Shortest One-hour Conversation

"Walk with me," she said.

Dr. Evelyn Songco isn't like your ordinary professor or adviser. She didn't even become my adviser to begin with. It just so happened that I became part of the Thomasian Leaders' Congress that I met her; because she is the head of the Office of Student Affairs.

When I arrived in her office, she was to leave for a meeting and so I accompanied her to the main building and back to the OSA. During our short walk, we talked about migration, international studies and the prospect of giving back after my return. She is an keen listener, weighing on my points and commenting on what could be a better alternative. Though a bit saddened, she still urged me to continue my studies abroad. There will be a new culture to learn, after all; thus, giving me a bigger room for growth and wider perspective. Immersion in a western culture gave me hesitations but she assured me that I can make it. I also confided in her about the real reason of my departure, the problems I have seen in my college and even my dreams. Yes, even my lofty and far-fetched dreams. She simply chuckled when I told her, "Yun nga po ang problema ko, immigrant na kami kaya baka di ko na matupad yung pangarap ko na maging presidente ng Pilipinas." (That's my problem, we're already immigrants so I won't be able to pursue my dream of becoming president of the Philippines) She smiled and told me, "It's good to dream, you've got a good dream." Funny as it may seem, I once dreamed of becoming president thinking that Philippines have all the potential to become a developed country. She thought it was amusing, having a pessimistic student suddenly share her aspirations to become president after attending a congress.

My second year in the university was grueling. I found my schooling in our college inadequate; program unstructured; and even the whole system unforgiving. I must say though that despite all those flaws, I learned. There are still a few people, professors and student leaders, dedicated to their purpose. They taught me how to survive and adapt to the college culture. I cannot deny that I had a cynical outlook towards the university, having been through an ordeal in my stay. Being open-minded as she is, she didn't criticize me; instead she told me that she cannot blame me for my college defined my perspective of the university.

Fortunately, I was given a slot to attend the Thomasian Leaders' Congress. The event left me a good impression that I was in good hands after all. I made a hasty generalization and I stand corrected in my presumptions.

That was the shortest one-hour conversation I've ever had. I felt that there was this sense of trust given to me, like the one conveyed by my father. I won't let them down, I mustn't. Their trust will be my drive to strive harder.
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"What we have to remember is that we can still do anything. We can change our minds. We can start over. Get a post-bac or try writing for the first time. The notion that it's too late to do anything is comical. It's hilarious...We're so young. We can't, we MUST not lose this sense of possibility because in the end, it's all we have." (Marina Keegan)