When I was younger, at the beginning of my career, I applied for a company that designs and implements base stations for mobile operators.
Without experience and without the necessary licenses, I would then deal with physical work, setting up equipment, and not drawing in a warm office.
I was attracted to that competition by the good earnings at the time and the fact that I liked to spend my time outside.
Although I like traveling, I did not get that job, because I did not want to accept several months of work outside my country.
And now I don't regret it.
I'm not sorry, because a couple of days ago, I talked to the engineer who deals with that business, how much of a tricky business it really is.
When you are on the ground, and when you are working with the cabinet and equipment (engineering work around setting up and configuring IT equipment), you would think that everything is easy?
Maybe it is, until an awakened snake crawls out from under the cabinet where the coiled cables are.
Or until, when you move the cover that protects the equipment and cables from rain and sun, a swarm of angry wasps (or worse, hornets) rises above your head.
Because if the work around the equipment on the ground is not demanding, except for some occasions when it is necessary to transport the equipment without mechanization to some backwater (for example, a pile of heavy batteries), those that are carried out at height are.
The engineer who was adjusting the equipment jokingly commented that the top of the pillar is "an office with a perfect view".
Well, my friend, maybe the view from the top of the 30m pole is fantastic, but you have to climb up there, with all the protective equipment, tools and equipment that is mounted on the top...
This time, there was no need for the installers to climb to the top of the pole to see what technique they were using and how long it would take, so I just imagined the ordeal if I tried to climb up there myself.
I believe that I would get to the top, but when and in what condition is questionable.
A narrow grid column, this tall and at first glance unstable, is loaded at the base with concrete blocks and attached with steel cables that give it sufficient stability.
Although curious to see everything that was carried out that day, I took refuge from the location of the base station and from thinking about what the view was like from the top of the pole, I went to my office, to my "ground" workplace.
If I once regretted that I didn't have a career as an engineer at base stations (after standing for half an hour in the cold wind, at the foot of a pole, with my hands in my pockets and not on cold metal), now I certainly won't.
Now I can only thank all the young, strong, dexterous men, who, in wind, sun, rain, are always ready to climb to the top of this or a similar pole, and to service the equipment that is placed on the pole, so that we, everyone else, can be online and always connected on our mobile phones.