I was late for about an hour. (same as last year hehehe). Anyway, I saw Lorna and Apple chatting while patiently waiting for others to come. All the while, with our calculation, there should be at least 6 or 7 of us however, others decline the last minute maybe due to the weather or some personal reasons. JP came latter despite the flood building in front of his boarding house.
We had late lunch. Or early dinner. Or whatever you call a meal eaten between 3:40 in the afternoon that lasted until 10 in the evening.
We chatted greeting each other and asking how our other colleagues has been after a long time. We had news for others, unfortunately none for some.
One of our saddest topic was the status of education we witnessed. JP, one our our schoolmate who didn't graduate along with us shared his funny experience with his drafting class in his high school. Apple on the other hand shared a story about what she witnessed while she was taking classes here in Manila.
We laugh while we remember our Home Economics teachers and our projects in Elementary. We were trained how to sew and cook, while the guys were taught how to do basic carpentry and electricity.
In high school, our classes has technical courses such as computer classes automotive, electricity, carpentry, sewing, knitting, cooking and the like. Though you're not going to have all the courses but you've got to choose one that you like.
Out of Philex Mining Corporation is a real "culture shock". There are sights that we never witnessed and experiences that we had never imagined.
In our school, our gates are close at 7:30 in the morning with the start of Pambansang Awit and recitation of Panatang Makabayan and classes end until 4 or 5 in the afternoon. Not only that, how can one forget the times you would need to sing the National Anthem 3 or 4 times on the school grounds while the sun is up when our Assistant Principal is not contented.
Elementary classes here in Manila lasted only for 3 hours :( . I can't imagine how 9 subjects in one day would be incorporated in 3 hours. Kids here does not even know how to sing the simple national anthem and how to recite the pledge. But they can recite teach me how to doughie without any ado. Ironic but true.
Whew. I'm still glad I was a part of Philex Mining Elementary School and Saint Louis High Philex. where classrooms are below basketball courts but we enjoyed the air of mother nature.
