Our Life in Words and Photos

Blessed be…

When I got my first car, a close friend asked what a poor girl from the Philippines felt. There was one word to describe it – “blessed”.

I was born to a modest family of four. We had very little when we were growing up, but that did not stop my parents from dreaming big for their children. They gave us opportunities they never had – education they couldn’t even afford. Relatives and friends have told them that they were too ambitious, sending kids to reputable schools while we barely had anything to eat. Many times in the past, I almost stopped schooling because we couldn’t pay my school fees. It was then that I witnessed God’s hand at work. I even remembered crying almost every night – praying and begging to finish school.

As as student, I was dead serious about it. I made sure I had good grades - even qualifying for partial scholarships. In college, I had been a working student, sometimes coming to class with only transportation fee going in, but didn’t have money going home. I would make my classmates’ assignments, programs, term papers, book reports, in order to get a freebie lunch, an occasional ride home, or transportation fare to go home. It was tough, but I was a survivor.

I couldn’t forget the day when I finally graduated from college. My mom had tears in her eyes while walking down the aisle with me. She was very happy and very, very proud. I was in cloud nine. My graduation had been a tribute to my parents, and to close family who helped us get there. It was such an impossible dream come true.

I got my first job, but we were also evicted from the home I was born and raised in. My father’s family had to sell the property because he couldn’t keep up with the payments. It was sad, but it signalled a new beginning for the three of us – my mom, my brother, and me. I became the family’s breadwinner, and I accepted it wholeheartedly. They gave up a lot of things for me, and I was not going to leave them on their own. With a measly salary, I knew I had to find the means to work overseas – where there are plenty of opportunities, and where I can help my family even more.

After two jobs in the Philippines, my prayers were heard. I found myself leaving for San Francisco in 1997. Embarking on a new Information Technology career in 1998. Got my first car in September of 1998, 2 days past my birthday. I was 25 then, but a whole new world seemed to have opened up for me.

I was 24 when I set foot in the US, and got employed at theworld’s leading credit card company. At 27, I had a house built for my family in the Philippines. By the time I turned 28, I co-owned a house in California with my roommate of almost four years. At 30, I was married to my boyfriend of 9 years. Before I turned 31, I got a promotion at work – something I have been aiming for all along.

Looking back, my life had been full of ups and downs – like a roller coaster ride. I never once did regret the decisions I made. Because my parents had the courage to dream big for me, I was able to achieve a whole lot more. I can never thank God enough for all the blessings. Moreso, I can never begin to thank my parents for making it all possible. They may not have achieved a lot in their lives, but I will never be where I am today if not for the sacrifices they made to make it possible.