Weikiat.NET

I used to think that people are stupid for doing jobs that they do not like and those that have zero job satisfaction. I told myself that when I go into the workforce I will find a job where it would be fun for me, it would be easy, and it would bring me lots of money. I am educated, for god’s sake. I was almost like those ignorant teenagers out there nowadays, wanting to get into business courses in University or wanting to start their own silly little business thinking that they can be their own boss and make some money. At least I know that things are not that easy and it is statistical that 1 out of 10 new businesses fails.

I once earn a four digit sum for 4 hours of IT related work, so I have always thought that money is easy to make and I spent them equally easily.

What I first got my current temp job I was like, WTF, only $60 dollar a way and I will have to sit there one whole day from 8am to 5.45pm, and what was worst was that due to the nature of my workplace no handphones are allowed. But under pressure from girlfriend and parents, I decided to give it a try. After all they are so confident with my qualifications that I was awarded the job without even an interview. My father also work in the same office, but in a different department so I can get free ride to work, so I accepted it.

The first 4 days was spent at one of their factory plants going through some paper work. This is went I see all those people I disliked; lowly skilled middle aged workers operating the production machines, doing meaningless and boring work, can getting paid lowly. On the first day there I was thinking why the hell would they work here? And many of them looked like they have been working here for YEARS already. Why couldn’t they get a different job?

But slowly, when I look at their faces, their sad but determined face to carry through their work until the day ends, until the week ends, the constant determination to get on with their shitty job, the occasional peek at the photos of their family in their wallet or on their work desk, I understood everything.

It is for the sake of supporting their families. For their children. To buy food. To give them clothes. To buy them the MP3 they always wanted. To buy them the hot wheels set they wanted. Such shit work. Everyone in the factory all endured it. Just to support their families. Doing such boring and meaningless work to earn that miserable 1k+ to support the family. I am touched. I have always been ignorant and silly. I was childish. I felt like I have grown.

I immediately thought of my father. How little I know about him. How when the first time I visited Toy R Us I made noise when he bought be a cheaper Power ranger toy where the zord could not transform, compared to one that could. He told me he could not afford. I don’t understand how hard it is to make money until recently.

I wanted to know more about my father. I only know that he has worked in the same company for more than 25 years, because he got those 1000bucks coupon that were rewarded to long term employees. How he endured 25 years I did not know.

I started to find out.

My father was a chicken rice stall assistance before he landed a job at the current company. He used to be covered with oil the whole day, and always wanted to quit but did not, because he has to support his big family, and he could take all that hardship. He landed a job in the current company after that and was a lowly technician, one of those doing shitty work that I have always disliked and could not comprehend. One of his ex-coworker, who was still a technician, told me that my father “chiongs”, that is he works very hard and do his best in everything. Eventually, my father was slowly promoted over the course of 25 years into his current position, a Chief Associate Engineer, which is an office job. He no longer has to work at the factory plants. He told me he could never be able to become a Chief Engineer, because he his only qualification is O Levels. Everyone else in the same office has at least a University degree.

For the first time in my life I admire my father. I now understand the important of money and how hard he had to work to provide me with all these. How much he cares for me and love me despite the fact that we seldom speak to each other. 4 years ago with his 4k profit from company shares he bought me a 2.8k laptop. This year with his 7-8k of bonus pay he bought me a 1.7k desktop.

I love my father and I admire him for being able to endure all that and raise up in ranks to better support the family. I admire all the plant workers I see during break and lunch time at the canteen.

That is also when I decided against quiting the job. I was attached to QA department, sitting on a large comfortable office chair just doing some simple paper work., earning $60 per day. My father could not even match my pay when he was my age and he had to work so much harder. I felt ashamed to want to quit just after 1 day.

I understand more now. Thank you father. And sorry to all the factory plant workers that I have offended with my childish thoughts.

I want to stay on and learn more. See the world. Get out of my shell. Throw away what remains of my elitist thinking. I never understand hardship as I never subject myself to it. Even in studies, I didn’t have to study much to get my results.

Now I think I understand what hardship is.

Please rate: (10 votes, average: 3.3 out of 5)

 Loading ...