My Early Years

I spent my pre-school years in the Ateneo Child Study Center. My mother taught me basic Spanish at home so that I would not be left behind. I learned how to introduce myself. When my teacher called out my name, I immediately stood up and said, “Hola, me llamo Pepe!” I could tell she was impressed. All my teachers came to love me because I was a very diligent student. Even at a young age, I knew the importance and value of education. My father would always tell me, “Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan!” These words rang in my head every time I would open a book to read. I took this into mind when writing my first poem entitled Sa Aking mga Kabata.

Looking back, being in nursery wasn’t as easy as I thought. I remember going home in tears one day because my classmates won’t let me play with them. The slide on our school playground was beautiful! When Mama enrolled me, I immediately wanted to go and play there but my teacher said I had to be an official student first. I waited patiently for the first day of classes to arrive so that I can play on the big slide but when I went there to play with my classmates, they said I couldn’t step on their end of the playground. It was then that I got my first taste of discrimination. I couldn’t help but cry on the way home. My Ate Saturnina consoled me and said that she and my other siblings would just make our own playground on our backyard. That really cheered me up. After having a cup of tea with Papa, I made a promise to myself that when I grow older, I would use my intelligence to help patria adorada gain its freedom.

Thinking about that incident now that I am older, I have come to realize the grave situation we are in. Perhaps, there is no more remedy for this worsening condition. But I refuse to believe so. There is still hope. We have come a long way and I believe that paradise will soon and indeed be found.

-Pepe
(Nicole Anne Araos, 070238)