Thursday, April 10, 2008

balik UPLB...

last Tuesday, April 8, 2008, i came back to the University of the Philippines in Los Baños to meet some of my friends. The place is pretty much the same, save for the new stores along the Grove and the functional building beside the Office of the University Registrar. They also have a new traffic system, jeepneys no longer pass infront of BioSci but instead pass behind the Main Library. They have "Kaliwa" and "Kanan" on the signs on the windshields of the jeepneys. Kaliwa jeeps would pass by the Math building and the Kanan jeeps would pass by the Raymundo Gate. The environment is still friendly as usual. The trees around gives me a certain sense of warmth, it still feels like home to me. I haven't walked along the Carabao park for almost 2 years already, the huge heads of the Carabaos were repainted and they look new. The KwekKwek tower seems to lose it's vibrance as its paint is starting to fade away. I was with Marius, we both "voluntarily" left UPLB summer of 2006. We were reminiscing about our fondest memories of each place we visit. Our usual lunch outs at Elen's inside the Raymundo village, the time we watched a UP-choice perform at the DL Umali hall, the day we first met at the NCAS building, our merienda sessions at MCdonald's, our billiard games at the student Union building...so many memories.
When we got inside the campus, a few students roam the streets of the campus, we rarely saw familiar faces, that's why we got into this contest of meeting more friends. I had a head start, as i saw my bloc mate Gib, who was surprisingly excited to see me again. When we ate at Mcdo, we saw some of our batchmates together, two of them were my former classmates in English 1 and 2, but none of them recognized me. Somehow, i felt that i didn't really fit in there anymore.
To end the day, we ate dinner at eLBi square. i was with Brylle, rap, Pal and Nathan, they're all from Davao and i would often hang-out with them when we were freshies. Before, i barely understood their conversations because they would talk to each other using their vernacular language, but i never felt out of place. i really enjoy being with them. Before, whenever i'd feel upset with my barkada, i would go to mangoville to hang out with them.
I am happy going back to eLBi, bittersweet experience, Pal and i wanted to go back, but obviously, we cant. we were just happy to see everyone doing okay. eLBi is still a home for me. Still the place where i learned to be patient and be with people. I have changed a lot, eLBi made me feel that, I have grown a lot. My decision to leave was affirmed. I am happy. Happy to be friends still with the people i considered family two years ago. *wink*


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