Years Of Service

Last year or two years ago  if I am not mistaken we have our "vitalization" in Pagsanjan Falls with my previous company. I remember that I have mentioned in my blog post here about the "bangkero" or boatman who almost carry us literally in their boat all the way to the wonderful site of the Pagsanjan Fall. And we have known that one of our bangkero is doing the same job for 27 or 37 years! Imagine that!

And last night  I encountered another old man here in Saudi with the same story. While waiting for the realty agent ( we are looking for a new flat) in Manila Shopping Center in Seiko District, an old man approached us and asked if we want balot. I bought two pieces for 4 Saudi Riyals each. The old man was about 60 I guess and we were right because we had about 5 or 10 minutes conversations with him. He was 62 this year and he was from Rosario Batangas, a kababayan indeed! And not to our surprise he is now on his 23rd year here in Saudi Arabia. He is a simple mananahi of local Saudi national dress. Maybe he is one of the many who really have this "sideline" of selling anything just to have extra income. We talked not that much since he was in a hurry. And I think to myself if I will be staying that long here in Saudi Arabia. It is not that I do not like in here but living here is somehow difficult as compared to what we used to be in the Philippines. Though those old kababayans staying here for that so long really inspired us but somehow we think that maybe we could have a couple of contract years ( 2 years every contract) just to have meaningful work experience in the Middle East. But I am not saying it with finality because maybe in the future I will be spending almost a decade here without noticing it. Just like my stay in my previous company.

Another kababayan spend most of his years here in Saudi ( now with us in our company) said to me that he did not plan to come back here in Dammam this year but his two children (2nd eldest is graduating next years in college and the youngest is in Grade 5) somehow forced him to make a living again in Saudi. He is in his late 40's and spend almost two decades here in the Middle East. He has to sacrifice a little bit more before retirement to ensure the education of his children. A personal hero indeed!

And now I am seeing the bigger picture of what is career and life is all about!