Crazy Roller Coaster April and May. and a job!

Ahem. who could have thought that a person, especially a hard working Nurse who excels in a hospital setting landed a job like this-being in the industrial site. Yes indeed, i am an Industrial/Site Nurse. What is it?

According to my bestfriend google Indusrial Nurse a.k.a Site Nurse, a.k.a Occupational Health Nurse  are registered nurses who independently observe and assess the worker's health status with respect to job tasks and hazards. Using their specialized experience and education, these registered nurses recognize and prevent health effects from hazardous exposures and treat workers' injuries/illnesses.

with my friend Jan May who helped me look for a job

It was really crazy how i landed on this job. It was April 22, my last day of job hunting, I told myself that i will accept the offer of one clinic just to have a job. The salary? enough for me to live. I was offered times 4 of my previous salary in the Philippines so i said "not bad" cause it was the highest offer yet.So i went to the clinic and talked with the doctor. I expressed my willingness to be a part of the company, so he get all my requirements, further he said he has no available visa and asked me if i am willing to wait. I whispered to myself"What? wait again?No! I need the work asap" but on a contrary i said "YES". 

I said yes to a work where my heart is not at peace. i felt that I'm forcing myself to accept it because i need to change the status of my visa. But i need to like it cause I have compromised. My wish to have a hundred thousand salary was over. Maybe i just can't have it all. Hey 2800QR isn't bad after all.

The afternoon of the same day, i was really doubting. I prayed to the Lord and asked him  "is it really the work you want me to have? cause if it was, i wont hesitate."  Then 5:15pm, 15 minutes after i prayed. i received a phone call.

Here's the exact conversation i have with this guy on the phone.

"Hello, Xander? This is Josh Fernandez from Urbacon International, can i ask you if available ka ba for interview tomorrow?" I was literally jumping of regret because this is a call from the company i hoped for.

"Sayang naman sir, kakaacept ko lang nung work kanina"

"Ah ganun ba? magkano ang offer sayo?"

"2800QR po"

"What??? i can give you ****" 

whoah! after he said that i was really shaking and told him "Sir hindi pa naman ako nakapirma ng contract eh"

"ganito nalang, tignan mo muna kung pwede ka pa mag pull out dun sa company na inaplyan mo tapos tawagan mo ko kung pwede pa"

For 15 minutes i have been wandering the room. Is that phone call true? what if it was just a prank call. I've searched the number of the company, and yes, it exist. now the only problem is that it's 5:30 already, is the clinic still open. i tried calling the number twice no answer. I was really shaking. then finally someone answered

"Hello Dr. ___ clinic"

"Hello Mam, pwede po ba kay Myra", (Myra btw was a kabayan Nurse who helped me in my requirements in that clinic."

"yes po, ito nga"

So i asked her kung pwede ko pa i withdraw yung application ko. The reason i told her was "because i realized na mag eexit din lang ako, kaya maghahanap na lang ako ng better oppurtunity."

She answered "Ok lang, diba sabi naman ni Dr. kung talagang deserving ka sa work at willing ka magantay, kukunin ka nya, e kung iwiwithdraw mo yung application mo e di ok lang."

RELIEVED!! Now i need to call Josh. But no one is answering the number he used to call me. I was in panic. So i wrote him an email, so glad I've kept his email add. O.M.G in 15 minutes he replied.."Please take note that you will be assigned in a project. Your salary depends on your interview tomorrow, come between  3-4 pm)

i didn't know what to say. Does it conclude that i was hired already?or do i get a chance? but i just prayed again. JESUS works in Mysterious Ways! He saved me from a "decision" i almost would regret.

THIS IS THE MAP I USED TO LOCATE THE OFFICE

I went exactly 3 o'clock to the office which by the way wasn't easy to find. I'm so glad i left home at 2:00pm so i had time to search for the office. My interviewer was Syrian, so i was really excited and relieved cause if i missed some grammars and the like, he wouldn't notice. So he allowed me to enter the room, and his first question was..

"How many years of experience do you have?" i answered, but just when i am about to finish answering, people are coming back and forth, so we were really disturbed. He left also or 5 minutes, he came back and asked the same question and he went out again. He came back and said "can you go back tomorrow at 10 AM, cause I'm busy". Sigh! i thought my anxiety will end that day. 

So the other day, April 23. I went at 9:45am. I went directly to the room and i closed the door (haha). I sat down, and his look almost says "who are you?". so before he ask that I introduced myself..

"Sir Im Xander Im the one who's applying for Nurse"

"Yes, i told you 10 oclock"

"Is it not 10 oclock yet?" i answered.

"No, it's only 9:45am"

"Oh I'm sorry, cause it's 10 oclock already on my watch. i'll just come back after 15 minutes"

SHOOT!!!It's so embarrassing. In the Philippines, if you came to the meeting time very early, it's a plus point. Here, it's different. Lesson learned.

It was 10 am already. I didn't enter yet to his room, I've waited for at least 10 minutes then he called me to enter. Here was the exact interview.

"How much experience you have as a First aider?"

I confidently answered "i worked for almost 3 years in a hospital as staff nurse"

"Do you know CPR"

"Yes sir, i have training and Certificates."

"What will you do if someone is injured, let say bleeding"

aha! That was the question i practiced so i explained to him with MEDICAL terms that for sure he can't understand..

"How much do you ask?"

"at least _____QR"

He smirked like saying ang taas naman ng hinihingi nito.. He asked me "Why ____QR?"

"Well, Maybe because I'm well experienced".

He wrote what i asked him in my resume, stood up and said "Ok Yala"

"Wait that's it?" I literally said. "What's the next Process?"

"The HR will call you".

The interview was less than 2 minutes. He could have finished it yesterday so my anxiety was not prolonged. Freak! 

So just before i leave the building, i received a call from the HR asking me to come back and pass my other requirement. Yes. I was hired.

The HR told me about my tantalizing salary, the free accommodation and transportation, a medical insurance, and an annual leave of paid 21 days to the Philippines. This was higher than what i expected. Really cool! 

I waited till my offer letter was sent thru email. It came April 25. I reported on the 27th and i have found out that i am lacking some documents. Lord really don't give great things easily. They told me that i need to extend my visa before they allow me to work. But before i can extend my visa, i need to exit first.

So on May 2, I went to Bahrain. I stayed there for almost 8 hours. It was fun sharing different stories with my kabayans who has the same reason why we go to Bahrain. On May 6 2012, i started my work. Finally.

My job description. Very Easy. I just need to provide hurt and injured employees with proper wound care and first aid, promote healthy lifestyle, answers queries and confusions. I can't say that this is the work I'm expecting here in Qatar.. Yet Too much of somethings isn't good enough. for two weeks i come for attendance cause they haven't provide me yet my "clinic". Then after two weeks, all the things i requested came. My portable cabin is also on progress. 

I come with white shoes but i need to wear this
kind of shoes for safety,.and a helmet!

I am sanay of toxic work. so this was really new to me., almost half of my time, i  am just sitting.

Am i happy with my work. Let's just say that my personal happiness is my biggest sacrifice to provide my family a better future..

What i learned about this experience is that, When you really work hard on something, the Lord sees it. I've searched a job daily just right after i came here in Qatar. just imagine i'm out at 12 NN in a 45 degrees environment walking and searching for a job, and all those things are worth it. It's very early to say that i have succeed. But yet, i know that my persistence will make me go far. I didn't care what people told me, like i've rushed things, and i didn't think about my decisions, or leaving a work almost all volunteers wanted just to become an OFW. I am living for my family not for them. So whatever they say, in the end, my family matters first. If you surrender your heart to The Lord he will give you everything!! that's what i did.

I was lucky really, and blessed of course.

I remembered when i everyone is struggling to finish college, I did.

When everyone was failing the board examinations for how many times, i passed in first take.

When everyone was busy doing volunteer works, i became a Staff Nurse.

When everyone was pushing to go abroad, I am here in Doha

and When everyone was searching for months to look for a job abroad, i was hired in a month.

That's the power if you have Jesus in your heart. Everything will be on their places. I am thankful. With persistence, determination, support from my loved ones, I can do this!!