My Road in Writing

Whenever I write I don't know how to begin but then I just start. At first, it seems like I am now decided on what I will write about but then I will most likely end up somewhere else, something different from what I originally planned. It feels like my mind is a drop of water traveling in a road, I passed in a bridge and fell in a raging river. It feels like I know where I'm going but the river will lead me to somewhere else. However, I can say that I still enjoy the ride and always thankful that I end up on something better than what I expected when I started my trip. Most of the time, the ending just felt right more than the beginning.

My country and me

            During my first semester in graduate school at UP Los Banos, I applied for a part time job as an Administrative Assistant/Tutor in a tutorial center. It’s a small tutorial center that teaches English as second language to their Filipino, Chinese and Korean students. There is no age limit and similar to other centers they give an evaluation test before anything else. After the exam, they will tell the parents, guardian or the student himself the result of the exam, explaining where should they start the lesson and why.  Basically, there are three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advance. I realized that even though you are an adult, your communication skills may still be in the beginner level and it’s not something to be ashamed of as long as you are determined to learn and improve yourself. I encounter different kinds of students. In terms of age, they range from 5-60 years old.  

One of the students I encountered was a Korean man with a doctorate degree in Animal Science and is currently doing a research paper in Los Banos. He is a professor in a university in Busan, South Korea. He said that he would like to maximize his stay here in the Philippines and widen his English vocabulary. He is a good and disciplined man but short-tempered. The Head Tutor was the one assigned to teach him. I was told to record their conversation and create test and activities suited for him. He is also very meticulous and patriotic. Every time he got a chance, he will tell stories about how proud he is of his country. At first, I am very glad listening to his stories but I can’t help to be sad every time he compares his country to ours. I can’t help but to agree in his observations because they are all true. He said that South Korea is a very small country with few resources but each citizen gave their best to be the country they are right now.

            It was one of those few moments that I reflect on my patriotism. Why am I proud to be a Filipino but I’m not proud of my country? Why am I still thinking to work overseas? Why don’t I have the same level of love that he have to his country? Why is it that I have a higher perception in terms of product, tourism, and even the people in other country than in my own?

            I justified the reasons I found within me. I told myself all the faults I observed in our country.  I read our history again.  I checked the things that will make me proud. I researched all the good qualities we have and the wonderful places we were blessed.  I came with a conclusion that my country is just like myself. I only have one me that I should cherish. I should love my country as I love myself. As I work in achieving my full potential so does my country.