Two Years Since

How time goes by so fast?

It soars like an eagle spreading its wings mightily in the wide blue sky.

It springs up like a flower in the wild.

It escapes the imagination unnoticed, like a rebel unmindful of the consequences, so much like the shadow hiding impassively behind.

Still vividly playing in my memory, the days when I first came to SEAMEO RECSAM as a course participant. Those days render the turning point of my life. The experience opens a whole new opportunities for me and gives me a different perspective on my teaching.

Life has never been the same way since then. I have been to my best and worst days. I have been subjected to the most ridiculed. I have been considered good-for-nothing. Even the people I deemed my friends, those I believed would understand me, had been distant. How frustrating has it been upon knowing that the people closest to you had bitter words against you? Oh, I might have been wrong perhaps. Maybe, just maybe, they have not regarded me as a friend.

But when a door closes, another window opens. As these gloomy events unfold, ironically, I received my first award as an outstanding teacher. Huh, somebody might have raised some eyebrows! Let them. Just the same, life has never been a box of chocolates for me. You give them a piece and yet you will never satisfy them with what they get.

Lilia and Eddie were with me then. We were the three lucky Filipinos chosen to represent the country in the batch. Lilia is from Cebu and Ed is from Zamboanga. Call this a nationwide search.

In the math group, there were 8 of us: Achita from Thailand, Khamla from Laos, Mekar from Cambodia, Phuong from Vietnam, Soelwin from Myanmar, Zust from Indonesia and Meslina from Brunei. Dr. Cheah was the course supervisor with Dr. Ida as one of the facilitators.

The days we spent in RECSAM were days of self-discovery. To discover ourselves is to define meaning in what we do as teachers. To reflect on how we can make ourselves better that in turn we can produce better students. The impact we leave our students is the standard to which these young minds measure up life.

As I look back, I could not help but see myself then. Great things have come to pass. Some leave scars. Some were inspiring. Yet no matter, what had happened, things will always look up for the better.

Now I am back in RECSAM not as a participant but one of its professional staff. I share with the other teachers what I have been given.