knackered

Absolutely knackered and drained. My first week working has really worn me out; nevertheless, it has been a superb eye-opener and a great experience. I have finally gotten a true flavour of what it means to work and as cliche as it is, it needs to be re-empahised: working life isn't a bed of roses; being a student is indefinitely better.

As I work, I begin to appreciate you Dad much more, for the years of toil and hardship for me to lead a comfortable life. With your sacrifices, you have provided me with one of the best gifts a child could possibly ask for: a dream education in UK fulfilled and realised. Never have I truly understood the reality and pressures until this week when it unfolded before my eyes. Sitting with a higher ranking colleague and listening to his rantings and beratings, colleagues frantically working long hours to meet deadlines and chassing after meetings only to be chided like a child has made me realised how sheltered I was and how naive I was of the real world. How self-centered I have always been and how tiny my responsibility to study and do well is when compared to yours of supporting the family and providing for our needs. Truly, I have appreciated all that you have gone through and am extremely thankful and grateful.

Though quite drained, I am very blessed to have the opportunity to work for such a large multinational consultancy firm, Foster Wheeler, reputedly with the largest process engineering department in Europe. I am currently working in a large team (200-300 engineers) at the FEED (Front End Engineering Design) stage of the Qatar Petrochemical Complex Project based in Messaid, Qatar. Though trained as a chemical engineer, I work as a Systems Engineer working closely with the Materials and Process Specialists. With the existing PFD's and P&ID's as well as the process data sheets from various licensors ( Bassell, Axens and Lummus to name a few), I convert them into MSD's (Material Selection Diagrams). A little tedious and at times monotonous, my ability to read and comprehend PFD's and P&ID's has improved drastically. A useful and key skill which I hope to develop even further as I progress into my working life.

It's getting real late here in Reading and think I better sleep. It has been a long and tiring week and I'm glad its the weekends now and for once I can finally rest and relax. Thank you Abba Father for providing for me and for protecting me throughout.

A big thanks to all my prayer warriors too, Dad, Mum, Care, Hannah, Meli, Cheng Lu, Janice, Lina...I send my love to you all(: