June 19, 2009 - FridayIt was Jose Rizal's birthday and the whole event initiated a sort of revolutionary fervor within me. As you all know, I am still quite annoyed (or enraged, rather) over the whole thing, so I decided to be more assertive and gave my BEST FRIEND a piece of my mind during a meeting last Friday. How did I do it? Here are the following scenarios:
1. They initiated a proposition: teachers should be absent from their MA classes so that they could attend the Parents' orientation yesterday. I was quite annoyed with this proposition of theirs because I know for one that I do not have anything to do with the orientation. I would attend if I didn't have other priorities to handle, but it was my first day of MA classes in UST yesterday. During my first year of teaching, I actually dared to be absent in PNU when I was taking up my education courses just to be present in the orientation. I didn't know that all I had to do was to actually stand there to be recognized and that's just it. It caused me to almost fail one of my subjects and the possibility of having a failing grade in my transcript of records. It caused me a low grade. The next time that the orientation took place, I didn't dare to be absent anymore.
Because of that premise, I bravely raised my hand and told them, "I cannot be absent for my MA class because I paid for it." Surprisingly though, every teacher inside the classroom was quiet when I said that. It's either they are expecting a verbal argument gone wrong, or they were just surprised that I actually said that. Well, it's true, anyway. I worked hard just to save money so I could go to UST and study for a masters degree, and I would not be absent in it at any cost.
2. Their proposition: students whose parents or relatives have gone abroad should be self-quarantined for about 10 days. This is a must DAW. My argument: the principal's daughter went to China for a theater performance of sorts and she only quarantined herself after a day. When she came home, she still roamed around the halls and played with some kids. Another argument is the fact that after a day, she was the only one who was quarantined. Her mother and her father as well as their helpers were still mingling with everyone else.
The response to my question "Did you quarantine yourselves?" was a mere nervous quip coupled with a nervous twitch.
I didn't make the argument go on because I was too hungry to do so. I could not argue with an empty stomach.
June 20, 2009 - SaturdayA. MA classes in USTIt was my first time to attend classes in UST, and I had to admit - I was really excited. UST is the third university that I've been in, and being in a new environment excites me so.
I decided that if I'm going to stay in school up to 5pm with no breaks or whatsover, I should at least go through the classes with a full stomach. I went to the nearest canteen in the España entrance and ate an early lunch. The fee that I have to pay was a surprise for me. A simple tocilog and a bottle of Pepsi caused me a whopping 90 pesos. I didn't know that it would cause me that much, so I decided that I am just going to eat in Jollibee which is in the Dapitan exit.
Next, I proceeded to the Graduate studies building to check the rooms where my classes are supposed to be held. My cognate English class, Teaching Reading and Writing, is on Room 214, and my class on Contemporary Literary Theories with Dimalanta was on CW. I didn't know where the heck CW is supposed to be, and I decided to be problematic about it after the first class.
I quickly found the room and I went in. The fourth year students texted me and told me that they were there to get some forms. I was supposed to go and meet them if not for my professor who just came in when my students texted me.
It turned out that the other people in the class already knew each other and only three other people, including me, were the only newbies in the class. At first, I felt like an outcast because they were talking about the subjects that they've enrolled in and other stuff that I couldn't relate to. However, I found out that they were really friendly and helpful, so everything went on fine. The professor was really good too, and I was quite intimidated with the class because the professor discussed some things that I could not relate to. I was clueless for about an hour or an hour and a half, and the lessons were eventually understood later during the day (later during the day pa talaga. haha.)
The next problem: where the hell is CW. For all I know, CW probably stands for Creative Writing, but I didn't know where the heck it's supposed to be. After asking about five guards about the location of the room, I finally found it 15 minutes late. It turns out that it was still in the other side of the campus and I actually had to run next Saturday just not to be late because my professor for the first subject made sure that classes end at exactly 2pm.
It was my first time to actually see Prof. Dimalanta. I wasn't able to take any picture of her because I was too shy to do so, practically because I was late. :D Anyway, all of my classmates except for five people including me, were Creative Writing majors. This fact intimidates me so. I do hope I get to pass the two subjects I'm enrolled in.
We were dismissed very early which was beneficial for me because I don't have to go alone in Oressa's birthday party. I didn't want to go alone because I really suck at directions.
B. Oressa's birthday partyLast Wednesday (?) Oressa Prodigalidad, one of the students in my first advisory class, personally went to school to hand Sir Emboy and I invitations for her birthday party. I was surprised to know that I was one of those people who are supposed to give her one of the 18 treasures part. I had thought of giving her our very first class picture:
This was three years ago. :DAnyway, I arrived at Island Cove 10 minutes before 6pm and I waited for Sir Emboy who arrived a few minutes later. We had difficulty in finding the venue and went on another direction. It turned out that it was just near the entrance. Lol. :D
The venue. It was really a surprise for us to know that we were the first guests to arrive in the venue. Only the emcees and the waiters were there when we arrived yesterday, and we had to wait in the balcony outside the venue for more than an hour because we were too embarrassed to go inside. We might appear too eager to eat, or whatever. We just stayed out until some former fourth year students finally arrive.
When we were already inside, we still had to wait for some guests. It was already 7:30 when we came in, and only a few guests have arrived. The whole party was only limited to only a few guests, all of which perhaps are very close friends of Oressa, which made the party even more personal. The whole thing made me feel warm and fuzzy.
The birthday girl and her father. :)I also concluded that I could get really hyper when I am hungry. I keep on picking on people. I even picked on the waiter and asked him to give me a piece of bread or two. I picked on my former student and introduced him to a waiter (whom he reportedly knows daw). I even accidentally spilled the water on the table, leaving my hands wet and cold. I'm an undeniable klutz whenever I'm hungry. Would you believe it - even though I was famished, I was still happy? My happy hormones, or whatever you call them, probably kicked in again.
The former student I picked on. Lol.
I actually prepared a message to say for the 18th treasures and it was supposed to be read by Sir Emboy if ever I was late (but as you can see, I wasn't). I wished I read it because I talked gibberish yesterday and I could barely remember what I said except for
x0x0 (which was pretty stupid, haha). Lol. After we had eaten, I was still unnaturally hyper, probably because of the lemon tarts that I really liked. I took four whole lemon tarts and a brownie on a platter and ate them all (well, except for the brownie, which I let Sir Emboy take. He probably didn't eat the tart he knew I liked it that much).
After a several picture taking periods, we went home at about 11pm. Thank goodness that a Saint Anthony bus came along because it would be easier for met to get home.
So there. Will write again soon. :)
Oh yeah. Happy Fathers' Day. :D