but has retired more than 25 years ago. He passed-away 06 August 2008.
When I was childhood I never went to play with my friend. I had to look after cows , to dig my paddy
field and to fance the paddy field. My father has three wives, one of them were difocrced when I
was in secondary school. I am the first son of first wife. I have one brother and one sister. Second
wife of my father has 9 people, five sons and four daughters . My mother cannot read, she never
went to school while she were child, so she really hard-working mother, because he never though of
how to be an rich man. " You should be a smart man," she advised.
I could not passed the exam of Senior High School because my father did not pay my school fees, as
a result I was allowed to attend the final examination. I really frustration, be hopeless and - for a
long time- I did not want to meet my friends especially classmate. Be shy!. What am I going to do ?.
Finally, I made decision to work as a helper of truck driver. My job to change clean the truck, to
repair flat tire and so forth. I did not get pay enough, however my driver gave me meal everyday. But
I did not care about salary, I want to be a driver, however, it is not easy, my driver do not give me
steer before working with him for at least three months. I never gone home, sleep in the truck, in
the morning my driver's wife gave a glass of cofee and snack. Sometimes I had lunch at 15.00 pm.
At last I am able to drive truck, but a problem arise how to get driving license. Driving license very
expesive for me at that time . To overcome this problem, I was taxi driver. Actually, it is not taxi, the
people called : Oplet, took passenger from Pertamina Complex, Bakaran Area to market. As a oplet
driver I get better income, beside to buy meal, but also safe my income for getting driving license.
For getting driving license, I have to safe my income for one year.
In the morning I was as a oplet driver, in the evening I underwent English Language Course. As you
have konwn, my small town there are a lot drilling company from America, Australia and Canada.
According to my friend, it would be easier to be a driver of foreign company if I hold driving license
and speak English. I took this chance. However, although I hold driving license, can speak English ,
but to aplly any position even as a driver, we have to face a competition. Number of people can
speak Englisah and also have driving license. I remeber advise of my mother that : " Please, get up
in the morning, and pray to our God," she said. I always remember that advise and always get up in
the morning, 5 am start cleaning my house, took the clean water from well possession another
person approximately 300 meter from home. This way make my mother happy before leaving the
house.
Once upon time I looked around in the market and saw a new car full with sticker written down
RMI. I looked for information about this car and new foreign company. My friend Hendrawan, owner
of a restaurant in my town told me that a lot foreigners came to his restaurant in the evening. " You
come to my restaurant in evening," he suggested. In the other day, came to my restaurant and
brought application letter. No experienced letter, no sertificate of Senior High Schooll attached, only a
copy of driving license and Short list of Curriculum Vitae. That's all. Good Luck!. I met Mr. Jhon
Aboud, Manager Procurement and Material of RMI ( Resources Management Incoporated ), a
company from America.
" Excuse me, would you mind speaking English with me," I asked. He replied : " Of course, why not-
what can I do for you," Jhon Aboud replied. He is very kind man, smile and make me happy. He let me sit down close to him, and ordered one cup of coffee for me. He spoke to me that he is from America and got a project in Pertamina as a sub-contractor. His company responsibility to purchase spare part and material for heavy transportation equipment such as Caterpilar, Scamel Prime Mover and all part of drilling rig for supporting aktivities in drilling oil and gas.
In short, he required me to met him a day later in the morning. At night, I could not sleep well to think a hope from Mr. J.Aboud. Would he hire me or in turn?. Finish doing my aktivities in my house such as cleaning floor, took fresh water, boiled water and boiled rice, took little bit breakfast I went to Mr.J.Aboud's house in Pertamina complex approximately one kilo meter from house. I went on foot, because there were transportation facilities such as taxi or oplet got that place.
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