Summer has come and gone. The unbearable heat of the noontime sun is gradually giving way to the thick black clouds of the rainy season, and storms – whether we like them or not – are once again looming over the horizon. And here I am, psyching myself up for classes and bracing for the incessant deluge of monsoon (and exam) rains. But if only to look back on the happy, carefree weeks that were, who can deny that summer had been a real blast? Below are ten reasons on why I personally felt my summer had been a swell one, no regrets:
1. Holy Week
As a child, it used to be watching the grandiose candlelit processions of saints that went deep into the night on Good Friday, serving in church and doing the rounds of the Visita Iglesia with my family as I grew older, and most recently taking part in the liturgy of the Word for the second consecutive year. I was up to the challenge: Deliver the Passion as if the congregation were witnessing the actual suffering of Christ, and partake of Easter as a celebration of life itself. Beyond the petty excursions people crave about during this time of year, a simple personal reflection is sometimes all you really need.
2. BusinessOur store was severely undermanned over the summer, resulting in everyone moving and rushing double-time to get things done twice as much, and twice as fast. I wasn’t spared from all the hurly-burly, at times having to attend to different matters all at once. But I learned some new skills, not to mention the understated importance of being an efficient multitasker. And of course, there’s cultivating the work ethic that will prove invaluable in the years to come. Not at all a bad way to keep yourself productive.
3. Bank Tellers
I guess my innate charm hit the mark again. An invariable part of doing errands for my mom consisted of trips to BDO-Iznart for updates, deposits and payments. And how can you not resist meeting and befriending the colorful people who kept the place running: Tito Joel (the manager), Ma’am Ruby, Joy, Ann, Conchita, Emily, Cherry Ann and newest addition Nessie. Bills and passbooks exchanged for jokes and pleasantries, my presence readily given away whenever I wore those rubber slippers that noisily clicked as I made my way along the shiny tiled floors.
4. Weekends
Studying in Manila, I had a lot of catching up to do when it came to good old high school classmates. What better way to spend warm weekend nights than meet up for a nice dinner or a movie, followed by a leisurely nighttime stroll along some quiet downtown street, and afterwards a refreshing cup of coffee? Our pockets were limited but the stories were endless and the camaraderie incomparable.
5. Going Places and Playing Host
This included attending my first real fiesta ("Hopping on a Bus, I Reveled in a Fiesta One Weekend in April") at Ralph’s place an hour away from the city. The journey revealed a nice, budding countryside that brought back to mind the words of my Canadian cousin Edrea: “You should get to know your country first.” Fiestas are almost synonymous with good food – which didn’t leave us at all disappointed. We also had a mini Iloilo-Bacolod exchange program with our classmate Trick, and last summer was Level I: the basics. Hopefully next year, we will be able to move on to Level II: the hinterlands.
6. Voting
My sentiments were voiced out in an earlier post (“The First Ballot”) but I thought it worth mentioning again as the first ballot is such an important milestone for every law-abiding, civic-minded citizen of this country. The elections in our place were generally peaceful and clean, yet I can’t help thinking of the far-flung barrios where people voted in silent fear or submission, unable to exercise their right through a simple exertion of will. There were those who sacrificed more – their freedom and even their lives just to uphold a genuine democratic cause.
7. Algebra and Trigonometry
Well, I played mentor to my brother and got my wish, too. I had been missing Math for quite sometime, and was therefore amazed that I still got a satisfactory grip on the principles with a little recall now and then. What students usually learn in the span of one school year, we crammed into just about 3 weeks. And no doubt it was a great mental workout, being both teacher and student at the same time.
8. American Idol
When the dust finally settled, Jordin Sparks was the last performer standing. I was rooting for versatile technician Melinda Doolittle, with Jordin placing a close second on my list. It’s not everyday that you get to see a promising 17 year-old fresh from high school who endears the world with her thousand-watt smile and who can belt out songs to the sky with a voice defying the force of gravity. Ever since I got hooked on the show after watching Fil-Am sensation Jasmine Trias on it, I’m always looking forward to the next season.
9. APO Hiking Society
They were a feisty, middle-aged trio of boundless energy who gave it their all, conquered our hearts and sang like there’s no tomorrow during their packed concert in Iloilo last June 2. An incredible singing prowess peppered with wisecracking remarks and upbeat humor kept us glued to the stage and elicited rales of laughter from the audience. Champions of OPM, the APO is a true testament to Filipinos as first-class entertainers. And they continue to hike their way up the world, still, to bring the Philippine flag to even greater heights.
And the best reason…
10. 8 Hours of Sleep!
‘Nuff said.
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