It was 10 am in the morning as my plane touched down the Abu Dhabi international airport. My first visit to Abu Dhabi and also the first outside my home country. Like any normal person my mind too was preoccupied with many thoughts. My first step outside the flight and there was the sun - close to 42 degrees and relatively high humidity as well. The Transport Bus guided us to the ARRIVALS section.
As I entered the Airport I couldn’t help notice the never ending shopping centers – you get anything and everything here – Diamonds to Chocolates – you could get it all. I collected my VISA, got my retina scanned and then finally stepped out of passport control section. One of my Dad's friends came to pick me up at the airport and took me to Hotel Rotana where I would stay for a while before I could find an apartment to stay for a month. From the 10th floor of my hotel room I looked through the balcony to have a larger view of capital of UAE, Abu Dhabi. All I could see was wide roads and never ending HUGE buildings, something I had only seen in movies.
I was here at Abu Dhabi for my summer placement training at ADCO - Abu Dhabi Company for On Shore Oil Operations, a name that I had always heard as a child. I have always wanted to be here to experience the same first hand, IN FACT I have grown hearing about ADCO. All geared up and optimistic I slept early for a Bright new day tomorrow. In the morning I woke up early (I could hardly sleep with the excitement) had my breakfast and went on to find a Cab which would take me to ADCO HQ.
I have seen ADCO on the internet many times but watching it this close was a different experience – it was much grander, Majestic standing tall watching The Arabian GULF in the front as it looked in the images. Staggering 15 floors divided into the east and the west wing and clubbed with the Y block forms this MASSIVE ADCO HQ. Top class Equipments, Machinery, state of art Security and Safety systems were installed to keep this place running without any difficulties and also providing its employees a pleasant working Environment. I enter the front door and proceed towards the reception desk where I am given my ‘Work Placement’ ID card. Then next step was to go to the first floor GSD (General Service’s department) department where I was selected for my training. The GSD Department is filled with employees working on their desktops and everyone busy and always at work – it signifies the amount of work that is being carried out here. I quietly sit on my desk and wait for any order/work/task that comes my way. Here, I’m given a well equipped desk to help me work more efficiently. With multilingual and multicultural personnel all around I felt like a corporate citizen of the world for first time sitting in ADCO office.
The 11th Floor Air handling unit goes down and soon the GSD department directs the BIFCO maintenance officials to the rescue. Rectifying the Air handling Unit was too small a task for the Team. The problem was well attended and solved. Two weeks just passed by – I was taught many things – The working of GSD Dept, basics about AC’s, working of the Fire Fighting Equipment, VESDA system, how a smoke alarm works, about safety standards, The LV Room, the Generator room, the daily maintenance report and many more.
Two weeks just passed by I am sure that the coming weeks would prove to be much more resourceful in terms of learning and understanding of the Department. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all my superiors who guided and mentored me whenever I needed them. A special thanks to ADCO management that made possible.
Merely two weeks up and the Arabic hospitality have already touched my heart as a new comer every body cared about me this was heart warming. I don’t know if I would ever want to leave this place but I am sure that apart from the learning’s that I would get at ADCO I will also be taking many memories back home, memories of generous superiors at ADCO, of kind hearted people of Abu Dhabi, of all the Shopping centers & Malls, of the Sun which suddenly seems dearer and of all the people whom I met, at my stay here In Abu Dhabi. I will carry the remembrance of rich Arab culture many years to come
2 comments:
Fabulous to read about 'A Place called Abu Dhabi...'' thru your experience.Fascinating is the place of your dreams.Imprint and the aura of the place, you had as a child, has been put forth immaculately.Its mind blowing ( boggling too ) to know your flair for writting. Keep it up ! Ma luv's u. CHEERS.
Dude, didn't kno this place is so lovely.. i think i'll schedule a field-visit to abu-dhabi asap!
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