honorable judges and dear friends, my name is maer dongyan, i’m very happy today to stand here to share my speech, my imagination, and my story as an air traffic controller with all of you.
i, as a 35-year-old air traffic controller, have been working on the tower for nearly ten years. through these years’ working, i really come to love this job. besides, as the husband of my beloved, the father of my 8-year-old daughter, and the son of my old parents, i also love my family, a happy family.
however, it has been really hard to coordinate my work and my family.
it’s generally considered great to be an air traffic controller by the public, for the job is believed to be well-paid and quite easy. i was also one of them before i started the work. but things have been entirely different from what i used to think. as an air traffic controller of the new century, we’re facing tasks and barriers greater and harder than ever, that is, we have to ensure the safety and order of the fast-developing civil aviation. we’re burdened with pressure, responsibilities, the trust of hundreds of pilots, the lives of tens of thousands of passengers, and the hopes of millions of families. every step we take, every word we say is connected to the safety of passengers. and disasters may occur if we’re even a little bit careless. then, how can that be easy?
as a man who owns a family, i also have to take care of my family. still, it isn’t that easy. since i took the job 10 years ago, i haven’t had enough time to be with my family. so many festivals have i spend with microphones, but not my family and friends, just because my job needs me. so many times have my wife complained about my returning home late and having meals outside often, just because my job needs me. and so many times, my mom or dad is sick in bed, but i cannot be there with them in time, just because my job needs me. i cannot fully devote myself to my family because my job needs me, a lot of people need me. and again, as a man with a family, how can that be easy?
even though i’m not competent as a father, a husband, and a son, i still love my family. my daughter once said that it was her happiest time to see me back from work. and it’s the same with me. i’m pleased and grateful to see that my family can support and understand my work and my little devotion to them.
i have made many sacrifices as an air traffic controller. i really feel sorry for my family. but as i help pilots find their destinations under terrible weather conditions, and then hear “thanks” from them, i’m satisfied. and as i see planes taking off and landing safely, and make sure that hundreds more families can get together, i’m comforted. i even seem to be able to see the happy smiles on their faces.
such is my job, though i cannot enjoy much of the happiness my family brings to me, i can experience the sense of responsibility through my work. i’ll never regret this, regret choosing my job. it is through these years that i know what responsibility and devotion really mean. and it is through these years that i realize what family really means to me---supporting and understanding. i really appreciate them.
