34-years…

Just recently, I noticed gray hairs sprouting over my head like mushrooms out of nowhere. Not long enough I realized, gee, time has gone so quickly and I barely noticed it. And soon enough, I quickly ran down my calendar and lo, I’m turning 34 this 26th of April 2008. And I’m still single and bachelor, so to speak.

Looking back at my friends, there are barely few of us who have somehow in one way or the other managed to stay alive as single and bachelor for a long as we could. But not for long for me, before year-end of 2008, I hope to be tied down and get settled in, for good.

In my 34 years of existence, what have I accomplished so far? Hmm, that’s hard to list down but I managed to come down with a few whom I considered the best thing I’ve ever done.

First, in college, my objective was to graduate in 5years and at the same time obtain a licensed which I did. I finished my BS degree in Electrical Engineering with 2 citations. And then before 5th year ended, I got my REE license. When I did it, it was awesome feeling that my plan worked out the way I wanted it.

Then, while I was still in college, I had this great fascination of high-rise construction going on around the metropolis and then I dreamt of working in the construction industry of which I again did land a job as a project engineer for a 24storey condominium. That was in 1996, my first official professional stint as an engineer. Not much of a fancy job but I did learned a lot from it and did enjoy quite a bit. I was too young though at the time and somehow I envied my seniors because they seemed to have that special kind of groups and escapades that they call “for the boys”.

Then at one point of my career as a project engineer in my 1st high-rise building, I was on top of the roof looking up in the sky and I saw an airplane and said to myself, I would someday fly and work abroad.

In 1997, by mere curiosity, I made it to be hired as CAD engineer in KSA. I was so ecstatic because not only I absolutely had no experience with AutoCAD but also I cheated my trade test! They didn’t know. I guess I was just lucky that before I did my hands-on test, another guy was doing it and I saw how he did it particularly the printing side. I guess my little know-how of using Microsoft Windows helped me in a way. And then that’s when I learned the way around AutoCAD and somehow mastered a little of it. It may not the best thing for someone else’s but enjoyed it, especially the cheating part.

There’s one thing I did learned after my first few professional stints. This is the way of most wise and useful people do: they more they know, the more they long to know. One can never get to where he can be unless a man undertakes more than he possibly can do; he will never do all that he can.

My Arabian stint made me realized that it’s going to be a stagnant unless I do something else. Of course there were other things that contributed to my eventual decision to quit and do it back home in Manila.

And I resigned and went back home in 2000. It was a hard decision and I had to swallow the bitter part of it. I had to endure the big difference between my previous salary then and now.

My life’s ups and down provided me windows of opportunity that further enhanced my values and goals. And I used those obstacles to build the new life that I wanted. I used it as my stepping-stone to move closer to the life I desire. And it echoed to me, to be like you want to be, be like a bee. If the bee wasted its time comparing its big body with its small light wings, it would not be flying today.

I went back to my old company this time, as a better engineer. I became their senior engineer in another high-rise building. I stayed there for nearly 3years with a bitter meager salary until politics tore me down and had to quit. I was in a way a casualty of what I called dirty politics and professional alliance.
In 2003, I moved out of the company but with me great lessons and experienced that I eventually used to the next company where I moved in. Where soon I realized, I was up to more. And I can do more.

I soon eyed managerial positions. I first got the assistant position, and then I soon rose from the rank.

If there’d be any man that I would be ever be grateful, it would be my previous boss, JGR who gave me an all an out support and gave me a free hand to be who I am then and now. My dream of managing a plant soon came to a realization. It was short of real “plant” that I envisioned, but it was a “plant” nonetheless. I wanted to hold a power plant or something, but then I realized I’m still too young for that position. And so, I became a full pledged manager in 2004. It was a dream come true and many things happened and honed me for something better of me.

It was a happy life because towards the end of 2005, I found my soon to be greatest life manager in a whirlwind romance.

However, my plant managerial stint was short-lived yet meaningful and happy life that I have ever had. In 2006, the company folded and I was forced to move somewhere else and seek greener pasture.

That’s when I thought my life in the Philippines is over. The ten-year that I envisioned working abroad has to re-commence.

And so, by the last quarter of 2006, I found myself in Africa. As a Site Manager.

Now, I’m gearing towards a new kind of life when I drew my road to Canada in 2006 and looking forward to joining my life manager.

Gray hairs? I don’t mind having them now. I guess, I’ve had a great life in more than a decade of my years and I’m still looking forward for more and greater years and joyfully sharing it with my life manager.