LAST HURRAH AT SOFITEL


We spent the eve of father’s day at Sofitel… yup that swanky five-star hotel with the breathtaking sunset view of Manila bay. In fact, this is not our first time to spend special occasions at the hotel… not because we’re ultra-rich folks who frequent such places… no, we don’t have that much money to throw away. It was only because my step-mom (yes my dad’s second wife) ‘worked’ as a personnel manager of the hotel and often our overnight stays were discounted(??? by how much I really have no idea) I highlighted ‘worked’ because this is now a thing of the past --- she’s leaving for Dubai at the end of the month so this weekend here at the hotel would be our last – hence this piece’s title…

We arrived at around 4 pm on Saturday via a taxicab… we had to wait a bit for our rooms to be ready. In less than an hour we already went up to our room on the 6th floor… it had a huge queen-sized bed and they added 2 single beds for my 2 other boys. The huge bed was for me, the hubby and our little princess. My dad and his wife stayed in another suite with a receiving room – it had two plasma screens, one in the bedroom and another in the receiving room/sala. The sofa in the sala converts into a bed and this is where my half-sister and her family spent the night. My dad’s bathroom had a bathtub while ours didn’t have one, but it was still quite cool with all those glass doors and amazing shower spray that my kid and I just went crazy over and wished we had something like that in our own bathroom.


We were a bit hungry so the hubby and I went over to Star City to buy some grub. By the time we got back the kids have already grown tired of watching TV and being cooped inside the room so they checked out the pool with my half-sister’s husband, Jon. I followed them down to the pool in a little while and brought them some food to snack on. I would have wanted to take a dip in the pool but the sky was overcast and I didn’t want to get wet in such cool weather so I contented myself watching the kids frolic in the pool and gazed at the other guests swimming.




And as luck would have it, who should we run into swimming at the hotel pool but Ms. Claudine Barretto, her adopted daughter Sabrina, her son Santino and husband Raymart (whom I almost didn’t recognize though I was already standing beside him as I waited to take a pic of the sunset)… she was truly very pretty even without much make-up on and was quite accommodating because she relented to have a pic taken with my daughter and my half-niece. I told her, my daughter’s a fan because she watched her in her latest soap “Maligno” and she smiled and told the kids not to be afraid because that was just an on-screen role. The kids would have played longer with her daughter Sabina in the pool but the rain suddenly fell in such huge drops that they all left in a fluff – yayas, kids and all with a brief promise to meet up and play again at the poolside tomorrow morning.















My hubby took his own sweet time going down from the room so by the time he got to where I was lazily lounging, it was already raining and so he failed to get a glimpse of Claudine… too bad for him, huh? After a while, we all went up to the room so the kids can take their baths and get ready for dinner. We had dinner at past seven at the Spiral restaurant of Sofitel and I was literally overwhelmed by the buffet spread that the resto offered. So much so that I was totally unable to get any pictures at all of all the good things I savored…there was Filipino cuisine with the usual fiesta fare like lechon, kaldereta, etc; they had Japanese food like sashimi, tempura and sushi (my favorite!); Italian fare like pasta and pizza; American food like salads (with so many dressings to choose from), hams, steaks which they cook according to your wishes, and different kinds of bread/rolls. But the real winner was their dessert table ---- I have never seen so many cakes (even mini ones) laid out on a buffet, there were even candies, ice cream, and different flavored crepes wherein you can choose any filling and topping you want ( I had mango with chocolate syrup). I was so full that it was only after I was through eating that I realized I haven’t taken any pictures at all… too bad! This may be the first and last time I would have eaten here at Spiral…oh well…at least I’ll have sweet memories of this dinner that could last me a lifetime.


























The next day, we had breakfast served in our room (talk about having all the indulgences!!!) Well, after all this may be the last day we spend here at Sofitel so we might as well take advantage of it huh!?! This time I took pictures of everything we ordered and it was all so delicious... and the prices quite steep - but what the heck we're not paying for it anyway!!! I ordered a healthy breakfast and was quite surprised that the breakfast was big enough for two people – it had a fruit bowl, oatmeal, egg-white-only omelette, hashbrowns and some yogurt. Good thing I shared my breakfast with my daughter. My husband and other son had the Filipino style breakfast with sinangag, eggs, tapa and longganisa. My eldest son had his favorite food (even if it was still breakfast and too early for it, but thankfully the hotel already served it) - carbonara.

After eating, we all took our bath, got dressed and checked out of the room to leave. We dropped by Papa’s suite and learned that he has already left so we also took our leave after a brief kiss to and a thank you to my stepmom for our peaceful overnight stay at Sofitel (although my husband said he wasn’t at all able to sleep very well because he could hear our two sons snoring loudly)Well anyway, it was a brief and welcome respite from our normal weekends at home and truly an unforgettable experience for our family, especially for the kids... one which I hope I would be able to replicate with them --- at a place truly far away - like Bohol or Palawan - a true blue vacation for our entire family... well, it's not too bad to dream huh??? who knows, one of these days, it may just come true...

First day of school jitters

Today I took a leave of absence to bring my little girl to her new school. I know, I know it’s highly unusual coz she had been to school before, for an entire year without a hitch but this time it’s a big new school and I just wanted to be sure she’d do okay. You see this entire week I was busy trying to convince her that it will be fun to enter a new school…I was a tad fearful she would not want to be left alone in her new school – surrounded by strangers, unknowing if her teachers will be kind to her, totally unsure of her place in the sun – I guess, she’s having what we could call first day of school jitters.

I made it a point to take her with me to the different schools that I inquired in since I wanted her to have a say in our choice of a new school. And after visiting three schools we finally settled on one that is not really far from our place but the rate is fine, well within our budget and the place looked clean and safe. With the choice of school over, we followed the standard procedure – entrance exams before enrolling, buying books and then school things and uniforms.

And then all of a sudden, about a week before school will finally open she began to have some misgivings about her capability. She kept on asking me what if she couldn’t cope up…what if the classmates were all smarter than she was. There were also times I even started to doubt our decision to enter her immediately in grade one. But then again, even the guidance counselor was willing to accept her because she scored high in the entrance tests for grade one. Besides, just thinking about the added financial burden of another year in pre-school makes me cringe and use all my convincing powers all the more.

Another concern that she had was the fact that she didn’t know anybody in the school…you see our neighbor, who was her classmate at the kindergarten she used to attend located within the village, will be remaining in the same school to enter preparatory level. But because she was the class valedictorian and knew how to read, she was accelerated ahead of her classmates and was thus entering grade one. I guess this is one main reason why she kept asking me why she needs to transfer to another school while the others stayed on… I had to repeatedly tell her that her high grades made her eligible to enter grade one. Besides, I told her that she would be able to make friends easily…who knows she may just end up meeting her best friend there like what happened to me and my best friend whom I also met on our first day of school. But she remained adamant and refused to go to school altogether.

Hence, I came to the decision to be absent from work for a day and hold her hand as she enters this strange and unfamiliar place. As usual, we were quite late coz I failed to correctly gauge the time we would spend eating breakfast and dressing up. Plus, my elder son also went with us so we had to take turns using the bathroom. By the time we got to the school there was already quite a ruckus with so many kids and their moms milling about trying to check out which sections and rooms the kids will go to.

As we entered the gate, I felt my daughter’s eyes on me and we plodded straight on to find her room, unmindful of the melee. We finally reached her classroom and with a regretful tug of her hand, she let go, took her stroller bag and entered the room. I smiled at her and signaled to her that I will just be outside waiting for her near the window. I watched her as she listened intently to what the teacher is saying and I felt proud when I saw her walk confidently up to the front of the class to talk about something she drew on a piece of paper.

Later on our way home, she’d tell me the teacher asked them to draw what they want to be when they grew up and she drew a nurse and proudly told her classmates she want to take care of sick people that’s why she want to be a nurse. Gently, I probed to ask how her classmates were and she seemed to have totally forgotten her apprehensions about not being able to meet someone she knew because she proudly proclaimed that she made friends with her seatmate who also happened to live in the same village as ours. And by then …I felt a heavy cloud lifting; the skies have opened to reveal that the misgivings and worries that both and I and my daughter had were all for naught. I’m glad she liked her first day in school… I just hope I can make the rest of the school year as smooth and fun-filled. But even if they’re not I guess I’ll just be here to pick her up and give her a hug whenever something or someone has disheartened her spirit…after all, that’s what moms are for…

FAREWELL TO A FORMER BOSS




Today we said goodbye to one of the very few good bosses here at the office…well, I haven’t really been here that long to be able to compare ex-bosses since I have just been two years in this office but from what I have gained from the chats with officemates, VAM has been one of the few who have been good to them. You see VAM has always been on the lookout for the employee’s welfare – under his watch, we have always had a health card (of course, it helped that he was also a prolific user of it having so many sickness and all!) But still, with a boss like VAM, you never need to wonder whether the office would be giving out its regular mid-year and pre-Christmas bonus…you just have to ask when and how much…he has always been someone you can go to and rely on to seek intercession to the ‘big boss’ in case of any personal or professional problem.

I guess, that’s also why among the three deputies in the office, he is considered the most senior and also the most loved…which is why many were saddened with his sudden passing…the last time we were with him was during preparations/meetings for another out of town trip just a week or two ago and we were all quite surprised that he was unable to join us during that fateful trip to Bacolod. In fact, he was brought to the hospital on the day before our departure but since the preps have already been made we pushed through with the event without him…little did we know that we would not be able to see him alive… when we returned to the office he was still in the hospital and a few days after, he was already dead…

The entire office joined the family last night during his necrological services at Forbes Park church where his wake has been held for a week. I texted my uncle about his mistah’s death and he just sent some flowers…I guess he can’t make it to Manila this time, or maybe he’s just too busy. And today, we likewise came in full force to see him finally laid to rest at the Libingan ng Bayani. After all, being a former general he deserves to be given his rightful place in this place reserved for heroes…but more than all his military accolades and accomplishments, he is also a true hero and savior for us employees... farewell Sir VAM, may you rest in peace and continue to watch over us there in heaven…

School hunting

June's here and summer's already finished but I still haven’t found the perfect school for my kids…no I’m not yet in panic mode but I am sincerely hoping that this time around I would be able to find them a school that would fit their needs and of course, my criteria. You see my 11-year old boy shifted from the previous school that we enrolled him in when he was in 1st grade because it was a Christian school and I was fearful he may not be able to undergo first Communion so I transferred him to a Catholic school which is also near our subdivision in Bulacan. Turns out to be a wrong decision though because that school, despite being Catholic, had sports as its main thrust and when my son joined the taekwondo, basketball and volleyball teams in grade four, five and six, respectively he and his teammates would sometimes ‘waste’ two weeks even three weeks on practice sessions and actual school and inter-school competitions. I don’t want to deny my kid the chance to play sports and be fit and active but I wish they would do it in moderation and not take up too much time from what could have been time well spent studying their academic lessons…

Besides, I was a bit fearful that my son is not into reading much because the two schools he was previously in did not enjoin them to read which is why my son despite being an incoming first year student still does not have a good grasp of the English language. Sure he could understand some English words and can even construct simple sentences but he finds it difficult to converse well in the language and even construct simple essays with it… Although, sometimes I try to complement by tutoring him in English in my spare time but still it’s never enough.

Thus, when I started to make inquiries into two schools that were not quite so near to our place of residence (about 15-20 minutes away) one of the few things I asked the guidance counselor was their medium of instruction. I would prefer if the teachers can speak and teach the students in English although of course, it would be understandable if they would also teach in Tagalog. Aside from that I also ask if the school had a Reading and Speech class and what do the kids do during such sessions… I remember in my elementary days, I love reading classes because we get to read stories and afterwards answer questions regarding the story we just read. Sometimes we were brought to the school library and allowed to read any book that we wanted for an entire hour. Hence, another criteria that I look for is the school library – if they have an extensive collection of books and if the kids are allowed to enter anytime.

I believe that my love of books was the one that taught me how to write… and someday I wish to impart the same love for books to both my kids. This is why I am hoping that the school can also help me in this endeavor. Because aside from making a person well-versed in the English language, it will also expand his knowledge of the world (especially if the books that he or she reads are not limited to the fictional kind) And most especially now that recent reports stated that 95-97 out of 100 applicants to call centers are being rejected due to poor English! I wonder what has happened to our country which used to have the highest number of English speakers in Asia in the 1970s. Well, even if my children would not be entering a call center job in the future, the report says a lot about the English proficiency level of our schools nowadays…

Aside from wanting English as medium of instruction (I’m sure I would get much flak from nationalists with this but hey… it’s the way I want to raise my kids so just let me be. Besides, I do not believe that love of country arises from something as simple as teaching the kids in the national language. I do intend to teach my kids such virtue but in different ways) and wanting a good school library, I would also want to ask about the batting average of the school graduates being accepted in illustrious schools in college like UP, Ateneo, UST and Lasalle. Of course, every mother would dream that their kids be accepted in such institutions when they get to college so that they may be at least somehow assured that they are getting quality education and ensure a good future for them.

Another consideration is safety. Is the school environment conducive to learning? Are the rooms air-conditioned? Are the playgrounds safe to play in? I would prefer if I am able to visit the classrooms and other school facilities to see if the rooms provide a warm and inviting atmosphere for the kids to enjoy their stay in school. After all, they would be in school for more than half of their waking hours – about seven hours. One of the schools we recently visited had a rickety playground wherein the swings and seesaws were in such a state of decay it would be dangerous for the kids to play in it… although the guidance counselor assured that the kids weren’t allowed there anymore to use the facilities, I would wish they would throw the ragged things away altogether since there is still the risk that some kid might use them and the guards might not see them and who knows, what accidents may happen…

One other question that I often ask is the student-teacher ratio. The best would be to have less number of students per class so that the teacher would have enough time to answer the needs of each and every student thus I would prefer it if the classes would not be more than thirty kids. Of course, it would be best if I could also talk to the teachers and ask them individually their qualifications and views on teaching but this isn’t the usual practice here in the country so I would often just ask the guidance counselor the normal age range of teachers and ask if they are given continuous training to ensure their modes of teaching are constantly updated.

Also, I would prefer it if there would be more teacher-parent interaction so I can actively monitor the progress of my children. My son’s previous school severely lacked such because they would often just give the students the report cards to bring home to their parents. Unlike in other schools where such times would bring the parent and teacher together (at least quarterly) to discuss any problems or successes the child may have.

Finally, the last consideration would be the budget. Admittedly, it is another factor which has severely hindered my choices. Of course, I want the best schools but alas the best also cost the most and so I would often had to make do with the second best choice because we could very well not afford the tuition in the best schools. But still I continue to hope… that the school I would eventually find would be the best one for my child. There is no perfect school, just as there are no perfect parents and perfect teachers… what we just need is to play a constant monitoring role so that we are able to provide the best legacy we ever could for our children – education.