Manito

It is neither a habit of mine to "maki-piyesta" nor a family practice of ours to celebrate our town's fiesta. But a few days ago, a friend of mine invited me to a fiesta celebration of St. Raphael the Archangel in Manito, Albay.

Manito is among the towns located on the mountains that I always see every time I cross Rizal St. in Penaranda Park. It was in 2007 that I was first invited by my friend to go to Manito with friends from the office. Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to go around the town because we left almost ten am and arrived almost noon. We went first to a port which was under construction, then to a boiling lake or swamp called "naaso" and had lunch at my friend's relatives house.

The most enjoyable part was swimming in the afternoon at the beach in Cawayan, Manito. The beach is not similar to the popular beaches in the Philippines but it brought back nostalgia of Boracay and Puerto Galera. I still even have the tanning lotion I used. While the rest of my colleagues were busy cooking and swimming, I was busy with my tan. I poured generous amount of it all over my body in the hope that I will get a tan but the three to fours hours of swimming and sunbathing did not even help change the color my skin. I miss my tanned look.

We left the shores quickly because the waves were rushing so fast due to high tide. Good thing I was able to save the shells I have collected along the shores earlier which I gave to my mom as souvenir. I also bought a broom which was their famous product.

In September 2009, I went back to Manito. I brought along my students, camera, foods and drinks.We arrived earlier than the last time.We did not only eat, drink and swim but we also did team building activities. It was actually my second team building which I organized. Though it rained later in the afternoon, we still enjoyed our bonding and the setting. We enjoyed so much that we lose track of time. There were no jeepneys passing by anymore because it was almost five pm when we left and it was a Albay District Fiesta holiday. We had a hard time looking for a ride home that I decided that three of us will walk going to the nearest terminal and the rest will stay in the waiting shed and halt a jeepney or a private vehicle that passes by.

I felt a little bit worried while we were walking because there were really no signs of transportation. We stopped in a sari-sari store and after a few minutes we heard voices shouting "Sir! Sir! Sir!". It was my students riding at the back of an L-200 type of vehicle. We got inside the car, smiled and said Thank you to the man and woman as we sat on the back seat.

My students were enjoying the view from the back load that I can even hear their noise inside the car.
I on the other hand was very silent and was praying that no accident will happen. We stopped in an office where the girl who have not introduced herself to us said that she is just going to drop off something. The man driving was probably  her boyfriend.

We were dropped off at Jollikod. I tried to pay for the ride but they did not want to. I was beyond thankful!  

Roles and Relationships

2012 is a year of historical firsts. It is the year my nephew turned one. My nephew, Antolin Acuna III is known as the first grandson, first nephew and first heir of the Acuna Family.

As he turned one, we also celebrated our new roles in the family. Mom being a loving and assertive grand mother, me as a dignified uncle and my brother and sister-in-law as earnest and proud parents. Dad is also doing his guiding role as a grandfather from up above.

The importance of celebrating first birthdays or any other firsts is that we value our new roles and relationships in life. At the same time, we recognize with respect other roles and relationships as well. It is renewed the second, third or last time we celebrate it.

And as we grow up, there will always be someone who will disrespect our roles and relationships. Take for example this scene from the movie A Beautiful Affair:

Sam: I’m not giving him up.

Rafi: Don’t confuse love with sex sweetie.

Sam: It’s not the sex. I love him.

Rafi: It’s not love either. So stop thinking that in your twisted, psychotic, delusional little head.

Sam: You don’t have to be rude you know.

Rafi: I was given that right the moment you slept with Anton.

A wife has a right to be rude to someone who have disrespected her role as a wife. Similarly, we all have a right to be rude to someone who have disrespected our roles and relationships in life.

Musings in the Dormitory

Scribbling a few notes kept me company during the days when my only entertainment was books in 2003. After eleven plus years I still have it with me.

I wrote two sentences about the moon. I can not exactly remember what I was feeling or experiencing when I wrote it but probably I was feeling homesick which I usually felt at the dormitory.

The moon has taught me not to weep for wandering souls. 

They have to find their light among the stars that shine so bright.

Inspired by my first ever visit  to Baclaran Church after a job interview in a freight company, I wrote a note in Filipino entitled "Novena". I remember that t was almost noon when I came to light a candle and pray that I can get a job the soonest.

Ako ay yuyuko
Sa harap ng mga rebultong
Pinapalibutan ng mga kandila at sampaguita

Ipipikit ko ang aking mata 
At ibubulong ko kay Santa Maria
Ang aking pagkakasala

Ako ay luluhod sa gitna ng altar
Dahan-dahan maglalakad patungo kay Hesukristo
At hihingi ng pagpatawad sa aking pagkatao

Every Child is Special

I recalled my four years of teaching and more than fifteen years of student experience while I watched the movie “Every Child is Special”.  Though I have not experienced teaching a student with dyslexia, I was still able to relate to the movie because I once had students and a teacher who had a disability.

I had a teacher in crutches who taught Human Behavior in Organization. Despite his condition, he was a very effective teacher because I learned to read and understand business books like "Who Moved My Cheese", "7 Habits of Highly Effective People", "The Business Bible" and "Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies". Now that I am a teacher, I also advise my students to read some of those books.

I had a student who walks differently because of a permanent disability. She was a student of mine at Computer Communication Development Institute on the subjects Electronic Commerce, Office Automation and Information Resource Management System. She was able to cope with our lessons and even had her on the job training in Makati. Though a little bit shy at times, she has the drive to learn despite her disability.

When the right moment came to ask about her condition, she told me her story. She said  it was due to an accident when she was in elementary at St. Raphael Academy. A jeepney ran over her and ruined her right legs. She rolled up her pants and showed me the scars covered with bondage. It was sad to know what she had gone through but I admired her willingness to walk up the stairs with autonomy, take the jeepney to school and back to her home in Guinobatan.

In Bicol University-College of Business Economics and Management, a student of mine presented an excuse letter for having been absent in class for three meetings because he was recently diagnosed with glaucoma. His eyes were red every time he attended my class. In one of our classes, I asked him: How are you? He said: “Ok naman po sir pero mahal sir yung gamot”. His reply made me want to do something to help his situation and I suggested to him to send letter to NGO’s or politicians/private individuals that can help him. I have no news from him anymore but he was a diligent student in my Computer Applications and Information System class.

These three people and Ishaan Nandkishore Awasthi taught me two important things. First is to see beyond the physical disability of the learner and to acknowledge the learner’s imperfections – the dancing letters, crutches, scars and red eyes because its the imperfections that makes us beautiful.
                                        

Technology Must Be Crazy

One afternoon in February 1998, I took the Bicol University College Admission Test. While lazily shading circles for answers, I was wishing that there were more lighted florescent bulbs at the back of the old Bicol University Little Amphitheater where I was seated. I was also saying to myself with conviction that, “I do not want to study at Bicol University”. I flunked the exam without regret.

I passed the entrance examination at San Beda College. One of the things I enjoyed at San Beda College are the classrooms that were adequately lighted with airconditioning. LCD Projectors were available in every classroom which was kept in a miniature cabinet. Every time we have reporting, we have to request for a key from the Instructional Media Center even in short notice. System units, laptops, video cameras, vcd’s, video editing services, cassette and video tapes were also available.

We also spend five pesos per transparencies at a nearby photocopy center. To limit the expenses, we got used to the habit of including only key words and phrases. One computer is to one student is the rule in the computer laboratory. Aside from our computer teacher, we have a computer laboratory assistant to assist us in case of computer malfunction. We also have six hours of Internet access every semester at the Internet Laboratory.

Fourteen years after, I came back at Bicol University as a part-time professorial lecturer at the College of Business, Economics and Management and as a continuing education student at the College of Education.

With my one semester experience as an educator, I enjoyed my classroom which is known as Information Communications Technology Laboratory. It has airconditioning, thirty computers, LCD Projector and stereo.

But in the middle of the semester, some computers were not anymore usable. Computers became unusable one by one every day. Only twenty four computers survived. Some were under maintenance and the rest were industrial wastes. Even our LCD projector broke down in the middle of February. Refusing to go through the tedious process of reserving and borrowing LCD projector at the Departmental Office, I used Manila Papers as visual aids.

Technology had gone wild. When technology fails, I cannot help myself but smile and laugh. Not a smirk. Not an evil laugh. But a laugh similar to Piolo Pascual when he was interviewed about his break up with Kaycee Concepcion and a giggle akin to talk show host Anderson Cooper. Smiling and laughing reminds me that technology and I can go completely crazy. But I have to make sure I still to do the right job because the best technology is the teacher.

My laughter and smile might harden with the cynicism of the years or turn down at corners through the weight of unanticipated technological tragedies and difficult situations of life. For now, I am glad that I became a teacher that allows me to achieve not just my dream but other dreams as well. As one teacher wrote:

           

 “…as a Teacher, we hope to touch more than one life. In some way, we hope to touch every student, maybe not everyone profoundly, but we hope that we’ll have touch each student by letting him or her know that we care…this is to have succeded”