Showing posts with label My Life as a Banker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My Life as a Banker. Show all posts

Friday 22 March 2024

READ MY LIFE AS A BANKER FOR TIPS FOR SUCCESS


 READ MY LIFE AS A BANKER FOR TIPS FOR SUCCESS

In 'My Life as a Banker' Brenda Mohammed, the author, combines History and Geography with her positive outlook to bring her story to life.
The Memoir is the story of a woman's determination to succeed in a profession that did not always favor women.

Set on the lovely Caribbean island of Trinidad. MY LIFE AS A BANKER: A LIFE WORTH LIVING is a fascinating personal memoir written by Brenda Mohammed, a former bank manager.
The book starts with the author’s early life and childhood, leading up to her first job in banking.
Having defied death twice at the ages of eight and nine, she excels and graduates from High School at the tender age of sixteen, and lands a job with an International bank with ties to the United Kingdom.
Dealing with customers and money issues can be stressful, but Brenda proved that hard work and determination pay.
She gradually moved up the ranks, and received several promotions, leading up to senior managerial status.
Brenda describes changes in the banking system, changes in the bank's attitude towards its employees throughout her working years, and the important roles she played in bringing about changes.
My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living by Brenda Mohammed was the winner of Best Bio/Memoir 2nd place in Metamorph Publishing Summer Indie Book Awards 2016.

GET THE BOOK ON AMAZON

Sunday 24 December 2023

EXCERPT FROM MY LIFE AS A BANKER - HELLO WORLD

 



EXCERPT FROM MY LIFE AS A BANKER- HELLO WORLD

After six years of working at Barclays Bank DCO, I was advised that I was entitled to four months long leave in the following year commencing in June. After seven years of service, an employee could expect that break with full pay and a travel grant.  It sounded exciting.

 I told my father about my forthcoming leave and he suggested that I visit my sister and her family in Germany. He said that since the bank would bear the cost of the trip, I should make use of the opportunity.

My sister’s husband was in the Royal Air Force in Wildenrath, Germany.    The Branch Manager told me he knew a girl at another branch who was also going on long leave and who needed a companion to travel.

 I told him I would love to meet her. He arranged for me to meet her to discuss plans. Sylvia had relatives in New York and Toronto and friends in the United Kingdom so we added those places to our itinerary. I convinced my father to allow me to go to those other places. He suggested that we invite her to our home to have lunch, as he and my mother wanted to get to know her.

 Sylvia was a very amiable young woman who had travelled before and my father liked her right away. He felt at ease that I would be in capable company and that she would be my travelling companion. When we sat down to have the meal, my father said a prayer for our safety during our trip.

  I will never forget that year in early June when my father drove me to the airport. My mother and sisters accompanied us. Sylvia was at the airport with her relatives also. It was a tearful occasion for my family because I was the eighth child and it was my first trip abroad.

     When Sylvia and I entered the plane, I said to myself, “Hello world. Here I come.” It was my first trip on a plane and I was very relaxed. The air hostesses served us with lots to eat and drink. It was very different in those days compared to nowadays, where they no longer serve food on a plane.

When we landed in New York at John F. Kennedy Airport, my friend’s cousin and her husband were there to greet us. I was meeting them for the first time and they were friendly. They drove us to their home in Jamaica in Queens New York.

Jamaica was a middle-class neighbourhood where many immigrants live. They had a nice home there and they gave me a separate room from Sylvia’s.

Notwithstanding, I admit I was homesick. I missed my parents, brothers, and sisters.

The following day, Sylvia’s cousin took us to the city on the bus and we went shopping. There were many bargains available. Clothes were much cheaper than in my country. I did not want to spend much money in New York though, as that was just our first stop in the itinerary. I bought one dress for my youngest sister and a few souvenirs.

  When we were returning home on the bus, we had to stand, as there were no vacant seats. A woman came behind me and touched me on my shoulders. When I turned around and she saw my face, she said she was sorry. She said that from my back, she mistook me for her friend who had become a movie star. I felt flattered.

  The next day the whole family went to see a fantastic musical show at the Radio City Music Hall on Broadway, and afterwards, we had dinner at a fancy restaurant. The show was fantastic and the dinner sumptuous.

  Every day my friend’s cousin took us to see a new interesting place and I was enjoying our stay in New York. One day she took us to Chinatown in downtown Manhattan. It rained that day. It was crowded too. Many people were shopping. I never liked crowded places and I felt sick. After buying fish, she took us back to her home. When we returned home I became sicker, and after eating dinner, I went to bed. 

    The next day we boarded a flight to Toronto. I was feverish and cold and wore a sweater but that did not help me to feel better. When we landed in Toronto, it was cold and windy and I felt worse.

 My friend’s brother took us to his apartment. He said the apartment was small and could only accommodate two people. He planned to stay next door with his friend. I thought it was very nice and considerate of him.

He promised to call a doctor to visit me as he saw how ill I was. He told me to lie down and rest and to cover up with a blanket. I did that and fell asleep.

    When I woke up, I coughed a lot and had a swollen nose. The doctor came just as I awoke and Sylvia brought him in the bedroom to see me. She was worried about my illness. The doctor gave me an injection and tablets and told me to rest. He said I needed to stay in bed for one week as I had a bad case of the flu. My heart sank. We were staying for one week in Toronto and I had to be confined to bed. Sylvia was disappointed and so was I. We had planned to have much fun, as her brother was also a fun loving person. What a damper!

    The following day I received a letter from my father. There was no electronic mail in those days. He wanted to know if I was enjoying myself. I could not hide the truth from him and I replied to him telling him I was ill with the flu and confined to bed.

 His reply was quick as I received a letter from him before the end of that week. He said if I wanted to return home I should change my flight arrangements and go back home. I knew I could not do that and leave Sylvia alone so I replied to him and told him I was going ahead with our plans. It was an opportunity of a lifetime and I wanted to go through with it.

  In spite of the doctor’s orders to stay in bed, I joined my friend and her brother for drives around the city in his car. We took photos at Couching Park and Yorkville and walked on Yonge Street.  I could not appreciate the beauty of the city, as I was feeling too weak and ill. I did not even care to look at the shops and did not buy a souvenir there.

  I was still ill when we flew to London. It was a long flight, but I slept on the plane. We arrived there early in the morning and we took a cab to the Royal Overseas League where we spent the week.

The Royal Overseas League is a non-profit Commonwealth private members’ organization, and both my friend and I became members of that League before our trip. It was a beautiful hotel with luxury accommodations overlooking Green Park in London.

We had booked a lovely spacious room for two with a Roman bathroom. The warm weather in London was like home in Trinidad. I felt better right away but still went to see a doctor. He gave me a new medication and within two days, I was as good as new.

    Sylvia was happy that I was well again. We explored all the popular sites in London. Two other friends joined us. We took photos on the Bridge of the River Thames and had fun at Battersea Park. We visited the beautiful Kew Gardens, shopped on Oxford Street, and rode in the double-decker buses. The mini dress and wedged heel shoes were the latest crazes in London, and my friend and I stocked up our wardrobe with lovely mini dresses and wedge heel shoes to take back to Trinidad.

I was having a good time and was glad I did not cut the trip short to return home.

    Soon the day came for our trip to Germany. We took the bus to the airport and that was a big mistake. There was a massive pile-up of traffic along the way and the bus took double the normal time to get to the airport. We missed our flight to Germany. When we arrived at the airline counter, the clerk told us that the flight had just taken off and that they would accommodate us on the next available one, which was leaving in two hours.

    We had no choice but to wait, so we sat down at one of the airport restaurants and had something to eat until it was time to board. Meanwhile, my brother-in-law was waiting at the Dusseldorf airport in Germany for us. He had checked and found out we missed the first flight and would be on the next one.  Soon it was boarding time.

The boarding clerk made an announcement for passengers to board the plane.

 We were excited. The most significant part of our adventures was about to begin. The flight was not long and it was pleasant.

 When we landed at the Dusseldorf airport our brother-in-law was there waiting for us. We apologized to him for having him wait long but he said he understood. He told us my sister was at home. She was looking forward to our arrival. I had not seen Rose in six years since she left to live in London and moved to Germany. I too could not wait to see her.

   As my brother-in-law was in the Royal Air Force, they lived in the camp in Wildenrath in a beautiful two-storey- house. The weather was lovely and it was like home in Trinidad. My sister and her two children whom I had never met before were at the door to meet us.

 She greeted us and hugged us. We did not notice anything different about her, except that she looked lovely in a mini dress.

The children were very nice and talkative. I met them for the first time. We sat down, chatted, and had something to eat. As the house was in an air force base, there were intermittent noises from low flying planes. The windows shook every time a plane flew over the house.

My sister showed us our room and we unpacked our stuff and went back downstairs. When we returned downstairs, we saw my sister with a suitcase standing at the door. She said, “Okay guys. I am going to the hospital.” Both my friend and I looked at her in amazement. “What is wrong with you?” I asked.

 She pointed to her tummy, which seemed normal. She said, “I am having a baby. It is due.” We laughed because we both thought she was joking.

 I said, “But your tummy is barely noticeable.”

She said, “It is time. I better hurry.”

My brother-in-law smiled and said, “Bye. Take care of the children. I will be right back.” Our jaws dropped. It seemed unbelievable.

  When my brother-in-law returned from the hospital, he said my sister would not be delivering the baby until later that night, so he took us all for a drive to see Wildenrath.

All the houses in the camp were similar to the one my sister and family lived in. There was a long building where the single officers lived. We saw a clubhouse, a large airstrip, a shopping centre, and the hospital. Further, down the street, there were cafes and a large forested area. There was not much to see in Wildenrath and my brother-in-law promised to take us to Monchengladbach in Germany, which was close to Wildenrath. He also said that Wildenrath was close to the border and he would take us to Holland. That sounded very exciting to Sylvia and me. 

   The next day, my brother-in-law woke us up. He told us that my sister had a baby boy, and would come home later in the evening. God had blessed them with two boys and one girl.

Sylvia and I helped prepare the meals that day and then we walked around the back of the house. There was an apple tree in the backyard and we picked apples and ate them. We took a walk in the neighbourhood.

It was quiet and there was no one in sight. In the evening, my brother-in-law took us to the hospital to bring home his wife and their handsome new-born son.

   The Royal Air Force was putting on an air show at the airstrip the following day. My sister could not go with the young baby so she stayed at home with the children and told us to go to the show with her husband. He drove us there but had to park the car far away from the airstrip.

We had to walk across in our mini dresses and wedged heel shoes to where the crowds were standing and sitting. As we were walking, we heard lots of hoots and whistles. My brother-in-law said the officers were trying to get our attention.

 When we reached the crowd lots of his friends came around and asked for introductions.

  The air show began and we saw the most amazing air tactics displayed by airplanes. “The Red Arrows” somersaulted dozens of times and air force military jumped out in colourful parachutes before our eyes. It was the most breath-taking event I ever experienced.

  One night Cyrus took us to the clubhouse, which was crowded with Air Force officers. Once again, we heard loud whistles and hoots and Cyrus said the officers were trying to get our attention.  Many of the officers, who did not meet us before, crowded around us for introductions. My brother-in-law, who was a Sergeant in the RAF, was firm with them and kept them at a distance.

I inserted a coin in a slot machine and hundreds of Deutsche marks came tumbling out.

Everyone watched in amazement. My brother-in-law collected them and ordered drinks for everyone.

  It was the practice of the residents of the camp to have parties in their basements. Every night a different couple held a basement party. We attended quite a few of those parties and they were delightful with good music and lots to eat and drink.

One night a couple invited us to a basement party at their home. They told us it was a ‘cave-man’ style party. We thought it had something to do with the food. When we got there, we saw everyone dressed in ‘cave-man’ outfits.

 We must have looked ridiculous to them as Sylvia and I were dressed in mini dresses and high heels. In spite of that, we had a merry time at the party.

   My sister’s home in Wildenrath was closer to the border in Holland than it was to other parts of Germany.

Cyrus took us across the border to discotheques in Amsterdam and sometimes to other parts of Germany. It was my first time going to discotheques and ones in Holland and Germany at that. Cyrus’ two friends from the RAF always joined us on these jaunts. They followed us in their car.

 The discotheques had strobe lights that flashed on and off in time to the music. A large iridescent ball hung in the middle of the dance floor and created a swinging atmosphere. We had fun dancing to disco music. Cyrus’ brown eyes seemed to flash in time to the music when he was on the dance floor. The men always ordered cognac and cola, which seemed to be the “in thing.” I settled for the cola with no cognac.

Once on our way back home from a discotheque in Holland, Cyrus stopped the car at a lovely park, turned on the car radio, got out of the car and danced in the green meadows. He was a fun-loving person.

   Holland is a spectacular place. The scenery is beyond description. The architecture of the buildings, the brightly coloured tulips, windmills, green meadows, and the clean streets all captured my attention. Germany is also a clean and beautiful country. I have many treasured memories of my visits to those places. In later years, I visited Germany again and details of all my travels are in my book Travel Memoirs with Pictures: Exploring the World. 

   Sylvia and I had planned to make the return voyage home by the ss Antilles, which was a popular ship in those days. She received bad news from her family, who wanted her to return home earlier than planned. I agreed to the change in arrangements to travel to Trinidad by air since it would have taken almost two weeks to travel home by ship. We had a small problem in getting a flight from Germany to London to coincide with the date for our flight from London to Trinidad.

My brother-in-law’s boss arranged for us to fly to London in a Royal Air Force Jet, which was going to London on the day we wanted to leave Germany. Travelling on that Air Force Jet was an experience I would never forget.

   With sad hearts, we left my sister, her husband, and the children, but we left with beautiful memories of a wonderful holiday in Germany.

 When we returned to Trinidad my parents, brothers, and sisters gathered around me to listen to my fantastic adventures. I had much to tell them.

   Although Sylvia and I had wondered about the reaction of our relatives and friends when we landed in Trinidad with mini dresses and wedged-heel shoes, we started a fashion trend. All the girls in the bank cut and hemmed their skirts and dresses to make them short.

My younger sisters loved my dresses and I shared a couple with them. My parents never commented that my dresses were too short. I still have many dreams of that trip.

    The Bank changed its policies a few years later and removed long leave from its benefits, so staff members who joined later were no longer entitled to that benefit.

Read more in the book, MY LIFE AS A BANKER available on Amazon. CLICK HERE.

 


Tuesday 29 August 2023

A TRIP OF A LIFETIME - EXCERPT FROM MY LIFE AS A BANKER

 



A TRIP OF A LIFETIME - EXCERPT FROM MY LIFE AS A BANKER

After six years of working at Barclays Bank DCO, I was advised that I was entitled to four months long leave in the following year commencing in June. After seven years of service, an employee could expect that break with full pay and a travel grant.  It sounded exciting.

 I told my father about my forthcoming leave and he suggested that I visit my sister and her family in Germany. He said that since the bank would bear the cost of the trip, I should make use of the opportunity.

My sister’s husband was in the Royal Air Force in Wildenrath, Germany.    The Branch Manager told me he knew a girl at another branch who was also going on long leave and who needed a companion to travel.

 I told him I would love to meet her. He arranged for me to meet her to discuss plans. Sylvia had relatives in New York and Toronto and friends in the United Kingdom so we added those places to our itinerary. I convinced my father to allow me to go to those other places. He suggested that we invite her to our home to have lunch, as he and my mother wanted to get to know her.

 Sylvia was a very amiable young woman who had travelled before and my father liked her right away. He felt at ease that I would be in capable company and that she would be my travelling companion. When we sat down to have the meal, my father said a prayer for our safety during our trip.

  I will never forget that year in early June when my father drove me to the airport. My mother and sisters accompanied us. Sylvia was at the airport with her relatives also. It was a tearful occasion for my family because I was the eighth child and it was my first trip abroad.

     When Sylvia and I entered the plane, I said to myself, “Hello world. Here I come.” It was my first trip on a plane and I was very relaxed. The air hostesses served us with lots to eat and drink. It was very different in those days compared to nowadays, where they no longer serve food on a plane.

When we landed in New York at John F. Kennedy Airport, my friend’s cousin and her husband were there to greet us. I was meeting them for the first time and they were friendly. They drove us to their home in Jamaica in Queens New York.

Jamaica was a middle-class neighbourhood where many immigrants live. They had a nice home there and they gave me a separate room from Sylvia’s.

Notwithstanding, I admit I was homesick. I missed my parents, brothers, and sisters.

The following day, Sylvia’s cousin took us to the city on the bus and we went shopping. There were many bargains available. Clothes were much cheaper than in my country. I did not want to spend much money in New York though, as that was just our first stop in the itinerary. I bought one dress for my youngest sister and a few souvenirs.

  When we were returning home on the bus, we had to stand, as there were no vacant seats. A woman came behind me and touched me on my shoulders. When I turned around and she saw my face, she said she was sorry. She said that from my back, she mistook me for her friend who had become a movie star. I felt flattered.

  The next day the whole family went to see a fantastic musical show at the Radio City Music Hall on Broadway, and afterwards, we had dinner at a fancy restaurant. The show was fantastic and the dinner sumptuous.

  Every day my friend’s cousin took us to see a new interesting place and I was enjoying our stay in New York. One day she took us to Chinatown in downtown Manhattan. It rained that day. It was crowded too. Many people were shopping. I never liked crowded places and I felt sick. After buying fish, she took us back to her home. When we returned home I became sicker, and after eating dinner, I went to bed. 

    The next day we boarded a flight to Toronto. I was feverish and cold and wore a sweater but that did not help me to feel better. When we landed in Toronto, it was cold and windy and I felt worse.

 My friend’s brother took us to his apartment. He said the apartment was small and could only accommodate two people. He planned to stay next door with his friend. I thought it was very nice and considerate of him.

He promised to call a doctor to visit me as he saw how ill I was. He told me to lie down and rest and to cover up with a blanket. I did that and fell asleep.

    When I woke up, I coughed a lot and had a swollen nose. The doctor came just as I awoke and Sylvia brought him in the bedroom to see me. She was worried about my illness. The doctor gave me an injection and tablets and told me to rest. He said I needed to stay in bed for one week as I had a bad case of the flu. My heart sank. We were staying for one week in Toronto and I had to be confined to bed. Sylvia was disappointed and so was I. We had planned to have much fun, as her brother was also a fun loving person. What a damper!

    The following day I received a letter from my father. There was no electronic mail in those days. He wanted to know if I was enjoying myself. I could not hide the truth from him and I replied to him telling him I was ill with the flu and confined to bed.

 His reply was quick as I received a letter from him before the end of that week. He said if I wanted to return home I should change my flight arrangements and go back home. I knew I could not do that and leave Sylvia alone so I replied to him and told him I was going ahead with our plans. It was an opportunity of a lifetime and I wanted to go through with it.

  In spite of the doctor’s orders to stay in bed, I joined my friend and her brother for drives around the city in his car. We took photos at Couching Park and Yorkville and walked on Yonge Street.  I could not appreciate the beauty of the city, as I was feeling too weak and ill. I did not even care to look at the shops and did not buy a souvenir there.

  I was still ill when we flew to London. It was a long flight, but I slept on the plane. We arrived there early in the morning and we took a cab to the Royal Overseas League where we spent the week.

The Royal Overseas League is a non-profit Commonwealth private members’ organization, and both my friend and I became members of that League before our trip. It was a beautiful hotel with luxury accommodations overlooking Green Park in London.

We had booked a lovely spacious room for two with a Roman bathroom. The warm weather in London was like home in Trinidad. I felt better right away but still went to see a doctor. He gave me a new medication and within two days, I was as good as new.

    Sylvia was happy that I was well again. We explored all the popular sites in London. Two other friends joined us. We took photos on the Bridge of the River Thames and had fun at Battersea Park. We visited the beautiful Kew Gardens, shopped on Oxford Street, and rode in the double-decker buses. The mini dress and wedged heel shoes were the latest crazes in London, and my friend and I stocked up our wardrobe with lovely mini dresses and wedge heel shoes to take back to Trinidad.

I was having a good time and was glad I did not cut the trip short to return home.

    Soon the day came for our trip to Germany. We took the bus to the airport and that was a big mistake. There was a massive pile-up of traffic along the way and the bus took double the normal time to get to the airport. We missed our flight to Germany. When we arrived at the airline counter, the clerk told us that the flight had just taken off and that they would accommodate us on the next available one, which was leaving in two hours.

    We had no choice but to wait, so we sat down at one of the airport restaurants and had something to eat until it was time to board. Meanwhile, my brother-in-law was waiting at the Dusseldorf airport in Germany for us. He had checked and found out we missed the first flight and would be on the next one.  Soon it was boarding time.

The boarding clerk made an announcement for passengers to board the plane.

 We were excited. The most significant part of our adventures was about to begin. The flight was not long and it was pleasant.

 When we landed at the Dusseldorf airport our brother-in-law was there waiting for us. We apologized to him for having him wait long but he said he understood. He told us my sister was at home. She was looking forward to our arrival. I had not seen Rose in six years since she left to live in London and moved to Germany. I too could not wait to see her.

   As my brother-in-law was in the Royal Air Force, they lived in the camp in Wildenrath in a beautiful two-storey- house. The weather was lovely and it was like home in Trinidad. My sister and her two children whom I had never met before were at the door to meet us.

 She greeted us and hugged us. We did not notice anything different about her, except that she looked lovely in a mini dress.

The children were very nice and talkative. I met them for the first time. We sat down, chatted, and had something to eat. As the house was in an air force base, there were intermittent noises from low flying planes. The windows shook every time a plane flew over the house.

My sister showed us our room and we unpacked our stuff and went back downstairs. When we returned downstairs, we saw my sister with a suitcase standing at the door. She said, “Okay guys. I am going to the hospital.” Both my friend and I looked at her in amazement. “What is wrong with you?” I asked.

 She pointed to her tummy, which seemed normal. She said, “I am having a baby. It is due.” We laughed because we both thought she was joking.

 I said, “But your tummy is barely noticeable.”

She said, “It is time. I better hurry.”

My brother-in-law smiled and said, “Bye. Take care of the children. I will be right back.” Our jaws dropped. It seemed unbelievable.

  When my brother-in-law returned from the hospital, he said my sister would not be delivering the baby until later that night, so he took us all for a drive to see Wildenrath.

All the houses in the camp were similar to the one my sister and family lived in. There was a long building where the single officers lived. We saw a clubhouse, a large airstrip, a shopping centre, and the hospital. Further, down the street, there were cafes and a large forested area. There was not much to see in Wildenrath and my brother-in-law promised to take us to Monchengladbach in Germany, which was close to Wildenrath. He also said that Wildenrath was close to the border and he would take us to Holland. That sounded very exciting to Sylvia and me. 

   The next day, my brother-in-law woke us up. He told us that my sister had a baby boy, and would come home later in the evening. God had blessed them with two boys and one girl.

Sylvia and I helped prepare the meals that day and then we walked around the back of the house. There was an apple tree in the backyard and we picked apples and ate them. We took a walk in the neighbourhood.

It was quiet and there was no one in sight. In the evening, my brother-in-law took us to the hospital to bring home his wife and their handsome new-born son.

   The Royal Air Force was putting on an air show at the airstrip the following day. My sister could not go with the young baby so she stayed at home with the children and told us to go to the show with her husband. He drove us there but had to park the car far away from the airstrip.

We had to walk across in our mini dresses and wedged heel shoes to where the crowds were standing and sitting. As we were walking, we heard lots of hoots and whistles. My brother-in-law said the officers were trying to get our attention.

 When we reached the crowd lots of his friends came around and asked for introductions.

  The air show began and we saw the most amazing air tactics displayed by airplanes. “The Red Arrows” somersaulted dozens of times and air force military jumped out in colourful parachutes before our eyes. It was the most breath-taking event I ever experienced.

  One night Cyrus took us to the clubhouse, which was crowded with Air Force officers. Once again, we heard loud whistles and hoots and Cyrus said the officers were trying to get our attention.  Many of the officers, who did not meet us before, crowded around us for introductions. My brother-in-law, who was a Sergeant in the RAF, was firm with them and kept them at a distance.

I inserted a coin in a slot machine and hundreds of Deutsche marks came tumbling out.

Everyone watched in amazement. My brother-in-law collected them and ordered drinks for everyone.

  It was the practice of the residents of the camp to have parties in their basements. Every night a different couple held a basement party. We attended quite a few of those parties and they were delightful with good music and lots to eat and drink.

One night a couple invited us to a basement party at their home. They told us it was a ‘cave-man’ style party. We thought it had something to do with the food. When we got there, we saw everyone dressed in ‘cave-man’ outfits.

 We must have looked ridiculous to them as Sylvia and I were dressed in mini dresses and high heels. In spite of that, we had a merry time at the party.

   My sister’s home in Wildenrath was closer to the border in Holland than it was to other parts of Germany.

Cyrus took us across the border to discotheques in Amsterdam and sometimes to other parts of Germany. It was my first time going to discotheques and ones in Holland and Germany at that. Cyrus’ two friends from the RAF always joined us on these jaunts. They followed us in their car.

 The discotheques had strobe lights that flashed on and off in time to the music. A large iridescent ball hung in the middle of the dance floor and created a swinging atmosphere. We had fun dancing to disco music. Cyrus’ brown eyes seemed to flash in time to the music when he was on the dance floor. The men always ordered cognac and cola, which seemed to be the “in thing.” I settled for the cola with no cognac.

Once on our way back home from a discotheque in Holland, Cyrus stopped the car at a lovely park, turned on the car radio, got out of the car and danced in the green meadows. He was a fun-loving person.

   Holland is a spectacular place. The scenery is beyond description. The architecture of the buildings, the brightly coloured tulips, windmills, green meadows, and the clean streets all captured my attention. Germany is also a clean and beautiful country. I have many treasured memories of my visits to those places. In later years, I visited Germany again and details of all my travels are in my book Travel Memoirs with Pictures: Exploring the World. 

   Sylvia and I had planned to make the return voyage home by the ss Antilles, which was a popular ship in those days. She received bad news from her family, who wanted her to return home earlier than planned. I agreed to the change in arrangements to travel to Trinidad by air since it would have taken almost two weeks to travel home by ship. We had a small problem in getting a flight from Germany to London to coincide with the date for our flight from London to Trinidad.

My brother-in-law’s boss arranged for us to fly to London in a Royal Air Force Jet, which was going to London on the day we wanted to leave Germany. Travelling on that Air Force Jet was an experience I would never forget.

   With sad hearts, we left my sister, her husband, and the children, but we left with beautiful memories of a wonderful holiday in Germany.

 When we returned to Trinidad my parents, brothers, and sisters gathered around me to listen to my fantastic adventures. I had much to tell them.

   Although Sylvia and I had wondered about the reaction of our relatives and friends when we landed in Trinidad with mini dresses and wedged-heel shoes, we started a fashion trend. All the girls in the bank cut and hemmed their skirts and dresses to make them short.

My younger sisters loved my dresses and I shared a couple with them. My parents never commented that my dresses were too short. I still have many dreams of that trip.

    The Bank changed its policies a few years later and removed long leave from its benefits, so staff members who joined later were no longer entitled to that benefit.

Read more in my book, MY LIFE AS A BANKER available on Amazon. CLICK HERE.

 


Saturday 8 July 2023

I am sharing with you a synopsis for my memoir of my life in banking

 

MY LIFE AS A BANKER


Dear Member,

I am sharing with you a synopsis for my memoir of my life in banking.

I hope you will read and enjoy.

In 'My Life as a Banker" A Life Worth Living,' the author Brenda Mohammed combines both History and Geography with her positive outlook to bring her story to life.

The Memoir is the story of a woman's determination to succeed in a profession that did not always favor women.

Set in the lovely Caribbean island of Trinidad. MY LIFE AS A BANKER: A LIFE WORTH LIVING is a fascinating personal memoir.

The book starts with the author’s early life and childhood, leading up to her first job with a Trinidad bank with ties to the United Kingdom.

Her close knit family, her parents, and siblings took care of each other in a special way

Having defied death twice at the ages of eight and nine, she excels and graduates from High School at the tender age of sixteen, and lands a job with Barclays Bank D.C.O. which later became localized.

The book details how the author started at a clerical level and rose to a senior position, solely on the basis of her dedication, hard work and intelligence.

Brenda Mohammad describes how the bank transformed from manual work to mechanization, and then to computerization.

She describes changes in the banking system and changes in the bank's attitude towards its employees throughout her working years, and the important roles she played to bring about changes.

Dealing with customers and their money issues can be stressful, but Brenda proved that hard work and determination pay.

Brenda gradually moved up the ranks, and received several promotions, leading up to senior managerial status.

The Bank assigned her to different branches throughout the island, and she developed a cordial working relationship with her colleagues and staff.

Her farewell party from the staff and fellow workers describes how popular she was during her stay with them

Life is not always perfect and there were sad moments like the death of her parents, brothers, and sisters, that will tug at your heart.

There were also many joyful moments, like her marriage to another banker, and the birth of her two children.

It was a tradition for the groom to write a letter to the bride's father to seek permission to marry his daughter. This is what happened when her husband proposed to her. The description of her marriage is beautiful and emotional.

Brenda travelled extensively to the United States and Europe. Her visits to Germany and Holland are described in a picturesque way.

The scene where Brenda’s father talked to all of his children separately before his death was very touching.

Brenda's belief in God is remarkable.

THE BOOK IS ON AMAZON. CLICK HERE



Thursday 6 February 2020

LUCKY TO BE ALIVE - AN INSIGHTFUL REVIEW


I was amazed to see this wonderful review of my poem appear on my Facebook Page and I thank the Reviewer Malaya Kumar Jati of India.

My Critical Review Of a poem by celebrated poetess Brenda Mohammed

Adorable poetess Brenda Mohammedji,

Your exquisite narrative poem titled
LUCKY TO BE ALIVE spells out the summum bonum of your indomitable spirit to live that crowned you with success in the various fierce battles of life that came in the way of your life's flow in multiple predicaments.All such impediments as if made you trapped in a spider maze of hazards. Yet the poetess came out of all the horrible inconveniences by virtue of a deep longing for living which is incredibly amazing and of a rare sort. Our life is an endless battle with hazardous twists and turns. Each moment we pass through a tunnel seeking light. The ones who grow panic-stricken in the bivouac of life are sure to be defeated groping in the darkness of cowardice. The warriors of such a kind die many times before their death. These hare-hearted beings are easily overcome by fear and surrender to the odds of life before facing them. But the iron-willed ones like the poetess who keep on fighting till there's the last drop of blood in their body. Here in this poem, the poetess is proved lucky in most of her battles even though they were gruesome and life-threatening in all aspects. It's really a fact that fortune favours the brave but not the pigeon-hearted fellows who fly away from the struggles to snuggle without being a part of the war. They are often seen waging war against their spirit and thereby fail to corroborate faith in them to fight the challenges of life ignoring any uncertain and unexpected obstacles coming in the way.

Kudos to you dear honourable poetess for composing such a magnificent poem to enlighten your readers to have firm faith in them in all the circumstances of life whether they are pleasant or unpleasant, mild or major and no matter how herculean the task of life maybe they are to stand with anchoring confidence to win by dint of their matchless prowess, nonpareil determination, and incomparable perseverance.

Copyright @Malaya Kumar Jati
All Rights Reserved 3rd Feb 2020

LUCKY TO BE ALIVE

Each morning I wake up I feel lucky to be alive,
A heart beating inside me and I have two eyes.
My legs can move and I can use my hands.
Most of all my brain is ticking and I feel grand.

Life is beautiful although filled with challenges.
It is everyone’s desire for peace and happiness.
When tested and tried we survive the worst.
Find the courage to go on and pursue our goals.

When I was eight years old I almost drowned,
But my father saw my long hair floating around.
He grabbed me in time and took me ashore.
Saved by my loving father whom I adore.

I was nine and needed emergency surgery.
My parents stayed all night to ensure my safety.
I had acute appendicitis and was at death’s dark door.
A shining light in a tunnel guided me home once more.

Later in my life when a deadly illness struck,
My family’s support was my mighty rock.
I survived and lived to tell my story,
Of God’s love and his wondrous glory.

As if that was not enough a car accident I survived.
The airbag burnt my right hand but I came out alive.
My lips were badly swollen like Miss Piggy.
I’ m healed and here to tell it all in the form of Poetry.

Copyright@BrendaMohammed


More details of these events can be found in my Autobiography MY LIFE AS A BANKER: A LIFE WORTH LIVING available on AMAZON WORLDWIDE. CLICK HERE.

Monday 1 January 2018

What Reviewers are saying about My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living.

Happy New Year again, Readers.
Today I start a new series of 'What Reviewers are saying about my Memoirs.'
My first Memoir was, My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living."
I published that book in 2014.


Winner of Metamorph's publishing Summer Indie Book Awards in Bio/Members second place, here are extracts of what Reviewers are saying about the book.

To read the full reviews go to Amazon Universal Link.


MY LIFE AS A BANKER

1. A monument to the author's successful career in banking as she rises from a bank clerk to several managerial positions.
2. This book would appeal to readers who enjoy memoirs, insider stories of a different age and different cultures, and anyone looking for confirmation of the strength that can be gained from an upbringing that fosters a belief in God.
3. My Life as a Banker: A Life worth Living]] is a wonderful story detailing how the author started at a clerical level and rose to a senior position, solely on the basis of her dedication, hard work, and intelligence.
4. It is an unforgettable account of the crisis, choices, and challenges she faced in her life. It's about facing impossible circumstances, knowing there is a flicker of hope, and realizing that God is closer to you than your own skin. Great writing with such an interesting premise and structure.
5. A quick, easy read, this engaging memoir provides a glimpse of life few of us have seen. Both history and geography combined with the author's positive outlook to bring her story to life. Most enjoyable
6. My Life As A Banker is a fascinating, intimate story. The author has an engaging writing style that draws you into the story and you feel as though she is talking directly to you, the reader. There is a nice balance between the professional and the personal and while I found the professional aspects rewarding, the highlight for me was reading about the author's interesting life.
7. The book "My Life as a Banker" is a memoir about Brenda Mohammed's early decision to become a banker and the successful career she forged throughout her life.
8. She did not give up, and her success was well-deserving. This book is an encouragement and example to all. Happy reading.
9. It was interesting to see how banking was in another country than the United States. Being a banker myself, I found it interesting and could relate to several tasks that are mentioned. I like the way her family was woven into the story.
10. 'My Life as a banker '' by Brenda Mohammed was an inspirational journey. The author's faith guided her through tribulations and threatening circumstances, and she rose above them. The way she faced challenges was exemplary and was reflected by the guidance of her upbringing and her close connection to her family
11. Don't let the title with the word 'banker' in it fool you into believing this book is for finance professionals only. It is actually the true and inspiring story of one woman's immense faith and family that helps shape her into the powerful, yet humble woman she would become.
All the above reviews are five-stars.
Readers, there is only one critical review.
It is a one-star and the headline is Hardly a life worth writing a book about,
You be the judge of that and tell me what you think.
I look forward to your comments.
Read the reviews on Amazon.

Look at the Video Book Trailer.



My Life as a Banker is available at Amazon Universal Link and Books2Read Universal Link.




Monday 21 August 2017

A new Book Review - My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living

I just returned from a wonderful six-day vacation in Curacao [ My third vacation for 2017] and found this delightful review of My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living on my Author Page.


REVIEW

FIVE STARS

My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living is a wonderful story detailing how the author started at a clerical ...
ByAmazon Customer on August 20, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living]] is a wonderful story detailing how the author started at a clerical level and rose to a senior position, solely on the basis of her dedication, hard work, and intelligence. Brenda Mohammad describes how the manual work was transformed to computerization, her working at different branches and working relationship with her colleagues Her farewell party from the fellow workers describes how popular she was during her stay with them.
It was interesting to note, as a tradition, the groom used to write a letter to the bride's father to seek permission to marry his daughter. This is what happened when her husband proposed her. Description of her marriage is so beautiful and emotional.
Brenda had an extensive travelling of the United States and Europe; I enjoyed her visits to Germany and Holland the most.
Close knitting in her family and how her parents and her siblings took care of each other is worth reading; It was touching to read how her father talked to all of his children separately before his death. Brenda's belief in God is remarkable.

Asif Khan
Author of Tracing My Footsteps


Thank you, Asif Khan, for this wonderful review.

THe book can be purchased at Amazon Universal Link and Books2REad Universal Link

Wednesday 7 June 2017

My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living.



Fascinating, Intriguing, Inspiring, Positive, Heartwarming, and Motivational Memoir.
My Life as a Banker - A Life Worth Living is a memoir, in which the writer describes changes in the banking system and changes in the bank's attitude to its employees throughout her working years.
Brenda proved that hard work and determination pay, as she moved up the ranks, and received several promotions, leading up to senior managerial status.
Personal details of her life are highlighted in this memoir.
Read about Brenda's first mega trip abroad to New York, Canada, London, Germany, and Holland, as well as other fabulous vacations she enjoyed.
How and where she met her husband and other wonderful family memories will interest readers.
Life is not always perfect and there were sad moments that will tug at your heart.
My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living was voted second in Bio/Memoirs in Metamorph's Publishing Summer Indie Book Awards 2016.
Get the book at Amazon Universal Link.

Friday 12 May 2017

My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living



Book Description

Fascinating, Intriguing, Inspiring, Positive, Heartwarming, and Motivational Memoir.
My Life as a Banker - A Life worth Living" is a banker's memoir, in which the writer describes changes in the banking system, and changes in the bank's attitude to its employees throughout her working years in a Trinidad bank, with ties in the United Kingdom.
Personal details of this banker's life are the highlights of the memoir.
My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living was voted second in Bio/Memoirs in Metamorph's Publishing Summer Indie Book Awards 2016.



My Life as a Banker has received many five-star reviews. These are the top reviews for the book.


"My Life as a Banker" is an autobiographical account of the author's experiences during her career in the bank. She sets the stage by talking about her childhood and family and how her early experiences shaped her outlook on life.

Throughout her working life the author always showed extreme devotion to her job and was constantly rewarded with praise, exciting new opportunities and challenges, as well as job promotions. She was able to succeed in her chosen career through sheer hard work and determination accompanied by her natural intelligence. Her achievements were always recognized by her superiors and she was rightfully rewarded. She started out as a bank clerk and eventually rose through the ranks assuming various managerial positions.

The author attributes her success to her faith and belief in God. She would pray for wisdom and guidance every time she faced a challenging situation. Whenever she had a problem, she prayed about it and the problem was miraculously solved. She continually speaks of the influence of God in her life and in the life of her family. The strength of her faith helped her to overcome any diversities that entered her life.

This book is important in its portrayal of life in the author's native country, Trinidad, in the latter part of the twentieth century.
It records some historical events through which the author lived. One such event is the takeover of the government by Muslimeens in 1990 and the scare throughout the country. Other significant events are the changes in the banking system and the bank's attitude to its employees throughout the years. In addition, the book shows how a young, determined girl just out of high school was able to have a highly successful career in the area of her choice and live a fulfilling life.

The book describes not only the author's work, but the fabulous vacations she was able to enjoy during her vacation time.
Her vacations always left her refreshed and ready to face new challenges.

Overall, the author views her life in a positive sense and is appreciative of the wonderful times and good luck she has experienced throughout her career. She is grateful for all the good that has occurred in her life and is thankful to God.
The book is written in a clear and easy to read style and can be enjoyed by people of all ages."



Inspiring and eminently interesting story
Bymarmalizeron June 26, 2016
Format: Paperback
For those of us who are not in the banking industry, and for me, especially living in a country where the capital is the financial hub of the country (perhaps the world) you might think a story called My Life As A Banker would be too dry to enjoy.

Author Brenda Mohammed has written quite a few books across different genres. This book is a relatively quick read but readers can be taken along her life's journey as they turn the pages.

I found myself more interested in the 'Life Worth Living' elements of the book. I congratulate her hard work which allowed her to work in the banking industry and get promoted. But I was more interested in the personal side of things, for example how she met her husband (that's an excellent segment of the book) and also attaining her strict father's support for the marriage.

The author's approach to writing this memoir is direct and therefore one imagines this is how she would speak in real life. But the tale is told with such verve and energy, it is an enjoyable book that people will find much to like.

The real life stories contained within are things we can all relate to. Things such as ending up in a great city like Toronto, but being sick at the time and told 'you shouldn't go out then'. But this is not the author's approach to life. If you have read her Travel Memoir With Pictures, you will understand what an accomplished traveller this lady is.

There's some surprisingly gory scenes in the book, tempered by some poignant sadness around certain family members, as well as the central theme of how the author made her living in the banking sector.

It's an interesting and very readable memoir from one of the more creative authors out there.

Monday 19 September 2016

My Life as a Banker : A Life worth Living -Voted Second Best Bio/Memoir in Award Competition.

My Life as a Banker"A Life worth Living was voted Second best Bio/Memoir in Metamorph's Publishing Summer Indie Book Awards 2016.
The books were originally nominated by fans of the authors and the closing date for nominations was 31st August 2016.
Voting was from 1st September to 10th September and fans were allowed to vote once a day.
It was up to authors to spread the news to their fans.
Results were announced on Sunday 18th September 2016.
Prizes will be distributed in due course, but, meanwhile, winners received a badge.
I thank every one of my fans all over the world for helping me to achieve this honour.
I also thank Metamorph Publishing Company for this unforgettable opportunity.

Wednesday 1 June 2016

Thank You Letter from my Alma Mater for Donation of Books - My Life as a Banker:A Life worth Living


I was pleased to receive the above letter from St Augustine Girls' High School.
I loved the part which reads,"Thus far the reviews of the students and staff who have read the book have been favourable and enthusiastic.

Link for the book : Amazon Universal Link

Sunday 13 March 2016

Donation of Books to my Alma Mater, St Augustine Girls High School



My husband drove into the school yard of the St Augustine Girls High School and asked the guard, “Where can I find the school library?” He replied, “Drive down through that gate and go straight ahead to the last building. The library is upstairs.”
“Thank you,” said my husband, and he drove off.
When we got to the building I said, “That is not the library. That is the dormitory. I used to stay there for my last school year.”
My husband replied, “There is the sign. Library.”
I was puzzled but then it struck me that the school had expanded a great deal and the library was removed from the school building and put where the dormitory used to be.

As I walked carefully up the staircase, one leg at a time, my mind wandered back to many years ago. I had ran up and down those very steps in my school uniform holding lots of books in my hands several times each day. That day it seemed a bit difficult to walk up the steep staircase.
My husband brushed past me and opened the door for me to step inside. Three smiling faces looked at me. One pleasant looking girl said, “Are you here for the interview?”

I replied, “No. I called you yesterday. I am here to deliver the books that I want to donate to the school’s library.” Her smile widened as she stood up and said, “I remember. You are Brenda Mohammed and you are here with the books you want to donate. That is so nice of you. I am the librarian.”
“I am pleased to meet you,” I said.
She said, “We are interviewing prospective teachers this morning and I mistook you for one of the interviewees.”
I smiled thinking, I must look very young.

I opened the Harrods tote bag that I had bought in London and removed the books and handed them to her. She gasped in excitement and said,
My Life as a Banker. This book looks really interesting.” She started to flick through the pages immediately.

My husband interjected. “My wife told me that this building used to be the school dormitory.” Her eyes lit up. “Did you stay here?” she asked as she turned to me. “Yes, I spent my last school year in the dormitory,” I replied. She seemed happy to hear that and said, “Maybe you can come back another day and tell us all about it. The students have been asking me about what life was like in the dormitory and I have no answers for them. There is no record by anyone about what life was like in the dormitory,”

I was taken aback by her request. We had just driven for more than an hour in heavy traffic and we had to drive back for more than an hour in heavy traffic. Can we come another time? I don’t think so? I thought.
My first reaction was, “Well maybe I can write another book about those experiences.”
“Oh Yes,” all three replied in unison.

“Can I have a photograph of you receiving the books from me?” I asked.
“Sure,” she said.

My husband was standing by with the camera and he took the shots. The librarian kept apologizing for not being able to sit and chat longer because she had to get on with the interviews as applicants had begun to show up. I promised her that I would write the book about dorm life and my husband and I left.
As we drove home I tried to recall those days and wondered if I had enough information to fill a book.
Mqybe I would write a book about it soon.