I consider myself truly lucky, having been blessed by hard-working parents. All throughout my years at the academe, my folks were my rock-solid foundations. Compared to most of my countrymen, my life was luxurious. I was sent to the best local schools money can buy. I always had ample food and monetary allowances, things I took for granted. I had the privilege of taking part in athletic competitions, whilst juggling my academic commitments.
Simply put, I was insulated from the harsh realities of the world by my comfortable middle-class upbringing.
The end of my collegiate days was a rude awakening. All of a sudden, I was plucked out of my comfort zones. Gone were nurturing environment of the academe and the carefree existence of my student-athlete days. I can still remember how intimidated I felt during my first interview. The tall buildings of the central business district was a far cry from the sheltered, low-rise classrooms of the Alma Mater.
In time, I grew accustomed to my new-found professional life. Even though I'm still living my folks, earning a paycheck opened broadened my mindset. Life became more than passing exams, getting good grades and doing well at the UAAP. I began to seriously consider my future well-beyond the next weekend or the next sprint hurdle race.
Perhaps those harsh, rush hour MRT commutes did the trick. Never in my life have I been so close to the common, Filipino worker - the Juan dela Cruz. Whilst crushed in that human throng of sweat and bodily heat, I couldn't help but steal a glance at the the next person. In light of the cheap cost of the MRT, most of the patrons are humble blue collar workers, earning barely enough with the minimum wage.
There's a tired sense of hopelessness underneath the seemingly bright toothy grins.
Life in the Philippines is far from a picture perfect tropical paradise. I am lucky enough to even have thoughts of a "quarter-life crisis" or a "vision quest." Some people don't just have the luxury of idle thought, of angst-ridden retorts at the so-called "real-world."
As I move on in life, it's best to stay rooted in humility, to stay thankful to my hardworking folks.
Simply put, I was insulated from the harsh realities of the world by my comfortable middle-class upbringing.
The end of my collegiate days was a rude awakening. All of a sudden, I was plucked out of my comfort zones. Gone were nurturing environment of the academe and the carefree existence of my student-athlete days. I can still remember how intimidated I felt during my first interview. The tall buildings of the central business district was a far cry from the sheltered, low-rise classrooms of the Alma Mater.
In time, I grew accustomed to my new-found professional life. Even though I'm still living my folks, earning a paycheck opened broadened my mindset. Life became more than passing exams, getting good grades and doing well at the UAAP. I began to seriously consider my future well-beyond the next weekend or the next sprint hurdle race.
Perhaps those harsh, rush hour MRT commutes did the trick. Never in my life have I been so close to the common, Filipino worker - the Juan dela Cruz. Whilst crushed in that human throng of sweat and bodily heat, I couldn't help but steal a glance at the the next person. In light of the cheap cost of the MRT, most of the patrons are humble blue collar workers, earning barely enough with the minimum wage.
There's a tired sense of hopelessness underneath the seemingly bright toothy grins.
Life in the Philippines is far from a picture perfect tropical paradise. I am lucky enough to even have thoughts of a "quarter-life crisis" or a "vision quest." Some people don't just have the luxury of idle thought, of angst-ridden retorts at the so-called "real-world."
As I move on in life, it's best to stay rooted in humility, to stay thankful to my hardworking folks.
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