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Allison A. Danao2011 - 55628ENG 101 E

 There were people in our lives whom had eaten up a hue part o! our

souls. The" #laimed their e$isten#e too deepl" that we %nd them lounin inthe throttles o! hal!-%nished loves and perpetual e$#elsior. The" ave su#h&i &lows to our lives' that the impa#t lasts !or what we thin( &elons tosplit-se#ond eternit" a!ter their departure.

) &elieve there is one thin that separates a su##ess!ul person !rom anotherwise unenthusiasti# man* and that is the re#onition o! his a&ilities* theappre#iation o! his i!ts* the #ele&ration o! his e$isten#e. And ) thin( this iswhat is &ere!t o! man" o! our #ountr"men' that their !amilies* moreso theirown parents* dont &elieve in their #hildren enouh' don+t thin( ood o! their#hildren enouh. As one ,uote said that The reatest &an(rupt in the world

is the man who has lost his enthusiasm* ) #ould tell somehow wh" thehilippines is su#h in a &an(rupt* well in the #ase o! stron-willed /edinsread" to #on,uer the world. )t+s &e#ause we la#( that one thin ne#essar" !orman+s ta(e-o* !or man+s one shot /iht' not ne#essaril" in reliious #onte$t*&ut somewhat ps"#holoi#all" in humanit"* and that is !aith.

) remem&er that time durin the %rst da" o! #lasses in m" third rade* )was a late enrollee at the same private s#hool )+ve had m" previous "ears in.)t was &e#ause ) was alread" enrolled in the pu&li# elementar" s#hool that"ear in our &arana"* &ut ) was still trans!erred &a#( to the private s#hool." parents e$plained to us how the" #annot sustain puttin us up in a

private s#hool with the tuition rates ettin hiher* toether with thedemands o! ever"da" livin. ) understood that we* &ein si$ #hildren'in#ludin a &a&" then* were ver" #ostl" to provide !or. Ever" niht* ) wouldhear them tal( low in their voi#es* when the" thouht all o! us #hildren werealread" asleep* a!ter perhaps a hard da"+s wor( o! s#hool and household#hores. The" would spea( o! ele#tri#it" &ills and water pa"a&les. The" woulddis#uss a&out &an(s and loans* and all o! them adult stu ) wouldn+tunderstand &ut ) still (ept on listenin* anti#ipatin m" name in thedis#ussion* ust wantin to somehow (now i! ) am a part o! their heada#he. )(now ) was not supposed to understand them then* &ut it was ust thatsimple !or m" little mind3 we were losin mone" and we need to &e thri!t".

) dont li(e the pu&li# s#hool &e#ause the atmosphere was du&iousl"dierent. )t made me !eel less se#ure. 4r ma"&e it was ust that ) wasa##ustomed to the !a#ilities and am&ien#e o! a private s#hool. )n !a#t* thepu&li# s#hool was s,uea(" #lean. The ro#(s were painted #olor!ull"' the wa" )wanted those mar&le stones in the private s#hool to &e painted and perhaps*pla"ed with the hands o! "ounsters li(e me. ) remem&er loo(in at the wallso! #lassrooms and &ein amaed with the drawins and ins#riptions o! 

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mainstream sa"ins whi#h ) alread" learned !rom the private s#hool. Thereoes* An (a&ataan a" an pa-asa n )nan a"an* on one #on#rete and7leanliness is ne$t to odliness* on the ne$t. )t was a happ" s#ene alriht'&ut it made me !eel unse#ured.

" %rst #lass in that pu&li# s#hool went normall" rouh* as a t"pi#al+new (id on the &lo#(+. ) was timid and prim as a #hild. The room* whi#h wasde#orated with posters o! alpha&ets and num&ers* and other #hild-!riendl"paraphernalia* was #onsidera&l" small !or our num&er. e were li(e those#hi#(ens ) see in m" randmother+s &a#("ard - pa#(ed and dense in a #ae -and it did not help in an" wa" in removin m" an$iet". ) remem&er &einun#om!orta&le with the wooden &en#h ) am sittin at* &e#ause it wasun!amiliarl" low' and ) have a seatmate - whom ) #an+t even manae to tal(to even thouh she was a irl. )n the private s#hool* ) have m" own steel#hair - it was ust riht !or the lenth o! m" les. )n !a#t* in that #hair* m" !eethardl" hit the /oor* and so ) #ould stret#h m" lim&s whenever ) want to. "

#lassmates have this s#rutiniin loo( o! awe or perhaps teasin towards meli(e )+m some sort o! a limited edition vase their mothers ust &rouht home -somewhat venerated &ut at the same time unwanted &" the rest o! thehousehold.

 That %rst da" the tea#her as(ed me wh" ) trans!erred to the pu&li#. Allo! us were alread" settled then on our wooden &en#hes. ) said &e#ause theprivate s#hool was !ar !rom our home. 9omewhat unsatis%ed with m"answer* she then as(ed rhetorti#all" a ,ueston o! )s that it: wantin to hear!rom me ma"&e o! the %nan#ial reasons. " eo was too &loated then toadmit our o&vious shi!t in monetar" #apa&ilities in!ront o! a #lass loo(in

awed at me. ) loved the attention and the esteem that m" #lassmates had !orme that one wee(. ) !elt needed* wanted* and re#onied. ut as mu#h as )want to !eel so ood to &e true* ) also !elt ashamed o! me stud"in in a pu&li#s#hool. ;ids at m" ae then* perhaps enerall"* have su#h simple loi# !ora##eptan#e. )! "ou+re ri#h and "ou stud" in a private s#hool* "ou+re #ool* let+s&e !riends * )! "ou stud" in a pu&li# s#hool* and "ou+re poor* "ou+re notallowed to pla" or &e with us. And so ) had alwa"s thouht that ) was su#h aloser !or &ein there. ut m" !eelin o! stardom and at the same time uiltdidn+t last lon !or at the end o! that wee(* we were &a#( to the old privates#hool aain.

" parents perhaps did not want us to adapt to a new #hane inenvironment !or su#h short time* it was a new world alriht &ut ) was notiven time to e$plore it more. )t was ta(en &e!ore ) was a&le to rasp it* &utsomehow part o! me than(ed m" oin &a#(. )t+s ust that ) #an+t !a#e m"own eo o! stud"in in a pu&li# s#hool. )n !a#t ) reall" wanted to o &a#( tothe private s#hool even thouh ) thin( ) was a loser there too. <rom;inderarten to 2nd rade* ) lived in the shadows o! m" &rihter* prettier*and happier #lassmates. The tea#her loves them* ever"one loves them. The"

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top the whole rade level* and the" et medals at the end o! the "ear. ) was ust a #ommoner. <or that time ) &elieved ) am in#apa&le o! doin what m"&rihter #lassmates #an* &e#ause ) do not possess su#h sel!-#on%den#e. Noone tauht me how to have it. 4ur parents don+t reall" &elieve we si&linshave what it ta(es to reall" top a whole rade level* and so we &elieve the

same too. ut that was until ) met Tea#her Anes.

)t was alread" the 2nd wee( o! s#hool* &ut it !eels li(e the %rst da" !orme still. ) remem&er wal(in those !amiliar hallwa"s strollin m" &a* lateaain on m" arrival. ) was set to the 2nd se#tion* when ) should have &een inthe 1st se#tion purporta&l" &e#ause ) was a late enrollee. There are #leardistin#tions o! %rst and se#ond se#tions in that s#hool* li(e as i! roupinstudents &ased on one (ind o! intellien#e helps them to &uild themselvesmore. The 1st se#tion was #onsidered the #ream o! the #rop se#tion* and these#ond one was well* the #rop.

A small lad"* with &on" !a#ial !eatures and thin ph"si,ue li(e mine*!a#ed me at the doorstep o! the #lassroom. Despite her o&viousl" primdemeanor* she smiled at me rather warml"* perhaps e$pe#tin m" arrival. )twas Tea#her Anes.

) was alwa"s seein her in m" earlier "ears at s#hool* &ut not pa"inattention rather &e#ause ) have not &een her student "et. There is this#ulture amon s#hoolin that ) o&serve' it+s what ) #all hiop s"stem. )t+sthe wa" in whi#h students onl" do ood to the tea#hers o! the su&e#ts the"are #urrentl" enrolled in to' those who hold their rades. The" +sip in lareamounts+ or +hiop+ the &ene%ts the" #ould s,ueee !rom that tea#her then

a!ter that period o! time* the" would ust !oret. ) would not wash m" handsas ) &elieve ) have un#tures o! m" li!e where )+ve &een a supporter o! this#ulture.

 Tea#her Anes was (nown to &e a stri#t and ta#tless le#turer* perhapsso#iet"+s t"pi#al mother and wi!e. 9he alwa"s wal(s in !ast strides* her headtilted sidewards to an anle in her shoulder whi#h ives the impression thatshe+s strulin to &reathe. 9he alwa"s #arries a hand(er#hie! in her handand her nose is alwa"s red. 9he had this hoarse voi#e that seems li(e shealwa"s had this #ouh that wont o* &e#ause she alwa"s #lears her throat.9he was a si#(l" siht' &ut her demeanor was sharp and timid.

Despite her rather !earsome outloo(* she was surprisinl" (ind to me. )was not used to &ein treated that wa" &" tea#hers' &e#ause m" past ones ust #hose to inore silent pupils li(e me' or ma"&e ) have ust rown too sel!-#entered to noti#e their eorts. ut this time* it was parti#ularl" dierent.Durin =eadin time* while the rest o! the #lass is strulin to &e #alled* shewould #all me even thouh ) was not raisin m" hand. ) would then nervousl"read a part o! a stor" we are ta#(lin' and she will still #ommend me despite

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m" otherwise in#oherent re#itation. Durin >anuae period* she would&orrow m" note&oo( ever" a!ter seatwor(* and will use it as the (e"re!eren#e !or the answers. At niht* ) would then eno" the smell o! herstraw&err"-s#ented red &allpen mar(s on m" note&oo( and wordlessl"e$press m" o" and &ewilderment with a &i aw(in smile. ) was amused

and wondered a&out how and wh" she was pa"in attention to me that )ended up &ein #ons#ious a&out m" per!orman#e in her #lasses. ) waseno"in desperatel" her une$plaina&le turn o! interest towards me that )&e#ame enerall" interested in the Enlish su&e#t. e#ause she was alwa"s&orrowin m" notes* ) started to write more lei&l". 9in#e she was usin m"answers as the (e"* whi#h she #orre#ts* ) &e#ame more dedi#ated in learninthe lessons so that there will &e less room !or errors. ) rew mentall" awareo! m" proression in Enlish that ) #an+t help &ut !eel more* and perhaps lovethe su&e#t* and eventuall" love s#hoolin.

) remem&er that one time when the prin#ipal #alled !or representatives

!rom ea#h rade level !or the Enlish 7lu& whi#h is "et to &e !ormed that"ear' it was our =eadin time* the %rst period o! the da"* and ever"one wasnot e$pe#tin su#h news at the door. ) was not onl" hope!ul* rather ) wasreall" pra"in that Tea#her Anes would pi#( me* &e#ause ) (new &" thattime that ) alread" loved Enlish. >i(e a !resh memor" o! "esterda"* ) stillremem&er how she loo(ed at me and smiled. At that moment ) (new therewas an understandin that the odds were in m" !avor. ) was the one #hosen -and ) was e#stati#all" silent.

<rom m" involvement in the Enlish 7lu&* thins went smoothl" !ast as) dis#overed man" thins ) never (new ) was #apa&le o!. Ever" other da"

a!ter #lass hours* ) would meet with the 7lu& and the advisers* Tea#her Anesone o! them* at the usual va#ant room near the nipa hut &eside the s#hoolate. e would tal( a&out our proposals and ideas !or the 7lu&* our dreams*our lives* our selves. Tea#her Anes would alwa"s #he#( up on me and as(!or m" opinions or ,uestions. <rom her &ehavior* ) !elt entitled to spea( upand &e heard. ) slowl" &ean to open up to other people* to so#ialie withother (ids o! m" ae.

) remem&er !eelin happier and livelier than an" un#ture o! m" li!e. )&e#ame an a#tive pupil alriht* and soon ) &eloned to the pupil #oun#il !orthe elementar" division. ) &ean #ompetin in other s#hools* some

une$pe#tedl" &itime* li(e that time when ) pla#ed in De >a 9alle !or theEnlish #ateor". Tea#her Anes then would alwa"s &e &eside me* #oa#hinme throuh &rea(s. 9he still #alls me at =eadin time and mar(s m"note&oo( with straw&err"-s#ented stains. 9he #onsistentl" #he#(s up on meever" Enlish 7lu& meetin and renders me unwaverin attention. And !orthe %rst time* ) (new ) have never loved an" tea#her &e!ore Tea#her Anes.

7onse,uentl"* ) pla#ed in the top ran(s o! m" rade level - a dream )

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never (new was oin to ta(e pla#e in an une$pe#tedl" short time.Ever"thin happened #ontinuall"* ever" other door leads to another door !oropportunit". ?ntil ) raduated !rom that private s#hool* and perhaps !rom thepillars o! inno#en#e and raw "outh* ) didn+t raduate !rom Tea#her Anes. Notuntil #ollee. ) lost #ommuni#ations with m" de!ault previous world when )

entered this new dimension o! ruminations and e$istentialism. ut ) heardshe has retired !rom tea#hin. ) &et she has tou#hed innumera&le lives o! students she had tauht. ) also heard she mirated to 7anada with her!amil". 9o ) visit her <a#e&oo( pro/e !rom time to time to et updates !romthe tea#her who has !ueled me to e$plorin m"sel!. )t+s #onvenientnowada"s to have so#ial networ(n sites #onne#t people despite distan#e*#ulture* and &oundraries. ut wherever she e$a#tl" is* or however she isenuinel" doin* well apart !rom impressionisti# posts on <a#e&oo(* ) do not(now. ut one thin ) am sure o! is that she+s still &eside me* or at least herapparition.

9he would still #all me* &ut no loner in #lass. 9he would #all me in m"roiness' her tattered voi#e assurin me in m" tran#e. 9he would stillmar( me* &ut no loner with straw&err"-s#ented stains. 9he has mar(ed mewith an invin#i&le &lot o! sel!-a##eptan#e and !aith. 9he lives in me - she haddominated a part o! m" soul - and ) am #ordiall" willin to su##um& thate$#elsior o! m" li!e to her memor".