let the good times roll

When my Christmas break started last Dec. 18, I hated having this short time vacation.

First thing, I'm not able to go home in Urdaneta because of my Clinical Psych Practicum. Another thing, if I am able to get this so-called break, school work is all piled up, waiting for me to finish them all ASAP.

I started my practicum last Dec. 20 with some of my friends at Hospicio de San Juan de Dios. The place was a bit (?) far from Manila's congestion (yees, helllooooo Bocaue, Bulacan!) so during my first day, I got a bit hyper in commuting from Sampaloc to Marilao aka Raf's house as our meeting place. We went there for the five straight days of our break.

The days passed by and I started to feel homesick. I even got tired talking and making jokes to the institution's patients that I made myself busy learning table tennis with Sugar. I really wanted to go home--that's what I thought about the whole time.

Wednesday came and I even felt more blue. When we went home late in the afternoon, I realized that my wallet is missing. I didn't panic at first because I was thinking that I was just having a shonga moment again as what Sugar calls it (aka short term memory loss, as usual). My wallet contains all my cards, membership cards, newly-withdrawn money (don't ever want to remember how much), coins for my everyday commuting, and the keys to our condo unit. It really left me to zero balance, oh yes, poorita on the spot.

I was soooo unfortunate-- that was what I was thinking. I slept at Hanna's place for the overnight since I don't have my keys. I called up my mom and cried for being so careless (and homesick).

The next day, I called myself lubog sa utang. Fare and food consumption were all paid by Kayle. We went to our practicum as usual, fed the patients, administered tests, talked to them and whatnots. That particular Thursday, I'm supposed to be going home.

Friday came and it was Hospicio's Christmas Party. The patients were really excited (since some of them were participants of a pageant that we have prepared for them). I even forgot that I have to go home after this! :) They were all happy as we dance and sing for and with them! :) I really felt so light and had smiles all the time.

I have no money in my pocket right now. I only have ways to make others happy. And I can say, despite unfortunate events and sermons from my mom, this is one of my meaningful Christmases I had. I know, all my life I spent my Christmas with normal people but today, it's different. These people may not know what they did to me but I learn to appreciate things that are different--and sometimes these things are those that are simple, waiting for us to be noticed. :)

I'll be back at Hospicio at Dec. 27 and sadly I only have 74 hours left with them.