Being a Soldier

Hi once more! Today I feel like telling you a bit more about me! I’m an English teacher, but I wasn’t always a teacher… I used to be a soldier in the Portuguese Army and I proudly served my country for 7 years, 4 months, and 7 days. My first day was October 6th, 1996 and I left February 13th, 2004.

I was 19 years old when I signed up for an adventurous military career and it was the first time I came to Vila Real… Was I nervous? Hell yeah! Was I afraid? Hell no! It was what I’d dreamt about for so many years! I started as a Private 2 and when my basic training was over I became a Private 1. Eventually I was promoted to Private First Class and, later on, Corporal. I used to say, humourously, that I reached the top of my career 😀

The first months of basic training were very difficult (I was a Rifleman), but I survived 😀 Obviously, I did a lot of things, such as shooting, physical training (a lot!), and learning military tactics and manouvers…

I have to say that my military carreer also took me overseas to Kosovo in 2000 and East Timor in 2001/2002. These were two different missions: Kosovo was OPERATIONAL and you got to know what being a soldier really meant; Timor was a beautiful place with a lot of sunshine and the sense of helping the Timorese.

Do I miss the army? Yes, sometimes I do… It was a sigificant part of my life and I’ll never forget it! It was my first job and the salary I received paid for my degree at UTAD. It gave my the sense of duty, responsibility, and self-discipline which I still uphold today. It’ll always be part of me… and I actually never “left” 😀 In 2006 I gave an English course to the soldiers going to Bosnia; in 2008/2009 I gave private lessons to the Regiment Commander as well as soldiers going to Kosovo; r now I’m with the OMLT team going to Afghanistan.

What a life! 😀 But being a teacher is my job now and people say “He was born for it”… Thanks to the army which taught me: ALWAYS GIVE YOUR BEST, THAT MEANS, 110%!