Pisay 09 Graduation

Three days ago, on March 31, I attended my brother's high school graduation. It is sad we didn't have a camera to take pictures with, but I'll try to make up with this with a fairly nice narration.

Okay, maybe not a fairly nice narration, because I'm planning to write more about what I was thinking during the grad ceremony. I will have to leave the blow-by-blow account to my brother, since after all, he was the one who graduated.

Eh... But before everything else, I'm greeting my brother first.
CONGRATS ON YOUR GRADUATION JEFF! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU... VERY VERY PROUD. *a thousand hugs*

And siyempre i-gi-greet ko rin ang aking mga beloved 09 friends. CONGRATS SA INYONG LAHAT! YIKEE! GRADUATE NA SILA! DI NA KAYO HIGH SCHOOL. OH NO! COLLEGE NA KAYO WHICH MEANS A MORE INTENSE YET EQUALLY (IF NOT MORE) FULFILLING LIFE. Hindi na ako magbabanggit ng mga pangalan, baka may makalimutan ako, magalit pa kayo sa akin. Sa mga pupunta ng UP kita-kits. Lalo na sa mga MBB. Hehe. Sinabi ng kapatid ko kung sinu-sino kayo kaya... haha... hihintayin ko kayo. yak. parang ang evil ko naman.

okay... so back to my story. sige na nga, magkukwento na ako... nang unti. The ceremony was supposed to start at 4pm, and doon sila dapat sa field, yung stage ay ang grandstand. Unfortunately, it kept on raining so the decorations and the chairs had to be moved inside the gym. Because of the change in venue, the ceremony was delayed and it started 5pm.

The graduates were asked to form their lines in the pool area, parang yung sa atin dati, hehe. And sadly, wala nang tubig ang pool, our beloved olympic-size pool. hehe. My brother said the water was drained since the gym needs to undergo intensive rennovations. (sabi ng kapatid ko, yung mismong foundations ay mahina na. baka nga palitan na yung gym.) At dahil wala nang tubig, may mga 09 na bumaba nagtatatakbo doon sa pool. Haha. Fun. Inggit ako. Gusto ko ring tumakbo-takbo doon sa pool. Wala lang. Fun nga kasi. :p

I won't tell of what happened during the graduation ceremony. Like what I said, I'll leave that to my brother. Mas mabibigyan niya ng justice ang kwento na ito. But I say, it was very much like our own graduation. Wih even more drama actually, tipong kalevel ng Pisay the movie... May batchmate kasi sila na namatay due to a car accident. During the procession of the graduating sutdents, her parents marched carrying only her picture. And when her name was called, all of her bacthmates stood up. The audience followed. We all gave her a big round of applause as her parents came up the stage to receive her diploma. (pero bond paper na rolled lang, as always.)

Argh... Sabi ko sa inyo e, hindi talaga ako bagay magkwento nito. Sabog. Basta.

Nostalgic manood nang graduation ceremony. Iniisip ko noon, tayo kaya, anong hisutra natin noong graduation? Haha. How I longed to be back in those mustard-yellow skirt and boyish cream blouse... and wear that navy-blue toga.

I didn't cry during my own graduation, but I was struggling to hold back my tears last March 31. First, because I can't help remembering about my own graduation. I miss 07, and Pisay isn't Pisay for me without them. Honestly, noong nandoon ako sa Pisay that day, I felt like an outsider looking in. Iba talaga ang feeling, because what made Pisay the Pisay that I knew was not the place but the community, the people, I lived and grown up with during my four years of stay there.

Second, because I think I am slowly forgetting how it feels to be in Pisay. Dean Guevarra from the UP College of Engineering was the guest of honor for that night. When she gave her speech, I was reminded of who I was and who I am supposed to be. Madalas kasi, sa dinami-dami ng mga dapat kong gawin ngayong college student na ako, nakakalimutan kong, first and foremost, taga-Pisay ako... that I, as a graduate of Pisay, have to live beyond myself.

Third, kasi siyempre proud ate ako. Haha. Graduate ng Pisay ang kapatid ko. That's a lot to be proud of. And I was also sad because I didn't ahd a camera... and how I wished I can capture his smile that night.

Kung hindi lang talaga ako nahihiyang umiyak amidst a lot of people, I won't mind succumbing to my tears. Nostalgic talaga.