Those Amazing Four Years...

I can still vividly remember my first day at work. I woke up so early, put on my uniform which I carefully ironed the other night, stood in front of the mirror trying to compose myself. I was so tensed and excited on my way to work. I caught the company bus, sat with my unfamiliar, new colleagues. They talked about  how their weekend went. Some talked about their pending tasks and other job-related matters which I could hardly make out. I kept roaming my eyes around, scanning their faces, looking for potential best buds.

The anxious ride ended and I found myself inside the building. Then soon introductions were made. My first hours in the morning was spent touring around the plant, familiarized every area, and the traditional meet and greet with colleagues. I saw a strong bond in everyone. Like that of family. Most of them were smiling and welcoming, while others seemed scary and intimidating. But I learned later that that was just a facade.

That was four years ago. Four years had passed and I still wore the same uniform, still rode the same bus every morning, still took the same route to work. The routines were quite the same some four years ago. But I am not the same as I was before.

I have gathered so much in my stay here in more ways than one. They say that no company is ever perfect for anyone. I've been to three different companies before, but this one is the closest to perfection. Well, at least for me. For the last four years, I can wake up in the morning and look forward to going to work. There are times that I whine and feel a little disgruntled. But when I start to count the things I enjoyed because of staying here, I feel more blessed than most of my friends are. I know a lot of people who will kill just to be part of the team. Okay, that sounds exaggerated but I swear there's some truth to it.

The strong team spirit which the founders continually to inculcate in us is one of the many things I admire. Or maybe the annual teambuilding had paid off and brought us closer together. The beauty in working with expats is that it has taught us to respect each of our culture differences. We may have different views about life and many other things, but we simply blended and work as a team to realize our vision.

I never thought I'd become socially and environmentally responsible  by joining this company. I adhere the laws in preserving nature but I'm not an advocate of any cause at present.  Yet, by simply participating in the yearly tree and mangroove planting activities, I feel like I did something imperative. I feel proud of those indulgence. It may seem small but it surely goes a long way.

I also found a lot of friends. Friends that I could keep. Friends that I would still keep in touch if later we decide to part ways. They're not just friends who I hang out and have fun with, they are those friends whom I have shared some of the most intimate details of my life. They helped me grow and helped me discover a lot of things.

                                                                             noteworthy memories...

As life is a journey, I'd be sure to keep travelling on. I know there will come a time that I will move forward and consider other options. Whenever I think of that, I begin to feel a sense of nostalgia. Probably the first thing I'm going to miss are the people I've worked with. I have learned so many things than the graduate school would impart in the span of time. I would miss the daily bus ride, the communal morning prayer and exercise, the chitchats during breaktime, the occasional late night drinks, the pressure from work which we have learnt to shrug off and laugh about as days passed. I'm gonna miss the teambuilding, the sportsfest, the birthday, halloween, christmas and anniversary parties. We're party animals. We party like 4 times a year!

Those four years had left an indelible mark. It has impacted my life more than I could hoped for and more than I've ever imagined. But more than anything else, I have taken in PRIDE like breath itself.

P-eople engagement
R-espect
I-ntegrity
D-iscipline
E-xcellence

These are the core values we live, for which I am sure I will continue to uphold.

Thank you  _ _ _ _ _! (Sorry, I just can't disclose the name of the company this time)

Happy 4 years to me...! :)