Sunday, June 5, 2011

Wupperverband


Above is a drawing I made in the computer using Paint.  It was when I was doing my on-the-job training in Wuppertal, Germany as one of the requirement for the one-year scholarship training I attended in 2006.  The text is a poem in German which I composed.   This was my way of thanking my boss and officemates at Wupperverband for being so good to me.     

I would never forget the experiences I had while working at the GIS (Geographic Information System) Division of WupperverbandWupperverband is a public institution responsible for water supply production and waste water treatment.  They also make sure that all  bodies of water in the area are free of contamination.   The office was a new environment for me as compared in the city government here in Iligan.  The employees are very disciplined and very independent.  They require less supervision.  If the boss gives them some tasks that needs to be done in a certain time, the employee assigned is to report task as completed on the scheduled time.   No ifs,  no buts.  They said that in Germany, employees who did their job well are not summoned to recognized the effort.  However, if an employee is being summoned by the boss, then it's probably that he/she did something wrong or below what is asked  of him.   Because to the bosses, an employee is expected to do his job well, 100%.

I made the drawing on the last week of my practicum.  It was so funny one day as I was making the drawing on the computer, my boss came to the office to talk to one of my officemates.   Then  after a while, he heard the clicking of the mouse, clicking so fast.   He moved to my side and ask (in German), "are you playing?", with a mischievous smile on his lips.  I said, "Yes", not stopping the clicking of the mouse.  Like, I was not a bit afraid of him of being caught playing in the office computer.   Then he attempted to peek and see what I was doing in the computer.    I immediately covered the screen of the computer and told him,  "It's a secret.", with a sheepish smile.  Then he smiled back and turn away.   He probably got the idea that it's going to be a surprise, hehe.    I also made a Christmas card for them.

The blue lines is an abstract Christmas tree but symbolizes water.  I chose blue and water since Wupperverband deals with water. 

However there is one thing that I regretted not doing  ... not giving them personally the gifts I prepared for them.    You see, I just emailed to them the drawing and I just left the Christmas card on the table where they put all the Christmas cards they receive.   So, I never got to see or hear their reactions personally.  Though I  got a reply from them thanking me.  But that was it.   I'll never know if they liked the drawing and the card and appreciated my effort.   I'll never hear the compliment I would have received.   Well, that's the price I pay for being a coward.   I chose not to give my gifts personally because I was not sure if they'd like it.  I see my work as so simple, so boring.   That even a kindergarten could have done better.   And then later when I was already back in Iligan, I wonder.  Always wonder, until now.   How could it have been if I was there in front of them.  Looking at their faces.   Smiling.  Thanking.  Hugging me.   Appreciating my effort.  Appreciating my work.    Probably telling me, "Gee, Revilla, you've got talent. Keep it up."

Well, that remains to be in my thoughts.   A lesson learned for being a coward.  For not believing in my self worth.   

2 comments:

  1. Gee I can relate. I have been a coward myself. I admit til now I still ask the what if's and imagine how people would react.

    Just like what Ate Arlene told me during the blog camp. Be confident.

    And Let me quote my mom "Do what you can do, Say what you wanted to say, Give what you can give, express what you wanted to express.'Cause the hardest thing to deal with is thinking about the what if's and what could have."

    Wew lesson learned. And I know I should apply. :D

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  2. Hi Xy... lagi oy... easier said than done man gihapon. There are still times when I'd coward. But at least now, it's better than before. I now try to minimize the what ifs and buts in my life.
    Thanks for the comment. :-)

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