in my freelance, nonconformist lifestyle, which is why I did not go looking for this job, but rather it found me. It is a 15-month position, so at the end of my contract, I may just appreciate my freelance lifestyle more than ever.

I am looking forward to a year of letting someone else run the show. It is one more opportunity, one more new experience. I am not one to pass up new experiences or opportunities so I accepted the job.

Let the adventure begin!

Some Vacations are for Working: Part 2

So many freelancer writers and translators rave about the freedom the lifestyle provides, including the freedom to work from anywhere – read anywhere with computer and Internet access. But how many of us actually take advantage of our freedom? And how many of us continue to sit in a home office at the same desk day in and day out?

As you may have read in yesterday’s post, Some Vacation are for Working, I am on a working vacation in London at the moment. I love working as a freelance translator and I love traveling; a working vacation is the perfect opportunity to combine the two.

Here are just some of the advantages of combining business and pleasure in one working vacation:

• Save money. You do not need to take time off or sacrifice an income while traveling. Take your work with you and earn money wherever you may be.

• Get to know a new place like a local. A working vacation usually means you can stay in a place longer than a traditional vacation allows. Instead of a few days why not spend a few weeks or even months in a new location? You’ll get to know your destination much better than any conventional tourist would.

• Network. Why go some place where you can meet long-distance clients face to face or even secure new clients with a one-on-one meeting. Or you could meet up with colleagues you’ve met online or make new contacts along the way. A new location means new networking possibilities.

• Brush up on your language skills. As translators we need to constantly work to hone our language skills, and one of the best ways to do that is through travel. A working vacation could be a great opportunity for translators to spend some time where their second or third languages are spoken.

• Get motivated. Sometimes a new workspace in a new location means new-found motivation and inspiration. Traveling may just spark creative ideas or even business models for your freelance career.

A change of location, if only for a short time, brings with it countless advantages. But you also need to be prepared for the challenges you may face. Check back tomorrow for the disadvantages of a working vacation.

This too shall pass

Often weeks will go by with no new assignments coming in. I will spend my time marketing. I will spend my time fixing my image. I will have to remind myself to be patient. It can be a full-time job to keep myself from getting discouraged.
At the moment I am trying to remember what that feels like. I am trying to remind myself that this is success. I am trying to revel in it.

Isn’t this what we all wish and strive for? One project after another. And one more to see you through the whole month from start to finish; the month with no rest. Perhaps you should be careful what you wish for …. since you may just get it.

Whether experiencing a dry spell or living in the weeds, as they say, one thought keeps me going – I remind myself of one of my favorite quotes:

‘this too shall pass.’

‘One-bedroom-apartment Guests’

The apartment is quiet now. Just about everything is back in its place. The Easter holiday has come and gone, and with it, our houseguests came, did their damage, and are now gone as well.

I should perhaps clarify that by ‘houseguests’ I mean ‘one-bedroom apartment guests’, which is a more appropriate term for anyone staying with us. While we’re at it, let’s change ‘guests’ to my husband’s sister, her husband and their three children. Yes, it was quite a week in our one bedroom apartment also known as my place of work.

Normally I love working from home. I love lingering in the morning over my hot tea. I love sitting down to my computer to start my day off translating. Normally. Normally there are not 5 extra people (3 of whom are under the age of 9) living in my apartment, sleeping on the floor of what is actually my ‘office.’

I do not actually have the luxury of an office in my apartment. I do not have a door to close. I do not have a room of my own. Instead I have a desk. I have a corner. I have my spot. Try explaining that to a 4 year old.

Last week I missed having an office. I missed having a place to be and a certain time to be there. I missed the excuse to rush out of the house because otherwise ‘I’ll be late!’ That’s the problem. There is no late when your office is your apartment. There is no need to rush off and no place to actually rush off to. But there is still work to be done. 5000 words to be exact. Guests don’t seem to know quite what it means to work from home. They seem to believe that working from home is more like lounging around all day. They seem to believe that it is an easy life.

My work proved to be extra challenging last week. And as is often the case, while last week I didn’t know how I was going to get it all done. This week I have only time.