I was toying with this topic since it’s the beginning of another school year here. Our kids are all geared up for the first day of school. I was trying to remember the days when I was in grade school. It’s way too different now than during my time. And something caught my eyes on the FB feed: Go figure. LOL
A few days ago a former neighbor of ours when I was young posted a picture on her profile. It intrigued me because it was an old photo. When I looked at it closely I saw that half of the people on the pictures were my classmates, some were my cousins. The other half I remembered them as the brother of my classmate and others just a plain neighbor of ours. It was really good to reminisce the past. If I remember correctly there’s just like 50 of us students graduated from our grade school in our small town. A few of us went to GenSan to continue on for high school, most of my classmates stayed in the public high school near our town in Sarangani Province. To be honest I really wanted to stay there too because all my BFF studied there. But my parents had some other school in mind. Since my other siblings already studied in Notre Dame in Lagao for Girls in GenSan, I was sent there too. At first I really resented it co’z I don’t know anyone in that new school. But I made friends quickly and not regretted being sent there. Thank God. 🙂
A few of my classmates in grade school were my cousins. Really, since it was a small town, I’ve known the family of almost all my classmates. One of my classmate, he is a successful teacher and became principal in that school we graduated from. Later he became head (supervisor to a few school) near our town in Sarangani Province. He was the one asked me to be a guest speaker during one of the grade school graduation. He asked me to encourage the students since I just arrived from America at that time. I did talk to the students and encouraged them to work hard and to let them know that even being a product of the small town school if a person strives hard, they can become somebody someday. He just wanted me to encourage his students that working hard really pays off. As you know a lot of the students in the small town, they get married at the young age.
Most of my classmates I heard became OFW (overseas Filipino worker). Some in the Middle East, Hong Kong, Singapore and many other places. Some are in Manila right now too. It was really shocking to hear from them sometimes. I enjoyed connecting with them. Some of them they’re shocked that I am corresponding with them. They’re thinking I won’t talk to them. My God there’s no reason for me not to communicate with them. No need to be an airhead. I guess they’ve seen enough ladies who are married to foreigners and the ladies they think they are better than anybody. That’s far from who I am anyway.
I think a few of them were also pastors. A lot of them became teachers. I’m really proud of them for that. I know for sure that, that’s not my calling. I’m not really a good teacher. LOL. Some of my classmates after our grade school graduation didn’t go to school because the parents just couldn’t afford for them to continue on to high school. So because of that they got married early. So the cycle begins again, they had baby at the young age and the baby had baby. It goes on and on. But we can’t change the world. We just had to try I guess.
To my classmates: Thank you for the friendship and so nice seeing you on the web.
Have a great day everyone!
Mrs Feyma,
One of my best friends in the US is one that I have known since Elementary School. Unfortunately he is the only one I keep in touch with from my school days.
Papaduck,
I guess I can relate to you about not keeping in touch with our respective classmates. I’m not sure about you, but it does leave kind of a void in ones life. Truly one of my regrets.
Bill
Hey Bill – It’s not too late to reconnect with your high school classmates. There’s a website called, Classmates.com. It lists all the high schools in the U.S.
It brings back a lot of memories, both the good (if you see a picture of your old sweetheart) and the bad (if you see a picture of the guy who took your sweetheart away from you). Remember the song, “Hats off to Larry?” LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXpJVmxHXc8
Hi PapaDuck – It’s more common here in the Philippines to be friends with grade school classmates until as if forever. LOL. Most were neighbors somehow anyway.
But lucky you, you’re at least in touch with one. Good for you. Maybe with facebook you can find some of them there. Only thing can you remember them. Ha ha ha… LOL. Kidding….
Always good to see you here PapaDuck. Take care!
Feyma,
I enjoyed your article! My son Graduates High School this Friday. Like all parents we like to give our kids advice and hope they listen. One of the things I told my son was to keep in contact with his friends because it’s a part of his roots or will be when he’s older.
I did not keep in touch with mine and I feel a great loss. A void in my life. It’s wonderful you were able to be a speaker and inspire the youth. You’re reaching out to your past classmates is awesome! My son has 400 kids in his class.
Friday night is going to be a very long, but special night! haha
Your post reminded me of my memories.
Thank you!
Bill
Hi Bill – Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed reading my post. Good advice to your son.
It really its good to just remember the past with your classmates… Nice to reminisced the good old days. Ha ha ha…
Wow, with 400 kids graduating, it will take a long time for the graduation to be over. We did that with our kids during their graduation in Ateneo with over 500 kids. But it’s worth it though. Have fun on Friday night. Congratulation to you and your son.
Glad I reminded you of your youth… LOL
Nice to see you here again. Have a great day!
Thanks Feyma!
Looking forward to Friday night. Yeah, and thanks for reminding me I was young once. hahaha
Bill
🙂
Hi Feyma – Good article. A Filipino friend said to me one day “Brenton, I’m embarrassed by a lot of Filipina’s here that get married to a foriegner, then start thinking they’re better than others”. I don’t know if a lot of Filipinos think the same as my friend. I have observed Filipinos like humility as a trait, so many seem to admire people that stay humble. Also a local pastor in a near by town said one day “Brenton, many of the foriegners here marry girls and they think these girls are so awesome and beautiful, but many of these girls parents are embarrassed to take them to the public markets” Lol.
Thank you Brenton. I’ve seen some of those kind of women. Yes, I’ve heard similar sentiments with your friend. I don’t like it but that’s the reality. Thank goodness I did the opposite of the attitude of those women. Heard it here too with what the pastor said about the parents feelings. I’m just hoping with the internet the girls will read something about good behavior towards others, that they’re no better than anyone. Cross my fingers.
Take care and have a good one!
I enjoyed your article and I could relate to it. I thought all my old classmates, and even cousins, were out of my life forever. that is the way it was until I joined facebook. To my surprise I am now in contact with many of these almost forgotten people.
Hi William – I’m so glad you enjoyed my article. Thank God for internet and facebook. The forgotten people before are now back in your life. LOL. Yep so happy hooking up with so many old friends now.
Thank you so much for stopping by here!
Nicely done Feyma. This article serves as a reminder to us long married guys and those now contemplating moving to the Philippines and beginning a new life just how important “extended” relationships are to the Filipina. It came as a shock to me years ago when still living in the states that my Asawa said we would have a house guest. The cousin of a “batch mate”. Heck I haven’t seen any of my classmates in 30 years lol. In fact just last night we went to the wake of the brother of one of my wife’s batch mate who live in Australia. To an American it seemed more like a class reunion then a somber occasion. Eight grown women sitting in a circle near a coffin giggling and laughing to beat the band.
Good helpful article.
Hi Scott – Thank you. Yep, just an eye opener to some foreigners. 🙂 In our culture we do enjoyed staying in contact with our old classmates, old friends and distance relatives.
*** It came as a shock to me years ago when still living in the states that my Asawa said we would have a house guest. The cousin of a “batch mate”. *** — Yep the popping of house guest is just the norm here. And Filipinos welcome the guest with open arms. 🙂 I know it’s not in your culture.
*** Heck I haven’t seen any of my classmates in 30 years lol.*** — I’ve heard that from somebody that so close to me. He also didn’t see his classmates after his graduation. School class reunion is so common here.
In fact just last night we went to the wake of the brother of one of my wife’s batch mate who live in Australia. To an American it seemed more like a class reunion then a somber occasion. Eight grown women sitting in a circle near a coffin giggling and laughing to beat the band. *** — The giggling i’m sure they’re just remembering the great old days.
Happy to see you here. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Have a wonderful day!
To the Ladies –
How do you feel when you meet your old flame from high school face to face for the first time in 40 years? Indifference? Come on, be honest. 🙂 I think that even if you are happily married now to someone else and very much in love with your present spouse, when you meet your old flame at a class reunion, you will be reminded that somewhere deep down in your heart, there still exists a tiny flicker of flame that refuses to go out despite the years. The inescapable fact is that the image of your first-ever sweetheart in high school, that young and good-looking guy from the adjoining barrio who carried your heavy textbooks and walked you to school everyday is an image that is forever seared in the deepest recesses of your mind. I think the only possible way to extinguish this traitorous flickering flame once and for all is to go out and meet your old flame face to face and hope that he is now bald, toothless, and very ugly. LOL
Hi John – Ha ha ha.. No flings and such during grade school. Oh my gosh graduated grade school barely teens…. During high school luckily I studied in an exclusive all girls school. So I am spared with your query. LOL… Boys were off limits in our campus. But some did had some flings with the boys which got the girls in trouble though. I tried to stay away, I don’t want to be called up in the principal’s office. I’m a good girl you know. :-)… Ha ha ha…
Maybe reader here will answer for you. Hmmm, something for me to ask somewhere.
Let me ask you then: Did it happened to you? Did you saw your first crush/love “old flame” for the first time after 30 years or so?
That was really a good question John. Something for our readers to think back and relieved. Thank you for the comment.
Have a Pleasant day!
Hi Feyma – I was hoping you wouldn’t ask if it happened to me, because it DID happen to me, sort of. But, she wasn’t just a high school crush or flame, Feyma. We nearly married in Germany during the three years I was in the U.S. Army there. She was a green-eyed fraulein from Berchtesgaden. I used to visit her every other weekend from my duty station in Aschaffenburg, immediately following Saturday morning inspections. It was a long 11-hour train ride from Aschaffenburg to Berchtesgaden. She would pick me up from the train station at around midnight Saturday, and we’d go home to her parents house. Since I had to be back at my barracks for bed check Sunday night, or face Article 15, I had to leave Berchtesgaden by noon Sunday. Total number of hours we were together during each of those visits: 12. It was called love.
Fast forward some 30 years after we went separate ways, I received a forwarded Christmas card from her. She now lives in Hampton, VA, with her husband. We talked on the phone as friends just once following that Christmas card, but we never discussed about meeting in person. There was no point.
good posting girl but it is not a good think to look back on time ok for then u find out just how old u are..IF i was to look back 40 years and think off my friends at school then sadly i have not seen them for a lot off years or i have for got them as a little boy going to school i was hit by a car and was all most killed and sady it did take a lot to get back on my feet after that and i lost a lot off time out off school so i forgot a lot off good friends ok .So for me i am better allways thinking off tomow and not yesterday as i have for got what i did yesterday a nd may be this will tall some off u why my writing is like it is ok lol god bless peter martin tassie…
Hi Peterjoy – Thank you so much. Ha ha ha.. Don’t worry about the age, it’s just numbers. LOL. Good thing the older we got the wiser we’ve become. Don’t you think so?
Sorry to hear about your mishap there when you’re a kid. I guess just be thankful that you’re alive still. You might be seeing your friends on facebook too. Just try looking for them there. Good luck to you.
Always good to see you here mate. Have a good one!