ALMA Fathers

Jun 16, 2023 | News | 0 comments

Tags: ALMA

When you have children everything is different, even if our realities are different. “I never had a role as a father growing up, but I always knew that being a father I was going to give my best. Being a father is a gift from God and is the energy to keep growing no matter what happens in life. I always take care of myself to be there for my beautiful children, and to be able to give them the smile that daddy is okay for them”, says Juan Carlos Rojas, our AMG Area Mechanic Operator , and father of Joaquín together with Guillermina Ponce, our Electronic Technician II.
It is normal to have many fears and insecurities before becoming a father. Francisco Cisterna, our CFG Supervisor, who is also the father of Benjamín (19 years old), Renato (3 years old) and Ángela, who is only 4 months old, knows that.

If Francisco could talk to his pre-father self he would say: “Don’t be afraid, it’s not that complicated, you just have to be orderly and persevering”. Words of wisdom that he pronounces after living the experience, although to this day it surprises him that “time goes by very fast and your babies change day by day, so no day is the same as the other”. So he advises, “Treasure that and watch them every chance you get.”

For some, their role as a parent may be intertwined with ALMA. That’s the case for José Luis Ortiz, our Digital Systems Technical Lead. His oldest son was born in 2012, when we were still in the construction stage, his middle daughter in 2020, weeks before the observatory shutdown due to the pandemic, and his youngest son was born 4 weeks ago.

“Being a dad is a blessing. It is a path of much learning, because one must also adapt and be ‘the best version of oneself’ in order to pass on the best possible values and knowledge to your children. It is a permanent effort, but it is enough to see your son or daughter say ‘thank you’ to a stranger or give way to an older person in the elevator to realize that you can’t be doing too badly,” says José Luis.

Being a parent in our observatory is no easy task. So says Marcelo Jara, our Lead Safety Officer, father of Luciano Alonso, 15, and Marcela Ignacia, his newborn daughter.

He confesses that his biggest fear is not being present to share some of his best experiences, but he is optimistic. “Although it will often be difficult due to the distance, I count on the fundamental support of my work team and, above all, that of my wife Lucia, who is the guiding light of our humble home,” he says.

“Love”, “hard work”, “happiness” and “magic”.
For Juan Carlos, being a dad is “love, protection, loyalty and respect. It is the best thing in life. When you come home and see your children waiting for you with hugs, kisses and laughter, it means that you are doing well”.
For his part, Francisco believes that it all comes down to “hard work, because you never stop being a father and no matter how tired you feel, they give you the strength to keep going”.
Meanwhile, Marcelo believes that everything is defined in “Happiness, it is the maximum union and commitment as a couple, which allows us to be better people. Fighting together for the welfare of all and giving the best of each one to feel proud and happy after each day, whether it was bad or good”.
For José Luis, being a father is something “magical. That first moment when you see your child come out of the womb is completely indecipherable. At times it is exhausting, no doubt, but it is an effort that is rewarded every time your children run to give you a hug after arriving from a shift, or when they make you laugh out loud with some crazy new idea they came up with and have been waiting all day to share with you,” he concludes.
Happy Father’s Day to everyone!

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