TYPICAL DAY

In the photo were Ramel Palaubsanon, Gregory Ragsag and Richard Harayo.

When I was a kid, I was always thinking, what happens to a typical day of a seafarer? My father always tell me stories about what he does on board. And I always get excited for all of his stories was so fun. He would even tell me that they always have barbecue parties on the weekends. They were able to tour different places around the world. Buy stuffs which is not seen on our country and the like. I haven't heard any negative things from him about his work there. So, what comes in my mind was that, my father does not feel lonely when his out of the country.


But all of those were stories of my father. By those times I was confuse for my mother would tell the other way around of my father's happy stories. She tells me all the time how hard my father's job was. She would say that, "lahat na pinagpawisan sa tatay niyo kahit brief niya basa na sa pawis para lang maayos buhay natin kaya mag-ayos kayo sa pag aaral niyo." (every part of your father's body was wet with sweat, even his underwear, that's why you must study hard). That was the phrase that always comes in my mind whenever I am about to do something bad with my studies.


Let me tell you something about my mother. She is a very strict disciplinarian to the three of us. She does not want anything wasted. She did not even spoil us in toys or in anything we want. What she does when we ask something not so important is that,"alalahanin niyo ang pera hindi pinupulot, pinaghihirapan yan kaya makuntento sa meron na at alagaan ng mabuti" . We were used on those phrases all the time. We were not even used on having money on our pocket. I remembered that I had my first wallet when I was in High School already. That was really funny, because even though our uncles and aunts would give us money on Christmas day we always give it my mother for we don't know on how to spend it. What she will do is that, she will bring us to the mall and buy what we want using only those money we got. That was really fun. 


While we were growing up. My mother started giving us money for school. And it was so ridiculous that whenever she gives me 100pesos for a day to spend, I will not be able to use it. Instead, I kept those bills on my books. And time pass by I would forget about those bills. The reason? I don't know how to spend such large bill at that time. Maybe I was really used of not having money on my hand. But time pass by I learned how to spend but in the right way. 


Getting back to the topic. Why did I tell that story? Simple. These seafarers always do hard work on board. They would not tell their children what they do there on board because they want there children think that they are always fine even away from home. Tears from their eyes whenever they miss their family are even hidden for the purpose of not letting their family feel their sadness. 


Now I know. But why does my mother tell me all the stories that my father does not tell me? Simple. She just want the children to give importance on what they had. To learn how to appreciate a persons sacrifice. But why on that very young age? Hmm. I think she wants us to grow up as a simple person realizing every effort given to us. 


Now, what is a typical day for a seafarer? Simple. Working all day for the benefit of the family to survive and at the end of the day, thinks of the family at home. How are they? are they fine? and I miss them.