My 8th Year Mentor At Work But More Than 8 Years As Friends

June 30, 2022

When we are a newbie in a company, we need to expect many trainings on what we are.going to do. In our company, we have different accounts. In every accounts, there are different line of business.

Aside from the trainings, there are also other supporting factors who will help us when we start with our work.

How We First Met

We will meet friends at work and also, there will be mentors assigned for us to learn more. It can be within the company or it can come overseas. Like in my case, our account is from United States. Since I was new at the account, we needed mentors whom we can ask if there are confusion. We have assigned mentors locally but we can still ask our mentors abroad.

I was introduced to our mentor abroad since I was new in the team. I was asking something and my colleagues introduced me to her through chat. I felt that she was dominant by the way she message me. Her name is Veronica but we called her "Vee". I was scared to ask her after.

Then I heard her voice for the first time. She looked scary. She spoke loudly but clearly and fast that I cannot understand some of her words. But she was very confident and I can feel that she has been doing it a long time ago.

She called us by our pet names. Ever since she called me "Shy" because that is my pet name. She might be serious during work but she still found time to make us laughed.

As times passed by, some of my old colleagues have resigned until I became one of the mentors. I became closer to her because she is the one I asked most of the time if I cannot answer or if I doubted myself when someone asked me.

Her Personality

Sbe is the person who is very detailed when explaining things but during at work, she is strict. During meeting or training with her, she will surprisingly called anyone of us to answer her questions. That is what I am scared of her.

But in work, there will be changes. Especially when she was removed as our mentor. She was transferred to other account. It means she will be trained with other subject. We have actually 2 mentors in the US. The other one is male who is not that focused with our topic because he also handles others topics while Vee only handles one topic. The mentor that was left was the male one.

She was a great loss to our team. Everyone depends on her. She is very hands on to us. But the other mentor is the total opposite of her but I understand because he is busy too with other work but still, it was hard for us.

Friendship

It was harder for me. Maybe I was too dependent on her that I almost asked everything to her. But it made me closer to her. We talked even not related to work. She even tell stories about her daughter. If she was sad and depressed or even if she was sick.

She was disappointed when she was moved to other account. But she told us that she can still help us if she is not busy and it happened. My colleagues and I can still asked her. But if she is busy, she will tell us that she cannot help us.

But when I was redundiated from work, I did not say goodbye to her. I felt selfish but I want her to know it once I am gone. I know for sure that someone will tell her what happened to me.

Reuunited

Months passed and I saw her online. I talked to her through chat and we talked for a few minutes. It was morning in the Philippines but it was evening in Milwaukee. She was about to sleep so I just asked her if she was doing fine. She said that he is no longer happy with her work and planning to move to other company.

She also said that she will visit the Philippines soon. I hope we will see each other if given a chance.

When I actually saw her actual photo, she was tall and a but fat which is the opposite of me. I am small and thin. We will look mother and daughter if ever we are together.

But I am happy that I became close to her. She was my mentor and became friend at the same time. I also like talking to her because I am enhancing my English communication through chat.

I never expected that my mentor will be my friend in the end. I was happy that we still have our communication even we were apart. I hope that it will lasts forever even just by saying hi and hello.

My Final Say

The number of friends does not define your worth. Sometimes, few are enough to be true to you. As long as we are trustworthy to a person, we will receive that same respect.

Thank you very much and have a nice day.