Freelance translation is the ultimate entrepreneurial job. I determine my own rates and am free to set my own hours, but the freedom I have as a freelance translator is so much more than that. I live in Cabarete, on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, and the kiteboarding environment here is outstanding. Because I schedule my own hours, I am able to take full advantage of changing wind conditions and get out on the water at the best possible times for kitesurfing.
The confidence and satisfaction that this freedom brings me naturally spills over into every other aspect of my life, including my work. When I accept a translating job, I am happy to do it. I am able to focus my translating skills sharply, to 100 percent of my ability for 100 percent of the job’s time. I can become tired or distracted but never unhappy or wishing that I were somewhere else or doing something else, because I only work when I am absolutely ready to do my best job.
In many other freelance occupations, individuals work from home as independent contractors. They constantly compete with other freelance workers to secure jobs and end up doing work they would otherwise pass over or at times they would rather not be working. The convenience of working from home is diminished, for these people, by the need to work whenever opportunities are available.
Freelance translation is not like that. I have no shortage of offers and can be selective about the offers I do accept. My skill is in great demand, and I am able to fully commit to the work that choose to do. I love to interact with different people in new situations, and I am grateful for the opportunity to do work that I enjoy in such a flexible situation. I provide accurate translations for business travelers and vacationers alike, and my familiarity with the people and customs of the area are often beneficial to my clients.