...This is my first post here. I'm taking advantage of my university spring break in Chicago to set up this blog as part of my next venture.
Supposing the mushy, messy stuff of life can be compartmentalized into phases: I recently had a 2.5 year phase of full-time "Corporate America" employment, partly cubicled, partly with business trips, followed by 18 months of "vacation time," self-discovery and self-enjoyment travel (including China, Europe, Puerto Rico, and Japan), and now I'm in a one-year "Back-to-school-at-50-to-get-my-B.A." phase, which should end this summer and lead into a money earning-saving frenzy of preparation for my next Big Trip, what all this is about, as the title of this blog indicates: my life as a Nomadic Translator.
I've learned through my most recent travels that I'm happiest (and healthiest!) when biking, and since I'm not getting any younger and there are so many other countries, cultures and languages I want to discover, I've decided to lead the nomadic life, biking through Europe, the Middle East, Iran, India, all the way to China and Japan. Along the way I'll also be open to odd jobs of any kind but basically I'm hoping to earn a living by translating for clients (individuals or companies) all over the world, receiving and submitting my work by email, eventually supplementing that activity with language lessons via Skype, and wherever I stay longer than a couple of months I'll also consider teaching in schools or giving private lessons. My time frame for all of this is 5 to 10 years; that is, from now until 2016 or 2021. Then I should think about retirement ;-)
I also want to make my use my websites and blogs as contact points for my very first PNGO, a term I've just invented: Personal Non-Governmental Organization. I would try to gather support for microlending and philanthropic projects that I find or create along the way. I will also try to use this personal cyberspace of mine as a way to promote or advertise good people, companies, entities, events, etc.
I'm interested in Social Business a la M. Yunus. On the other hand I've always believed that the most meaningful (if not efficient) way of addressing aid issues is to actually go there, meet the people, become personally involved. So I would like to do that as I travel along the various countries of my itinerary. Hopefully my interaction or intervention will also help establish many other contacts among others.
Now, if you want to give me a good luck gift, or a gesture of encouragement, post it here, or send me some $ via PayPal: igiduran at hotmail dot com (USD).
Every little bit helps! Even 5 bucks or 5 euros are good for a breakfast or two, to pay for campground fees, as a contribution to bike repairs, maintenance, etc.
Also, if you send me some $, don't forget to let me know how I can contact you!
