Rain, Rain, When Will You Go Away?

Image Source: CnMuqi

Hello mga mem! I'm back again. Pinapanindigan ko talaga ang pagbabalik ko dito. 

It's been raining a lot these days 'no? Kung makaulan eh parang bawal nang umulan next month. Ibinubuhos na yata ni Mother Nature ang lahat ng ulan for the rest of this year. Classes here in Nueva Ecija have been cancelled for three days na. 

On Sunday night, news came out na suspended nga daw ang classes ng Monday. Of course my daughters celebrated. Parang tayo lang nung students pa tayo. Aminin niyo 'yan! :)

Then came Tuesday, walang announcement na walang pasok pero sobrang maulan that morning. Nikki woke up, took a shower, ate breakfast and left for school. While Calli, on the other hand, eh parang mantika sa pagtulog. Dineclare ko na na walang pasok ang elementary sa Guimba, Nueva Ecija. Hindi ko na ginising, kawawa naman. But the truth really, tinamad akong bumangon. Ansarap humiga kasi anlami-lamig! Yes, I didn't wake Calli up and let her not go to school kasi tinamad akong bumangon para i-prepare siya. Huwag akong tularan! But wait, there's more! That morning, it was announced that afternoon classes were suspended. Walang pasok that afternoon. Whew! Parang nakaramdam ako ng konting relief at medyo na-justify ko ang "kasalanan" ko. Eh sobrang maulan naman kasi talaga. Dapat umaga pa lang na-suspend na ang classes. 

And today, Wednesday, I made sure to wake up early, like 5AM early. I woke Calli up. Shower, breakfast, dress up. The usual. Ang aga niyang naka-prepare, as in! Feeling ko bawing-bawi ako from my yesterday's indiscretion. Kahit tunog nang tunog ang phone ko sa mga notifications,  messages and all, deadma lang. Nagpaka-mother muna 'ko. Then Calli left for school.

I felt so good, ready to do some house chores. I had a little time to check my phone na. First message that I read, from Teacher Maribel. Nyaaah! Wala daw pasoook! I panicked nang beri beri light. Medyo natututunan ko nang 'di mag-panic nang sobra. Pag alam kong papunta na ako sa panic mode, I pause for a few seconds and clear my mind. Then I enumerate my options in my mind. 

Just a back story. I don't bring Calli to school. Actually, no one brings Calli to school. In the morning and in the afternoon, Calli goes to school together with her Ate Nikki in a tricycle. I make sure na kilala ko ang tricycle na sasakyan nila. Yung mga nakapila dito sa kanto dito sa subdivision namin (na hindi naman talaga subdivision). Then sa uwian, 'yung "family driver" namin ang sumusundo sa kanya using his tricycle. Hindi sila pwedeng sabay ni Nikki kasi Nikki's dismissal is always later than Calli's. Kawawa naman siya if maghintay siya nang matagal for her Ate Nikki. Today, it was supposed to be Nikki's periodical tests in the afternoon kaya wala siyang pasok ng morning. That's why Calli left for school alone this morning. 

Going back. Naloka nga ako ng slight. I was readying to go to school na to take Calli back home. Mabuti na lang, at talagang mabuti na lang, ibinalik siya ng tricycle dito sa bahay when the driver found out from the school guard na walang pasok. Haay, thank you!

Naaawa ako kay Calli. Sana natulog na lang siya. Pero natawa ako kasi sabi niya, "Sayang, Mommy, naligo pa ako." Parang may sama siya ng loob kasi naligo siya nang maaga.

Ano ba yan? Nung may pasok, di siya pumasok. Nung walang pasok, tsaka siya pumasok, ang aga pa! Wala sa tiyempo. Haha!

So 'yan ang mga ganap sa buhay ko ngayon mga mem. Kayo? Keep calm na lang sa loob ng bahay. Huwag gala nang gala ngayon, maulan. Delikado. 

Thanks for reading. Stay safe, stay dry, stay awesome! :)

Filipino: Wika ng Pagkakaisa

Hello, hello! How’s everyone? There are rains everywhere, again. Dito sa Baguio, we had five nice, warm, beautiful days with Mr. Sun. Pero starting yesterday, ay, rain rain again not going away. Other than that, keri naman ang mga bagay-bagay.

Oh-em-gee! It’s August 18 na today. Tomorrow, August 19. And the day after tomorrow, August 20. And the day after the day after tomorrow, August 21. Holiday ‘yown! Long weekend ang mga kids! Well, maybe not all kids, pero my kids, sure na ‘yun. Nakalagay na sa school calendar nila. Masaya ‘yun…sana if long weekend din ako, ‘di ba? Oh, well, asa na lang ako.

And another thing, hambilis talaga ng panahon. Imagine, in less than two weeks, September na! Ber months na naman. I love the thought that it’s almost Christmas season again. I love the weather here in Baguio (and everywhere here in the Philippines) ’pag Ber months, medyo malamig. Yay, excited na ako!

But bago tayo mag-fast forward sa Pasko, I want to share with you ang mga happenings sa mga kids ko ngayon August. Op kors, Buwan ng Wika ngayon, so, ‘yun.

Two Saturdays ago (sorry, super late post), their school celebrated Buwan ng Wika. This year’s theme is Filipino: Wika ng Pagkakaisa.

Image Source

There were presentations from different grade levels – song presentation for pre-school and dance presentation for grade school. All of the kids were wearing Filipiniana costume, like baro’t saya, ganun.

Calli's Kinder 2 class sang Bayan Ko by Freddie Aguilar. I never thought Calli could memorize the lyrics of the song. She amazes me at times. She was right at the center and the front most row. Feeling ko siya ang bidang bida dun. #stagemom

To English or Not To English

I work in a call center. I have been around for about 10 years now. Oh yeah! Whoever says no one that works in a call center speaks in the vernacular while at work either 1. Has not worked in a call center ever, or 2. Is lying.

Strict EOP? Uh-uh, not so strict at all. Even managers don't strictly follow kaya. I'm telling the truth. So, sue me. That's At Work. Nabanggit ko lang naman. Plus, I'm really that not good with intros. Haha!

Image Source

At Home. Elmer and I bring up our kids using Filipino language as their main language. I know, super cute pakinggan ang li'l Filipino toddlers na umi-English. I don't have anything against parents who prefer their kids to use the English language as their main language. And there's nothing wrong with that. Different strokes for different folks ika nga. For Elmer and me, hindi namin kayang panindigan, especially Elmer, na umi-straight English sa harap ng mga bata all the freakin' time. Also, we're 100% sure na hindi lahat ng tao na makaka-interact nila at bagay na mae-encounter nila as they grow up ay umi-English all the time, like jeepney drivers, yaya, sari-sari store owner, Pinoy teleseryes, Pinoy TV shows etc. Elmer and I love Pinoy movies kaya especially the old ones from the 90's. We're 80's babies, 90's kids kasi, that's why. Anlakas maka-nostalgia ng mga ganung movies.Mas grabe si Elmer kasi aliw na aliw din siya sa mga movies na almost black and white na at parang umuulan palagi sa screen. You know what I'm saying. Ako, 'di ko na bet 'yung mga ganun.

Going back. 

We just don't want any confusion sa words, grammar, diction and all. After all, my siblings and I, as well as Elmer and Ate Pla, grew up na Filipino naman ang gamit namin sa bahay but we learned English just totally fine. Practice and loads of American movies, TV series and TV shows make perfect, I guess.

At School. Nikki and Calli's school promotes the learning of communication through English language by speaking only English language every Wednesday. Everyone (and the school head means EVERYONE from the guard, canteen staff, nannies, parents, everyone) inside the school campus, has to use the English language when talking to anyone. When the memo got out,

Moving Up, Up, Up!

Hello, hello guys! How are you? Sooobrang iniiit! Andito na 'ko sa Baguio ha. I can imagine kung gaano kainit diyan sa Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Pampanga and the rest of the Philippines. Summer is here na talaga, yes?

But before we start with summer activities and all, of course, we have to end the school year muna. This is actually one of the few times in a year na very relaxing. I mean, parents like I am get to have a little more rest compared to when kids still had classes - physically and financially. Haha! I don't have to worry about getting them prepared for school everyday, what their baon for the day's gonna be, etc. You know exactly what I mean mothers, right?

On March 26 and 27, it was Calli and Nikki's Moving Up programs, respectively. Days after Nikki's final exams and before the program, her teacher texted me, asking if I wanted to come over and see how she came up with Nikki's final grades. I think she did that to all parents whose kids were vying for honors. (Yes, Nikki was a Grade 4 bronze medalist. #proudmomma)

 

I replied. I said it was okay and that I trusted her and that Elmer and I were not very particular about Nikki's class standing anyway. Not like we didn't care about her grades. Hindi ganown. Teacher didn't reply back. Whatever.

I Love You, Jesus

How are you mga 'teh?

 

Whenever I say "'teh", I remember our van driver in Puerto Princesa when we went there. Anlaking tao pero tume-teh siya! Haha! But I forgot his name na.

 

Going back. Nikki and Calli's school required them to attend like a Sunday school one (of course) Sunday before closing of classes. Pre-school students were required to come in "Sunday" clothes. I honestly don't know what's the definition of "Sunday" clothes kasi 'pag Sunday naka-pambahay lang naman ako. #true My family doesn't go to church to hear the mass. I know, I'm such a... But please don't judge me and my family. Haha!

 

Going back again. Ever since she received this dress she's wearing in the video below from great-grandma Martha, she hasn't worn it until that Sunday. I thought she was overdressed. Who would go to church to hear the mass in a dress like that. Ada pay siling-siling na, Apo! (There are even glitters, my God!) Oha, my translation pa. Ang tanong, tama ba ang pagka-translate. Pero close, something like dutch.

 

Going back again. She insisted on wearing that dress. Okay, fine. I let her try it because it looked to me like maliit na for her. When she did, sakto na lang. Mabuti na lang she got to wear it pa.

 

We had a dress-slash-song rehearsal.

 

Lookie, lookie! ^_^

 

 

What d'ya think? You think she has the making of a diva?

 

Ciao! ♥

 

 



Hard Work Paid Off

First quarter of school term had passed. Tapos na ang bayaran ng tuition fee, iba’t ibang tuition fee, iba’t ibang membership fees, etc. at ang quarter exams. I felt so relieved after  the exams week. The week before was so stressful for me. Dati, si Nikki lang ang nire-review ko. Ngayon, pati si Calli. Oh em gee!

I’m so happy naman that all my kids’ and my hardwork paid off. Thank you Lord! Look naman oh –

Saan pa magmamana ‘yang mga yan?! #alamna!

Nikki’s always been like that – parang mahirap um-absorb ng information, parang slow-slow-han minsan – kaya naman naha-highblood ako e. Hindi kasi nagre-react minsan ‘pag nagre-review kami that’s why I couldn’t tell if getchung niya or not. But she never fails to surprise me. Consistent honor student ‘yan sa six schools na pinasukan niya since Nursery.

I was more worried with Calli. This is her first time in school. She didn’t know anything but the colors. She knew how tho sing the ABC song but couldn’t identify the letters. She knew only circle and heart among all shapes. She spoke in and understood only the Filipino language. Konting English words, konting Ilocano words. That’s it.

Hindi kasi ako nag-effort na turuan siya the summer before she started school this year. Tamad-tamaran ako kasi nga buntis pa ako nun (I know, I know, lame excuse). Tsaka sai nga buntis pa ako nun (I know, I know, lame excuse). Tsaka sabi naman ni Elmer to not force her to learn things k kasi three years old lang naman siya. Bakit kami daw ba nung three years old kami nasa school na kami? Hindi daw, busyng busy pa lang daw kami sa paglalaro nun (both Elmer and I started going to school at the age of six). May point naman siya. E look at us naman, smart-smartan naman kami. Naks! Walang kokontra! Haha!

Going back to Calli, some of her classmates attended Nursery, that’s why medyo may alam na sila. Si Calli, I’d say, next to zero knowledge siya talaga. That’s why I was surprised with all her test results.

On the report card-giving day, each parent had one-on-one session with the teacher.

Teacher Chloe’s comments on Nikki:

-Hindi masyadong sociable.

-Hindi pala-recite.

-Pero sa written activities “bumibira”.

-Opposite ng kapatid niya (Calli) na aggressive.

 

Natawa naman ako na kilala si Calli ni Teacher Chloe a as one “aggressive” student.

Teacher Pen’s comments on Calli:

-Very charming at friendly.

-Medyo kinailangan ng guide nung una, pero nakakasunod na ngayon.

-Kapag may ginawa ang classmate infront of the class (like recite, sing), gusto niya, siya din.

-Pagkatapos ng play time or book activity, lalapit siya kay teacher para tumulong mag-ayos ng toys or books.

I wonder kung anong mga “ideas” ang shine-share niya. Hmmm…

Nakakaaliw at nakakabaliw talaga ang mga anak ko. I’m one proud momma! I wonder how Trace is going to be ‘pag nag-i-school na siya.

Hosha. 

Ciao! ♥