'Now my daughters can go to school and my wife saves money'

NA060815-MS-GARDENER - Saeed Gull at his shop in Sharjah plant nursery in Sharjah.

"Every morning, at 5am I come to work and water these beautiful plants and flowers," said 'untrained' horticulturist and Pakistani national Saeed Gul. His favourite flowers are lilies. The sight of dew on the plants early in the morning and the smell of wet soil after watering the plants in the morning are what make his job worthwhile.
After quitting his job at a mine quarry in Pakistan, Gul acquired a visa to the UAE from his relative in Sharjah. He arrived in the emirate looking for greener pastures and 'literally' found it in a nursery near the Sharjah Fruit and Vegetable Market.
"I like working here. It is better than my last job and the pay is better", said Gul. "My work was hard in the quarry as I had to use huge hammers and break rocks and carry these heavy loads on my back," said Gul. He got paid less month for the work and very often his family would not have enough to eat by the end of the month. "Now my daughters can go to school and my wife saves money every month," he added.
Gul has been here for only five months and misses his family terribly. "I miss them a lot. However, I would rather stay away and provide them with a good life, than have all of us suffer together in Pakistan," said Gul. He is the first person from his family to leave his hometown in Peshawar and his daughters are the first to attend school. "I know the power of education. Atleast my children must lead good lives. I will work for as long as I need to for them to become successful," added Gul.
"Working this job has given him more peace and contentment than any other job he has ever done," he stated Gul.
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com
Interviewed by Dhanusha Gokulan. Street talk is a weekly column to get a glimpse of people's lives in uae

• Sharjah

Dhanusha Gokulan

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com