peter
“I went back to college as a mature student, which was quite harsh financially as I already had a young family and a mortgage but I was striving for a more balanced life and a better future for my kids. Today, I find myself sitting on a bench, enjoying a cup of coffee while reading a book, and getting paid for it. I only have to work from 11 am to 1 pm, and then my day is complete. How amazing is that? I used to work 40-50 hour weeks as an engineer, and on top of that, I used to do food deliveries in the evenings four days a week. I was burning the candle at both ends, and I knew this couldn’t continue for long. Before engineering, I worked in a pub where deaf people would regularly visit. I would ask them to teach me some of the basics of sign language, and I found it quite easy to pick up. This inspired me to study it more seriously and make a career out of it. Today, I work as a freelance Irish sign language interpreter—the best job ever! It’s a specialized field with limited competition. There is only about 80 of us for a relatively large deaf population in the country. I often accompany deaf individuals to hospitals. We spend an hour or 45 minutes in the waiting room, having the chats before we see the doctor for like 10 minutes, and then I head home. The state provides financial support for these services as mandated by legislation to ensure accessibility. If a deaf person needs to go to court, they also call me. I have interpreted at all sorts of events, conferences, and even had the opportunity to sign for ministers on television during the pandemic. While I was in college, I worked 5-6 nights a week doing food deliveries just to make ends meet. It was a difficult and stressful period for my relationship with my wife, but she believed in me and supported me all the way. I started college at the age of 32 and graduated at 36, earning my first professional diploma. It has proven to be the best decision I have ever made.”