I'm gonna tell you a story of me and a girl whom I proposed to when we were in high school...
I grew up in a poor family. Sometimes we ate only twice a day. I remember our breakfast was just one order of palabok we bought from Aling Charing's karinderya worth 10php, then Nanay would divide it to four of us - me, my two brothers, and her; hers was the smallest portion. Sometimes Tatay would buy us kiddo, a biscuit worth 1php each. We'll get 2 kiddos for breakfast. For lunch we'll buy Menudo from Aling Charing, it was so malasa so one order worth 12php was enough for the family. There were times we ate only fried rice, no viand.
In elementary, we went to school having 5php as our baon. We had the option to eat flying saucer (egg sandwich) or buy soft drinks - both cost 5php. I didn't want to bring my water jug in school because it isn't spill-proof and it always caused a mess under my table which I was very ashamed of. I used to beg for a sip of soda with my classmates. In elementary, children were typical children - they would sometimes give you, then laugh at you for having no ability to buy your own. They would sometimes give you their tira-tira, but with hatred in their faces. Sometimes, they would say NO and hate you still. But they didn't mean it. They were just ... kids. They grew up very loving and caring, and I don't have hard feelings for them now.
I remember joining paluwagan. I did my best to not eat anything, nor drink in school - it's just half day anyway, from 6am to 12pm. I wanted 50php - big money for me already. I religiously paid my share, 5php per day - that cost me my whole baon daily. But when it came my time to get my sahod, most of the members stopped paying... I couldn't do anything but let go. It was one of the hardest times in my elementary days. I was a poor student, and 50php meant a lot to me.
I knew I was a bright child, but because of poverty, I couldn't afford extracurricular activities - such as Saturday classes for advanced Math. I was (not sure if I still am) a Mathematician, I was just so good in Math, naturally.
In Grade 5, if I'm not mistaken, Nanay enrolled me and my brother for a scholarship in NorMA - Norwegian Missionary Alliance. All we had to do was make sure that all our grades were passing, not hard for me and my brother. And we needed to attend Sunday Worship service. They taught us about Jesus. I also had my part-time job, they paid me 17php per hour plus my fare to teach remedial classes. I chose Math and English, I used to teach those who failed their grades. I love that job.
I graduated with some honors - I was a Chess champion, I joined journalism competitions, I couldn't recall the others. I was Top 9 in our batch. Yet, I was not contented. I knew I could do better than that.
Life was not easy when you're poor. I know many could relate to that... I am blessed to still be able to finish elementary.
Then came high school. From A. Bonifacio Elementary School, I enrolled in Lakan Dula High School in Gagalangin Tondo Manila. I wasn't sure why I was put in Section 2 - they said I enrolled late. Anyway, it was my first time to not be in 'star section'. It used to matter to me - not today though. But when you are young, and you were deceived by the world that your academic standing is all that matters, being in star section is your pride. What a deceitful world we live in. So sad...
My baon was 20php, my fare was 4php, so 8php balikan. I still have 12php with which I could buy longganisa and rice. I don't like longganisa that much but due to hunger, it used to be the most delicious food on earth for my taste buds. My schedule was from 7am-5pm, not to mention ROTC/CAT.
I just studied as usual in my first year, and I was so confident that I'd be transferred to Section 1 the year after. I was known for being good at dancing in our school, and I wasn't happy about that. Academic was all that matters to me.
And so in my 2nd-year high school, I was transferred to Section 1. And this was the start of the story of me and the girl I proposed to...
I grew up in a poor family. Sometimes we ate only twice a day. I remember our breakfast was just one order of palabok we bought from Aling Charing's karinderya worth 10php, then Nanay would divide it to four of us - me, my two brothers, and her; hers was the smallest portion. Sometimes Tatay would buy us kiddo, a biscuit worth 1php each. We'll get 2 kiddos for breakfast. For lunch we'll buy Menudo from Aling Charing, it was so malasa so one order worth 12php was enough for the family. There were times we ate only fried rice, no viand.
In elementary, we went to school having 5php as our baon. We had the option to eat flying saucer (egg sandwich) or buy soft drinks - both cost 5php. I didn't want to bring my water jug in school because it isn't spill-proof and it always caused a mess under my table which I was very ashamed of. I used to beg for a sip of soda with my classmates. In elementary, children were typical children - they would sometimes give you, then laugh at you for having no ability to buy your own. They would sometimes give you their tira-tira, but with hatred in their faces. Sometimes, they would say NO and hate you still. But they didn't mean it. They were just ... kids. They grew up very loving and caring, and I don't have hard feelings for them now.
I remember joining paluwagan. I did my best to not eat anything, nor drink in school - it's just half day anyway, from 6am to 12pm. I wanted 50php - big money for me already. I religiously paid my share, 5php per day - that cost me my whole baon daily. But when it came my time to get my sahod, most of the members stopped paying... I couldn't do anything but let go. It was one of the hardest times in my elementary days. I was a poor student, and 50php meant a lot to me.
I knew I was a bright child, but because of poverty, I couldn't afford extracurricular activities - such as Saturday classes for advanced Math. I was (not sure if I still am) a Mathematician, I was just so good in Math, naturally.
In Grade 5, if I'm not mistaken, Nanay enrolled me and my brother for a scholarship in NorMA - Norwegian Missionary Alliance. All we had to do was make sure that all our grades were passing, not hard for me and my brother. And we needed to attend Sunday Worship service. They taught us about Jesus. I also had my part-time job, they paid me 17php per hour plus my fare to teach remedial classes. I chose Math and English, I used to teach those who failed their grades. I love that job.
I graduated with some honors - I was a Chess champion, I joined journalism competitions, I couldn't recall the others. I was Top 9 in our batch. Yet, I was not contented. I knew I could do better than that.
Life was not easy when you're poor. I know many could relate to that... I am blessed to still be able to finish elementary.
Then came high school. From A. Bonifacio Elementary School, I enrolled in Lakan Dula High School in Gagalangin Tondo Manila. I wasn't sure why I was put in Section 2 - they said I enrolled late. Anyway, it was my first time to not be in 'star section'. It used to matter to me - not today though. But when you are young, and you were deceived by the world that your academic standing is all that matters, being in star section is your pride. What a deceitful world we live in. So sad...
My baon was 20php, my fare was 4php, so 8php balikan. I still have 12php with which I could buy longganisa and rice. I don't like longganisa that much but due to hunger, it used to be the most delicious food on earth for my taste buds. My schedule was from 7am-5pm, not to mention ROTC/CAT.
I just studied as usual in my first year, and I was so confident that I'd be transferred to Section 1 the year after. I was known for being good at dancing in our school, and I wasn't happy about that. Academic was all that matters to me.
And so in my 2nd-year high school, I was transferred to Section 1. And this was the start of the story of me and the girl I proposed to...
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