Major setbacks/disappointments in your life

As a fresher, and a keen interest in networks, I succeeded in landing a job with Hutchison Telecom East Ltd as an engineer in the Switch department Every technical fresher in a telecom company, has to undergo a training, to get a holistic understanding of the system. This starts with a brief introduction to the systems and the network in general and then he is sent to the vendors place to understand better the functioning of the system using the vendor?s test bed. This training is usually conducted only once in one year or two years and is crucial to a fresher because he gets hands on experience with a test bed. As every fresher, I looked forward to participating in this training program in all earnestness. A few days before the month long training program was to start, I met with an accident. Hospitalised with a broken leg, I was nearly heartbroken. I thought a misfortune had befallen me, depriving me the chance to attend the crucial training programme for that calendar year. The doctor advised me complete bed rest for one full month then only there was a chance for the fracture to mend itself. I was seething in anger but directed it in learning with force the basics of telecom systems and further developments.

The forced rest and assiduous pursuit in studying the systems, guided by experts in the respective fields released my stupor and encouraged me to move on an equal footing with colleagues who have run past me during that period. I ignored the advice of the doctor and a few days later hobbled on my broken leg to the office. I studied the systems documentation thoroughly and used every opportunity to assimilate knowledge pertaining to the systems. Simultaneously I turned out productive work for my employer. Working was rather difficult with a leg encased in a heavy plaster cast; nevertheless, with a little assistance from our vendor and senior colleagues in our team I did gain a holistic understanding of the system. I did indeed succeed in what I wanted to do. This experience helped me understand how a setback could be converted into an opportunity.