The letter, not my own.

Dear Friends,

In 2000, I was one of those hopefuls who rode the bus, left the province and went to Manila to get my college degree. I was to enroll at UP Diliman but something told me (my brother and 2 aunts who were accompanying me) to go visit Ateneo and see what it's like before proceeding with my enrollment. And so we went, and a few minutes later I knew that it is at the Ateneo where I wanted to study. I don't know why I wanted to go there and to be honest, I've only heard about the school a few months back when a couple of my classmates were accomplishing their application forms.

I reserved my slot, went home and informed Mommy about the change of plans. She was surprised and asked where we would get the money to support my education. I answered her jokingly that it is their job to worry about it and not mine because they are the parents. I was 16 then and didn't know the consequences of that 'sudden' change of mind.

We were not 'poor' but a year later, I began to understand how it was 'not easy' to support an Ateneo education together with all the expenses incurred by living away from home, etc. Mommy slightly hinted that maybe I should transfer to UP. It is around this time that I applied for a scholarship. I would spend time at the Loyola Schools Chapel every chance I get praying that my application would get approved. I still don't know why but I know I wanted to stay.

I think it was sometime during the summer of 2001 that I got the news that I was granted a 50% scholarship. And in the succeeding years, it was increased to 75% up to 100% in my senior year. My benefactor was the Ateneo Alumni Scholars Association (AASA). My scholarship materialized from the contributions of people who are giving back by paying it forward to the next set of students who just like them needed the financial aid years ago.

I do not know the names of the people who contributed to my own scholarship and I'm sure they were not really thinking of me when they gave their donations. And it is for this reason that I am more compelled to be as generous to others regardless of who they are, just as how these people were to me. And this generosity goes beyond the financial aspect — it could also be in the form of giving time and effort to help others.

In my philosophy of religion classes, I've learned about the cycle of Chance-Choice-Grace. And I would like to believe that it was by chance that I visited the Ateneo just in time to be able to reserve a slot. It was by choice that I wanted to stay there. And it is by the grace of God that he brought these generous people to help me and others who had the same situation.

I was not an 'Iskolar ng Bayan' because my education was not paid for by the taxes of the public. But I am more than glad to know that I was an 'Iskolar ng Mabubuting-Loob' whose money were not automatically deducted from their payroll accounts but still generously donated so that someone maybe able to finish his/her studies.

I am forever thankful. And I am trying to live it right to make this great act of kindness worth it.

2004 Ateneo Alumna

I'm able to rise early now..it's starting to get warm

Dear Diary 11.23.10

midnight solemnity.

clear head.clear mind.clear point.Ha! :D

Yes. I definitely want a clear mind. Cleaning my web diary sort of makes it seem like cleaning my mind. Lots of things are going on in my head and it's overwhelming, hence the need to clear my head and the need to bug some people. Please don't get peeved. I just really want to talk to you, guys, apart from my Mom, of course. It's 10:40pm here and freezing cold. I wonder why. It's supposed to be summer.

I wanted to drink hot chocolate but the kettle's noisy (I didn't want to wake up anybody), so I settled for a cold cocoa which is not a good idea while in my Ateneo jacket over a sleeveless top and maong shorts. I want my jammies, but I haven't done my laundry, yet. I had 12 hours of sleep today. I slept off half the day because it's cold and it felt good to sleep. Surprisingly, I haven't slept for less than 7 hours since I came here. I am sleep nourished, but I know there'll be payback when the time comes.

Aside from the sleep, I am also free of my allergic rhinitis attacks. Back home, it's like, I had it everyday. This is the upside of a pollution free environment. I also got to eat medium rare lamb roast and I didn't like it. Weird taste and I imagined the lamb with fleece and all.

I finished Perfect Shot by Debbie Rigaud last night (One of the random romantic comedy I picked up during my last visit to the library). It is about London, a volleyball player who had a crush on a guy she just met. In order to have a conversation with him, she signed up for the modeling competition she never thought she'll end up getting selected in, but then, she was. The guy was the photography intern in the fashion event. Everything else took off from there. Surprisingly, Philippines was mentioned in this book. Her best friend's boyfriend was from the Philippines. It's cute,meaning no adultish content or serious discussions, and it's a light read. It does make you think how far you can go to get someone's attention, though. Hmmm...what have I done to get someone's attention? Let me count the ways...Please click here -> to find out..Nah.

I can't wait to get my hands on the Uglies Series #s2, 3 and 4. Maybe, I'll write a review on The Westing Game, Uglies and Gone, soon. My next read is Miss Match by Wendy Toliver, another romance novel. So this is how it feels like to not be busy in a new place. Haha. I miss being busy, now. I hope I'll be busy soon.

'Till next stop.

Ira

A note

Books I've read here...

The Westing Game
The Lost Colony (AF series 5)
The Runaway Dolls (Dolls series 3)
Mangas (Peach Girl, Gacha2x, Love.com, Me and my Brothers)
Uglies
Gone

By the way, the library here's cool. You can borrow up to 35 books for a month! too bad, I don't have a library card yet. Even if I left my library at home, this one here compensates for that.

I will review some of these sometime.

Dear Diary 11.22.10

Dear Diary,

Nice to see you again. Many things happened already that you didn't know about. Many people you still don't know. Ok, I will stop this intro now. But I want you to meet the people from the office. By the way, I quit that job already. Feels free for a bit.

Gerald - the happy-go-lucky :D
Hannah - the faith person I admire
Reah - my book buddy, ayala buddy and sisilog buddy?
Sheena - quiet, hmmm..
Vic - the quiet workaholic crazy guy
Ef - the business woman

I landed in the new land a month ago. 24th of October, and since then everything is new. I don't know where it will take me, I don't know when but I'm free and happy. Even if you leave home, your home doesn't leave you. I am taking on a new adventure and I am dying to live that adventure now! I really hope it would be soon. The sooner I can update you diary and give you a name, too.

Ira

so much to say, so little time...maybe later tonight.

I decided to go unPrivate

So I can talk to more people or something :D, try google Adsense for fun and get rich! and update my Blog again...

by starting with what I think of what I wrote before, reminisce and do necessary updates. If anything else, this would be my diary, at the very least my adventures and misadventures with books! the love of my life...for now. Ciao.

I have edited some previous posts, have deleted one or two. Of course, some are too personal, I say. But I will try to be honest.