FOR MY FRIENDS IN AMAZON UK

I loved watching from the shore. I loved seeing the happy faces of different people. I loved the way the water splashes when they played. I loved the castles they built even if they knew it will fall down one way or another. Above all, I loved the wave.

For me, wave has always been aquamarine. It soothes. It cools. It is a symbol of serenity. Whenever helplessness or confusion comes, it has always been a good remedy. It provides calmness and peace. I was content just by watching it.

One day, a friend pulled me towards the sea. I was afraid of the unknown, of the possible changes that I might get by touching the water that I so loved to watch. The calmness and the peace– they might disappear. My toes touched it and I was mystified. It felt good. It felt real. And just as I was starting to enjoy the feeling, I never saw the wave coming. It came crashing over me. Stunning me. Consuming me. Where was my peace? Where was my serenity? As much as I was flabbergasted, I also felt relief. It felt better than I ever dreamt. It welcomed me in. It never judged my mood. Instead of peace and quiet, I found a melody, a beautiful music. Instead of brooding and content, I found joy and laughter. Soon, I found myself playing with it. Staying at the shore is not enough anymore. Suddenly, I realized that the wave was not a frail aquamarine. It’s a prism of rainbow.

However, as soon as it came crashing, the sooner it passed as well. It was saddening. It was scarier than facing the unknown. But then I recognized the tingle it left on my skin, the taste it bequeathed in my mouth, the joy it gave my heart. Most of all, I caught the pearls that it carried to me. These precious stones of different colors and textures. ... Read more »

High School. For some it’s the best time of their entire school life. Easy-going classes. Prom. Barkada. Crushes Galore. Never-ending Gala. For some it’s a sad drama and embarrassment caused by baby fats that won’t go away or pimples that won’t stop from growing or that crazy growth spurt. High School was such a bliss that came and went… then came the time when we thought we had to make it all serious: COLLEGE.

Entering PUP was such a tough work. Starting from the entrance exam where thousands of students came from north to south just to be one of the great "Iskolar ng Bayan”. Some came alone. Some came with almost their whole family tagging along. Some came with their classmates who were also taking up their own PUPCET. For those who haven’t researched about the university before trying to get in, they must have been culture shocked. It’s not because the Test Masters ate those examiners who wouldn’t finish on time, but because of the loud shouts of the students rallying, wandering around the main building halls. Shocked as some might have been, the dread of waiting was crueler with its sleepless nights of worry and anxiety. It’s not easy to enter a university with good standards and less expenditure. Clueless of what would be more worry on how to stay when we got in.

The first day of class was fascinating, no matter how nervous one might be."Oh! It’s a completely different campus&hell ... Read more »

Long hair, unyielding skirts that almost reach the grounds, silent giggles, and fans on their hands trying to cover the mysteries of their very soul: this is what the Filipinas have been for the past centuries. They are like fireflies that love to fly, showing its grace and beauty to everyone; their prowess, leaving even our capturers in total awe.

Unbeknown to these strangers is the hidden passion behind these women. Their long hair is only a proof of their non-ending care and patience. The stiffness of taking care of such everyday is not a sign of their vanity but that of their belief of what a woman should be. They wash it patiently, brushes it gently and ties it neatly, all good qualities that mold their personality. Their long skirts in the past that hid their precious skin is all for the sake of dignity and respect for their family. They did not speak ill if it is not needed or asked. They contained themselves in front of gentlemen… some for fear but more for the sake of courteousness. They used their fans to conceal their anger, for a sudden outburst without thinking will only be useless. They veiled their smiles and blushes because they knew that when they show their weakness, it will cause their downfall.

Now countless years have gone by, stories have been passed, people changed. The long hair has been made into various funky hairdo or atypical looks and the clothes that hid everything now became less and less strict. The Filipinas who were once like fireflies, that show its glitters but always soars away, now finally learned how to alight itself for someone’s clearer view.

They learned to overcome shyness and work their heart out. The mean things that other people say or the unpleasant names they were being called were never able to stop them from their hard works and efforts. Some decided to tie their hair not ... Read more »