Thank you for giving me the Best of Both Worlds
It's Mother's Day. And what best way to thank my Nanay and my Tatay but by showing you what shaped me to be what I am today.
I am a product of a middle-class family. And I am lucky enough to have gotten the best of both worlds.
I can sleep in a hut and eat using my hands. I can dress up, stay in a plush hotel and eat at 5-star restaurants. I am comfortable being with a young mother with 12 kids who lives in a small, run-down, one-bedroom hut but can also act carefree and chic when I'm with my single "Sosyal" friends. I have been exposed to both worlds, the upper class who lives in nice big houses and the lower class living in the slums. I saw through the eyes of both worlds, I am a product of both... but I belong in none.
We are considered a "middle-class" family. Both of my parents are teachers, one in the academe specializing in the English language, another as a musician teaching/conducting a band. I grew up with not too much and not too little. We had food on the table, clothes on our back and roof on our heads. We get new clothes on Christmas, and bought more only when the need arises. We were never hungry, but the fare was usually simple. Our house was not big, but the parents and kids have separate rooms. We attended private schools, but our tuition was paid in monthly installments. Our parents were conservative, but we were raised to be democratic.
In elementary, I attended a private church-run academic institution which is one of the most expensive school in our city. When I was there, I thought we were poor. I had exactly 2 sets of uniform while my classmates change uniforms everyday. My "baon" was enough to buy food in the canteen, but not enough to get McDonald's after school. Before examinations, we would usually ask for promissory notes for late tuition fee payment so that we can take our Periodical exams, but the monthly tuition gets paid in full by the end of the school year. My school reports are being submitted typewritten while my classmates had theirs computerized. I had books, but sometimes, they were hand-me-downs.
When I entered 2nd year of high school, I attended the then only public school in the city. I had exactly 2 sets of uniforms again, but my classmates only had 1 set. My "baon" was enough to buy food in the canteen, but most of my classmates only had money for transportation - none for food. My school reports were still typewritten, but my classmates had theirs handwritten. I had a full set of borrowed books from the library (because my mom is a teacher) but my classmates have only 3-4 subjects each and they had to share.
Being in the private institution gave me a good educational foundation. I excelled in English, both oral and written. My handwriting was "Paulinian"- showing clear, flowing scripts. I learned how to act at social gatherings, dress properly at certain events, converse confidently with educated individuals and not be intimidated by authority. I learned to act naturally, to socialize and to express what is on my mind. I became confident of who and what I am.
In the public school, I learned humility. I realized that being poor is nothing to be ashamed about. It showed me that I am in fact, really lucky.. my cup is half-full instead of half-empty. I learned to appreciate small and simple things. I found out that hanging out with friends at my house while eating left-over, burned rice and a simple dish can be as enjoyable as going to McDonald's after school. I realized that friendship do not need money to prosper, and that happiness is actually free.
So you see, I had the best of both worlds. I may not be rich when growing up, but I had great friends. I may not be "Sosyal", but I can certainly speak as fluently as them. I may not always hang out at 5 star hotels, but I do know which spoon and fork to use in Fine Dining.
I thank God everyday that my parents were not rich - because if they were, they would have been busy working to be even richer and would have not given us enough time to raise us as responsible individuals. If they had been too poor or uneducated, they would not have had the resources to give us the education we need to succeed. They worked hard everyday, but they had enough time to spend raising kids and being parents.
To my mom, Happy Mother's day. To my Father, wherever you are.. I know you are happy - because we are. Life is never perfect, the journey will always be rough. But both of you had ensured that we are equipped enough to travel - and happy enough to enjoy the ride.
I am a product of a middle-class family. And I am lucky enough to have gotten the best of both worlds.
I can sleep in a hut and eat using my hands. I can dress up, stay in a plush hotel and eat at 5-star restaurants. I am comfortable being with a young mother with 12 kids who lives in a small, run-down, one-bedroom hut but can also act carefree and chic when I'm with my single "Sosyal" friends. I have been exposed to both worlds, the upper class who lives in nice big houses and the lower class living in the slums. I saw through the eyes of both worlds, I am a product of both... but I belong in none.
We are considered a "middle-class" family. Both of my parents are teachers, one in the academe specializing in the English language, another as a musician teaching/conducting a band. I grew up with not too much and not too little. We had food on the table, clothes on our back and roof on our heads. We get new clothes on Christmas, and bought more only when the need arises. We were never hungry, but the fare was usually simple. Our house was not big, but the parents and kids have separate rooms. We attended private schools, but our tuition was paid in monthly installments. Our parents were conservative, but we were raised to be democratic.
In elementary, I attended a private church-run academic institution which is one of the most expensive school in our city. When I was there, I thought we were poor. I had exactly 2 sets of uniform while my classmates change uniforms everyday. My "baon" was enough to buy food in the canteen, but not enough to get McDonald's after school. Before examinations, we would usually ask for promissory notes for late tuition fee payment so that we can take our Periodical exams, but the monthly tuition gets paid in full by the end of the school year. My school reports are being submitted typewritten while my classmates had theirs computerized. I had books, but sometimes, they were hand-me-downs.
When I entered 2nd year of high school, I attended the then only public school in the city. I had exactly 2 sets of uniforms again, but my classmates only had 1 set. My "baon" was enough to buy food in the canteen, but most of my classmates only had money for transportation - none for food. My school reports were still typewritten, but my classmates had theirs handwritten. I had a full set of borrowed books from the library (because my mom is a teacher) but my classmates have only 3-4 subjects each and they had to share.
Being in the private institution gave me a good educational foundation. I excelled in English, both oral and written. My handwriting was "Paulinian"- showing clear, flowing scripts. I learned how to act at social gatherings, dress properly at certain events, converse confidently with educated individuals and not be intimidated by authority. I learned to act naturally, to socialize and to express what is on my mind. I became confident of who and what I am.
In the public school, I learned humility. I realized that being poor is nothing to be ashamed about. It showed me that I am in fact, really lucky.. my cup is half-full instead of half-empty. I learned to appreciate small and simple things. I found out that hanging out with friends at my house while eating left-over, burned rice and a simple dish can be as enjoyable as going to McDonald's after school. I realized that friendship do not need money to prosper, and that happiness is actually free.
I thank God everyday that my parents were not rich - because if they were, they would have been busy working to be even richer and would have not given us enough time to raise us as responsible individuals. If they had been too poor or uneducated, they would not have had the resources to give us the education we need to succeed. They worked hard everyday, but they had enough time to spend raising kids and being parents.
To my mom, Happy Mother's day. To my Father, wherever you are.. I know you are happy - because we are. Life is never perfect, the journey will always be rough. But both of you had ensured that we are equipped enough to travel - and happy enough to enjoy the ride.
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