Working the Graveyard Shift

THIS week will be my first time to work in the graveyard shift in my supermarket duty at FoodMaxx Pinole.

My graveyard work will be for just one day on Wednesday from 7 pm to 2 am the next day and this is very challenging for me because I have rarely stayed out late at night when I was still living in the Philippines.

I initially had reservations when the schedule was handed out to me but my sister, who had experience working the graveyard shift after graduating from college here, told me that most Americans like working at late nights because it's easier and you don't face a lot of pressure.

In a supermarket for example, employees still work even though the store closes. There is the matter of cleaning the checkstands, stocking up on new products that arrive in the store during the late hours and not dealing with customers. You also don't push carts which can be painful to your arms and feet.

My sister also told me that it's safer to work in the graveyard shift because people who don't have cars rely on Uber and Lyft unlike in the Philippines where there is even more danger for late night workers because robberies happen a lot in public transportation like jeepneys and buses. This was one of the factors why my mother petitioned to bring me here since life in the Philippines hasn't been that safe lately under the Duterte administration.

My graveyard shift this week is just for six hours and I will have two days off this weekend so I'm ready to take on the challenge. I'm praying that this will turn out for the best and it's part of the growing pains I have to go through being part of the California workforce. It's really different from my sportswriter days back in Manila but Mike Hanopol sang, life in America is no piece of cake. You have to work hard to achieve your American dream.