I’m sure some of you are familiar with the movie (and the song) of the same title. Both talk about friendship, in its true form, the one that lasts. I’ve seen the movie twice I think and heard the song over a dozen times, but I will never tire of it.
I loved the movie. I loved all of them and I found the part about the leeches hilarious. But of all, the thing I loved the most was the fact that the characters of the story stuck together and remained friends, even though they never saw each other again, during the time that they were together, they didn’t let anything get in the way of their friendship.
I’m sitting here in front of the screen typing this as I look at the pictures of my JASMS batch. I miss them all, how I miss them all! I long for the days when we would just sit by the quadrangle and someone would play the guitar and everyone – well mostly everyone – would join in the singing, or the times when we would just talk, and we would talk for hours. I look at the pictures and I remember everything, and I laugh by myself because of them. I remember the days and I feel like crying. I miss those days. I think that if I haven’t gone to JASMS and gone someplace else, it wouldn’t be the same. If I haven’t gone to JASMS I wouldn’t have met all the wonderful people I’ve met and I wouldn’t have learned about things that no sort of education could provide.
Now I’m in college and I’m striving to get high grades so I can get myself a good job. I just started this chapter of my life and I’m just getting to meet new people and making new friends. I remembered a line said in the movie, “I never had friends like them again, who does?” I will never find people who were like my high school batch mates in my life, I may find some people who act like them or talk like them, but they will never be exactly like them.
I love all these people and I will continue to love them. I may never see some of them ever again, but I will cherish them in my heart forever.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Episode 4 – Happy Father’s Day
I slept late that night and woke up to the sound of my brother’s voice shouting at my door. Sabi nila gutom na daw sila at bilisan kong maligo para makakain na daw kami. The original plan was that they would bring my stuff from Manila, spend the day here and go back home later that night (aalis kasi ang aking ama papuntang Malaysia kinabukasan). Napaisip ako, ano mas gusto ko? Tumambay dito at maglaro ng PC tapos wala na or umuwi na lang muna sa Manila tapos makipagsapalaran na lang sa paguwi kinabukasan. Pinili kong umuwi.
Sumabay ako sa kanila pauwing Manila. I felt like a kid, a real small kid as I looked out the window at the things that I haven’t seen in a week. Nakakahiya, isang linggo pa lang ganito na ako.
Pagdating sa bahay na enjoy ko muli ang pagkain sa lamesa ng may kasabay. Ang lasa ng bagong lutong ulam – kasi panay fast food na lang ako since dumating ako dito – ang manood ng TV na may cable – na ikaw yung hahawak ng remote – at ang matulog sa kama sa isang lugar na pamilyar ka. Enjoy sa bahay nung gabing yon. Masarap malasap muli yung artificial na lamig na nagagawa ng aircon.
Nagising kami umaga ng Sunday na yon. Tahimik kami, kasi alam naming magkakahiwa-hiwalay muli kami, hindi lang ako ang aalis kundi pati si Papa, at ang maiiwan lang sa bahay ay ang aking kapatid at ang aming kasama sa bahay (kasi nasa Malaysia ang aking nanay nagaaaral ng Masteral nya). Noong araw na ‘yon ay Father’s Day, ito ang araw kung kelan ang isang pamilya ay lumalabas upang manood ng sine, kumain or basta manood lang ng TV ng makakasama. Pero itong Father’s Day na ito, nagkahiwahiwalay kami.
Sabay kami ni Pa umalis. Ibinaba nya ako sa sakayan ng bus at dumiretso na sya ng Airport. Umakyat ako ng bus, tahimik lang. Solo flight ka ngayon pre. I left Manila at 12:30 and arrived in Los Baños at 3:30. I went upstair and fixed my stuff, and lay on my bed with the thought going through my mind over and over again, “July 2, we’ll all be home on July 2.”
Sumabay ako sa kanila pauwing Manila. I felt like a kid, a real small kid as I looked out the window at the things that I haven’t seen in a week. Nakakahiya, isang linggo pa lang ganito na ako.
Pagdating sa bahay na enjoy ko muli ang pagkain sa lamesa ng may kasabay. Ang lasa ng bagong lutong ulam – kasi panay fast food na lang ako since dumating ako dito – ang manood ng TV na may cable – na ikaw yung hahawak ng remote – at ang matulog sa kama sa isang lugar na pamilyar ka. Enjoy sa bahay nung gabing yon. Masarap malasap muli yung artificial na lamig na nagagawa ng aircon.
Nagising kami umaga ng Sunday na yon. Tahimik kami, kasi alam naming magkakahiwa-hiwalay muli kami, hindi lang ako ang aalis kundi pati si Papa, at ang maiiwan lang sa bahay ay ang aking kapatid at ang aming kasama sa bahay (kasi nasa Malaysia ang aking nanay nagaaaral ng Masteral nya). Noong araw na ‘yon ay Father’s Day, ito ang araw kung kelan ang isang pamilya ay lumalabas upang manood ng sine, kumain or basta manood lang ng TV ng makakasama. Pero itong Father’s Day na ito, nagkahiwahiwalay kami.
Sabay kami ni Pa umalis. Ibinaba nya ako sa sakayan ng bus at dumiretso na sya ng Airport. Umakyat ako ng bus, tahimik lang. Solo flight ka ngayon pre. I left Manila at 12:30 and arrived in Los Baños at 3:30. I went upstair and fixed my stuff, and lay on my bed with the thought going through my mind over and over again, “July 2, we’ll all be home on July 2.”
Episode 3 – Don’t Believe the Truth
According to the ever reliable Time Table that they gave Freshies on the first day, my TTh classes don’t start until 9. So I got up at around quarter to eight, confident that I would even arrive there early. When I got to CEM (people here pronounce it as SEM, mahahalata nilang Freshman ka kung C-E-M mo sinasabi at ayaw mong malaman ng mga higher years na Freshman ka) I looked around for my room, CEM 204, it was. I went around the place a couple of times, not really considering asking anyone because of the stories that I’ve heard (Ingat ka sa pagtatanong sa higher years, baka pagtripan ka non!) but when I’ve finally decided that it would help, I asked a person there, a janitor he was, I think. He told me that the room was being renovated and that sections that were supposed to have their lecture there were meeting in the Computer Science building – which was a long walk from CEM. So being the obedient little sucker that I am, I gathered my stuff and began the walk (noticing that my watch said it was already 9:10). I walked around the CS Bldg and found no such class so I decided to head back to CEM and ask again. So I did – I didn’t ask the same person of course – and this man showed me a schedule which showed the sections and after learning where I was supposed to go, I also learned when I was supposed to arrive there. Great! I thought, not only do I lose my way to my first subject, I would also come in an hour late! I entered the classroom and thanked God when I learned that our professor was human, not a demon wearing a mask.
After that, I had another class which exactly followed so I ran over the DevCom building. The lecturer got all of us acquainted and I met someone who was also in my Math 11 class. Ayos! At least di na ako magmumukhang loner sa Math 11. Pagdating sa Math 11, binigyan kami ng Diagnostic Test at dahil mabait akong estudyante, nakalimutan ko na ang mga ito. Sa loob loob ko, tinatawagan ko si Mrs. Tiburcio, parang pinipilit kong makipag usap sa kanya telepathically, “Ma’am,” sabi ko, “paki sagot naman ‘to”
Natapos ang klaseng ito at tinignan ko ang aking mapagkakatiwalaang schedule, sabi dito, ang susunod kong klase ay 4 pa daw. Sinilip ko ang aking relo, nakatutok ang maliit na daliri nito sa 1. Magaling! Napakagaling! Ano naman ang gagawin ko mula 1 hanggang 4! Dahan dahang umusad ang mga kamay ng relo sa alas kwatro, at makalipas ang isang siglo, naglakad na ako papuntang Hum 2.
Pag pasok ko sa aming room, nakakita ako ng cage sa isang sulok, na parang kakasya ang isang unggoy. Inexpect kong sabihin nung prof naming pagpasok nya, “Good afternoon class, ako ang batas dito! Ang sinomang unggoy na hindi sumunod sa lahat ng aking ipinaguutos ay ikukulong sa kulungang ‘yon” Yun ang kinatutuwaan ko nung pagkakataong yun, tapos bawat bukas ng pinto, akala namin dumating na ang batas. Pero makalipas ang 45 min. walang dumating, at dahil nasa kolehiyo na kami, lumayas kami ng room.
The next morning, 10 yung nakalagay sa schedule kong una kong klase. Dinobol check ko, baka mali na naman. Tama. Dumating ako dun sa room na nakalagay sa schedule – Gallery 1 sa New CAS. Natuwa ako ng konti, maganda ang room naming, malinis, may aircon, bago! Dumating ang aming professor, isang taong sa unang tingin ay parang blanko ang mukha, parang nandoon sya pero ang kanyang isip ay nasa ibang lugar, at sinabing hindi raw dito ang aming classroom, kami daw ay lilipat sa old CAS, sa old classroom. Parang sinabi nya na ring, “Okay class, pack your things and take your final glimpse of daylight, we shall be transferring to a dungeon where I am more familiar with the smell of decaying flesh.” Oo, aaminin kong medyo exaggerated ang aking sinabi, kasi maayos din naman yung room sa OLD CAS.
Nagpakilala ang aming professor (For safety purposes, mostly for mine, I will not mention his name here) maya-maya, sinabi nyang hindi raw iyon ang tunay nyang pangalan. Ang tunay nya raw na pagkatao ay masasabi nya lang sa amin sa pamamagitan ng pagsabing ang kanyang ina ay isang birhen at ang kanyang ama ay isang karpintero (sa susunod pa naming klase ay sinabi nyang dati raw ay taga-Galilee sya at nakapaglalakad sa tubig at gumagawa ng iba’t ibang uri ng mirakulo). Sa isip-isip ko, napaka-blasphemous naman ng taong ito. Biglang tinanong nya kami kung blasphemous daw ba ang kanyang sinabi? At dahil kaming lahat ay Freshman – at nagpapakabait pa sa mga professor – wala na lang sumagot. Naisip ko, ano kayang mangyayari sa taong ito? Pero hindi ko na muna tinuloy ang aking paiiisip kasi inannounce nya na may kailangan daw kaming basahin at gawan ng reaction paper for the next meeting. Wonderful!
Natapos ang aking araw at ang aking unang linggo sa Unibersidad at sa Los Baños ng nagiisa. I was longing for tomorrow, when my family would come visit me and would also bring the computer along (para may magawa na ako bukod sa pagkausap sa pader at pagbilang sa napatay kong gamo-gamo).
After that, I had another class which exactly followed so I ran over the DevCom building. The lecturer got all of us acquainted and I met someone who was also in my Math 11 class. Ayos! At least di na ako magmumukhang loner sa Math 11. Pagdating sa Math 11, binigyan kami ng Diagnostic Test at dahil mabait akong estudyante, nakalimutan ko na ang mga ito. Sa loob loob ko, tinatawagan ko si Mrs. Tiburcio, parang pinipilit kong makipag usap sa kanya telepathically, “Ma’am,” sabi ko, “paki sagot naman ‘to”
Natapos ang klaseng ito at tinignan ko ang aking mapagkakatiwalaang schedule, sabi dito, ang susunod kong klase ay 4 pa daw. Sinilip ko ang aking relo, nakatutok ang maliit na daliri nito sa 1. Magaling! Napakagaling! Ano naman ang gagawin ko mula 1 hanggang 4! Dahan dahang umusad ang mga kamay ng relo sa alas kwatro, at makalipas ang isang siglo, naglakad na ako papuntang Hum 2.
Pag pasok ko sa aming room, nakakita ako ng cage sa isang sulok, na parang kakasya ang isang unggoy. Inexpect kong sabihin nung prof naming pagpasok nya, “Good afternoon class, ako ang batas dito! Ang sinomang unggoy na hindi sumunod sa lahat ng aking ipinaguutos ay ikukulong sa kulungang ‘yon” Yun ang kinatutuwaan ko nung pagkakataong yun, tapos bawat bukas ng pinto, akala namin dumating na ang batas. Pero makalipas ang 45 min. walang dumating, at dahil nasa kolehiyo na kami, lumayas kami ng room.
The next morning, 10 yung nakalagay sa schedule kong una kong klase. Dinobol check ko, baka mali na naman. Tama. Dumating ako dun sa room na nakalagay sa schedule – Gallery 1 sa New CAS. Natuwa ako ng konti, maganda ang room naming, malinis, may aircon, bago! Dumating ang aming professor, isang taong sa unang tingin ay parang blanko ang mukha, parang nandoon sya pero ang kanyang isip ay nasa ibang lugar, at sinabing hindi raw dito ang aming classroom, kami daw ay lilipat sa old CAS, sa old classroom. Parang sinabi nya na ring, “Okay class, pack your things and take your final glimpse of daylight, we shall be transferring to a dungeon where I am more familiar with the smell of decaying flesh.” Oo, aaminin kong medyo exaggerated ang aking sinabi, kasi maayos din naman yung room sa OLD CAS.
Nagpakilala ang aming professor (For safety purposes, mostly for mine, I will not mention his name here) maya-maya, sinabi nyang hindi raw iyon ang tunay nyang pangalan. Ang tunay nya raw na pagkatao ay masasabi nya lang sa amin sa pamamagitan ng pagsabing ang kanyang ina ay isang birhen at ang kanyang ama ay isang karpintero (sa susunod pa naming klase ay sinabi nyang dati raw ay taga-Galilee sya at nakapaglalakad sa tubig at gumagawa ng iba’t ibang uri ng mirakulo). Sa isip-isip ko, napaka-blasphemous naman ng taong ito. Biglang tinanong nya kami kung blasphemous daw ba ang kanyang sinabi? At dahil kaming lahat ay Freshman – at nagpapakabait pa sa mga professor – wala na lang sumagot. Naisip ko, ano kayang mangyayari sa taong ito? Pero hindi ko na muna tinuloy ang aking paiiisip kasi inannounce nya na may kailangan daw kaming basahin at gawan ng reaction paper for the next meeting. Wonderful!
Natapos ang aking araw at ang aking unang linggo sa Unibersidad at sa Los Baños ng nagiisa. I was longing for tomorrow, when my family would come visit me and would also bring the computer along (para may magawa na ako bukod sa pagkausap sa pader at pagbilang sa napatay kong gamo-gamo).
Episode 2 – Lahat naman ng bagay dito mainit
It has been a week since I started living here in Los Baños and if there is a statement that could possibly sum up that week it would be what Hannah had said, “Lahat naman ng bagay dito mainit.” The days are hot, the water is hot and there is nothing that I can do about it. The nights are not so bad, but it’s not exactly the best either. The people here say that the heat is will go away once the rains start. And it has rained a couple of times since I got here, but they’re only 10 minute rains then the sun comes out again and tortures everyone.
Hindi ako nagrereklamo sa init dahil hindi ako sanay, sanay ako sa init. Mainit sa Manila, mainit sa JASMS, mainit sa jeep at bus. Pero ang init dito sa lugar na ito, kakaiba, yung uri ng init na na-de-drain ang lakas mo, yung tipo ng init na pagkatapos ng araw, ang kaya mo na lang gawin ay gumapang papuntang kama mo.
First day of school nung 15. Nag-orientation kami nung umaga, 8 Am – 1 Pm. At katulad ng lahat ng orientation na napasukan ko sa tana ng aking buhay, mukha pang mabait ang mga professor – pero kilala mo na kung sino yung mga first day lang mabait. At hindi rin nawala ang kinagisnan nang tradisyon ng pagpapakitang gilas ng mga orgs. Bago pa lang kami – Freshie sa salita dito – at hindi pa kami pedeng sumali sa kahit anong grupo.
Pagkatapos ng orientation na ito – na most of the time ay tinulugan ko lang – in-announce na pagkatapos na pagkatapos nito ay regular classes na. Hmm, maganda di ‘ba? Sabay sabay dumukot ng mga schedule ang mga freshie at ang iba’y natuwa, wala silang klase or mamaya pang hapon, ang iba nama’y nalungkot – at isa ako don – may klase ako eksaktong pagkatapos ng orientation at Physics pa ang subject ko.
Tumakbo akong papunta ng Math Building, natatakot na baka imbes na isang guro ang nailagay nila sa section ko, nakapaglagay sila ng isang halimaw na nangangain ng bata. Nung ako’y dumating doon, my fears were proven wrong. Mabait ang naging professor naming sa Nasc 3 – at lately nalaman kong elegante pa, nag-le-lecture ng naka-Apple! – at pala tawa.
Natapos ang aking unang araw sa UP at umuwi na ako sa aking munting tirahan. At katulad ng halos lahat ng nakilala kong hindi taga-rito, na homesick.
Hindi ako nagrereklamo sa init dahil hindi ako sanay, sanay ako sa init. Mainit sa Manila, mainit sa JASMS, mainit sa jeep at bus. Pero ang init dito sa lugar na ito, kakaiba, yung uri ng init na na-de-drain ang lakas mo, yung tipo ng init na pagkatapos ng araw, ang kaya mo na lang gawin ay gumapang papuntang kama mo.
First day of school nung 15. Nag-orientation kami nung umaga, 8 Am – 1 Pm. At katulad ng lahat ng orientation na napasukan ko sa tana ng aking buhay, mukha pang mabait ang mga professor – pero kilala mo na kung sino yung mga first day lang mabait. At hindi rin nawala ang kinagisnan nang tradisyon ng pagpapakitang gilas ng mga orgs. Bago pa lang kami – Freshie sa salita dito – at hindi pa kami pedeng sumali sa kahit anong grupo.
Pagkatapos ng orientation na ito – na most of the time ay tinulugan ko lang – in-announce na pagkatapos na pagkatapos nito ay regular classes na. Hmm, maganda di ‘ba? Sabay sabay dumukot ng mga schedule ang mga freshie at ang iba’y natuwa, wala silang klase or mamaya pang hapon, ang iba nama’y nalungkot – at isa ako don – may klase ako eksaktong pagkatapos ng orientation at Physics pa ang subject ko.
Tumakbo akong papunta ng Math Building, natatakot na baka imbes na isang guro ang nailagay nila sa section ko, nakapaglagay sila ng isang halimaw na nangangain ng bata. Nung ako’y dumating doon, my fears were proven wrong. Mabait ang naging professor naming sa Nasc 3 – at lately nalaman kong elegante pa, nag-le-lecture ng naka-Apple! – at pala tawa.
Natapos ang aking unang araw sa UP at umuwi na ako sa aking munting tirahan. At katulad ng halos lahat ng nakilala kong hindi taga-rito, na homesick.
Episode 1 – The Opposite of Hyderdrive
People who have been able to watch or read any Sci-Fi material are acquainted with the idea of Hyperdrive or Hyperspace or Space Jump. For those who don’t, Hyperdrive, Hyperspace or Space Jump is the idea in Science Fiction where a body, commonly a ship, flies through long distances at the speed of light (most probably). For those who still cannot understand, when a ship tries to escape their enemies in space, or go to a distant planet, moon or satellite, they use Hyperdrive, Hyperspace or Space Jump (you know this when you see that the stars become really long streaks of light); case in point, Star Wars and Star Trek, I don’t think that their stories would be the same if there were no such abilities in their ships.
Now, you are probably wondering what this has to do with my adventures here in Los Baños, I will tell you in a moment.
Here in the beautiful and very green–in a natural way–land of Los Baños, there is no Hyperdrive, not that it exists anywhere else in the world. What I am talking about is the essence of it, the idea of it. There is none of it here.
When I spent my first days here alone, I was still used to the speed of the City, so when I got here I thought that every clock that I had ran 30 minutes slower, I thought that the day had suddenly grown longer and that everyone and everything around me seemed to go in slow motion.
Los Baños is a place not yet affected by the hustle and bustle of the City–because it isn’t–and by the alarming speed of technology. Los Baños is a sleepy little place where everything–from people, to the weather, to cars–moves in a lethargic way. Time as they say is Gold, and unlike in Manila where people use their gold as fast as possible, the people here hold onto their gold, holding it close to them and spending their time slowly and enjoy the day.
Now, you are probably wondering what this has to do with my adventures here in Los Baños, I will tell you in a moment.
Here in the beautiful and very green–in a natural way–land of Los Baños, there is no Hyperdrive, not that it exists anywhere else in the world. What I am talking about is the essence of it, the idea of it. There is none of it here.
When I spent my first days here alone, I was still used to the speed of the City, so when I got here I thought that every clock that I had ran 30 minutes slower, I thought that the day had suddenly grown longer and that everyone and everything around me seemed to go in slow motion.
Los Baños is a place not yet affected by the hustle and bustle of the City–because it isn’t–and by the alarming speed of technology. Los Baños is a sleepy little place where everything–from people, to the weather, to cars–moves in a lethargic way. Time as they say is Gold, and unlike in Manila where people use their gold as fast as possible, the people here hold onto their gold, holding it close to them and spending their time slowly and enjoy the day.
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