Going Eight: My 1st Year!

I can still recall my first day in Guagua National Colleges as a teacher. That was June 25, 2001. An evening class made up of AB students, waiting for a teacher, welcomed me. At first, I was hesitant to talk. But thinking I was the teacher and not the student, I finally got my bearing. I gave them manuals for the subject which was Word Processing. And from then on, I guided them and leave them to work on and learn instead of me talking and making rookie mistakes. I did the same with my other subjects, but of course you can't get away with lectures. I did my lectures in Filipino, since I was not yet fluent in English. They understand me, and that all matters.

Distructions are part of a teacher's life. I came with too much of them, but at the end my purpose prevails. As a teacher, my goal is to make my student learn. Learn the subject matter and life. It's very sad when I see people who completed their BS degrees and attained too much but did not learn what the meaning of LIFE is. My purpose made me strong, and guided me through out my first year. And a woman, named Ninnette gave me a new outlook in life.

TODAY

Waking up in the morning is one of the basic actions you will perform everyday. But compared to the past days of my life, today is totally different. Because I feel great, and the moment I reach the living room and see my two boys watching TV, it becomes even better. I sit on the sofa, then notice someone walking towards us. It is my wife. She greets me and prepares my breakfast. What a wonderful feeling! (I don't want to use a question mark here, because it's really a wonderful feeling!) As I wait, I am thinking I'm a king with all of these graces that surround me.

My wife prepares everything; my uniform, shoes and she even cuts my finger and toe nails. I don't ask that from her, but she's doing it. I know she loves me so much that's why words could not be enough for her. For me, action will supplement what words can't compel.

Before I go to school I look at my wonderful sons running around the house. They are laughing, shouting and doing too much noise which makes our home alive and vibrant. Then they will ask questions like "Why do you go to school?" and I just answer them as intelligently as I can.

Before I got this wonderful family, waking up in the morning was just a way of starting a day. An action which was automatically performed, because if not yesterday could have been the last. It's an opportunity to say "thanks, I woke up and will have another chance for greatness".

But after performing this action several times. I didn't bother to think that someday there would be changes until I met my wife. It became more astounding when our precious children came. On events like this, resting is not important. Because I love to stay awake and look at the gifts He has been giving me.

I'm very happy having a life like this, I don't expect richness or even greatness to come in my way. Right now, in my place under the sun, I already found what everyone is looking for; that is, happiness with Him.

Teacher

My teachers in elementary, based on my memory that sometimes fail me; are the people who thought me how to write, read, sing, dance and make my self fit. They gave me the idea that life is not just eating, sleeping and making shits. They are my second parents, because of the age gap. They gave me confidence, praises and instructions on how to do this and that. My principle came from them aside of course from my parents and the Sunday masses that I have attended. They made 25% of what I am today.

How about my High School teachers? They were all there but no one touches me more than the book entitled "Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe" and "Sohrab and Rustom by Matthew Arnold". I came in high school with a little interest, I want to expericence a different environment compared to my elementary life. It was a happy go lucky type of environment, without any pressure. I want to enjoy my young life, and how it feels to be an outcast. But on my way, I met trouble and several problems. It's just a typical teenager experiences, with my friends and I want to mention the places that I won't forget: Dila-Dila Sta. Rita, San Roque Arbol, Sta. Lucia Sasmuan, Betis and LM Subdivision. In addition to the places, there were activities in billiards, basketball, pool table, swimming pool and family computer. And fights with my classmates that almost made me like Manny Pacquiao but all of them ended in a nice way. Teasing, making dirty tricks and playing cool are part of my high school life and I don't know how to describe my teacher's presence. It was the way I intend it to be, but in the end I'm the loser.

My college life started at a vocational school. It was a different one, I want to bring back the glory of my elementary days, a serious man with focus. I want to summon interest that left me in high school. I encountered Mr. Roy M. De Leon, who was my mentor in teaching. He showed me how to teach with grace, and make it fun. But not all the time. His advice to me were simple but meaningful. Actually he choose me as one of the student assistants of the school and for that I'm very much grateful. The role he gave me helped in developing my skills in programming and ability to communicate with others. It made me 25 percent of what I am today. I went on to be a scholar and student council officer. My stint in that school trained me in handling the work I have today.

My college life ended in Manila where I pursued my Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering. It was a different place but with the same man. I went there because of my parents persistence, they want me to have a college degree. Because for them, it was the only gift that they can give. I turn my back from a career in Bataan as a teacher, and followed my destiny. I studied Math like it was different from my Mathematics subjects before. I set goals and tried to attain them, and with HIS help I attained the impossible. The experience toughened me as an individual. It made me mature in every area of my life. Brought me near to HIM and made me feel the love HE gave to this world. I'm so blessed and this made me a complete package, the 25% of what I am right now came here.

For every person there is a first teacher, and for me no one have taught me like what my father and mother have been doing. They were there, in good times and in bad times. They opened life to me, and gave me opportunity to grow. They left no stone unturned in giving me the life that I have right now.

And for this, I'm very grateful to my wonderful teachers, and specially to my parents who made the last 25% of what I am right now.

HOMEPAGE

In the Internet, there is what we call HOMEPAGE. Ano kaya yon? Just like us, we have what we call a HOME. They say that a HOME is not a HOUSE. Sa palagay ninyo, bakit kaya? For "thefreedictionary.com" HOME means

• A place where one lives; a residence
• A dwelling place together with the family or social unit that occupies it; a household.
• An environment offering security and happiness
• A valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin.

The Internet, by the way, is an ENVIRONMENT. A complex one because you can meet different types of people with different cultures. Information is the power that sustains the environment. Without it, it will fall. Information may take the form of text, image, or sound. Just like our environment today, which is powered by different sources of energy, we need to have a home so we could gain IDENTITY. Saan ka nakatira, pare? Mayayaman lang ang nakatira don, ha? Sometimes the place tells something about you. Even a little bit, perhaps not all are true. But still your HOME, will talk about your background, your personality. If we will compare, HOME is like a soul, it is within. House is the body; the one you see that may tell lies. Ang ganda niya, pare? Mabait kaya?

Yes, we got a HOMEPAGE. And the Uniform Resource Locator is "http://gnchsbatch1992.page.tl/index.htm". Like our home, we know it even the simplest detail. Every part of our home has memories written on it; it may make you smile but not all the time. We love our HOME, but do you love your HOMEPAGE? Ano ba yang HOMEPAGE na yan? HOMEPAGE is the opening or main page of a website, intended chiefly to greet visitors and to provide information about the site or its owner. Try to type our HOMEPAGE on the address bar of the browser. There you will see the owner - the personalities behind the website.