Day Tour

Countdowns are no longer reserved for New Year revelries or radio's top ten most requested songs. Mine happens to last for few days. Soon, I shall hit April 15, an end to a glorious seven-year stay as a teacher in De la Salle Santiago Zobel School. It will be over soon. And I can't help but feel a tinge of sadness as I leave a school I have served for a long time. I can't claim to have changed a single student's life through my work as a teacher, but I am sure I have made some very good friends whose daily presence will be sorely missed.

Since the students are off to their summer break, all teachers, who are still reporting for work, face the computers, turning the computer area into a common scene in a neighborhood computer shop where some play Plants vs Zombies, spy on Facebook and watch countless videos on YouTube. In between our computer sessions are our long talks and equally-long lunch breaks. We cease to become school automatons who are hard at work, for we resume our more casual selves in our talks and games.

Ten-months of hard work are capped by a relaxing time at school. It can be boring at times, though. (thus, this blog post!) But I am not complaining. Since it is stress-less, I make time to reconnect with old friends and reinforce friendship with present ones.

I finally get to go around and do things without thinking much of work. One such opportunity was my co-teacher's daughter's baptism. I came for the lunch reception at Gerry's Grille - Market!Market! in Taguig, of course. Although late, I still managed to feast on the sumptuous food waiting for me. The food was good as with everything free, but it was not as memorable as my commute to and experience in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. I have known all along that there was a shuttle to Fort Bonifacio although I have not taken it before. So, I got off at Ayala MRT station after boarding the bus in Sucat, looked for the terminal, and found myself in a quite unusual Philippine bus terminal. I had to fall in line to pay for my ticket; then, I entered a spacious waiting area with  chairs and real order! Is this how rich bus terminals are? Just after a few minutes, our bus came and left with still vacant seats to fill.

At the bus terminal

It was a day tour of Fort Bonifacio as my last recollection of the place was a dinner many months before. I don't mind appearing 'provincial' as I gawked at every structure mushrooming the complex. It was a treat, and also a not-so-true image of the Philippines for it displayed a very rich Pinas. It may not be a real reflection of the country, but perhaps it is a model of how other cities in this country is to become. I hope so.

Pedestrians at Boni High Street

Photographer photographed

Open spaces at High Street

Together with my co-teachers who were my age, I explored Market!Market! and Bonifacio High Street. Like the many penniless beings all over, we were contented with our exchanges of jokes and stories as we took our comfy spot on one of High Street's open spaces.

I left Fort Bonifacio before dusk. It was earth hour that day, and it was no longer fun to be staying out.

Earth Hour scene at our condominium complex