Thank You and Goodbye
A little something for the academe I was in for the last 10 months.
Dear BA,
I can still remember the first time I passed by your blue environment when I was accompanying my sibling and other church friends for their youth camp. I can still remember the chills I got when I first set my foot on your vicinity. I can still remember how my favorite pastor interviewed me together with the kindest principal I have ever met in my entire life. At first, I thought you were scary but I was very wrong. You are the place which is filled with praises, laughter, teasing and bonding moments, some issues, but nevertheless still worth remembering. You may have given me a lot of pains and heartbreaks but those things taught me that teaching always comes with learning—it never ends. Thank you for making me strong. Thank you for being a part of my being.
BA’s runt,
BAF- 0610
Dear BA custodians/guards,
Unlike the very usual guards who always got mad to students, I am so proud to meet all of you and that you were never harsh to students. In fact, you were their best friends! I still remember how during break time, I peeked in outside and couldn’t help but to flash a smile whenever I see all of you laughing your hearts out with the students. I love how you are very close to them, especially to the little ones (primary level). Also, thank you Kuya A for the supporting words when I was still applying there. I will never forget that moment when you asked me if I was already hired then I said not yet, and you answered me with, “Tanggap ka na nyan!”
Permit to exit main and second gates,
Ma’am April
Dear Flock Silas,
Bonding with you guys and being your counselor during the camp is one of my most unforgettable experiences. I know I wasn’t the best the counselor you had because I told you (and you probably knew) where I was coming from. Nevertheless, I hope you found what I shared to you at the camp beneficial to your spiritual life. I hope before you graduate from high school, you will find your own voice and show to the world how capable you are to face life’s challenges. Keep the faith and the fire burning.
Love,
Ma’am April
Dear Level 6 – Mark,
I know we’ve made a lot of unpleasant meetings because of your stubbornness. I know our moments together were not so good but I am so pleased to meet everyone of you. You were all hard-headed in every way and though you have always been the reason of my office appearances, I am glad to be a part of your lives. I hope I kicked in some sense into every one of you so you’ll always remember to persevere and never stop trying if you want to be on the top section to make your parents proud.
Your favorite teacher (only during my time as you said),
Ma’am April
Dear Level 6 – Matthew,
You guys were so kind in the beginning but I was disappointed on how low your performance was in the last quarter. I know the closeness between us may be the reason of it. I guess that should be a lesson to all of you—that not just because I laughed at your jokes, we had open forums every now and then during our class, it will never mean that you should forget who I am to your class and that I won’t make my quarter exam a giveaway to all of you (though it might seemed one but you declined the idea of it because you told me that my exams were hard). I guess you should know when to crack jokes and when to act like a true-blue 6-Matthew pupil. Know the line, always. Still, thank you for everyone, for the smiles you gave me when you say I looked stunning (even when I haven’t slept a wink and that I knew you were just fooling around to postpone our difficult lesson again), for the reflections and revelations. Thank you for the trust, guys, and I am so honored to know and be a part of every one’s success and failure.
Your English teacher in high heels and pink lipstick,
Ma’am April
Dear Level 5 – Mark,
My most welcoming class despite of a few hard-headed‘s, I am so sorry if I usually throw a fit on you kids. Teacher was just hungry. Hahaha! You know, I usually rushed my lunch because of our time and I rarely had a full meal because of that. Thank you for the small talks and opening up to me whenever you needed help over something, everything. Thank you for showing how hard you exerted effort in every activity that we did. Thank you because you showed me that even if you’re not very good at academics, you all have the heart for your teachers. And I am so proud to be one of them. Though, you were just a few, I hope your bonding and friendship with each other will stay stronger and last a lifetime. Don’t stop trying.
Your always-have-a-baon-to-eat-in-between-breaks teacher,
Teacher April
Dear Level 5 – Matthew,
I will tell you a secret: you are my favorite class. You guys gave me so much to remember. You don’t know how much I treasure every meeting I had with you all. Thank you for the jokes, for the creepy stories which made me shriek and made you laugh (why thanks guys for having me as your source of entertainment), for the books you let me borrow, for showing me you were very eager to learn more, for the debates and brainstorming we had. 10 months surely was not enough for all the laughter but I want all of you to know that you made me happy every time we meet and made my stay at work worthwhile. I hope you guys continue what you’ve started and always humble yourselves before your Creator. Never boast any of your achievements and keep up the good work.
Until next set of books,
Teacher April
Dear Level 3 – Matthew, my advisory class,
No matter how I wanted to hate you, I just can’t because though we had our fair share of hate parades, I still have many reasons to be thankful for that I was your second mother. It was hard because your parents were not the best I have ever met. But challenge accepted! Though I strove hard every day to make my exams easier (unlike in the high school), I learned to level what I know to you little ones—so you will understand our lessons in every easy, possible way, so you will know what the tricks are to understand the complicated topics. Thank you for the little tokens, sweet letters and everything you gave and showed me. Thanks for appreciating me. With you kids, I learned to dance (because of our chapel services and that we should do the best to glorify Him with your talents), though I know I sucked at it. Thank you for making me proud during our last chapel service which was chosen to be performed during our mass demonstration. Thank you for giving it your best. Thank you for changing my heart and mind that I will now choose to handle the elementary level every time, given the chance. I hope all of you have learned your lessons (non-academically) and please, go beyond the books.
Your second mom,
Teacher April
PS: To my students, may the odds be ever in your favor! :P
To BA’s faculty, staff and administration,
I apologize for the mistakes and the failures I’ve made. I know I was such a burden and I am deeply sorry as I have fallen short of your expectations. I strongly believe that you won’t miss me, well, you will—the way my shelf had been half-full with shoes, the way I wear bold shades of lipsticks, the way I handle things with ease, the way you see me as a very strong person when a parent comes in the office to complain about me. Despite of these, I want to let you know that with you I felt like a real family member, in you I found strength and courage to face the world of teaching, with you I always belong. Thank you for everything we shared, though it’s not much, since I rarely go with you guys when you’re inviting everyone for a dinner out. Thank you for the morning devotions which never failed to be my inspiration, sharing each meal, each cup of coffee, cellphone load, words of wisdom and many more. Thank you for the concern about everything. Though, I can’t share to you some of those shortcomings, I know you understand. It’s so sad that you haven’t met my best half yet, but will do so when the time permits. I’m sure you’ll love him! I envy and will surely miss the friendship I once shared with all of you. I will miss everything—from the workload, to cramming grades and exam, from clocking out early to going home late because we should finish something important. Thank you for believing in me and thank you for being a blessing a to me. It was such an honor to work with all of you in this ministry. I will miss you all.
With love,
April
Thank you very much for making my first year of teaching memorable. I just have to get out of my comfort zone and take another yet exciting journey. Until we meet again.
