Field of Dreams
by: Shirley B. Millare
SDO Abra
Ahhhhh… finally … that ray of light at the end of the tunnel can already be seen from where I am, at the moment. Amidst all the challenges that I went through, I am now about to reap the fruits of all my sacrifices, hard work and tears.
The dust of uncertainty has already settled in, I can now vividly recall the road I traveled for the past years.
Our planet gained another earthling on July 27, 1998, particularly in Addamay, Budac, Tayum, Abra to proud and happy parents, Bernardino and Herminigildo Leal, who are both farmers and very simple individuals. Tilling the soil from sunrise to sundown, my parents gave their best to provide our needs, but then, their best wasn’t enough for all of us. During my sixth grade in the elementary, things turned worse which prompted me to stop my schooling. And it only meant one thing- I wasn’t able to finish my elementary. For four years, I became dormant which led plenty of room for me to feel envy of my friends who were in school, and at the same time, made me realize the importance of education. It was then when I decided to finish what I had started… at 18 years old.
Blessings and angels come in disguise into our lives most often than not. A friend of mine informed me of the Alternative Learning System (ALS), a government program under the Department of Education that caters to out-of-school youth wanting to go back to school like me. That door of hope had finally opened and eventually opened wider when I met Ms. Shirley Bernardo- Millare, my ALS mobile teacher. Now, everything is slowly falling into place.
I took first the exam for the elementary level. Luckily, I passed it with flying colors! Ma’am Shirley then encouraged me to take the secondary level, which I passed again!
My passing of the secondary level was made even sweeter because all of us in her class made it! We were all 10 mentees at that time and with that achievement that we conquered, we were now ready to take the plunge. Hello, college life! It was such a bittersweet moment on my part because this will lead me closer to my dream…but on the other hand, my fellow ALSians and I will now tread different paths of our own. They were just mere acquaintances at the start, but they became a family through the years.
My nine co- mentees and I hurdled too many obstacles as we walked through the rough patches of our lives. There were times, too many times actually, when we did not have money to use for the things we need, personal problems that kept bugging us, family matters that were left unresolved, the COVID- 19 that paralyzed us, the uncertain future that awaits us. But hey, I’m superman and I am made of steel! Nothing can drag me down. And the number one piece of advice that kept me going? The words of my beloved mother that saved me from being disillusioned, “Anak, ammok nga dita kaunggan ti pusom ket kabaelam nga gun-uden amin nga kayatmo, awan ti aniaman nga makatubeng ken makalapped nu adda ta panunot ken pusom ti aniaman nga aramidem. Laglagipem nakkong nga ti kinakurapay ket haan nga agnanayon. Ti Edukasyon ti mangted iti solusyon.” Her words reverberated as I traversed life’s challenges. And I heeded her advice, I really did!
I decided to enroll at Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology (ASIST) Bangued Campus and took up Bachelor of Arts in English Language (ABEL). Admittedly, I was off to a not-so-good start because I had to do a lot of catching-up, adjustments and familiarizing myself to a new system and environment. For two years, I had to find my way and little by little, things became easier. And then, the CORONA VIRUS shook the world and a global pandemic set in. A new normal set-up in education took place. Changes and challenges were embraced, whether we liked it or not. But alas, I survived! I am now on my fourth and last year in college and finishing my on-job-training (OJT) at Gaddani National High School. Face to Face classes have started again and slowly, everything will be back in normalcy.
Who would have thought that someday soon, very soon, I will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree, with a graduation cap on my head, a “toga” on me , and a diploma in my hand. Just a few months from now , with fervent hope in my heart that an in-face graduation will happen, I’ll be walking towards the stage to receive the seal of my dreams.
Of course, my soon-to-be success story wouldn’t be possible without the “angels” on my back, the personas who pushed me and even shoved me to chase my star among millions in the sky.
