Speech Contest....14.2.20

2014-02-21

 

"Come on honey, It will be just 3 years!
Think about it.
Let's say we can live until we’re 80 years old, it is just 3 out of 80.
It could be nothing...No, It is nothing.
I agree that it will be very hard for you to raise Junwoo by yourself and you are pregnant but It could be a chance or time for you to be a strong mother.
and he is only 3 years old, I don't think he will be able to remember that daddy's absent in his early childhood...."He is too young to remember

These were my words to my wife to persuade her on my transfer to the Middle East, Yemen


I think I have to explain a bit more about the situation I had at that time so you can understand better.
At that time I had been working in Ulsan for more than 5 years producing Natural Gas from the East Sea, so called offshore production.
Career-wise, I really eager to have drilling and production experience on land, in Oil & Gas technical terms, onshore drilling and production.
Even the land is in the Middle East, it would be great.
Middle East is the Mecca of crude oil production, isn’t it?
These things are my "Career-wise" reasons I decided to go to Yemen.
but in another way of saying, I was got bored with life in Ulsan and needed to have some change!

With this kind of behind story, I got to Yemen
My life in Yemen was okay…I could say it was endurable...

Regarding work, I got experience working with two onshore drilling and crude oil production.
After work I had to stay at my hotel due to the fear of terror attacks so I had much time by myself.
I read lots of books, exercised, even meditated in my hotel room by my self!

All these things became endurable by one thought.
That was I should NOT waste this time being away from my family!
This single thought made me stronger and kept me going firmly and persistently.
While I was in Yemen, I believe, I grew up a lot career-wise and personal-wise
I valued each and every moment I had to make myself better.
Finally, I came back to Korea after 4 years.
When I came back I saw my sons....they are already 7 and 4 years old.
I said to my first son with all smiles on my face from ear to ear "I will be with you forever, I’ll never be apart from you."
And he asked me one question. "Daddy, why did you go to Yemen? You didn't like me?"

When I heard his words, I thought about that calculation I did 4 years ago.
3 out of 80!
but it was not enough of an answer for him.
That calculation missed something, something very important in my life.

Oh my god, I realized that the 3, which in fact ended up 4, was only for me!
That calculation only thought of me!
I was selfish, that calculation was selfish,,,, extremely selfish.

If the 3 was for the growth of my children or my family, then it was okay but for only myself....

So I replied to my son,
I went to Yemen not because I didn't like you but because I made a miscalculation.
Sorry son but I promise you that I will never make a miscalculation again.
I love you son.