Competent Communicator Norm

Finally, I've completed the basic manual in my Toastmasters' journey last Thursday eve. After delivering my last speech project (10th speech) I earned my competent communicator norm.

Here's my graduation speech!

YOU MUSTN'T QUIT!

You mustn’t quit! Don’t you dare quit! Push onto the finish line! This is what I play in my mind over & over when I find myself stuck somewhere or is too weary to move forward. By steadfastly pushing on I have proven time & time again that I don’t only accomplish something. I also move myself up a notch because of the learning experiences. Best of all, I earn rewards!

I discovered this remarkable reality when I was in grade 4. That was the time when my father got so ill & eventually died. The rest of my family moved back to Bicol while me & my younger brother stayed with our Aunt in Cavite to finish the school year. We used to live in Pasay in my parents’ employer. We left when my father got ill due to some misunderstandings. As our school was in Pasay, we commuted from Cavite. The everyday trip was long & exhausting. At our age, it was also risky as we had to brave the streets by ourselves! Likewise my brother & I had to endure waiting for each other as my class was in the morning while his was in the afternoon. But we didn’t notice. What bothered us was our provisions! They were NOT sufficient to keep us loaded for our whole day stay at school! My aunt could only afford our lunch & our transportation. We didn’t have extra for our morning & afternoon snacks! As to the waiting time, I was able to settle my brother’s by asking our school guard & janitor to look after him while I attend my classes. But I was terribly bored waiting the whole afternoon for him! I also get famish most of the time because I let him eat more of our provisions so he could have enough energy for his classes in the afternoon!

Soon I learned to fight boredom by finishing my assignments & reviewing our lessons. This paved the way for me to become part of top 10. However, I really couldn’t combat starvation. I was already tempted to quit school. But my heart was against it. The thought of repeating & being much older than most of my classmates bothered me greatly! So I shared my dilemma to the mother of my classmate. Fortunately, she had a way to help me. She made me assist in her sideline of sawing beads into necklaces. She paid me P1 for each. Thus, the whole afternoon I was busy making necklaces of beads. I made sure to finish at least 10 before my brother’s classes end so I could buy two snacks & have extra for our fare from Libertad to Baclaran where we take the jeep going to Cavite. Unfortunately, after a month, my classmate’s mother stopped sawing beads. So I was back to enduring starvation and thinking of quitting school. I only changed my mind after I was able to close a deal with my adviser that made me earn P3 & additional points in my Values Educ subject. I fetched her kinder daughter after her class & bring her to their home. But then I realized I end up more tired & hungry because I had to walk back to school. Until I thought of another solution!

I figured maybe I could get some snacks in the house of my parents’ former employer, Lola Mana. She was a disciplinarian but had a compassionate heart. I strongly felt she would be moved if I pay her a visit. Good thing my feeling was correct. Upon seeing me she ordered her maids to give me some snacks. That event gave me a bright idea! My problem of getting hungry will be solved if I spend the rest of my afternoon in Lola Mana’s house! That visit became a Monday to Friday ritual. Right after accompanying my teacher’s daughter, I go straight to Lola Mana!

At that age, I already knew I needed to do something in return so I could continue going to her house. Thus, I insisted to help her maids. I also made sure I gave my best in whatever task she assigns to me. Later I figured my bro could also have his snacks there before we head back to Cavite so I arranged that we just meet there after his class.

Our unfortunate condition indeed brought out the best in me. It sharpened my negotiation skills and resourcefulness. Our daily commute made me braver and street-smart! Looking after my brother made me motherly & more mature. I also learned to value things! What’s more, we successfully finished that school year and earn back the trust of Lola Mana that led for her and my mother to reconcile & touch-base.

Going back to the issue on schooling, upon learning that I would stop, Lola Mana offered to provide me shelter so I could continue. I stayed in her home until I was in 2nd year high school. It was a simple give & take arrangement. She would feed me and provide me shelter. In return I would diligently help in the house. Little did I know that such set-up would be my strong foundation spiritually, personally & scholastically speaking. Lola Mana’s family joined forces to painstakingly teach me my core values now – diligence, integrity, honesty, frugality, dedication, fortitude, love for God! Through my day-to-day obligations I learned the basics of time management & life in general. Lolo Manuel & Kuya Let exposed me in office work & other manly duties. Lola on the other hand, taught me the basics of managing a home through my household chores. My training went even to minute stuff like making sure I don’t waste a single piece of rice on my plate! She also patiently brought me closer to God while she honed my potentials scholastically speaking. I still vividly remember our afternoon sessions of bible reading. I had some problems with my English & accent then. Every afternoon when I don’t have school, she would let me read verses in the Bible aloud and correct every error in my pronunciation. She would also test my comprehension by letting me explain how I understood what I read.

Our informal learning sessions helped me to excel in school & get full scholarship for my entire college education in one of the top state Universities in the country. What’s more I was able to get additional financial help for mine & my siblings’ other school expenses from Laurie Defatte, an American, whom we met through Lola Mana. She religiously sent me money until I finished college.

Looking back, I did get so much in return by simply not giving up! I would have not become who I am now if I decided to quit and went with my family to Bicol. I would have not discovered I could benefit greatly from our relationship with Lola Mana if I didn’t courageously give her a visit! Thus, although that stage in my life was my toughest ordeal, I dearly treasure it. Truly ugly problems and hurdles are wrappers of great gifts & rewards!.... There is always rainbow after the rain!

So whatever difficulties you face right now, don’t ever quit! Yes, don’t quit! Rest if you must, but never quit!

As I quote Edgar Guest “ Success is failure turned inside out. You never can tell how close you are. Stick to the fight when you're hardest hit. It's when things seem the worst that You Mustn't Quit!"

A Walk around the Subvision

Yes, you read the title correctly.

Finally, we moved to our new home! The one we can call our own. It feels great, really! Now, I'm itching to complete the remaining work - security grilles, furnishings & stuff. It's good that I'm given good advice by friends - do it one at a time.

It took 8 long months to construct our home. Difficulties & challenges came along the way. It took 3 months to secure the bldg. permit. Temp. electricity took a couple of months to be installed . What's worst, my contractor did not tell me right away that the money I paid him for the materials did not all go to my house. He spent it in his other projects that encountered problems. Thus, although I was so generous with my payments I found out one day that my house was not progressing! Thankfully, me & hubby did all we can to be objective & calm in handling the situation. Rather than forcing the contractor to produce, we decided to take over. Our contractor on the other hand was humble & brave enough to face the consequences of his mistakes. He remained at our disposal for some of our (non-financial) needs & concerns.

We ended up spending a lot more than our budget. As I'm more hands-on in this area than my husband, I also got exhausted attending to all the needs & concerns. It was truly physically & financially draining! But shit happens! All we're left to do is to charge everything to experience. At least our house is now finished & we already live in it! (Although I'm still waiting for the occupancy permit & permanent MERALCO (electricity) connection)

Yehey! We're no longer renting! Now we know as well what to watch out for in similar undertakings.

Because of going over the budget, I had to sacrifice other plans I earnestly hoped to fullfill when the house is done (e.g. buying appliances, fixtures & stuff). Fortunately, the pleasure of seeing our home & being able to have our lazy walk around the subdivision is slowly making me forget.