As a teacher, my goal has always been to become a friend to everyone and a second parent to all my learners. I have this two learners that always a special place in my heart.
I have full permission to post their story here and here it goes.
These two boys are my students. They are couples and they live separately in a pig house they customized so that they can have a place to stay.
They are enrolled in Tuburan National High School although they live in Tabuelan which is the town next to ours. I asked them why they did not go to school in Tabuelan since Tabuelan has their own school, but they responded that opportunities are a lot more in Tuburan National High School because they are members of the dance troupe in our school which gives them the opportunity to join contests and earn money for extra school allowance.
Sometimes, they go to school without eating breakfast and having no money for lunch since their money is just intended for their transportation, so what I do is, since my partner brings me food every lunch at my classroom, I instruct him to bring more foods enough for everyone so that they can also eat.
The other boy is a single mom's son, wherein only his mother is working to support them, which is quite challenging because it is really not easy to raise children all by ourselves. The other one is a son of a mother who is a house wife and a father who is a construction worker which sometimes has a job, and sometimes not. That is why my studenys are really struggling financially plus their house is far from school which is why they struggle most in their transportation fees.
I love that they are always hardworking and that no mattet their financial status, they still have the hardwork and determination to finish school regardless of the days going to school with empty stomachs.
That is why whenever I have the opportunity to feed them, I always do. Because I do it may be a small gesture, but it already is a big thing for them.
They are also talented, they train dances, they are good in drawing and painting, the are indeed very talented and I have been bringing them in most of my errands and I just pay them cash to add up for their allowances.
Last weekend, we decided to go to their house to have a bonding, grill some foods and go take a swim on a cold spring near their house.
Our initial plan was just to drink coconut juice and add some milk with it since my students have a lot of coconut trees in their area. But this was lunch time and me and my partner decided to just buy some fish and meat for grilling and just eat an actual meal once we get there in their house.
When we arrived, they were so happy that we brought some fish and pork and it was for our lunch, because they can save up on their viand for that day.
For me, I have no problem on spending money especially when it is for food. We decided to have a "boodle fight". A "boodle fight" here in the Philippines is when you put the food on a banana leaf and it the food by your hands, no utensils needed. It is our way to save up water also since they did not have any faucet to begin with.
We grilled the fish and the pork. We also had some guso or seaweeds. It was the perfect lunch and we enjoyed having a boodle fight.
I really love to hang-out with these two students of mine because they just some of the most genuine person I know, and I am a living proof of how hardworking they are as students and they will do anything to succeed in life. Such an epitome of resilience.
KANTAKOYAN SPRING TABUELAN, CEBU, PHILIPPINES
After we had our lunch, we then went here to Kantakoyan Spring Tabuelan for a dip, this is a cold spring and it is so refreshing to swim here. It is just a walking distance from my learner's house.
To more bondings and eat outs!
Ciao!❤️
