senior year by jerrold tarog

When I first saw the ad for Senior Year in the newspaper, I thought it was a 2D animated feature. I thought, unless it was going to be treated with Japanese manga crazy storytelling, it will not work.

It was a relief to discover, during my meanderings in SM Megamall, that the movie was actually live action. Seeing Ramon Bautista as the PE teacher piqued my interest and strengthened my resolve to watch it.

I'm glad I did.

Despite the fact that I come from an all-girls school, I could relate to the movie on so many levels. My experience of HS co-education was a teacher. What I saw in the movie was a mix of both my experience as student and as teacher.

The story of Senior Year is not really a singular one. Neither does it have the usual beginning, middle and end. The movie is like what high school is all about. Little stories of different people that hardly form a whole. Little stories that matter to each one living it. Little stories, just like our own recollection of high school would be.

I enjoyed the hodge-podge of high school characters in the movie. Somewhat stereotypical but representative of the kinds of students you usually encounter. The nerd, the wannabe, the sosyalera, the playboy, the sexually confused, the tsismosa, the angas. Take your pick. Yet despite the "classification," they each share their complexity. Falling in love. Apprehending the future. Holding on to friendships.

The teachers were also interesting to watch. I particularly related with Che Ramos' character, The idealistic teacher who saw her position as an opportunity for the change, the chance to make a difference, if only in the life of one student. I dream to be her someday.

Senior Year is a simple, quiet movie about high school. Its simplicity is what makes it worth watching.

To any one who were ever subject to the four walls of learning, to any one who feared the future, to any one who went through confusion, watching Senior Year would be a recollection.

To those who are where they are right now and realized how different one turned out from what one expected or hoped to be, to those who look at themselves and realize how much they have turned out to be a surprise, pleasant or not, watching Senior Year would be a reflection on a past reality.

Go and watch it at your nearest SM Cinema. It's definitely much more worth than your money that Who's That Girl. Especially since we got free Selecta ice cream on the way in. :P

And oh, Ramon Bautista? Not much minutes in the movie but what little exposure he had, I was giggling like crazy. Not even sure if it was because the scene was funny or it was because Le Bautista was in it. :P

See the trailer here.

In response to 'Ganito Tayo Noon, Ganito Tayo Ngayon' centerfold in the Inquirer

In the centerfold of the Inquirer is a huge table of data comparing our present data compared to past presidents. It is undeniable that this is another attempt by the government to laud the 'achievements' of the nine-year GMA regime.

First response to that is that the UN itself is saying the Philippines is performing poorly in the Education For All program (EFA), trailing only after Tanzania and Zambia. Here's the link:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100120-248349/UN-RP-trails-Tanzania-Zambia-in-education

Data given:
Teachers' salaries from P9,939 in 2000 to P14,198 in 2009. Excuse me but given the inflation, their value is probably just about the same.

Textbook to student ratio: 1:1 for English and Sibika in Elementary, 1:1 for English, Math and Science for High School. Sounds good. But what about the other subjects? And do you honestly think these books translate to better understanding on the kids part? AND are they allowed to bring this books home in the first place? I've visited rural public schools before and the kids ARE NOT allowed to bring them home because they will get old fast and may not be able to be used the next year.

Classroom to Students ratio: 1:39 Elementary and 1:55 HS. This ratio is not exactly something to feel good about. A conducive learning environment for children and a manageable classroom level for teachers would be a ratio of 1:20--25. 30 at most. And excuse me, but you have failed to note that A GOOD NUMBER OF SCHOOLS HAVE THREE SHIFTS OF FOUR HOURS just so there would be less students in class. So you think students can learn seven subjects in four hours?!! Tell me.

PAG-IBIG calamity loans for Ondoy and Pepeng victims: None for 2000. P12B for 2009. ALANGAN!!! Walang Ondoy at Pepeng nuon. Please say NOT APPLICABLE.

Farm to Market roads: 1998-2000 = 3,044 kms. GMA term = 17,517. Woman, you had nine years to accomplish that. Your average is just about the same.

OFW Deployment: 841,628 OFWs in 2000. 1.28M Jan-Nov 2009. You are proud of sending people abroad to work to keep this country afloat? Many are leaving this country, finding work abroad because they are desperate to survive. Nothing to be proud about.

Land distribution through agrarian reform: 523,000 hectares 1998-2000. 1.8M from 2001 to Sept 2009. That's just an average of 200,000 hectares per year for you. 260,000 hectares for Erap.

Buying rice for palay: P8.50 per kilo in 2000. P17 per kilo in 2009. Excuse me, magkano bigas nuon? I think it was around P18. Magkano ngayon? P30-40. Hello.

Cellphone subscribers: 6.4 M in 2000. 75M in 2009
Internet usage: 1.98% 2000/24.5% in 2009
1) It was just starting then. What do you expect?
2) I think Globe, Smart and Sun are the ones we should thank for this. Not you.
3) And oh... do you remember the time when text messaging was free? We pay P1 per text now. Whee. Hah.
4) Wala pang FB at kasisimula pa lang ng Friendster. Wala pang halaga ang internet nuon. (hehe! joke lang to)

There are so much more data in the newspaper. I can't seem to find it online yet. But those stuff up there are the only ones I have an answer to. The economy part... malamang it's true. I know crap about econ.

I mean I understand the needing to justify what you have done for your work. I used to that for my work too. But the thing that pisses me off is that those data pretends that everything is fine and dandy in this country because she took over. Pshaw. No, it's not.

2009 in review: travel

2009 spent mostly with my ISS family has been quite amazing.

it was opening the eyes and mind, widening horizons and expanding visions. it was about my personal globalization. whereas, prior to ISS, my world was limited to my beloved philippines, my 15 months in the ISS has expanded it to at least 52.

it has taught me to understand and accept what is different from what i have come to believe in my lifetime. yet it also taught me to strengthen what i truly believe and value without having to compromise my ability to be in solidarity with those who are unlike me. this, i can say, is truly one of the best things i have learned for the year. but there is so much more. extracting lessons from 365 days would be quite a task when what one day can already be very educational.

2009 was also about living a dream. back in my youth, i remember reading about europe. and every time i saw the pictures or read something about it, i wished that i could see it for myself. 2009 was about that.

i do not know if the miles i covered for 2009 would ever happen again so i know a blessing when i see one. allow me this moment to relish the journeys i took, not to brag but to rejoice knowing that dreams come true.

many of the pinoy ISS students greeted the new year in paris through the generous hospitality of crevette. wine, cheese, sausage, balloons and friendship are definitely wonderful things to have at the beginning of the year.

february. maricar, marwell and i hied off to maastricht to celebrate the carnavale celebrated every palm sunday as preparation for the solemnity of lent. it was a 'holy' day indeed. ;p

march was a date with risa in beautiful barcelona. casa battlo, sagrada familia, parc guell... gaudi architectural pieces that made me a fan! (i also had a study trip to geneva... not as exciting as barcelona, definitely)

april was time for tulips. i was able to visit keukonhof twice. within three weeks, the flowers a-bloom were different from each other. being in the midst of a sea of colorful flowers will not fail to lift your spirits. what's more, they make good photos! ;p


may. it was my first trip to by myself with out the pinoys. nadya of sri lanka and sanjukta of india were my companions for this trip. we had a marvelous time with the red tours who had young, vibrant guides (and quite cute) to take us around berlin. definitely one of my favorite cities with its rich history.

june finally brought some good news. jan finally got his visa after being rejected once. most of the month was spent working on papers and exams. but there were study breaks which gave me the chance to bring jan around netherlands. it was the perfect time because it was summer and we can bike for as long as we like. and who would have thought we would spend our first anniversary abroad?!


july. after we have fulfilled all our requirements, off we went to greece and paris. i remember watching 'the sisterhood of the traveling pants' with jan. and i told him to take me to greece. it was such a blessing to have that declaration fulfilled sooner that i expected. though it was me who did take him there. :p

august. i was able to go home for a while for research. i was looking forward to celebrate my birthday only to be met with the news that our dear president cory aquino passed away. yet, while it was a great loss, i feel somehow that people may have regained a little something from that event.


september. i think i spent most of my time in the netherlands trying to cram for my first draft and RP presentation.

october. what i missed for that month in travel, i made up by being in four different countries in one month. austria (vienna). germany (munich). hungary (budapest). slovakia (bratislava). quite a brave but dumb thing to do, a month before our RP deadline.

oktoberfest was definitely the highlight of october having celebrated the occasion with an international contingent of 9 countries!

november. one of the motivations to keep on writing the RP even after wanting to give up is morocco. it was another international contingency with 5 countries represented. we finally got out of europe without needing a visa. the experience was totally different and arguably more exciting. definitely one of the most memorable trips ever! especially since i finally got to see and ride a camel.

december. last trip using my scholarship money is rome. it's one of the top of my list of places to see before i die, thus i had to go while i had the visa, the funds and the chance. michaelangelo just happened to be my favaorite ninja turtle, so all the more i should go and visit. heehee. ncient rome. medieval rome. catholic rome. every place we visited in rome was just spectacular and breath taking. a must-visit!

and of course, december meant graduation! i am a master of the universe now. wheeee. here's hoping it will convert to a job soon. ;p


i can not deny how much of a blessing 2009 was for me (though if jan and i were together physically, it would have been perfect!). it would be hard to replicate what the sugar and spice that happened to me last year. though i pray that happens again sooner than later.

here's hoping that 2010 brings more journeys and adventures. :)

a hundred days in europe

I just realized that December 8 is my 100th day here in Netherlands.

Well... I know a hundred days isn't really a year, but it's almost as much of a milestone.

A hundred days! It feels so ironic that it is also the day when I finally felt the pangs of loneliness. Enough to make the tears come. i let it flow then shake it away, no use in denying emotions. yes, it has been a hundred days away from home, a hundred days away from jan, a hundred days of listless sleep, a hundred days of uncertainty... that is looking at it from the half-empty glass perspective.

But it is also a hundred days of many beautiful, wonderful things:

* of my first autumn -- the experience of the nature's dying, like the phoenix that explodes in mesmerizing fire before it turns to dust. yet knowing that there is a rebirth.















* of my first snow and hail -- snowball fights with bare hands. as the ice hits you or another, it is punctuated with child(-ish, -like) laughter. while autumn is the vibrance of color, the somberness of white is transfixing.

* experiencing europe -- a dream come true! i thought that europe will just forever be a vision from books and movies and now i am here! and there is still so much more of it to see.

* of beautiful friendships forged -- my pinoy mafia keeps me sane. will definitely miss the old batch who have always been so accommodating of our barging in the headquarters. to my new friends from all continents who have taught me so much about the world much bigger than what i have known. my first american thanksgiving to happy halloweens, from standing up against poverty to transformations. i never in my life dreamed education can be this interesting!


and so much more in those hundred days! from cooking and finally finding out for myself that there is a vortex in the laundry machine that sucks out half of a pair of socks and gloves leaving my closet with three unpaired socks and gloves... nights of singing and dancing and watching other people get wasted... to pining and wishing for those comfortable warm hands... to just realizing every day of my life that i am alive and tingling with all sorts of emotions, be it sadness or happiness.




the first hundred days and triple more ahead here in europe. looking forward to the joys and pains of what is to come! well, not so much the pain, but i have to be realistic here. 2008 is almost gone and 2009 is coming. i may not be raring to go at the moment, but i'm ready. ;p

updates

internet: none. the freakin' internet connection still won't work wheter with wi-fi or cable. what the hell is wrong? it is frustrating and irritating because most of the readings for class are online. i can access to the library but it is closed on weekends.


classes: we started yesterday. i like all my professors. they all seem to be very kind in the sense that they are trying to make it easy for everyone. all the ones i took were the intermediate even if i did learn some of them in college. that was ten to twelve years ago, so i bet i forgot everything now.

netherlands: i was already able to go to amsterdam and rotterdam for free because it was an official school or course activity. some of us did stay behind in amsterdam since the field trip was done by 4PM. there were actually only eight of us, but it was nice to see amsterdam on foot and not just on a boat.

i'd have a more decent story if only i had decent internet. hay naku.

i do have some photos on my multiply page (a link is on the sidebar) and facebook page. i actually have to update facebook now because some international friends prefer that to multiply. oh well. :D

united colors of iss

the afternoon was an interesting trip to the open market. basically, it's just the netherlands version of our palengke, but closer to mindanao's taboan. open market days are MWFSa, but fridays (vrijdag) and saturdays (zaterdag) are busy with people.

love, my classmate from Ghana who has gone in and out of NL for the last six years, was kind enough to give us a tour. us meant andrea and john from canada (one from vancouver, the other toronto), lola from nicaragua and myself. the five of us alone already represented four continents, the opposite ends of the color spectrum and the height range of 5'3" to more than six feet.

the tram station from the centrum to the groete market was absolutely gorgeous. i can't describe it as i'm terrible with architecture and i don't have a photo to prove it. but it was beautiful. even john says so.

we rode the busy tram, with the middle school kids on the way home from school. i forgot which street we went down in, but we just had to cross the table to get to the open market. and lo! tiangge! coats, shirts, shoes, electronic gadgets! so many stuff.

having too many companions really made it hard for me to look around, so i just went straight to what i came for. fruits. i also wanted to buy vegies but love told us it would be better to buy from albert heijn because it stays longer than those from the groete market. so.

i ended up with a euro worth of carrots. which is a lot! good for a couple of weeks, i would think. but i intend to make it my junk food for studying. i also bought grapes and kiwi which i split with lola. i really had no idea how to eat a kiwi or what it tastes like fresh. but hey! 50 cents for 5 pieces is good for me. it costs P100++ in the philippines, noh! i also had to buy chicken and pork for the welcome dinner for our late pinay classmate (we pinoys are too nice. i might not have thought about it if the others didn't tell me. haha!), as well as garlic. finally i was able to get salt and also some apple juice. but dang... sugar still eludes me. the one that i found was too big and i didn't have a container for it. so.

all-in-all it was a pretty good experience. more than the trip to the open market, it was actually the interaction with the others that i enjoyed. it was my first trip with non-pinoys, and that is always exciting. i really find these people interesting!

overwhelmed

by the mini-united nations.

i just came from my orientation with the entire 2008-2009 batch of students at the institute of social studies. there are 200 students from 50 countries in that one auditorium. wow. there are people from uganda, ethiopia, sudan, egypt, canada, united states, indonesia, pakistan... and so on and so forth. simply amazing!

and truthfully, i'm quite intimidated by the intellectual level of the people i will be with. gah. i'm not just intimidated, i'm really scared. quivering in my boots scared. i'm not sure if good intentions and a good heart will get me to the finish line like it always had in the last thirty years of my life. however, i am here and i will work as hard as i could (why, i will even bring reading materials to study on the train WHEN i visit camille in france!).

i mean, it's exactly that diversity of cultures that drew me to the ISS in the first place. the professors in the institute are impressive and they seem very supportive of the students. but i know that i will be learning as much from my classmates' experience as well. there is a student activist in ethiopia and we know how difficult the situation is there. another one comes from the most volatile region of uganda. another one is a canadian who has worked in kenya. it's so rich in diversity! imagine the tons of information that could eventually guide me into the direction i want to take as well. i really feel i know so little about my work and i may not have enough to share. which makes me feel a whole lot better about our country compared to theirs. but comparing wouldn't really get us anywhere, right? there will always be somebody better or worse that our situation. so.

gah.

i definitely have to work doubly hard than i intended to. but if i just take this really seriously, i know there is much to reap.

i'm in europe! and studying in europe's premiere social development institute. how cool is that? way cool! how scary is that? way scary!

kaya natin to, pinas!

i can spread the news now

Back when I was new in Assisi, I thought it was the end of my dream of traveling to Europe given my social development worker salary. Yet it was something I was willing to let go at that time, because I felt and somehow knew that I have been led to Assisi by something greater than me. Choosing Assisi meant letting go of many things I thought I wanted to do. One of those dreams was traveling to Europe. I really thought that would take a backseat until I was old and gray. I even wrote an entry about it back then. Check out the second entry.
...

What do you know? It was actually working for Assisi that made this dream into a reality. :)

Like Tatit, I have been accepted to a scholarship to the Netherlands. Same scholarship, different school and program and city.

Dreams do come true.

God has continuously shown and given me his generosity.

Wow.

You can just imagine the jumping about that happened in our office as the letter was being read to me by Jan (this story deserves an entry in itself)!

If a thesis is what it takes to get to Europe, then by Jove, I will do it!
...

And so the question I have been asked constantly... “paano si Jan?”

First of all, Jan has been supportive from the very start. It wasn’t like the scholarship just happened after the wedding. The interest arose when a former officemate sent me the website to a school. This was early 2007. I sent my application early November which was before the proposal. I got my acceptance letter December. I applied for my scholarship March. The whole time, Jan was fully aware of my plans. And the whole time he has been very encouraging.

So paano nga si Jan? We’re working on how he can follow as soon as possible. His target is November. Here’s the thing – naunahan pa niya ako makabili ng winter jacket! I still don’t have one, while the one he got for P200 is now in the laundry. Funny lang. ;p
...

There are mixed feelings as the day of my departure draws near. Of course, I am excited. Whenever I pause and think... I’m going to Europe, I get goosebumps. One of the other things I’ve always wanted to do was live in another country for two years. 15.5 months is good enough for me. Wow talaga. But most days, I feel a little sad. I am cutting short what should be my honeymoon period with my husband. I am just thankful that he’s been so supportive. He wants this for me as much as I want this for myself. Besides, we’ll see each other very seeon. He promises! I’ve also been praying so hard for my mom, my siblings and my pamangkins. I’ve been away from them so many times, but it’s different this time. Buti na lang at may internet na ngayon!
...

I can actually feel my life changing. Literally.
...

I’ve got Tatit and Maita to thank for this. Tatit for letting me know such a thing is possible and to Maita sa pangungulit na ituloy ko ito.

this is the ateneo way

back in my early years of high school, i've always imagined myself studying in UP. maybe because my sister studied there. my bro studied in La Salle but it failed to leave a mark on me. but UP was UP. i wanted to be called "iskolar ng bayan." ateneo barely crossed my mind because i didn't know anyone from there nor did i have any idea about the school.

until two things happened.

one, a school recruitment talk given by rudy ang (i think). what struck me most was his talk about ateneo and arrows. the student was the line, God was the arrowhead pointing up and Ateneo was that connection between the two. my fifteen year old mind was simply blown away by the analogy. and it got me interested in the school.

two, i passed the ACET. the test was just so darn difficult that i told myself after the exam, "&#!+! if i pass this school, this is where i will study!" and i usually try to keep my promises. my parents did not try to talk me out of the ateneo, but they were encouraging (almost short of bribing) me to go to UP. my heart was set in the ateneo. if their exam was this hard, then they must take their students' education seriously. and i wanted the best kind of education for myself.

candice posts an article written by gus rodriguez about the ateneo -- an essay that appropriately describes how i feel about my beloved alma mater. ateneo over harvard or yale or cornell or princeton? yes. i would like to think so.