My First Six Months in the Construction World

I can't believe it's already Christmas in 3 days! THREE DAYS!!!

Saying that I have been busy for the past months could be the understatement of the year. Since the construction of our house started last June, it has been one heck of crazy, stomach churning, hair raising ride of emotions since then.

I feel like a newbie soldier that just has come out of a battlefield...bruised, filthy, bloodied to the very core... limping, yet walking slowly away from the crazy inferno. I guess construction life does this to people (at least to me.)

I have learned a great deal more about architecture, engineering, construction, and surprisingly, about business (among others) in the past six months in the construction world. It definitely trumps all those years of slaving around in a 9 to 5 job in front of a computer, with the occasional yells and burns from the boss and annoying co-workers. Although I have been an architect for 4 years now, I can say that I still have so much to learn.

Everyday is a learning process for me. Every client, every laborer or worker I work with, every peso I lost due to my own negligence, every lapse of judgement, every problem I encountered- they are all instruments that could make me better at what I do someday. Who knows, five, ten years from now, I could look back to this moment in my career and still be thankful for all the challenges I was able to surpass, with God's grace.

There were number of times that I wanted to give up, to not go on living. To runaway and leave is the easier route. But in my mind, and in my heart, this is what I wanted to do. I want to build and design people's dreams. I want to give to them their hard earned money's worth (though I learned this the hard way.) I need to fail in order for me to succeed. The lessons I took away are more important than the monetary gains.

There's this quote I have read somewhere that's quite fitting for my first six months of my solo career:

"If you fail, fail fast."

#BitterSweet

Source

Today's my second to the last Friday here in this office. In this greyish white office table I have sat on for 2 years and 8 months of my career in EsEm. All this messy clutter, chaotic stacks of papers, pens, and even candy wrapper, I always thought that I was leaving this place soon. But neither did I expect that SOON will be five working days from now.

Friends and Changing Seasons

For almost two years, one of the major reasons why I stayed was because of the training bond. I did not want to burden my parents about it, even though Mommie kept assuring me that we'd just pay for it if I could not take it anymore and finally decide to leave. Of course, I do not want to donate Php 80,000 to one of the biggest companies in the Philippines. Although, I have not heard of anyone actually paying it. Just that they did not release his terminal pay or something.

Another reason is, I did not want to go home empty handed. I barely have enough savings yet, though I have made some investments on gadgets (assuming that they are, in fact, investments.) I want to at least be able to buy something useful when I go home, like a motorcycle, or a car even. I did not want to depend on Daddie or Mommie forever. At least, I want to have a fat bank account when I call it quits with EsEm.

It's Crunch Time!

Photo Credit: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?sa=X&biw=1198&bih=248&tbm=isch&tbnid=46iyv7JotnRUCM%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.laurbits.com%2Fupdates%2Fpolterguys-update-crunch-time&docid=JEztEA3bfMK5RM&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.laurbits.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F01%2F2012-01-08-CrunchTIME.jpg&w=500&h=250&ei=9EkVU5T4IpSgiQfD6YHIDw&zoom=1&ved=0CK4BEIQcMBw&iact=rc&dur=566&page=4&start=20&ndsp=11

 
Okay, so I have just been informed that the Owners want the project I'm handling to break ground this year, 6 months earlier than what was originally scheduled. My mall's supposed opening is on the first quarter of 2016, and apparently, they changed their minds... Again... And I was like, uh..... Okay?

Sinking Ship

Turbulent waters. Waves splashing across the side of the boat... I grab for my backpack quickly, instinctively... looking for the black pouch my father gave me. I searched through the tiny slits inside, removing empty medicine wrappers in the process. My fingers searching frantically. My nausea stepping up a notch. I could feel my saliva form in the sides of my mouth... I hate this feeling of having to puke. Then my forefinger finally found it, I tore it open. My savior, for at least after an hour when it finally kicks in... Thank you, Bonamine... I know, I know... I should have taken it before going to this trip... I thought I could endure the pain, the motion sickness...but......