The culture 1

If only dad finished his engineering program. Maybe, I would still have a chance to change my grades. Mom wasn't even able to finish her basic education because of poverty and their beliefs that only men should study hard because they'd get married anyway.

I always hear longing from my mom's voice when she talks about her experiences as a school kid. She told us how lucky we were because we don't have to walk down the mountain just to reach the school. She's speaking facts, we've visited our mother's side of the family a few times already.

To give you an idea, their house is located on top of the mountain. There's a small community living there. They also own acres of land. But, they don't have any electricity or a proper road. You need to walk by foot until you reach the road where you can wait for a tricycle where everyone will try to fit themselves in.

Anyway, she told us that there was one time when she wanted to join an exchange gift at school but grandma didn't let her. She still joined anyway. She kept all her allowance to buy a gift, it's not enough. She bought candies and wrapped them in a newspaper. The kid receiving the gift cried. I understand, even I would. Her gift wasn't received by anyone, and the gift that she was supposed to receive was given to the one she picked. She was sad of course. She was even scolded by her teacher, how could she not be sad?

Then I forgot about this part but I remember her telling us that she stopped going to school when she was in grade 4. She can just get married anyway and not think about anything.

When she turned 16 or 18, I'm not sure, she went to Manila to work. That's where she met dad. Dad always visited her at work and he gave her flowers. They got together after. My dad's side of the family then visited our mom's place to ask for my mother's hand in marriage. It was all smooth according to them.

Then, they got married in my dad's place, the one I'm currently living in. After marriage, they lived in Manila for a week but they got back to my father's place because their house on in the squatter's area burned down. They permanently lived here.

My dad wasn't always a good guy. My mom told us that he was always outside getting drunk. Good thing that my grandmother is a kind woman. She helped her get used to the living conditions here. I was told that our dad's side of the family can be considered to be rich back then. It just declined.

They later on built their own house. They got my two older sisters consecutively, and after 5-6 years, they got me. I still remember the time when I had to call my dad home because he was outside playing mahjong. He's not even really good at it. I would then tell him that mom is looking for him. We would go home with my dad getting scolded upon returning.

But he stopped. I don't know what happened or when it started. I noticed that my dad became mature, he helped mom, he never joined the mahjong again, he never drunk outside even when someone calls him, and he started staying at home more. Whatever happened, it was a good thing. I won't have to look for him again.

It was all smooth sailing. We ate three times a day, and everyone is happy. I was in grade 6 when I heard my oldest sister crying. My mom was scolding her. I don't remember the details but I knew that was about school. She was a first year college student at this time. She changed schools after.