WARNING: LONG POST AHEAD.
NO. VERY LONG POST AHEAD.
It's always been my pride to be a barrio kid. I grew up in a small community somewhere in Gen. SK Pendatun. We call it Badak (I know, nobody knows it :D). Life was pretty simple way back then. We owned a small sari - sari store and between veggies and processed food, veggies were much favored. I've been in that community for 5 years. Had my first pre-school education there. Got and lost my first plastic doll there. I can still remember how cheap-looking my first doll was. It was color beige, has red-orange hair color in baby china haircut. It was a bride doll holding a boquet of red roses with matching red boots. HAHAHA!
Momsy had to finish college and popsy was just plain supportive so we changed location. We lived in Granny's side. Lola still supported umi's (that's how I called mom) education even if she has already 2 kids. My mom graduated in college when I was in grade 1 and my 'lil bro was just in pre-school. That graduation brought changes. My mom had to work and so was my pop. So, they were compelled to get a kasambahay (we aren't allowed to address them katulong or yaya. We grew up believing those were such bad words).Of course, I'm not used to someone else taking care of me other than my family, so I believed my own self didn't want change. Now, I call that resistance. :) I was maldita enough for our kasambahay to be changed every year. For almost 20 years, we got 8 kasambahays already. HAHAHA! My personal favorites were ate Rachma and Ate Baby. Ate Racha has always something good to tell and Ate Baby is pretty and so was her handwriting :D. Ate Baby's always making sure I look good when I'm off to school.
I spent my elementary years at a public school. Flag ceremony and exercise were my hatest activities every weekdays. Recess was hell. I can't get what I wanted to eat without getting my shoes dirty. My school was big enough to cater almost 6 thousand students, 2 small lakes, 1 wide oval with mango tree all over the sides. I was not a straight A student nor ever been to first section but one thing I can be proud of was that I WAS an orator. Yea. Like I joined competitions.And because my mom has work and so was pop, they never got the chance to see me on stage. :( That was sad. I only got my adviser who gave me support. Drama much, I know. They also attended PTA meetings very seldom, most of the time it's just me who jot down notes and told them how the meeting went. That showed me being responsible ever since :D.
My favorite attire then was bestida. I don't own pants those days. HAHAHA! Girly me. My bestfriend in elementary was my mortal enemy. Her kuya was her worst hero (hahaha!I'm telling you besty, I was never shaken). I was a pretty bully though my parents are too strict when it comes to manner and being upright. So, to end my elementary days, I graduated with an award. LOL. OMG. haha! This would be a laughtrip. The award was PERFECT ATTENDANCE (How great! No absences for 6 years).
My parents' expectations of me were/are still high. I had to pass the entrance examination of the most prestigious secondary school in cotabato. That was how they apprised my existence as their daughter during those times. I did understand that. My mom and pop do not settle for mediocrity, they want what's best, which apparently I didn't inherit. I prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed 'till I can pray no more because I passed the exam. Well, yea. I passed and I'm more than proud than my parents were because out of us three in the classroom who got the chance to took the exam, ehem.. I'm the ONLY one who passed. Sorry but I have to brag this just not to spoil the perfect attendance. LOL.
My HS life made me believe that HS is one of the best major years in one's life. Everybody got the chance to be a teenager but not everyone got the privilege to act like one. I have strict parents, firm house rules. I was a selfish teen.I created my own innocent world (definitely not a rebel). I never let any member of my family to get in. I'm such a narrow minded kid with high ambitions. Ambitions that I would never realize without my parents. Nevertheless, my HS life was vibrantly lived. My only regret was not seeing HS as a training ground. I'm thinking of training ground for my not - so - talented self. Though I did cheer dancing (just the thought of it makes me want to forget myself), be an organization's officer, event organizer (those were not grande) and even being a bench girl.. Err AND EVEN aren't the perfect words, BUT BEING a bench girl was my top role during HS. You know benchgirl? That special someone who gives WATER AND ENCOURAGEMENT to the players during Intramurals or tournament. Lol. Unfortunate me. Those minor roles I had like cheerdancing, being an officer, a frustrated writer, all those things were just for the love of grades.
I was not a born singer nor a growing up singer. I'm a trying hard singer, actually. I have a.. let's consider good voice. Uh huh, I have a good voice but I don't really have the talent. Haha. Hope you get me. And to give justice to the words VIBRANTLY LIVED, in HS was where Spies girls started. They are my wonderful circle of friends. If I didn't meet them along the way, I'd never be this contented with friends.
Some people - special people made me forget my parents aren't lenient. Once, twice, thrice, I went home late (6pm in Cotabato is too late) and met my mother's hurtful words and my lola's first and last slap. LOL.
And some other special people made me realize that love is all about taking risks because in playing safe it hurts even more.
4 years was over.
And then another 4 years passed quickly.
I thought i'm gonna spend that another 4 years with same people. I was wrong- I spent that another 4 years with strangers. Pop's decision was final. Okey. Fine.I could not disagree more. College was different. I spent my life with people who gave me reasons to be worthy of every single feeling i have for them.
I thought of lola as my personal hero - my sweet loving hero. I think my family is greatest any family could not be greater than us. The selfish,narrow minded teen is now a grown up kid, still being so ambitious and learning new and wonderful things each day.
I've met new people - people I never thought of loving but I did. Marilyn Pitogo, my first ever friend here in Davao. I met her during enrollment and we just got connected not knowing we're classmates. Ralph, my special friend who made me feel and that an alien like me deserves a best bud. My classmates RP K and 11, who were wonderful enough to consider me by not bringing any pork recipes/food during our outings. My boardmates, who treated me as a family, who appreciate and see me as a competent person, you are all great.
People in my HS life were nowhere to be found. They were busy making the best out of their lives. I only had one person left and that's Sam. Others were busy making their life's a success while Sam and me choose to became a part of each other's best and worst times.
Chikadoras gladly meet me halfway. They are the great college girlfriends ever! They are special in their own ordinary way. Kantobols came and chikabols was formed. We are like potpourri, pinaganda ng panahon. We complement each other to make that perfect friendship worth keeping for a lifetime. Then just before graduation, Ampules entered the scene. Ampules are my basketball buddy. LOL. No, I don't play basketball with them. I just cheer for them :D They're one of the best examples of perfectly combined people :))
I'm happy and sad being away from home. Happy to think that I'm now partially independent, became open - minded (you know, when you're with different people, your perception of some things change) and learned that some things aren't on the same corner :) I'm sad.. no, no, no, I WAS sad because I believed that being at home is finding yourself in its most comfortable state :D
