Greater than 2 minutes, my friend!
Let’s Get it Changed: Breaking Out of the Comfort Zone It is a perfect time to make the change, and the OpenMic is exactly what I need right now.
So I want to thank Dmitry many thousands of times for creating this new platform, where we can just talk. In the comfort.
I have a lot to say here, so the challenge is to keep it structured.
So I guess, I’ve started, and now I just need to keep going. π
So the story is: I’ve been a technical translator for quite a time, and loved it (still love it sometimes), however I never saw myself being fully committed to this type of work. It was never exactly fulfilling for me. As life went on, I gradually distanced from technical translation and transformed into a fitness trainer, and then into a healthy lifestyle specialist. This is the kind of work that comes naturally and that I love doing every moment of my life.
Having said that, I don’t want to quit translation, no way. Even when I tried, translation just seemed to not be willing to quit me.
However, technical specialization is no longer something I want to have in my working life. Without constant hands on experience in the technical translation field it’s becoming ridiculous trying to figure our this and that without direct access to the process and the technical staff. Technical notions become more and more vague, and it’s just not enjoyable anymore.
We talked about it in the short correspondence with Elena Tereshchenkova recently, which I am very thankful to her for. Her example just moved something inside my mind yesterday.
“I don’t have to continue being technical translator just because I’ve been one for 10 years. I don’t have to quit translation just because I don’t want to be a technical translator anymore. It’s ok, me and the technical loved each other when we were young, now we divorce. It’s fine”. That’s what’s been playing in my head since last night.
And today I received a positive response to my request and test translation to join MIF publisher translator outsource pool. My Russian colleagues probably know how big it is, to be published as a translator by MIF. See how it happens? Things just fall in together in a perfect fit, don’t they?
So I’m here to do a big (big for me) transfer. I’m here to become a lifestyle creative translator after being a technical translator for over 10 years. I’m here to show that it is possible to combine the two – healthy lifestyle and translation – passions into one successful career, and to specialized in what I amΒ genuinely interested in.
I already face the challenges. I’m not sure where to start. I don’t even know if there’s a market for this type of service. I have to refurbish my website, which is painful (I’m not as technically savvy as Dmitry, for me it’s more like a struggle). But I think it’s only natural, and I have hope and faith, that the right things will keep coming my way, if I give them enough space and show them – with my actions – that I welcome them.
Guys, I’m really looking forward to your comments and really hope to have a discussion here. It really helps to share the transition process rather than going through it on my own. Maybe it will even help someone make their transition. But it only work if we talk and listen. So let’s talk. π
Audra De Falco 
Pieter Beens 
Sherif Abuzid 
Just reading this gives me tears of joy. Only now I realize that I’m doing something important, something that actually helps people. So thank you so much for sharing, Olga and for being such a big inspiration.
I love how determined you’re about your future. You don’t dwell in the past. You focus on what’s best for you and that’s what I think everyone should do.
Congratulations on your new beginnings! I know it might seem scary and strange, but everything will be better soon.
Keep going!
You’re on the right track!
And I’ll be looking forward to your future posts, here, on The Open Mic and I can’t wait till we can share it with the whole world!
Thank you for being a part of this journey!
We’re all the beginners, no matter how much experience we have. Embrace the changes and you’ll be surprised how enjoyable and rewarding this new life can be.
Thank you, Dmitry!
I know, at the moment it feels a little bit like “alcoholic anonymous”, a small group of people sharing their weird obsession π As my ex-boss once said “You translators are so easily entertained: give you a bunch of words and you’re off” π
Well, that’s how it is with us.
I really appreciate the support, and the journey that this wonderful platform offers. Let’s rock it!
Haha! More like “translators anonymous”, but it’s only for a while. I’m working day and night to fine-tune The Open Mic and make sure it rocks! Don’t worry, we’ll be out of the beta stage soon. Because as far as I can tell pretty much everything works as intended π
Yay! I’m so glad our conversation helped you see some things in the new light. And congratulations on the test assignment from MIF, that’s just awesome!
Thank you, thank you and one more time – thank you. You never know when a dropped e-mail can click in someone’s mind π By the way, speaking of MIF: they got back to me later and said that they only contract Russian citizens… So bummer for me, but why don’t you try? I can give you the contact, drop me an e-mail if you’re interested.