Expensive limousine driver
By
Hakeem Babalola
While
many foreigners do complain of non-availability of jobs in Hungary, Charles who commands 25,000 HUF per hour obviously has a different perspective.
“I
am expensive,” says Mr. Charles, the first commercial black limousine driver in Hungary.
Though
he gets paid monthly, there are occasions when his company charges clients
25,000HUF for an hour drive.
In
an exclusive interview with African News Hungary, Charles, a Nigerian who came to Hungary in 2001 and married Hungarian in 2005,
feels proud driving tourists around Budapest.
“I
feel good. I feel great to see myself driving this car. It’s not just for me
but for the whole black community”.
Telling
the joyful experience, an enthusiastic Charles describes his clients as
open-minded who often encourage him.
For
him, meeting different people from all over the world such as America, England,
Norway, Sweden, Canada,
Russia,
etc is a lifetime experience.
Charles,
who has once driven Miss Hungary
around, says he is having fun driving limousine in Hungary.
“I
have special demand from people,” he affirms, adding that his boss usually
sells him at a higher rate thus making him more expensive than his Hungarian
counterparts.
Though
expensive, Charles explains further that Hungarians also book for him –
especially for parties and weddings.
However, such popularity attracts
envy. “Some of my colleagues do jealous. They would tell my boss why only Charles. Sure
my boss knows better,” he declares
How did he get the job especially
when many foreigners passionately believe they are being discriminated against when
it comes to job opportunity?
Charles smiles his reply saying he
has no “difficulty getting this job”. He adds that he was one of the first
batches recruited after his wife saw the job advertisement in one of the
Hungarian online magazines.
Does
he have any word of encouragement for fellow Africans living in Hungary, and foreigners in general? “Never
give up. No matter what you’re going through, never give up. I never believe I
would get this job but here I am. I’ve suddenly become a celebrity. Sometimes
they pose with me and the limousine.
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