If it's unknown to some people, it ought to be known to all people.
In a social setting, it's a bit rude to ask an attorney for legal advice. It's equally poor manners to try to get a medical diagnosis from a medical professional, in a social setting or to ask a dentist what to do about a problem with ones teeth.
Do you see where this is going?
Read on, guys & female guys.
A mistake I have made, in the past, that it took a bit of time to correct then continue to keep certain knowledge to myself. Being an expert seamstress, I still love to sew, though I sew far less than I used to. It was my delight, my joy, to make clothing that delighted others.
Their delight magnified my own, to create some happiness for the ones I loved so much.
When a few people in the town where I live, heard that I was an excellent seamstress, it happened. At first just a couple of people asked me to do a "favor" for them aka hem a dress or pants or replace a zipper. As in, because I know how to sew like a pro, it would be neighborly to do "favors" for my neighbors.
As much as I protested, very kindly, people wouldn't take "no" as an answer.
It was my mistake to say yes, then, do the sewing for 2 people. The requests for "favors" started to be presented after that. I had to say very kind, firm ~ "NO"
Like I meant it, which I did.
With zero desire or intent to become the town seamstress, I had to nip it in the bud. With as much desire as I had to help others, I could see that these "favors" would be asked of me more often by more people if I let my helpful nature take over. I work a lot, doing work that feels more like play.
Most of the time, I'm either working or sleeping. Occasionally working out or showering. The foods I love are mostly raw fruit, veggies, an occasional boiled egg. I have even less time to sew for myself or others once I started in this career that I love.
Everyone makes their mistakes in life, right? You might be close to perfect, I'm far from it. Maybe I'm close while others are far. idk.
Maybe a little bit of both.
Maybe the same people who ask professional questions in social situations ask for unpaid "favors" aka freebies.
I'm a polyglot, I use it in my profession. A career that fell into my hands later in life than I would have liked. Let me say, that I'm deeply grateful that it did. I lived in survival mode for more than a decade which felt more like 2 decades or even three.
Eating cheap & less of it for so many years.
If I had known that my talent with languages would benefit me so richly in the future, I might have tried far less at other avenues to support myself. I left a long marriage with far less to show for the many years of misery & frustration.
I just wanted OUT.
The mistake I made was to tell others that I'm fluent in 5 languages. In the past 2 years, I taught myself a 6th, took the fluency test, became certified.
Before that, I had told various people that I spoke more languages than English. From all the time I spent with the locals in Hawai'i, speaking pidgin comes right back to me. There's a rhythm, a sweet cadence to Pidgin English that I love.
I'm sure that if I lived in Jamaica, I would pick up Patois.
People have heard me conversing in Spanish, around town. It happens more naturally for me to speak to someone in their native language as part of being polite.
Maybe it was the company I kept, more & more people would spring it on me to speak to someone in their language whether it was French, German, Spanish or Italian.
It felt as if I was being treated like a circus monkey, asked to perform by just striking up a conversation in other than English. There is a resort close to where I live, The Wildcatter Ranch. People from all over the world come to this somewhat obscure area of Texas to get a taste of what Texas is all about. Sometimes the guests of The Wildcatter go into the shops on the town square. Often, the people don't speak English.
Sometimes I have nightmares aka night terrors. After a full night of the worst kind of night terrors, someone I used to know, phoned me, convinced me to get out of the house for a few hours.
While we were browsing in one of the shops, the acquaintance so severely put me on the spot, I froze up. She took me by the arm, put me in front of a woman from Germany, told me to speak to the woman.
You speak German, I wanna hear it. Speak some German to her.
So cruel.
After a night filled with terrors, then, so hastily put on the spot.
It made me feel like a dog being told to sit, stay, roll over! Just for her amusement.
When I was no longer spending time with her, I decided that I would keep my polyglot talent to myself.
In my career, I translate & interpret.
Translating is writing the cultural, gender correct meaning of a written word into, in this case, English.
Interpreting is the act of receiving the response in, in this instance, English, then writing the response in the language the statements or questions are asked.
Before I sit down to translate & interpret long documents, a bit of prepping gets my brains in gear. For a long time, I ordered books of crossword puzzles in the different languages that I worked with on a regular basis. Working the crossword puzzles in the language I was going to work with, for 20 minutes, prepped my brain.
After a few months, I could prepare by doing crossword puzzles all in English.
Preparing, warming up, just like athletes warm up before a game.
It's good to warm the mind up before working, it's the very same.
Once I have warmed up, I set large bottles of water within my reach. I'm one of those weird people who loves to drink water. Most days, I drink at least 64 oz (2 liters) per day. Staying hydrated may seem to be such a cliche'.
It really is one of the most important principles of good health. Before I start to work, I look at the tips of my fingers. If the tips are pink & plump, no furrowing, I know I'm well hydrated. Even then, I still keep sipping on my water while I work.
As odd as this may sound, I do simple brain exercises as I work. One of them is called, Clicking the Amygdala Forward. Often, I speak out loud as I translate. As a result or maybe an effect of the brain exercises, I actually feel movement in my brain. Little squiggles back & forth in my brain, as I work.
As for being taken advantage of, concerning the languages I'm fluent in, I have to own my responsibility in it. As a result, I stopped letting people know what I do in my career. If someone is injured & needs help, if they are a non-english speaker, I will use discretion, help if it's needed.
I still love to help others, to ease pain or struggle if it's needed.
That's who I am.
