Occupation: Decreased. Religion: El Shaddai

Okay I've been interviewing applicants for promo girls since Monday, and the experience made me laugh and got me into deep thought as well. You see, these girls from employment agencies have things in common: they're under grads, most only finished high school, all of them came from distant provinces, ALL of them studied in public schools and ALL of them can't speak English.

It's not a funny thing at all, even if I've smirked at the wrong pronounciation and the P&F syndrome of many, I can't help but realize how horrible education really is in this country. I saw this documentary one night and it concluded that the quality of educatio given to those in public schools is useless. And I mean it. Kids who have graduated from grade school can't barely add, and read properly. Most of them can't even pass the entrance test to high school. Who's to blame? I have no idea. Is it their lack of nutrition? Lack of resources? Lack of good teachers? Does poverty come with being dumb? I don't think so. Given the right education, these kids can actually excel. What happend to kids from provinces who studies in the metro? Most of them are actually those hard-working scholars who leave rich kids green with envy during graduation. It's just so unfair to be impoverished, and illiterate at the same time. The girls I've interviewed are older than I am, but when they talk, most still have downcast eyes and arched backs that show complete lack of confidence, no matter how I try to make the conversation light and happy. While I listen to them read, thoughts bombard my head and I realized how much i should be grateful because my parents valued education more than any other luxury money can buy. They really strived to get me into good schools even if we weren't really well-off. I should be grateful my mom did her best to pay for an Ateneo education that I will truly be grateful for as long as I live. She made a good investment. That's why I'm always thinking about ways to repay her, be it in any form. On the other hand, I know most well-off families want their kids in prestigious schools, yet their children just won't work hard. It really works both ways. The rich may have money, but if they have brats who prefer to be dumbos, then there's no point.

Now that I'm done with school, I'm beginning to realize how important all those hardships, stress,and more stress, sleepless nights, and tiresome weekends were. They were all worth every tear, sweat, zit, sickness, heartaches, headaches, ulcers, colds, eyebags, and low blood. (Well, at least I'm still alive and kicking.)

I'm just glad I've survived them all. I'm glad I made the most out of each day in school.

I'm very grateful to be blessed with a great education. I just hope I can share it with those who need it most.

More is expected to whom much is given.