My first job: what I learned while peeling chickens

[roobleh]

My first job was cutting chickens in Northwest of Kansas meat factory. Not only was the only job available there for unskilled workers like us, but paid better than average with a lot of over-time for those willing to do. Jibril, not his real name, a tall dark guy, stationed in the "kill zone" was the excutioner of our line knocking out chickens with a hammer. If you thinking this is cruel act, read next. And there was Milgo, quite short and stuffy single mom next to him, waiting her turn to fill up a pool filled with poiled water. "fast, fast, we need 50 thousand chickens out of the floor by mid-night." Supervisor will shout! I was there in the "cutting zone," few feet after the poiler wearing a knife-belt and white lab coat like a surgeon and seperating shoulders from breasts. My job was to peel and cut. This was the hardest job that I have ever done with a lot of repeated motions. Others have quit because of injuries such as accidental cuts and self-amputations. I lasted only one week. The experience, though short, made me to start my own business and become a cabbie.

 

I also quit driving after awhile, but that is another story. The moral of the story is that quitters are not all bad. YES, WE CAN!!

 

So, what was ur first job experience?

[RedSea]

^How long ago was this, and what do you do now?

 

MY first job was cashiering at target store during my sophmore year in high school. It was good job that required alot of interactions with all sorts of people. My spoken language was very limited since I was new to the country, so I had to rely on personel instincts and universal sign language to decipher what some were saying. I was quite astonished how nice most people were to me; They would come up to my line and ask what my name is; I would point to my name tag and say 'this is my name'. They would struggle to pronounce my name for few seconds until I tell them how to correctly say it. At times, they would ask me where I was from. I remember this lady came up to me and said are you from Marroco, I'd say no I'm from somalia. What made you say that since I'm clearly dark skinned? she said well I have morroco friends, and you have the same futures as them, I think to myself, maybe it's true what people say about us somalis and our arab traits. One of the things that suprised me most that many people didn't know where somalia was located. This was specially very suprsing, because I knew and heard about most of the major countries and names around the globe at very young age. At 7 or 8 years old, I always knew who Micheal jackson or Jorday or bill gates were. But hey that is America for you, Geography classes are not very popular here.

 

At PE class during my freshmen year I was sarounded by group of white kids. Though again, my English was limited, I was always very talkative and interacting with other students. They knew there was something different about me. I didn't not look like anyone, I didn't look like the white kids or the black kids or the mix ones. Just one strange creature to them I was I tell you. during the morning stretches and routines at the gym classes, many girls would sit around me and say 'hey Ismail, where you from again', why did you leave your country, is it scary there? etc..

 

I would tell them all sorts of stories and add few lines of lies to spice it up and beef up my reputations in the class. At times I would say, I was recruited and became fearless soldier boy. I totally sold it.How naive are they? Many admiring fans thinking I was such bad a$$ and cool.

 

This fat joe jr. raised his hand during our little conversation ciricle and said 'hey when you were coming to america, how did you manage to get here'? I was bewildered by his questions. In fact this girl next to him slapped him and told him to shut up as a result of the dumb questioned he asked. I said calmly what do you mean ? he said thinking twice "never mind". Moments later, I realized what dude meant, which in his mind he was thinking whether I came here by plane or forcifully delivered shackled in the lower deck of a ship much like the slavery era. wow at the level of ignorous in this people. Again, that is america for you. That was my favorite class, cuz i felt the smartest kid in class. And you can imagine why.

[Jacaylbaro]

Alla maxaa idin haysta ,,,,

 

 

There is a car picking me up from home exactly at 7:30am to the office. When i have a meeting or want to do a little supervision there is always a car with a driver. That car brings me home after work exactly at 3pm. Even if i decide to stay late, it is always there until i decide to leave even if it is 8pm which sometimes happens.

 

During the work, my office is fully furnished with one desk and its side desk, a reading lamp, my laptop, color printer, a telephone line, shelves, and a small table where there is a coffee, tea and water. The toilet is just here inside my room so i don't need to go out for a piss or something. The office is located in the second floor.

 

With a DSL connection, i can surf the net the whole freaking day but i don't usually do that coz i have to work hard ,,,

[Poker]

Living large huh?

 

Good for you buddy.

[Jacaylbaro]

And they want me to migrate to the west through the sea to peel chickens ,,,

 

Money is different though ,,,

[Poker]

Money might be different in the west but the quality of life is way better in Hargeisa when you have what it takes of course.

 

I'm very proud of you buddy and things will even get better for you after your masters.

 

LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GRADUATING.

[Jacaylbaro]

Thanks sxb ,,, U will be here when graduating Insha Allah. It is not that far.

[Poker]

Of course. Insha ALLAH

[roobleh]

Congrats JB. Hopefully, I will be in Hargeisa in the summer. I am off to London within few hours, will keep u what's going on there. This will be my first visit to UK!

[Buuxo]

I did my first job when I was 6yrs old.I would sell Gas in some remote W/somali town.

[Jacaylbaro]

Come on ,, tell me the town ,,

 

I used to sell cigarettes too ,,, Jeeblow sigaaraa rooyal casihii dhe ,,,,

[Buuxo]

hehe.It didn't last.My sister baa suuqa iga bixisey,she was af-mishaarad af-dulaaq ah.I think it was Galaadi ,i could be wrong.

[Valenteenah.]

Roobleh, I've got to admit that sounds like a nightmare of a job.

 

I didn't really get a paid job until I graduated from uni, but I was volunteering from 19 onwards, first at an FGM project in East London doing admin and events then at other Somali groups, charities and NGOs. So although I gained a lot of experience I didn't earn nada (was bankrolled by the bank of mum and dad and student loans).

[Valenteenah.]

PS: Safar salaam and hope you enjoy the UK.

[nuune]

loool@af miinsharad af dulaaq ah, Buuxo

 

 

Xaga businesska waa lagaaga dheereeyaa yeah, oo Galaadina miyaad taqaan