TBK travels - Who was this guy, Neil Porter?

     Saw this on the road to work the other day- nice touch Local Marketing!

As I transition to my new life as the British Kabayan, a retiree from the Middle East who will soon retire in Palawan, I look back on some of the nicer things people said about me in my last few weeks at Bapco in February :

From my wonderful colleagues in Building B:

Kind Mr. Neil;

I would have liked to attend your send-off at BAPCO today but ... well, I had three classes to teach for an employer who likes to keep us under close observation.

Wishing you the best!!

In any case I wish you all the best in the next phase of your existence. May it be long, joyful, safe and fruitful.

With too much well-wishing, I am ...

Vince Kelly

Next from the team at Belbin:

" I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you over the last few years and it has been a pleasure to be associated with you and witness a true professional in action.  You will be greatly missed by BAPCO and the other organization's you have worked with . You have earned the right to start this new chapter of your life so enjoy it."- Barrie Watson , Belbin UK

Zainab and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Barrie since he came to train us in Bahrain in 2016. Barrie told me Zainab has produced 360 Belbin reports from our interplace system which we use with all the NOGA companies and the University of Bahrain, some 150 hrs.' work - well done Zainoob.

                          We were very proud of our Belbin Accreditation
 

 

 Barrie presenting Zainab with a token of his appreciation for organising the Belbin workshop in 2016

 

From the team at ILM MENA:  

 

"Bapco’s ILM Team is designated to manage and run ILM qualifications for Bapco employees who are targeted for progression as per the Company's succession plan, as well as for developing employees of other oil and gas sector companies. The ILM team receives full support from Bapco’s top Management. 

 

Bapco is one of the ILM Centers" which have been upgraded to Direct Centre Status (DCS=01 with action points) in March 2020 due to their serious commitment in improving the quality assurance policies and practices.

 

I am aware of the planned departure of Neil Porter, who has some 15 years of experience administering, delivering, and assessing ILM 2 & 3. Bapco L&D are losing a key resource in the operation of ILM qualifications. I would advise L&D management to review the current allocation of resources required to enable a seamless transition early next year, particularly in program administration.  Doing so, will ensure Bapco continues to maintain their status as an excellent centre for delivering and administering ILM qualifications.

 

Thank you for keeping me informed of the progress. I am sure Evan will continue the journey successfully as you professionally did, and I wish you all the best in your future endeavor. Please keep in touch.

 

I will fully support the team to ensure the Centre maintains high-quality assurance grade."

 

 

Saeed Al Nasheet

ILM External Verifier

 

                                 Saeed and Zainab at our 2020 ILM Audit  

I ( Neil) would just like to say how proud I am to have been asked to build on the solid ILM foundations laid by Peter, and that he then trusted me with his "Baby" ILM 3. During the years we worked together Peter was a great SL2 Role model delegating the running of ILM 2 to me based on my competence, Directing me how to run the projects when I took over ILM3, and coaching and supporting as needed. Most of all he kept the heat off me in the difficult years when Leadership Training was outsourced and gave me so many interesting projects like Boost training, The Defensive Driving training set up and being Wellbeing Ambassador.

More recently Jane Harders has taken over mentoring and coaching me , with support from Zainab , Evan and John to guide me to the end of my Rainbow. My heartfelt thanks to you all. 

 

From the man who took me on: 

 

 Hi Neil

 

Yes, Good memories of ILM

 

I’d like to think that there will be a strong ILM legacy in BAPCO.

 

Best wishes for your future endeavors, keep in touch and enjoy life!

 

Best regards

 

Peter

 

From my ILM delegates:

 

Dear Neil

It was a pleasure working with you and learning from you . Thanks for all your efforts and support throughout your time with Bapco. Wish you all the best.

 

 

Best Regards   Muhanna Al-Buainain Associate Engineer Local Marketing – T&BS   From Hamza:   Hi Neil, I just came to know that you have started the next phase of your life's journey. I just wanted to wish you all the best for it and I hope u are doing well. Take care!   From: WAHEED ABUL <WAHEED_ABUL@BAPCO.NET> Sent: Thursday, February 4, 2021 8:17 AM To: NEIL PORTER <NEIL_PORTER@BAPCO.NET> Subject: Re: ILM 2 certificates   Good morning Thank you Neil for everything you did for us .... I wish you all the best and a very Happy retirement . Your investment in us will last forever and I will make sure that I pass on what ever I learnt from you to my team and colleagues Thank you again Boss You deserve a Galaxy bar  and from the French one:   From: CLEMENT FASQUEL <CLEMENT_FASQUEL@BAPCO.NET> Sent: Tuesday, February 9, 2021 4:54 PM To: NEIL PORTER <NEIL_PORTER@BAPCO.NET> Cc: ZAINAB SALMAN <ZAINAB_SALMAN@BAPCO.NET> Subject: Re: PMW   Merci  beaucoup et je m'excuse pour le retard. Wish you all the best for this new chapter of your life!

 

From Jim McDermott - ex ILM Verifier and our ILM External assessor

Hi Neil,

No doubt as much as you want to you will miss quite a lot about Bahrain- mainly the good times. Pat and I would like to wish you the best of luck in your new life and hope that all your wishes come true.

Happiness and health hopefully will be joining you in your new life.


Good Luck Pat & Jim

Bapco IT

 

 

Dear NEIL PORTER,

 

Please be informed that your Bapco login credentials will expire on 14/2/2021

 

the If you require an extension of your account, please fill in System Access Request form available below and make sure to click on “Extend Account”

 

http://itsd/WorkOrder.do?from=Templates&module=serviceRequest&reqTemplate=5131&requestServiceId=1201

 

Please make sure that your access has been extended before raising the request.

 

If you wish to confirm that this is an authentic message please contact IT SERVICE DESK by email or call Ext 5911.

 

and

 

 

Dear Neil, as agreed, the MS Teams recording permission will be revoked by the end of day today.

 

Thanks.

 

Regards,

Hasan Al Sharif

Information Technology Department (ITD)

From the rest of the ILM team at Bapco

Evan Glassett	Feb 12, 2021, 9:28 PM (5 hours ago)
to me

Good luck Neil and God Speed

Evan 

From: ZAINAB SALMAN <ZAINAB_SALMAN@BAPCO.NET>
Sent: Tuesday, February 9, 2021 9:51 AM
To: NEIL PORTER <NEIL_PORTER@BAPCO.NET>

 

You deserve more than that. You were continuously supporting me. Thank you 

 

From: NEIL PORTER <NEIL_PORTER@BAPCO.NET>
Sent: Tuesday, February 9, 2021 9:47 AM
To: ZAINAB SALMAN <ZAINAB_SALMAN@BAPCO.NET>
Subject: OMG that is so beautiful

 

Shukran Habibte

 

( I am lost for words)

 

Neil Porter Training Specialist, Supervisory Development Professional Development Section , Learning  & Development Department
Tel: (+973) 1775 3041 Email: Neil_porter@bapco.net Bahrain Petroleum Company B.S.C. (Closed) P.O. Box 25555, Awali, Kingdom of Bahrain

 This was after I received this from Zainab:

Shukran Habibte, It is beautiful.

Special thanks to the guys in Building B for the wonderful lunch, cake and 

gifts

 

Love my new phone called PK

 ( click here for PK's annoying phone ring tone!)

           Hasan sent a message to say:

" I have seen photos of today's party which I regret that I was unable to attend. I hope that you

 have enjoyed it."

Yes I did and for those in Building A here are the pics!!

                                                  My card from Building B

                 I got dizzy reading it! Thanks for the most generous gift as well

The cake - lasted 2 days! ( Just in case my Ex Dieticians read this!)

and thanks to the Bapco club for the breakfast buffet:

After that lot we all needed a nap for the afternoon!! ( It's ok Andre- I 

removed the "nap"photo!)

Meanwhile over in Building A they had more gifts for this guy , Neil Porter-

Beautiful Gaye Bentham photos, gifts from OED, a colourful picture from 

Latha, some great DVD's from the hospital, perfume from HEG,  a watch

from everyone and rather a lot of money from Bapco ( and Sadeem)  AND 

lots of lovely cards including a very special one from Matthew, Marisol 

and Lukas

Thanks everyone, I leave with many happy memories of you all!

BUT WAIT- there is more!

 

I had greetings from other colleagues and friends:

 

Gerda Fourie

 

 I'm so happy for you!

Gerda

 

TIM OWEN

 

Hello Neil, I was just sitting here thinking "Isn't Neil leaving/retiring soon"?? As I never really see you around. I just wanted to see if that's still valid and if so say all the very best for your future plans. Assume you're still planning to settle in the Philippines, buy some property and enjoy life?

 

My messages came in on email, Microsoft teams and even in Person. I was very honored on my final Thursday at work (4.2.21) The Crown Prince and Prime Minister paid a fleeting visit to Awali! 

From Ros Lovegrove:

Hope the leaving tour of Bahrain was good! 

Enjoy your next destination and keep us all posted with your news!

Have a wonderful time, 

Ros 

and from old friends around the globe:

From Jane Corder, my girlfriend at University in 1978

Jane Corder	1:58 PM (7 minutes ago)
to me

Hi Neil,

Is today the day?  Do keep in touch and let me know when u r settled, and your address. U may have sent it,  but not sure where it is......

Lots and lots of love thoughts and best wishes.  stay safe.

Jane xx

Sent from my iPhone

From Erickson in Dubai

Erickson Tiel	Sat, Feb 13, 8:08 PM (5 hours ago)
to me

Tatay I'm happy that you will be in the Philippines soon. 

See you in Palawan po.

Always take care

From Al in UK:

Alnoor Kara	2:55 AM (7 hours ago)
to me

Good luck with the next adventurous phase of your life. Stay in touch

From Rhod Mitchell in UK

Hello Stranger.

So you are heading of to the Philippines to retire . I can’t believe it your far to young!!!!   At sometime when you have got through quarantine  and got your self sorted perhaps a zoom call might be good  so much easier to catch up F2F . I not much of a blog/you tube follower tbh.

Its been great following your countdown over the last year  if does feel like longer though (tease). Mind you,  you were always a good planner.

( Rhod was Asst Manager at Stoke on Trent back in 1983 when I was a Trainee Manager so I have known him for 29 years- great to hear from you Rod )

From the lady in the UK who took money for a calendar and 10 GBP for postage and said she would send another when it did not arrive:

 

 Hi Neil

I have made a note of your new address, thank you. I am really sorry to say that I have sold all of my calendars now. 

Hope you enjoy settling in to your new home.

Stay safe, best wishes

Jilly x

--

Jilly Oxlade-Arnott
Watercolor & Architectural Impressions

annmarie156	Fri, Feb 12, 10:54 PM (4 hours ago)
to me

Aww bless hope your quarantine goes quick 🥂 here's too retirement xx

Richard Atkinson	4:14 PM (5 hours ago)
to me

Exciting times! All the best. Remember the Kubler Ross curve - 'This is great. Uh uh, not so great. In fact, I'm not sure about the whole thing. But, yes, everything's turning out to be just what I had in mind'. I hope the inevitable curve will be short and shallow!.

Happy landings!

 

David and Lynda Green in Huddersfield 

HI

I envy you your future home.  It looks wonderful.  Here we have snow which is now melting and everything is wet and dull.

I always tell people it's great being retired you just have to be old to do it !!  I am sure you are going to find multiple ventures to fill your time.  Your brain never seems to stop working !!!

Your life would certainly have been much different if you had stayed in England.

Anyway all the best with your last few days at work and your move to the Philippines.  As I said, it looks idyllic.  I envy you living near the beautiful beaches and turquoise sea and the lovely climate.

Love from the Greenies in the cold and damp of England Brrrrr !

Banana	Fri, Feb 12, 7:37 PM (7 hours ago)
to me

Thought this was your last day - travel safe 

ENJOY !

A

 

From Kirstie in Scotland

This week in Glasgow.... 730 Tuesday morning, for my run. Enjoy moving day! X ( Kirstie used to live in Bahrain as a kid!) 

                        ................ and people ask why I do not want to go back to the UK!!!!!!

 

My ex boss at Choice Hotels Europe:

Neil

Have a safe journey and I will look forward to reading your settling in-experiences.

Brian

Nadya:

 

 Hi Neil.

I haven't read your blog yet, but, just wanted to wish you all the very best in your retirement - hope you live your retirement to the full & have a safe flight. It was such a shame that I never got back to Bahrain after seeing you a couple or so years ago.

Take care & look forwards to hearing about your new life in the Philippines - hope quarantine goes ok

With love

Nadya xx

Nadya was my first girlfriend when I started work in the hotel industry age 16 -

 

and of course from the many friends I made along the way in Bahrain:

Hi Neil, 

How are you doing? 

Must be busy with wrapping up here and excited about your new life. 

Just the other day I cooked up the curry from your recipe book! I followed it to the word and it came out fantastic. 

Keep us posted about your new life, new house, and new adventures. Pictures! lots of it. 

I just want to wish you the best, have a lovely retirement. You have earned it. Safe travels. 

A

Ariel Arcelo	Feb 12, 2021, 7:20 PM (8 hours ago)
to me

Thanks for sharing! . Enjoy and have fun there.  Always take care po your self. GOD BLESS

Gaye Bentham	Fri, Feb 12, 7:21 PM (8 hours ago)
to me

Good luck Neil! I wish you much happiness in your new life. It was a pleasure knowing you, and thank you for all the business!!

Take care

With best wishes

Gaye

Gaye Bentham

Mobile: +973 3965 1097

Facebook / Instagram: artforthesoulbahrain 

www.artforthesoulbahrain.com

Gaye enlarged all my photos onto canvas and had them framed and I also bought many of her photos which I had framed 

She also makes mugs, calendars and other souvenirs so please do check out her website if you want a special reminder of your time in Bahrain!

Special thanks to my neighbours , Alpesh, Mittal, Vidhi and Marashi who made a farewell card and served me lunch on my last day

Sadly Some were just plain rude like this

ALICIA BHOLA	Sun, Feb 7, 9:18 PM (2 hours ago)
to NEIL, me

Dear Neil

My gardener isn’t around at the moment I had to leave work early yesterday to make sure I would be home to accommodate this and you could have let me know if it was not getting done. I am not interested in taking this plant anymore you can go ahead and sell it to someone else.

 

Thank you.

 

regards

 

 

Alicia Bhola RN MBA MSc Quality Assurance Supervisor Awali Hospital Tel: +973 17753610 Email Alicia_Bhola@bapco.net

 

 

and then a few disappointing ones like this from my friend for the last 11 years, John Jaworski:

 

 

Thanks, Neil – I’ll look through them later.

 

I’ll be in Building B again on Sunday 21^st. If you leave the gifts with John or Evan, I can collect them then.

 

However, I still hope I will have chance to see you before you depart.

 

Regards,

 

John Jaworski
Training Coordinator

Reliability Maintenance Department

and this from my head of section

Please ensure to raise  exception for your OTL anomalies with sufficient comments for justification.

In case you had missing clocking, please email me the reason and the timings. Please ensure the subject is TAA as it will automatically go into the applicable folder on my email.

 

Thank you,

 

Nooralhuda Al Hasan Administration Head Learning and Development Department
	Tel: +973 17758808 Email: nooralhuda_alhasan@Bapco.net Bahrain Petroleum Company B.S.C. (Closed) P.O. Box 25555,Awali, Kingdom of Bahrain

Thanks everyone - Shukran Habibi/ Habibte

I will carry fond memories of most of you on  my travels!