First Time at Bora

            I was seven years old when we went to Boracay Island. Since it was my first time to travel for more than three hours, the excitement I felt awakened me four o’clock in the morning. We only drank a glass of Milo and left the house. I only changed clothes but I did not take a bath. We traveled for almost five hours. When we arrived in Boracay, we first searched for a place, hotel or cottage, to stay in for the next three days. Since it was summer, almost all hotels were fully booked. We stayed in Casa Pillar. We enjoyed our stay there. My love for the beach caused me sunburn. We went home with our helpers teasing us as aetas.  

The Missing Piece

Every single day, we come across several people. May it be in school or not.  Different people may come our way and then we make friends. But what is unusual and rare in this instance we all undergo everyday in our lives? That is, building friendship- deeper friendship- with a person you did not expect to enter your life. At first, both of your pathways intersected. Then, something in the complex neurons in your brain tells you to go near her. After a while, you realize that there is something different about her that triggers you to take a break and chat with her. Then as time passes by, you both become closer than before to the extent of becoming best friends.

Before she became my best friend, she was a total stranger to me. Okay, I saw her along my way and then that was all. A few years passed and I seemed to notice her most of the time. It did not take a long time when we finally had short conversations about simple things. Then, it slowly developed into having deeper topics such as about one’s self, likes and dislikes, and all the rest. “I want to know you better. What are your favorite foods and what are your hobbies?” she asked once. It all started there. I lived my life the usual way, wake up, go to school and learn, have some fun, go home and do homework, so on and so forth. Then here comes an investigator of my life, making me feel that I am missing something. I am missing something very important and that made me feel incomplete.

“I want… I want you to… be my…best friend,” she said at last.  I was speechless. I was shocked that I cannot respond to the things she said. No one… not one has ever said this to me. She was the first who told me that. Coming from a friend I did not expect to be close with, everything in my mind changed. I had to make a decision. Will I say YES or reject this offer? I was having second thoughts. If I will accept it, I will have to accept also that time will come she will leave me. If I will reject, that means I might be missing the chance of being the luckiest person in the world for having a best friend like her. “She could be the one of the missing pieces,” said my mind. It ended with a YES. And there she is, my best friend.

So far, I am enjoying her company. I love her so much that we say it to each other more than twice in day. We only have a little time being together. When we have the chance to be with each other, we grab it like there is no tomorrow. When I am with her, we can talk about anything. I can share what I feel and I am free to say and do anything while I am with her. She knows several things about me and so do I.  As much as possible, I want her to be my first and last best friend. After a month, I came to a conclusion that she is really one of the missing pieces. One of the missing pieces I never knew I would find from her.

Totally Different…Very Eccentric!

My Journalism class in first year high school was mainly about creative writing. This year, it focuses more on journalism specifically the newspaper. This is not new to me the fact that I encountered journalism and things about newspapers before. The new thing to me is, honestly, the teacher and the things he brings with…things which are not visible to the eyes or even under an electron microscope. In short, the lessons, his knowledge of several things beyond compare all the trivia he knows which I and my classmates do not. 

First Quarter is over and yes, second quarter is nearly ending. My mind is filled with a lot of information- Ah! Information overload. NOOOO!!! Honestly, I had a lot of unforgettable moments in our Journalism class. I did not say good memories only, which means that includes bad ones. I have to admit that life is hard with a teacher having high standards which leads to expecting a lot from a student (or students). That means I have to do well in things, but if I fail then… wish me luck.

Every class discussions, I always look forward to mind-feeding activities especially those related to vocabulary-building, though that is not my specialty… and certainly not my cup of tea. There are times when we really enjoy our teacher’s company. There are times when we get to have what he calls ‘a dose of medicine’. Of course, this is caused by misbehavior.

Recently, we did not have a very nice class. We arrived late in class and so, it did not turn out nice. Most of the time, I really enjoy our Journalism class. There is always something new. Maybe one thing I will always remember is that we start the class either with a personal prayer, frequently led by Steffi, or a short video clip when we at an audio-visual room. There are still thing to look forward this school year in our Journalism class.

Proud to have Such Family

                I always think of my family being such a blessing I cannot live without. It is because they have been with me all my life. They support me in everything I do. My parents, Isagani and Zarlina Cuello, are always there whenever I need them. My sister, Jessica, who is only a year ahead of me, is like my friend. Honestly, I do not call her ‘manang’ though she wants me to because of the short gap. And my younger brother, Jancris, is the joy-giver in the family. He is now ten years old and should be in the fourth grade already, but because of Down syndrome, he still acts younger than what he should be.

                I cannot clearly tell why family is different from others the fact that I never had another family. They are the only family I have aside from the one in school. I enjoy being with them especially during weekends. We would have our breakfast in the garden once in a while. We are all seated at the round table, listening to music while enjoying the food. During lunch, we would have a family-sized coke or a good-for-the-family ice cream for desserts, which makes my day. Unfortunately, we can only have this sort of a family day only on Sundays since my mother is taking her second master’s degree at Ateneo de Manila University. She leaves the province Friday every week and comes back either by Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. That means, we should cherish every Sunday.

                What I like most about my family is that they are the ones willing to hear like the ‘how’s school’ things. Frankly speaking, it somehow irritates me but I know they find me very silent at home like I do not speak at all that’s  why they ask me those things. They would ask me what are the recent events happened in school, how this person is now, and stuff that would make me say, “Everything’s fine. I will just say things if they are such a big deal”. Another thing, they are the ones willing to spend some time like watch movies after lunch, go to the mall or even spend some holidays in Bacolod to visit the ruins of one mansion. It is so ironic that we, the daughters, are the ones having no time for breaks because of so many assignments, activities and events to look forward to. I hope that someday, these things will happen even just once.

                I am so proud and happy to have this link of family. i know that there are several things our family has which cannot be found in others.

Assumption turns 101, E-beths had so much fun

We had FUN FUN FUN one afternoon under the SUN!

A Greeting to A FRIEND

I set the alarm at 4 o’clock in my phone the night before, yet my body clock woke me up at around 3:45 in the morning of that Friday. I took my phone and sent the message I saved in the drafts folder to this person- this friend. In less than 3 minutes, she replied and said she is thankful for the greeting. We had an exchange of text messages for about twice and she told me to go back to sleep for it was very early. I just closed my eyes until five. As I was trying to fall asleep, I imagined how good and fun the day will be the moment I step in the school.

                And the day was starting to be what I wanted it to be- fun all the way with no stress and disappointment. I greeted her for the second time, but this time, in person. I hugged her so tight a she thanked me again for the greeting and as I greet her again. My former classmates, the MICHAELITES, were telling me that they are getting more excited as the time passes. I rushed to every second year classroom to check if my former classmates were there. I asked them to sign in one black cardboard by lunchtime. By afternoon, we ran to the classroom and packed our things, ran down to the ARC and met with my former classmates. We waited for almost half an hour just to greet her as a whole family. We went to the door next to her table at the Faculty room. With the surprise appearance of her former ‘daughters’ and a background music, I Swear, we all had a little but, for me, special reunion. We gave the cake and for the best part, the frame, which she thought when seeing the back part was a painting. It was so special to me that I almost shed a tear seeing some of them crying. I gave my former sisters a hug and we started reminiscing the fun moments we had the previous year. We ate a part of the cake with our bare hands as the knife and spoon. We spend some minutes of chatting of how our lives have been this second year. It was nice seeing their faces again after some time. We parted ways with hugs and kisses, as usual. We all greeted her just like the previous year. We surprised her, the same as last year. We, again, had a good time just like the days we missed. We pleased her heart with simply with our greetings and presence. Yet it was a big thing… it was something special… something to cherish. And you know her, the birthday celebrator every August 19 of the year aside from Mr. Romero and other people- MRS. SARDUA.

I Call it CRAM not STUDY

     I am currently at the stage of exam rush  ( as I call it). I spent the whole weekend finishing my projects and cramming for mastery tests. And now I am suffering the consequences of having manana (man ya na) habit. 

     Tonight is the night I will keep vigil just to finish reading and jotting down notes on  Statistics, CLE and Soc. Stud.  And the final judgment on how worthy my staying up late is will be on the day I will see my exam scores and receive my report card. 


BTW August 26, 2011- report card day a.k.a.my  judgment day and HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELISSA!!!