Well here goes again…
2010 started out as a shocker to me. I was in the verge of losing my job here in Qatar and I was set to go home by the 28 of January 2010. I was told to report to the office January 21 and was advised that our project will soon be ending and they have no more position for me in the company. It really was a shocker since I know that we were not finished with our project but here they tell me that they have no more use for me.
Well anyways, I accepted their decision and asked them not to send me home yet for I would like to go around Qatar and look for a company that would hire me and fortunately they agreed.
So I set my goal and looked for possible companies. I started to look thru the net and found a few company that are hiring, and luckily, within a day of submitting CV’s I already had a call from 3 companies.
Then after 2 days, I have appointments already but before I can go and have the interview with the companies I applied in, my former project manager called me and said someone from our company wants to talk to me and interview me for a position, a lead electrical engineer position.
I didn’t bring my hopes up then. I told myself maybe I’m still not up to the position being a site engineer only in the previous project I had in Ras Laffan.
Anyways, I am already in the losing end, I told myself, no use missing that interview. So instead of going to the other the companies, I went back to the office to see this French-Mexican engineering manager and only thing I can say about him, he is very good in his craft and he is warm hearted fellow who has a good feeling about Filipinos.
In other words, I was able to win his approval and I got the job. And not only that, being a lead engineer now, I even got the raise I was hoping for since 2009 but not after a month of working with them since they put me on probationary to see if I can perform the duties I will be faced with the position.
After that, another month has passed and I could say I did performed well with my new position. Even my Nissan pick-up was replaced by an almost brand new Toyota Yariz, hehehe.
Month of April, I was told by my boss to prepare for he is approving my one week vacation to attend my two sons graduation. Yes, EJ and NICO are graduating college. I felt very happy and proud of my two sons. Though I know they are affected by the problems I have made to our family, they still went on strong with their studies.
April 5, I was able to come home again. I went straight to my family’s house in Project 4. I am very happy to see them. I just wish I don't have to go back to Qatar. Of course, I handed over to my children their gifts I brought from Qatar. All of them I gave a Compaq Mini. I just loved the way their eyes shine as if I gave them the perfect gift.
After, we prepared for the big 2 days. I hired a van that we will be using for 2 days. It will be a very hectic schedule for us. Nico will be having his graduation rites at his school, La Salle Lipa, and Ej will be having his in PICC. Which means, after travelling to Lipa for Nico’s graduation, we have to hurry back to manila and have our sleep so we can get up early the next day for Ej’s graduation in PICC that starts 7am in the morning.
Anyways, everything worked out fine, and after Ej’s graduation, we had a very nice lunch there at CCP complex. I let them order any food they want then and we had a great meal.
That one week was really worthwhile. I am very thankful that my boss let me off even if it was just for a week.
Now it’s back Qatar.
Well everything is working out well and everything in my new office is falling in their right places for me. After the long preparation of documents, here comes the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for the equipment I have specified and ordered. This FAT will be done in the manufacturer’s site. I sense travel opportunities. We have vendors from Turkey, Abu Dhabi, Milan, Bibienna and Germany. I just pray I will be attending the FAT for all of them.
Month of July, our vendor from turkey sent notification that the equipment is ready for inspection and my bosses told me to go to HR and have my visa to Turkey prepared. At long last, dream come true, I said to myself. So everything was prepared and I was set to go to Turkey. Unfortunately, I was not able to go. I have to go home to the Philippines because of a very sad news.
Now the sad news, my estranged wife, who is suffering from lung cancer for over a year passed away. It was July 18, my daughter called me and broke the news. Though we were not leaving together for almost 10 years now, I was very hurt to hear that she is gone. I had plans where she was included. After talking to my daughter and reassuring her that I’d be there for her and her 2 brothers, I just sat there in my bed with tears that I cannot hold and a heart that made me gasp for my breath. I was consoled by my flatmate then but no words can ever relieved the pain I felt. I guess the old saying is true…”you would only know the worth of someone once you knew that someone is gone forever”.
I went back home to my family with a heavy heart. I could only reminisce the times we had together, happy, sad, crazy, dull, name it. I wanted to remember her just the way she was before.
We had her cremated and we placed her ashes together with her sister and niece. I promised my daughter, when I get back home I’ll bring her mother’s remains to her final resting place with her father and mother.
This is a new start for all of us. Me and my three children will be facing the world by ourselves now. And all of us will be facing a new world too. Both my sons are now working. Ej, the eldest, for a software solutions company, and Nico, for a call center company just like his mother. Well as for my daughter, Misha, she’ll have to wait for next semester before she can go back to school. I ‘ll have her enrolled in a computer school for the meantime just to keep her busy and active in studying.
We moved to a new apartment and we filled it up with appliances and furniture. Their new house is very comfy and I guess my children felt they same.
I stayed with my children for another week and we all tried to get on our toes and start our new lives. I guess the only consolation of not having my wife around during these times is the fact that our children are all grown ups now and they can take care of themselves. I only have to make sure they have a good and safe place to stay and that they have everything, well not everything only the necessities, and they’re on their way. Well except for my daughter who still needs to finish here college. I know she’ll be like her brothers.
August 3, my day to fulfill one of my dreams. I paid the equity for a house and lot in my hometown. Yup, now I’m having my house and me and my children will have something that is really ours. Target date of it’s finish will be on December, just the right time for I plan to start spending Christmas with my loved ones and there we will be staying.
August 9, it’s time for me to fly back to Qatar. I only have my daughter with me that day. Both my sons are at work but I already said goodbye to them before they went off to work that morning. My daughter wanted to come with me to the airport but I told her just to stay at home cause I don’t want her to come back home alone. So, that’s it, I flew back to Qatar and hopefully return home by December or at the latest January of next year.
August 25, one of my dreams comes true. I’m on my way to Abu Dhabi to attend and witness our cables testing. I’m really excited. Another stamp on my passport. Another set of pictures to my album. Another place to remember. I’ll be staying there for a day and a half (bummer). Anyways, it’s better than not being able to go there. After the inspection, August 26, I hurriedly got a taxi and had him brought me to Marina Mall. It was a big mall but most of the stores are closed for its Ramadan season (sigh). So, I just roamed around and went into each store that was open. By 5pm I was really tired already and since there are no food or water I decided to leave the mall and head straight to the airport. There they allow people to eat and drink and smoke a cigar even during the Ramadan.
August 28, I’m back again in Qatar and tomorrow, I will be back to my same old office, desk, chair and same old work. But I have something to cheer about though. I have my sights on the next FAT. I was told that come September, there will be another Turkey FAT, and after Bibienna FAT, and after Milan FAT and then Germany FAT (keep on praying…..)
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