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As an interpreter, I've never had to drop a friend for professional reasons. Deaf friends that I had before I became a terp are still my friends. I've also met and made new Deaf friends since becoming a terp. I attend many Deaf "happenings", especially silent dinners. I attend the weddings and funerals of Deaf friends, as a friend. There is no ethical reason to dump friends or avoid making friendships. Interpreters just need to know their boundaries, and how to separate "terp time" and "off time". Whatever happens during interpreting assignments stays in one "pile", and whatever happens between friends stays in another "pile". A terp can be professional and ethical without being a cold fish.
Think about other professionals who have to maintain ethical standards of confidentiality, such as doctors and lawyers. If a doctor's good friend becomes his patient, does the friendship stop? No. A real professional knows how to handle relationships correctly.
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