Now is a good time to work in this field since data science is hot and companies need web scrapers to provide the data for these models. Atleast that has been my experience in finance. Try applying!
I started on Elance and found some awesome clients there. One even told me to double my bid because "they weren't cheap"!
The key is to focus on a niche and find clients that value their own time.
Also I was living in a 1st world country and able to support myself from Elance projects, so it would be much easier for someone in the Congo.
I have worked online for ~8 years as a programmer and most of my clients don't know where I'm from. It's just not important if I can do the work and communicate effectively (by email).
Try picking up short term contract freelancing work, and then hopefully some of those clients will become regulars. I used to bid for dozens of projects a week on Elance, but now most work comes from a few regulars.
Campaigning for Brexit - learnt that no one is objective, everyone interprets information through their preconceptions.
Also finished my Masters and got a remote job at an awesome startup. Learnt to be less afraid of failure - better to apply to as many universities/jobs as practical and then accept the best offer. Wish I realized this a few years back.
Why would leaving the EU obviously make the UK "permanently poorer"? Norway and Switzerland are doing fine outside the EU. The majority of UK's exports are with non-EU countries, but the EU has few external FTA's (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_free_trade_agre...). This is because any deal can be vetoed by a member state= - an example is a recent proposed deal with Australia was derailed because Italy wanted to protect their tomato industry. Consequently the EU still has no FTA's with US (TTIP likely not passed until 2020), China, India, Japan, Brazil, etc. And these non-EU countries are where the actual growth is happening in the world.
Leaving the EU will allow UK the flexibility to develop trade agreements with the world and increase their exports outside the EU. "Permanently poorer"? - this is propaganda.
I campaigned for Brexit over the last month and am excited with the outcome.
However very disappointed with reaction in the international media - it was a complex debate with good arguments on both sides. Former MEP Daniel Hannan presented some of these arguments in an excellent speech at the Oxford Union:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzNj-hH8LkY
Do some small projects on Elance in your spare time. That's how I learn new technologies - gives you more motivation because have deadline and get paid.
Got one!
I was delayed and didn't login until 7:30.
Waited a few minutes for a ticket to be allocated and then needed to open and close payment window a few times before redirected to the survey.
Do you think preference is given based on location? Am currently in Vietnam.