Happy Blogiversary to Me: Looking Back at 4 Years of Thought Sharing
Disclaimer: This is not your typical lovey dovey, 100% positive blogiversary post. There will be some serious bomb dropping below. Dear reader, if you are a Lebanese colleague and you can’t handle it, I advise you not to scroll down.
I’m writing this as I sip on my Iced Café Mocha, as I struggle to wake up from a much needed but very short nap to take on new jobs, on the first day after wrapping up a huge, grueling and urgent 3-week translation and transcription project that my team and I worked on. I wake up to a whole lot of thank you emails from my clients and I think to myself: I made it.
I am not one to not share my excitement for my work or my self satisfaction with my success, although I’ve been criticized way too much for it. But I am definitely one of those who believe in the saying: if you’ve got it, flaunt it.
Sure, I have haters, and I used to ask myself “Why? Why me? What have I done to you? I am not even getting in your way so why hate on me?” but then I realized that I also have a strong online presence that led me to meet almost all of my high profile clients.
I was bullied, I was bashed, I was attacked.
I was bullied because I am a proud career mom. I won’t go into the details of that. The mere idea of why I was bullied makes me sick.
I was bashed because I advocate fair rates. Understandably so, when my colleagues used me to climb up the ladder when we first graduated. In fact, my classmate paid me the rate of 8,000 LBP (a little over $5!!) for the translation of 1 scanned PDF page that would contain as many as 1000 words sometimes! Go figure.
I was attacked because I take interpretation jobs while I don’t hold an Interpretation degree yet. Not gonna go there, either. Already covered this point here and here.
I was made fun of because I am proud of what I have achieved, because I am proud of all the blessings that I have, because I am proud of my accomplishments. I was made fun of because I gave my honest opinion, and my sincere advice, because I am trying to help my colleagues. Some even went as far as mocking my family, my children! But you know what? I look around me and I smile: the joke is on them 🙂
While you were busy stalking my social media accounts or talking shit behind my back, I was busy closing business deals and meeting new clients.
I worked my butt off to get to where I am. It didn’t happen overnight. It took blood, sweat, tears and dedication. I am the hardest worker in the room. I put 100% into every job, every page, every minute of what I do, and I do my homework, and my research, and then some, because I am a professional; an aggressive one for that matter.
I thought a million times and hesitated a million more before finally deciding to publish this post, because I know there will be bitter people (unfortunately colleagues also) who will say “She’s at it again. She sounds like a broken record (Fala2etna). She is bragging. She is a stuck up. She is arrogant. She is this. She is that”.
And I usually don’t get personal on here, but maybe I will make a little exception on this occasion.
My blog is 4 years old. I have been sharing tips, news and interesting information for 4 years. I have been sharing some personal opinions and personal moments, too. And guess what? No hater will stop me from sharing my thoughts. You don’t like what I have to say? No one told you to click on that link.
I write because I love it. I write because some things need to be said. I write because it has become a sort of therapy to me.
On a positive note (you are definitely thinking “Finally, she’s back!” haha) I do appreciate my loyal readers, the majority of whom are actually foreigners. They have shown me nothing but the utmost support. Some even encouraged me to do webinars. I am not delusional; no Lebanese translator would be interested in that. I won’t waste my time on something that won’t get the love it deserves and that no one will appreciate. Not anymore, and definitely not in this part of the world.
If you love this blog and what it has to offer, go ahead and subscribe! Lots of interesting content will always come your way 🙂
Dear loyal readers,
Thank you for taking the time to read what I have to share!
If there is any topic you would like me to cover, please drop me a comment below and I will be more than happy to write about it!