From the place many called "the winter bay or Winterpeg" I’m back here in Calgary, my second home away from home after that three weeks of working there. I supposed to be bringing home good memories and not a sickness, because it’s not every time you're given a privilege to travel for work. I am just lucky and proud to be part of a gigantic Canada-wide Company, ARMTEC INC.
It must have been the weather that pinned down my health because it varies a lot from the place where I used to live with which is Calgary, Alberta. Winnipeg, Manitoba is so humid and hot that the normal temperature ranges from 30 - 33 degrees celsius and sometimes on days that is so unfortunate it goes up to 41 degrees celsius which is so different from Calgary which is dry and not so hot that the summer temperature is only mild. Now I am coughing and having colds and fever that made me missed my work for two days in a row.
The altitude difference must have been an additional factor why I got sick for Calgary is sitting near the rocky mountain alps of Canada with almost 3500 feet above sea level compared to Winnipeg which is only more than 500 feet above the sea level.
For that three weeks of working away from home the “Canad Inns” in Garden Park served as my temporary home. I have felt the comforting pleasures their professional services have offered not to mention about the sweet stunning gorgeous smiles of the Filipina waitresses working in the Aaltos Cafè where I regularly ate my meals and even snacks.
Much as they have those delicious foods to enjoy, the waitresses or servers also have the nicest services and sweetest smiles. Filipinos by the way are the majority of the workforce in this Hotel especially at the cafè which might be the reason why I enjoyed that much (not in the workplace but in the hotel).
Talking about working with the people of my company’s Winnipeg Plant my temper was being tested and almost lost it again for there were guys who don't really work hard but took their work for granted plus the gigantic communication barrier. They really can’t speak good English and that's what made me mad. But anyway there are some guys also who really worked hard and they are mainly the older and mature ones like Greg Porter, Lope Polvorosa and Jose Ordoñez. They are the guys that I had fun working with and became my close friends while I was there.
We made that friendship even stronger when we spent some time together for a beer spree, and good Lord we had so much fun drinking that we almost met our limits and can't even count how many beers we drunk. All we remembered is that we drunk only couple of beers, the FIRST and the LAST.
The day after that was my last day with them. I don't know and I wasn't really sure if I was happy and excited that I came to the last mile of my journey with them because I actually found myself wishing that my stay with them would be longer.
It must have been the change of the weather that change the mood. Temperature dropped to 20's saving me from the fiery experience of hot Manitoban temperature. Another must be the attachment I begun to initiate with those funny guys. But there's nothing more I can do but to say adios/adieu to them. So with teary eyes I said goodbye to them.
It must have been the change of the weather that change the mood. Temperature dropped to 20's saving me from the fiery experience of hot Manitoban temperature. Another must be the attachment I begun to initiate with those funny guys. But there's nothing more I can do but to say adios/adieu to them. So with teary eyes I said goodbye to them.
I know very well that waving goodbye to these friends is not easy and the thought that I'd somehow be missing their company kills me. The jokes, the horse playing and funs that we had while working together somehow gave me aftershocks now that I am home. But anyway life's like that. They say that the only constant thing in this world is change. But for sure another painting in the canvass of my life will be hanged again in my wall and that's the painting of the beautiful and unforgettable friendship created in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
I finally said goodbye to them and left flying back home on a plane, hoping that they learned something that will somehow help them and will make their workload easier and make better work efficiency. It's all up to them if they want to listen and implement those suggestions and learning for their own improvement.
