Haiku

Face carved by angels,

bestow relief as I gaze

For they give blithe soul

Cherish your Springtime

For Autumn daubs grief in me

As leaves bid farewell

Two-Day Experience as an Usherette

Assumption Iloilo conducted an Open House in line with the month-long Centennial celebration. Approximately, 1,200 people came over. Students, parents, teachers, school people, walk-in guests and the alumni fall in long queue and registered for the campus tour facilitated by the high school usherettes.

I was one of the lucky chosen usherettes. Lucky because I was excused from my class for two days and I had the chance to show and tour the guests from pillar to post what Assumption really is behind all the negative issues and lies about our school.

For the first day of the Open House, our team ushered the group of parents until I only had one parent. I decided to separate myself from the group because the parent wants to be toured alone for she wanted to recall the memories wherein her eldest daughter was still studying in Assumption. I was blessed to tour her around because I saw my parents in her. I know my parents are having a hard time to sustain me in Assumption. Although the Assumption has a reputation that the tuition fees are indeed expensive, they believe that the school educates and transforms children very well. That's why they want me to finish my study in Assumption until high school.


Then, I was back to my group in the afternoon. Our group handled the grades 1 and 2 students of Central Elementary School. It was very tiring to tour them around. My gosh! The boost of their energy was really a blast. The moment we got out from the Information Area, they were all thunder struck because the campus was very wide. They started running due to excitement especially when are about to enter the Swimming pool. You would really see what they feel about our school because the moment they got in and got out of the campus, the smile on their face was pasted permanently until the time they went out of school. Some of them don't even want to leave because they were head over heels to our school. For them it was already a field trip.


On the next day, our group handled again the parents and the school people. I was again separated from my group because two BIR employees asked if they could skip the break and if I could tour them to the high school building to the last spot. I accepted their favor and I also skipped the break. One of them was an old high school student. Her name is Kristah. The other one has a relative in Assumption who is part of the faculty and staff. She is Eva. My experience with them was a two way process. They learned from me as I introduced the new face of Assumption. And, I learned from them especially from Kristah. She told me her experiences way back when she was in high school.


She named to me the places that they didn't use or were not yet constructed during her time such as the locker area which was before the high school canteen and the lockers were near the fourth year's rest room. She also said that the Casa Santa was not yet constructed. And the nuns were still settled in the Reflection Area. They also observed classes in high school. They were amazed because almost all the places in the campus are very convenient. They really commented on the Interactive White board and the OPAC System of the high school library that they are very high-tech.

We ate the snacks provided together in the refectory. They told me that they did not regret their decision to attend the Open House. They really enjoyed the tour and they felt blessed to be part of this event. They wish they could send their children in Assumption in the future because they indeed believed that Assumption education is a life-time investment.


I felt really lucky to be an usherette. I am very happy to know their feed backs and impressions of our school. I also realized after wondering why am I always separated from my group. It is because God gave me the opportunity to see how blessed I am for being able to study in Assumption. I felt afterwards that I was not literally an usherette. Yes, I facilitated the campus tour. But, I was also
like a visitor in tour as I saw and realized deeply that God bestowed me one of the best elements of life. It is having a better education!

Assumption turning 100

Usually, we celebrate our birthdays by having a party;inviting friends and relatives, receiving gifts and warm greetings and of course, the celebration is not complete without a cake. Yet, how does Assumption celebrate its birthday or foundation day?

July 15 2010-the big event. Hundreds of people filled Jaro Cathedral. I felt that the word, "Different", was eliminated from the dictionary. Despite of our differences such as in age,time and generation, there was no barrier because one thing we have in common is Assumption. Almost all participated in the singing of the Assumption school song. That moment showed the evidence that indeed the threads in us linked us and made us one fusion,Assumption.

There was no feeling of regret. Although the weather was very hot and humid, I didn't regret that I wore my gala. My mom spend a lot just to buy the whole set and I can only witness the celebration once because I know I can't reach the age when Assumption will become two hundred. Even my right foot was terribly in pain because of the high-heeled shoes, I still persisted. It didn't matter. Although I felt really exhausted, there was still a feeling of extreme burst of enthusiasm for I am so blessed to be part of this celebration.

My presence during the celebration is my life-long legacy to my beloved school,Assumption!

Bolt from the Blue

Holiday is a special event. What's so special about it? It is special because it is a detachment from heavy load of school work. People take this opportunity to rest, to hang-out, look for wild adventures or spend the day with their family. But, why was June 30 2010 declared a holiday? What's so special about it? Anyway, it is a great advantage because there's no class.

I don't like the new president. It is not because of the bone of contention such as the media or the rumors that state negative things about him. It is because my perception of him running as a president was due to his confidence bringing the name of his great parents. But,anyway, I watched his inaguaration. And, I admit that it was a good thing that I did because if I didn't, then what kind of Filipino citizen am I?

Unexpected! I was like shot several times. He hit me on the right target. There was like a hole in my heart. Yet, he filled it with new realizations and sewn it with thick threads. Now. my heart is back, circulating and beating. The blood rushed drastically again in a continuous motion. And, it caused my whole body to act in a reformed way.

Noynoy's inaguaral speech strucked me. It was direct to the bull's eye. I appreciated him for using Tagalog. It was simple and sincere. Yet, you would really feel the joined forces of his power and his parents while he was speaking. I was indeed astonished.

From his inagural speech, I gained trust in him. Now, I believed that he deserved to be on the seat and he could bring out the change in our country. The people gave you the steering wheel. But, you are not alone in the battlefield. We are your warriors and strength.

So, Filipinos, let's hit the road together with Noynoy!

"An Hour with Mr. Gonzales"

I've been attending Leadership Seminars for almost five years already because I'm always elected as a class officer. It's like an old chestnut for me. Playing games, group activities, sharing of insights and giving of tokens. Same style, same way.

Mrs. Simpas said that we will be having a speaker who is an Assumption friend. It's quite different but still I think it's going to be boring and a waste of my time. I thought it's the Centennial year of Assumption? Isn't there going to be some amazing transitions?

I'm longing for something different. Something that will not lose my appetite of attending the seminar this year. I want it to be memorable. But anyway the more I expect, the more it won't happen. Too much expectations and wants lead to heavy frustrations.

Yet out of a clear sky, my expectations really happened. I enjoyed the Caterpillar and the Bridge-Building game. And at the same time, I also learned a lot of things from the speaker, Mr. Jason Gonzales, who is one of the councilors of Iloilo.

He shared to us his experiences of being a leader way back when he was a high school student. He defended a friend from a bully and he stood for the truth even when he was called "Baduy". It was kind of a dialogue between him and us, the audience. He asked us questions and we also responded through answering. He said that a leader must have courage and authenticity.
"What is the greatest temptation?", he asked. One from the audience said that it's chocolate. But, Mr. Gonzales emphasized that the greatest temptation is to be ordinary.

I believe on what he said. When you want to be ordinary, you want to have freedom-freedom to do the things you want regardless of its cause and effects to others. And, that's not what a leader should be. A leader must know his/her priorities and responsibilities. A leader must stand for the truth even people put you down or backbite you. I also learned my weaknesses as leader and from it I strive to be better.

It was really a great opportunity for me. I gained a clearer perception of the essence of leadership and a strong motivation to be an effective leader to my classmates. I will always cherish the lessons I learned from Mr. Gonzales. Related to what he said is Spiderman's line,"With great power,comes great responsibility.

"My Father's Secret Recipe"

What does a father do? He usually drives the car, fixes broken stuff and carries heavy things. But, there are some instances that our fathers act in a peculiar way. Would you believe me if I tell you that my dad cooks Sinigang? It may not seem surprising for some. But, for me, it is very amusing.

I was sick of severe fever and coughing for three days. Mom was not around these days I longed for her tender care and relieving embrace. She went back to her hometown because her father died. In this case, she really has to leave.

My dad took care of me. He sent me to a doctor to be sure of my condition. He also had my lungs checked for X-ray. Good that he knows what to do when mom is mot around. But, the surprising and the unexpected thing is that he attempted to cook a soup for me for the first time. What would the soup taste like? Why did he really have to do it when he could just buy me a well-cooked soup from a restaurant?

At first I thought he did it as a matter of his pride to show me that he also knows how to cook. Yet, I was wrong for judging my dad. He did it for me because he cares for me and he wants to make me something special. He cooked me a Sinigang soup and it tasted good like the way mother did it.

I got well fast. I felt my body was recharged like a battery. My body was back to condition. And, I was very alive once more. All of these are due to my father's overflowing love and care for me. I really cherished the soup he cooked for me. It was a significant manifestation of a love of a father that whatever happens, he will do everything for the benefit of his daughter. And, indeed his love was the secret ingredient to his special recipe.

There's really nothing compared in this material world to a father's love!