.a memorable experience.
At 11:21 PM on
Monday, April 23, 2007
i just came from my one week CWTS practicum (community service).
i spent one week in Gawad Kalinga, Arkong Bato, Pasig City.
i've made a lot of memories in the said place.
at first, i hated everything about the practicum.
i hated that we had to do the practicum at the middle of our vacation.
i hated that it was so hot in that place.
i hated that i can't use my phone whenever i want to.
i hated that i can't watch the dramas and movies i want to watch.
i hated that i have to wake up so early just for it.
i hated the way the advisers asks us to mingle with different families and asks us to ask about their personal problems.
i hated that whenever i go home, i feel so dirty.
i hated that i get exhausted just for attending one day of practicum.
i hated that there were a lot of long boring talks.
i hated it so much...
the moment i stepped onto that place, i wished for the practicum to end right away.
now, i still hate it... but for a different reason.
through the practicum, i met this one boy named Vergel Punay.
he's 7 years old.
he's very naughty.
he's the type of child that would not stay still.
i always see him picking fights with other kids.
we call him "benjie".
through the practicum, i got close with him.
it was like i had an adopted child. haha!
he asked me for small amount of money to buy ice candy.
he asked me for my old watch, which is broken.
he asked me for paper so that he can draw.
he asked me to make a bracelet for him.
he asked me for my name a lot of times.
he asked me for my hand gel (sanitizer).
he asked me the names of the people around us.
he asked me where certain people are.
he asked me a lot of things.
through the practicum, i've grown attached to the kid.
yesterday, April 23, was the
i knew that it would be the last day for me to see the boy.
and so i gave him something to remember me by.
i gave him a watch and a pair of clothes (shirt and shorts).
i gave it early in the morning.
upon receiving it, he didn't thank me right away.
instead, he ran for his house and changed into it.
i was really happy to see him wearing the things i've bought for him.
even though he didn't thank me, i knew at that moment that he appreciated what i bought for him.
he still can't tell time.
but he kept on looking at his watch, asking me what the watch says.
there was this one time when he told me, "ang bilis naman ng oras, 3:18 na, kanina 3:14 pa lang ah..."
he was right.
time was passing us by quickly.
at the back of my mind, i wish for this boy to remember me from time to time.
i knew that the moment i leave arkong bato, it would be hard for me to go back.
and so i took a lot of pictures.
he borrowed my phone and also took a lot of pictures by himself.
i was really happy as we captured a lot of moments with rigel's cam and my phone.
and so the time for us to leave came.
we explained to him that it was already our last day of visiting arkong bato.
we said our goodbyes but he didn't believe us.
i don't know if he was just trying to cure his own sadness but he kept on telling us that we would come back the next day.
i do want to come back.
for i would surely miss this boy.
it's
i just think it would be hard for us to come back.
i didn't shed any teardrop.
but when i looked at him, tears were already flooding his eyes.
he said he wasn't going to cry and i think he managed.
as i said my final goodbye, i told him to take care of himself, to be good always, to study hard, to remember us...
he waved goodbye to me.
i waved back and gave him my 'last' look.
after taking a few steps, i made another glance.
but i didn't see him anymore.
i just saw his back.
he was already walking away, towards his home.
that was the 'last' of him that i saw.
i really wish that he would remember me even if years pass by.
he told me that when he grows up, he would probably forget who i am.
how i wish for him not to.
how i wish to go back again to that place and visit him.
i still hate the practicum...
but only because i will miss him.
i know i do right now.
i miss benjie.
and i guess i won't forget him.
Love,Anna Luisa
Luisa
