The Bride: Princess Diaries
Hi! I'm Jonah. My closest family and friends call me fondly as ChinChin. In my college, they respectfully call me Ms.Pang, by almost all the students and professors (si Rhyan lang ang tumawag saken by first name... feeling close agad?hehehe...). This is me, and here's my story...
The Little Princess
Even before I was young, I dream myself being a princess that will be one day awakened by her prince coming from a far away kingdom. I have my favorite fairy tale book, Sleeping Beauty, in my bedside and read it almost every night (nakabisado ko na nga eh, hehe...). I am that little princess whom everybody adores. I am that little princess that was kept from the real world - from harm, from hurts, from pains. Yet I know, deep in my heart, something is lacking.
She Goes to Town
I am a college bloomer - late, hehe. During college where I was able to have my eyes opened to a lot of the things this life has to offer. It was a transition period for me, as in. Too long to narrate yung mga experiences ko nung college, but andameng nangyari. I started college as a lady na excited kasi parang finally, freedom! Nagwiden din yung social circle ko. I was raised to become a lady, but in college, I became a man, hehe. I chose ECE, engineering course kasi I wanted to prove something and nachallenge talaga ako kasi they say, puro guys kumukuha nun. And to hide na rin from the life I had noon. I did a sort of "rebellion" sa gusto nilang mangyari sa life ko.
I enjoyed my life in the company of friends. Leading an organization paved a way for me to expand my social circle. I met a lot of people, went to different places. College put color in my life asides the pink stuff my own life have before. Pero siyempre, i spared myself of the indulgences like inuman, parties. Wholesome lang ako in fairness, hehe. I had a relationship, naexperience rin naman yung maligawan kahit na akala nila I was a tibo nung first year, hehe.
My last trimester in college was the most memorable part of my college life. Eye opener, and sobrang laki ng naidulot sa life that I have right now. My perspectives, my dreams. I got out of a relationship of 2 years, I led my group of 24 people sa thesis/project defense namin, difficulties sa finances, friendships, issues, expectations! Avalanche of things na bumuhos sa akin before I graduated. Grabe, yun lang ang masasabi ko. But I had a time of my life.
Sleeping Beauty
Siyempre tuloy ang story ng diyosa, hehe. When it comes sa lovelife, I call myself, and yung tao sa paligid, na "sleeping beauty". Sakto on my favorite fairy tale when I was a kid. I had a relationship before that was super maintriga that they call me that, sana daw ay magising na ako, hehe. So much for that, in fairness to that guy is we had good times. Anyway, as for me being that sleeping beauty, finally, after a 100 years or so, my prince came na rin. He woke me up and rescued me just in time that I had left college, and went on to start all over again.
I met Rhyan when I was in college. He's not my classmate nor schoolmate. Well, prof ko siya, as in professor, ehehe. The first time I've heard of him was when my classmate before made kwento over their new prof na galing daw ng mapua. He made them count daw yung poste ata ng bayantel or something sa espana in line with their subject. Then that he was magaling daw talaga and parang classmate lang namin kasi bata pa. I didn't mind naman and haven't seen him pa that time. First trimester niya palang na nagtuturo nun, and sa isip isip ko nga, maybe I won't really have the opportunity to meet this prof because eventually, he'll resign like the others. Uso kasi ganun sa college namin, hehe. Ayun, another encounter is he's one of the signatories ng thesis proposal namin bacause he is a member of the engineering faculty. Nothing pa talaga between us by that time.
On my last trimester however, I had the chance to finally meet this prof that my former classmates was really making bida. He was the substitute teacher to one of my subjects. The first day of our class, he did made an impression - late kasi siya. Next, kakatuwa siya tignan. Nakaslacks, long sleeves polo na nakarolled up, nakamalaking back pack and pinagpapawisan kasi tumakbo ata paakyat ng 4th floor where our room was located. And hello, parang prof ba ito? PArang classmate lang kasi, hehe. He is turning 24 lang by that time, FYI, so hindi naman siya gurangers kahet prof ko siya, hehehe... Then nung nagroll call for attendance, wow, special something pa ako. When he said my name, sumundot pa ng sidecomment na, "ikaw pala si jonah..." sabay ngiti. I mean, ha? So what ako nga yun di ba? Hehe. I asked why he knows me, and he just simply flashed that smile na sobrang natunaw ata ako. Serious, medyo parang kinabahan nga ako that time. Di ko lang pinahalata kasi katabi ko pa bf ko nun, hehe. But may sparks, didn't entertained the idea.
The trimester went on naman ok. I was so busy with our project defense that time. We are doing a multimedia room so most of the time, dun tumatambay sa room na binubuild namin. I remember Rhyan hanging out with us kasi yung mga previous students niya were my groupmates din, which eventually became his tropa na rin. We had chit chats, nangungulit lang, and i found out that he was also a Christian din. We are ok, kulitan, but hindi naman super close.
During that time I faced an issue sa aking lovelife.I got out of my 2 year relationship, and just proceed to face the final defense. Rhyan, I never imagined him to stay. Just several days before my birthday, days din after our final defense, he called me up on my cellphone, overseas call from Hongkong where he is spending his vacation (di siya nakapagpanel sa defense namin kasi that day was his flight). Nangamusta and greeted me a happy birthday. Wala akong idea if that is something na may ibig sabihin. And yung last day ko sa school, before magvacation, sobrang memorable for me. That was April 14, 2007. Grad pictorial din namin. I was alone in the multimedia room early in the morning to fix the inventory when he and a friend (yung maintrigang second lover, haha!) dropped by and got to have conversation with me. It was memorable because makulit si rhyan that day and napagwalk out niya si 2nd lover dahil sa selos, and he told me pa na "Ms.Pang, crush ka ni sir..". It was no fuss. After a maintrigang friendster comment and a month before I graduate, I am looking forward to a new life.
New Beginnings
Starting a new life was one of my frustrations when I graduated in college. I am grateful of the blessings of a fruitful college life. I am happy that I made my parents so proud and talagang teary-eyed sila both na umakyat ng stage where I was given my cumlaude medal. Sobrang pasalamat ko kay Lord because despite of the financial hardships, yung mga trials, para lang makagraduate ako, it was such a grace returned. Glory to God talaga.
Fast forward to today. I am now sitting on my own desk sa office. It was almost a year that I had a chance to work here. Eto, accounts executive for a telecommunications subcontractor company. Rhyan has been with me through all the tough and happy times of my life. Sobrang dami na rin naming pinagdaanan. We are not perfect, though I am so proud of what we endured, and how the Lord provided for us, how He taught us to live and love according to what He wants.
Life for me has been full of choices and surprises. As for me, I had really a good dose of those things. Ang masasabi ko, God is always faithful! And I thank Rhyan, my CSAD professor, and now is the one teaching me a lot also about life. Ang galing talaga how he came into my life, just in time that I seek to live a life away from sa nakasanayan ko, and he, being that independent guy, tinuruan niya ako kung paano sa totoong mundo.
And now, I will face again a new life. Building a life now with someone I will surely keep for the rest of my life.
