My Pigpen House

To My Renovated Pig Pen House
Amidst the exodus of many Filipino professionals to work abroad seeking for a greener pasture for their families, I was left for the benefits of my countrymen. I am a public school teacher for three years and it gives me the idealism to continue serving my country. Every time I look at the big smiles of my students when they are happy for the knowledge they acquired from me, I feel bless for the satisfaction that my profession gives. My students came from a variety of social classes from those that have and from those who don’t have.
Every morning I committed myself for this duty of serving our people with pride, dignity and honesty. We condole each other when we share our heartaches, we grieve for the lapses we did but stay inspired to continue, for we have learned our lessons. We laugh for the joy this life offers for us even in times of desperations and financial instability. I promised to myself to never leave my classroom without seeing their eyes cheer in gladness. And at the end of my class, I always give them some words of encouragement from famous people to let them feel that they can do what others did. Teaching helped me to continue the idealism almost vanish in the hearts of some and it always a humble experience when I saw my students walk at the stage wearing academic vestments which in fact, the realization of their dreams happen.
Maybe the inspiration that prompted me to continue helping others came from my childhood. My family and I leave for 16 years in a house never or should I say will never be ours. At first we are staying in a house at a wood factory for 7 years, my mother was a laborer sometimes she is a dishwasher, laundry girl and a house cleaner while my father is a carpenter. I do every child that has love for their parents did, at my young age I am aware of the life we have and the painful truth that I will never go for college. But my mother insisted that I should study with a promise that she and my father will work desperately for my education. After we stayed in that house we move in the same place because of some renovations the owner did with the factory in a simple yet humble box-like room, we sleep, we eat and entertain friends in the same place. We lived there for five years.
When the time I graduated from high school the queries begin to arise whether or not I can continue my study. Until one of my family friends called and with her sincere generosity she promised to help me with my schooling. She believed in my capacity that I can finish my education and become a teacher. But my college years never became smooth, there were times which I came to school holding only my transportation fare and the faith that I can finish. There are nights when I hear my parents discussed the financial problems which will always surprised us every morning. But nevertheless I still hold the fire of my desire to continue fulfilling my family’s dream for me.
My graduation came and it’s a day of total ecstasy. I cried a lot during the baccalaureate mass/hooding ceremony because when my mother put my hood on me she just say, “Who can say that you cannot finish schooling?” And in a program where I received medals of recognition accompanied by her, the guests who handed the medals were surprised when I refuse to wear the medals and gently put the medals on my mother and I said, “She is the true honoree at this moment.”
And again for the third time we were moved from a box-like house to a renovated pig pen home because of some changes the owner did again with the factory. It is simply a pig pen dress to become a home. From this humble house we shared our love and care most with each other. A simple yet magnificent home for us.
My days becomes brighter and brighter because of the inspirations my students and my life give. I crossed the obstructions of failure because of the people who believed in my capacities, helped us in our needs and sheltered us in the core of their hearts. I always believed that it is my duty to reciprocate the kindness someone did for us to the people who truly need it the most, in whom I see myself once, studying and drawing my future in thoughts – my students! I want to accompany them to the deepest corner of their dreams, to the profound section of their being!