tinted files

i was acutely disappointed when i heard that Gloria declared last monday a holiday. i was very excited to go to school and it seemed that asking me to wait another day after a long year was just too much. but of course, there was nothing i could do about it.

i awoke to a dark and wet morning in iloilo, tuesday morning. i did my morning rituals and dressed for school. i was so relieved that i was still not required to wear my whites.

i think i was the only person in my class eager to start classes. i kept fidgeting in my seat, impatient for the doctors to come and start their lectures. i was expecting an introduction to anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and histology — all those fun and mind-boggling subjects — and i have never been more wrong. what i got for the whole day, from 8am to 5pm, were lectures on the state of health in the Philippines, the DOH structure, devolution, information on PhilHealth, among others. needless to say, my "big-bang" theory to start the school year went up in smoke. by 4pm, i could not wait to go home. i was fighting sleepiness that by the end of the day, my left hand contained "henna tattoos" from my trusty pilot g-tech. thankfully, 5pm came and i was able to escape to SM where i cooled off.

wednesday was a brighter morning. i was no longer expecting a big bang so i resigned myself to listening to lectures on patient home care, managed health care, the history of medicine, and medical jurisprudence. (naks! o diba, nadagdagan pa ang vocabulary ko… jurisprudence! wahahaa!) the day ended with an assignment for us to research on …. tantararan!… the rainbow! haha! when i got home, i immediately told my staffworker (i’m living in the ivhome iloilo kase) the weird news and we shared a few moments of crazy  laughter.

it was harder for me to wake up on thursday. i woke up later and moved slower. before leaving our house i was lamenting that i no longer wanted to go to school! talk about a turn-around. i dreaded our small group tutorial where we were supposed to share all we’ve researched regarding rainbows. haha! but by the end of the day, i was beginning to see the point of all the lectures before and i could then appreciate the value of our curriculum — the problem-based learning curriculum.

the last day of my first week of classes dawned bright and clear. i was once again excited, ready to take on the big health problem in the Philippines and, ultimately, the world!haha. we started with values clarification in small groups, an activity which resembled our small group activities in svcf. we were done by 10am and i was free until 1pm. then we came back for a Q&A session, in which i came in 30minutes late as i overslept. =) the week ended amidst thunder and rain showers.

on monday, we’ll be having our first unit exam and i can’t wait to start another long week. =)

needless to say, i am having a grand time here in iloilo. the language is coming well and i pray that the academic part will follow. kis-a mahidlaw ko sang svcf kag sa mga miga kag migo ko sa luzon pero nami man kay damo na ko lain na migo kag miga di. buot buot man gid sila di kag masadya man, pareho gid sa manila. subong, gapangita pa kog church. tani buas makakadto ko sa isa ka church nga ok daw. gapangamuyo lng ko na indi na gid ni sya ma-untat, and akon nga good experiences, although syempre kabalo ko na indi gid na siya pwede. by God’s grace, i pray that i may be able to stand firm and hold on when the stretching time comes..

It feels like my whole world has been turned upside down… or right side up, whichever way you decide to look at it.

At last, I am on the road less traveled. =) I’ll start studying again come june 13…. and it’s a road that i’ll be going along for at least 5 years pa. Magiging doktor na ako! hehe… totoo na ito. after taking a break from school for a year, ito na to. magsisimula na ako. I have been so blessed by everyone who prayed for my nmat. praise God for answered prayers! thank you so much for joining me in petitioning God for a good grade. His mercies endure forever! 

I’m very excited to start school again. but there are a few eeek! things i have to get used to… well of course there’s the uniform. haaay, after 4 years of UP,  it’s going to be very awkward for me to start wearing uniforms again. and not just any uniform…. puti pa tlaga! at A-line skirts! waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i hope i gain the fortitude to wear those things! hahaha! panalo. kung sa UP ang uniform ko ay mojos at cut-off shorts or baggy jeans plus shirt lng e ngayon sobrang overhaul na. at kelangan na ko magsuklay nito ng regular!!! waaaaah!! oh noh! haay… the price of M.D. hehehe. then there’s the exams nanaman….. magsisimula nanaman ang aking ‘puyat’ nights for school. ahay. i don’t drink coffee, so kelangan nako maghanap ng alternative to keep me awake during those times.

pero syempre may mga perks. of course, first dun ang place. i’m in Iloilo! yey! at last, andito na ako sa west vi. wala na sa manila! yey! away from all the traffic and the grime and the noise and the hustle an bustle of manila. at last! i am very much a probinsyana at heart. =) and i get to learn ilonggo… ahay… my dream language. =) at last, at last. siling nila sagad na daw ko maghambal sang ilonggo. tani no? ka-intiende nman ko, pero gamay pa japon akong nabal-an sang ilonggo. pag dasig ang maghambal di ko kasabot. hehe. pero so far i think i’m doing fine. kasadya! =) at isa pang masaya ay ang lapit lapit lang ng bacolod! grabe, its just a 1-hour boat ride from here. so diba, i can visit my KCmates on the other island in no time at all. yey! <hi tarits!> hehe. and syempre, andito ako sa school na gusto ko. west visayas state university. =) thank you Lord! at marami pang iba.

but i’m not without my fears and sad thoughts. ahay. but i won’t go into that now.

it’s a long road ahead of me yet… but i’m quite happy to be starting this journey with the Lord’s blessing and confirmation and all of the support of my friends.

if ever you’re in the vicinity, don’t forget to drop by.

blessings!