Monday, May 30, 2011

WE DARED TO DREAM

Almost 25 years ago, We, the Batch 1987 graduates of Bautista Central School (BCS), dared to dream. Against a number of odds, most of us have achieved those dreams.

With no library, no books, no laboratory, no clean and working restrooms, this small public school in a fifth-class municipality in Pangasinan has produced graduates that it can truly be proud of. Armed only with dedicated, hardworking but underpaid teachers, it is now the alma mater of individuals who excel in their chosen fields, both here and abroad.

I am not boasting when I say that Batch '87 is probably one of the most successful batches BCS has ever produced. We have doctors, a lawyer, nurses, dentists, engineers, teachers, businessmen, health workers, accountants. We produced PMAers who are now high-ranking officers of the AFP. One of us went on to be a part of the team that created the world famous FarmVille, a game played in Facebook. We even have a nurse who works for a prince, yes, a real prince. Now, if only  we have an artista! :)

In reaching our dreams, we traveled different roads. Some of us decided to stay in Bautista and help its people by working for the local government. Some put up businesses there, businesses that provide employment opportunities. Others decided to practice their profession in this small town and help alleviate the lives of its residents. Some of us went to the other parts of the world, sending their precious dollars and pounds back home.

But wherever we may be, BCS will always be a part of our lives.

Come 2012, Batch '87 will be celebrating its 25th anniversary. More than an opportunity to be together and reminisce our elementary years, the 2012 homecoming will give us a chance to give something back to BCS and its pupils. We had no books and no educational materials then. Sadly, except for a handful of old and dilapidated books, the present pupils of BCS are in no better position.

No, the present pupils of BCS are in no better position. But WE ARE.

Come 2012, I hope that BCS will have a library full of books. I hope that its pupils will be able to watch educational shows on tv. I hope that the teachers' tasks will be made easier with the help of audio-visual materials. And I hope that the children will keep on dreaming. Just like we did.

Almost 25 years ago, we dared to dream. Now, it is time to help others live their dream.



(I'll be writing a series of notes regarding the 2012 homecoming and the proposed project. Right now, there are no definite plans yet. No working committee has been created. The idea of donating books and educational materials (tvs, dvd players and audio-visual dvds) is something that I want to push. I've discussed this with some of my friends (BCS Batch '87 graduates also) but this has not been formally proposed to the members of Batch '87.)
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Friday, May 06, 2011

THIS MOM NEVER LOOKED BETTER

Babymama, an online store and community of breastfeeding moms, got me thinking. If I were to compare my pre- and post-motherhood self, where do I look better?

This question is a no-brainer for me. I have always believed that I am like wine. I get better with age. (Ok, I actually laughed out loud after typing that.)

My problem is I have to present proof, a picture of myself before I became a mom. I had a hard time looking for pre-motherhood pictures because most of them are gone. Gone with the flood. Except for my wedding pictures, the ones that are left are those hanging on my parents' wall.

But then I thought, if I were to do a comparison, I might as well bring out the big guns. It would not be fair if I were to post my fairly recent picture side by side one where I was sporting some funny-looking clothes and outlandish hairstyle. Instead, I should use a picture taken at a time when I was my most beautiful self--the day I became a bride.

And this is what I came up with.

(My editing was bad. Had to crop the "before" pic for better comparison.)


Admittedly, I am a few pounds heavier. I now have grey hair. Taut and flawless skin is a thing of the past. But what are these compared to what I have gained. My days and nights are filled with children's laughter (of course, there are the occasional cries.) I open my bag and I get to see incomparable art works saying that I am the best mom in the whole wide world. I go home and I receive lots and lots of hugs and kisses.

So when my 7-year old daughter told me that I may be a little fat but I am still beautiful, I believed her. I believed her with all my heart.

And this is why I say that nine years and three kids later, this mom never looked better.



* This is an entry to Babymama Mother Day's Raffle. Babymama is an online store where I purchased my Unimom Forte double electric breastpump, the pump that made exclusive breastfeeding (no cow's milk) possible for this not-at-home-from-6 am-to-8 pm working mom of a 7 1/2-month old baby boy.
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