I believe everyone in the earth don't like to
stay alone or experience loneliness. I remember social science starts with a
phrase human are social animal. Being accompanied by someone or talking to
friends, relatives is a must to be in good mental health.
Especially the loneliness becomes unbearable whenever you are living in a new
city, new country or new environment. I am little bit reserved nature and
introvert. It was very difficult for me to live in Wadi in the beginning of my
career in ACC, but later I started loving the place and the people.
To avoid loneliness people, adopt various kinds of hobbies. It can be that of
reading, writing, net surfing, taking sip of drinks so on. I am not good at
reading books, net surfing at Wadi was like searching for oasis in land of
desert. whenever i used to go net cafe either it will be full of people, though
I get a seat after long waiting the connectivity speed is like you order for a
meal in five-star hotel it will take at least half an hour to open a mail.
Naturally net surfing also out of count.
However, when I got adjusted to Wadi climate, people and company and started
liking the place I have got a promotional transfer to Mumbai. But once again
life in Mumbai I hate it. In fact, there is no life like thing there.
Everything is mechanical, wake up in the morning catch the bus, hang in the
train for one hour, and hectic meeting with bankers and rating agencies so on,
then once again hang on the train for more than hour back. Entire life goes
mechanical. However, somehow it was also good but saving part is pathetic. Then
the temptation to do day trading or derivatives booking. The penny saved will
be wiped out over these temptations. One day you may gain narrow money but the
very next day you will lose entire months gain.
At that moment itself I had thought if at all I were to save any money I should
move to foreign countries, I can save if Indian currency gets hammered. So, I
had to continue the journey, luckily, I had got offer from Saudi, though I heard
lot of bad experiences from Saudi I moved on. I consider my stay at Saudi as
the one perfect and complete. We had weekly gatherings, playing cricket or
volleyball, monthly meetings with community members.
As the career growth needs constant search of
satisfying job I had to move out of Saudi. Though I was with Ericsson one of
the pioneer in telecom sector I felt my job profile needed a facelift.
Family life was good had plenty of time to spend with friends and family
however being a desert country and religious restrictions one has to take
enough care while roaming around.
We had couple of incidents where-in muttawa
(religious police) reprimanded Smitha to cover hair while we are at a
market/park. I could not recall exact incident.
As I got opportunity move to Ras Al Khaimah in
UAE, it is one of the seven emirates in UAE, I had left Saudi with mixed
memories, but if I look back still I feel the happiness was not in the location
but it is how we take it. Though Saudi is known for harsher rules we had pretty
comfortable and joyful life there.
As professional inside me wanted to face bigger
challenges I had moved to new place in search of professional satisfaction. I
had given a challenging task to turnaround the fortune of sick unit. It was digital
storage device manufacturing company (CD/DVDs). And Sheikh of the emirate had
taken personal interest in the company. It was their prestigious project though
it was eating up the money which their raised thru Sukuk.
About ‘Sukuk’ it is raising capital by way of
issue of bonds in the Islamic market. The market included entire Middle East
and part of North Africa. And Sukuk was raised by parent company which is the
government wing of the RAK emirate. They had ear marked fund for this project.
When I joined them it was almost 3 years of
operation and their capital was entirely wiped out. Additional funds were
infused and I had a great CEO who had ambitious vision coupled with dubious
record of cheating past shareholders of a company which he floated in Europe.
We had pleasant life and lots of professional
challenges like keeping the investors in good humor, making timely payments to
suppliers, meeting bankers regularly, meeting the various compliances on time.
I was one of the signatory for the legal documents as well as bank purpose.
Though I had the authority but same time risk of
facing the changing mood of the investors was a great challenge. I thought of
moving out of the company though my desire of taking of challenges met but the
risk involved was too high.
On personal life we had pretty time and used to
visit Dubai on every alternative week, and made good friends over there. Abhiman
started his baby steps over there. As we keep on search of the happiness either
personal or professional when the risk looks eminent it is better to escape
from the unwanted threats. Though I never faced the Sheikh personally it may
come some day to his mind to call or restrict the travel of the authorized
signatory.
Once again I wanted to take a risk of moving out
of the country and find new country, new employer. When I got offer from
Voltas, Indian company having presence in the Middle East, my peers in RAK
Investment Authority, advised it is like “sone pe suhaaga” (gold with diamond
coating). Working with Indian Company in the middle east.
Then started my journey to Qatar. It was start
of winter in Qatar when I came and it was chilling evenings here. Working in
Indian Company in middle east is like you will be working all seven days a
week. As the our head office was at Mumbai they were working on Friday and off
on Saturday/Sunday. Whereas we had only Friday off. All the urgent queries used
to come on Thursday, we need to be in office on Friday also.
As it took couple of months for the family to
join I joined a mess, and later became the in-charge of the mess J J. Though it had headaches but got the privilege
to make the food which I preferred. I have to recall my first Pakistani room
mate in Gulf. At the same time the infamous Mumbai attack happened, and we were
watching Indian - Pakistani together that news. He was a professional chartered
accountant (ACCA), and wanted placement at Saudi, since Voltas had minimal
operation in Saudi they sent him to Qatar.
We shared good relationship and did not discuss
much on politics or religion. Life was peaceful, he had very sweet habit of
listening to ghazals, light music whole night. Initially I had worried about
the sound, it had a soothing effect on me as well.
After approximately a year I moved out from
Voltas as I could not cope up with the office politics and it was not a place
for a straight forward person if you need to stay you have to naïve and
mischievous which I could not.
At the same time my mother came to Qatar and we
had pleasant time visiting parks etc., as in a fit of rage I put down my papers
I had to find a new employer. We went thru psychological turmoil. If I look
back those days it was not worth to take that sudden decision I could have
stayed for some more time.
God was kind to me and I could land in a
Marlborough company like Bin Omran which is in to infrastructure projects with
in a months’ time from leaving Voltas. I am blessed to have at my side ever
supportive family, we experienced both the dull and anxious time together.
Smitha joined a local company as estimation engineer to catch up the expenses.
And it was the time for Abhiman to join the
school, as we are not sure how to continue his schooling got delayed for some
time. My visa could not got transferred to new employer as such we had to take
a decision to cancel the visa and go back to India and return on a new visa.
Mother, Smitha and Abhiman left for India in the
middle of May month. And just two days later there was aero plane crash at
Mangalore airport which had highest number of causalities and only 8 people
survived. I joined them in India by end of the same month with a promise of Bin
Omran to send a fresh visa to join them.
I stayed in India for more than two months
waiting for the visa to come and I attended multiple interviews at Bangalore,
Chennai and other places. Search of new employment was on. Finally I got visa
from Bin Omran after much follow up and joined back them in middle of August.
It took around a year for the family to join me
back. And I stayed with them for more than a decade.
Happiness is always there, it is how we consider
the things, if I look back all my days from my childhood, teen age, bachelor
life, family life each had its own vibrancy and vivid feelings. Memories always
stays sweet even though it was bitter at that time if I look back now all the
days make me smile and cherish them. It is pleasure to recap and share.
To be continued ……………………
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