I recently caught an old friend from my highschool days online and when we started chatting, she instantly invited me to share photos with her.

I thought that she was going to show me a photo of her latest adventure or maybe her new boyfriend, but I was so shocked to see pictures of a baby.

She's already a mom!

I found a hard time getting over the news. I havent even graduated yet, much less had a boyfriend (I'm one of those people who are in search of the "right one") and most of my classmates are already having kids.

I am now 21and it really frustrates me how at this age, my purpose in this world is still unclear to me. I know I want to help others and to make change, but as to how I am going to actually implement the changes I want to see, I am still clueless and currently on the process of trying out new things. I want to plan my life carefully because I dont want to end up in a profession where I am not going to be happy. I want to be driven by passion, and not by marital or financial obligations.

I am not condemning my friend for having a child at a young age. I guess I am just saddened by the fact that most young mothers' dreams are hindered by their new-found responsibilities.

Young Mommy
Translated into French by: ZOH Gonshay Didier

She's already a mom!

I found a hard time getting over the news. I havent even graduated yet, much less had a boyfriend (I'm one of those people who are in search of the "right one") and most of my classmates are already having kids.

I am now 21and it really frustrates me how at this age, my purpose in this world is still unclear to me. I know I want to help others and to make change, but as to how I am going to actually implement the changes I want to see, I am still clueless and currently on the process of trying out new things. I want to plan my life carefully because I dont want to end up in a profession where I am not going to be happy. I want to be driven by passion, and not by marital or financial obligations.

Last week, a group of ACES people lost their money and cellular phones to four guys who held them at gunpoint on a UP-PANTRANCO jeep. It was really weird because the incident occurred at around 6:30 PM along the University Avenue which is normally a busy street.

After four years of dorm life, I will officially be a full-time member of the commuting public and with this, I know that the possibility of riding with a “scumbag” is extremely high.

Paranoia sets in.

A friend once told me, “doubt everything except the process of doubting”. Heck, I think I will.

CASE IN POINT:

Sunday (Fairview jeep from Cherry’s place)…

Upon boarding the jeep, I immediately checked the passengers:

Two lovebirds at the front, SAFE.

Old lady with a bayong, SAFE.

Teenage guy with very tired eyes, SAFE.

What a relief. I have this “thing” about looking outside while riding a jeep. Come on, why would I want the city’s pollutants to enter my facial pores? So I sat straight, made mental notes to myself regarding my unfinished tasks, and made a heavy sigh.

“Haaay, finals week na naman”. (*sigh*, It's finals week again.)

Suddenly, the jeepney stopped. Three drunken men boarded.

At the instant smell of cheap liquor, I became worried. The filthiest guy was laughing so hard. The other two were just quiet. Okay, I know I’ll get pimples if I gear my head towards the highway but I obviously had no choice.

“Try to look as if you’re not scared”.

“Look busy”.

“Don’t look at them. Okay, look at them. But just take short glances”.

“Don’t do anything to attract their attention”.

I was occasionally glancing at them from the corner of my eye when suddenly, one of the silent guys let out this long “itak” (a sharp knife-like tool) and started to stab the seat cushions.

I became hysterical. Internally, of course.

“I did NOT see that”.

“Do not react, he might talk to you”.

“Be cool. You might hyperventilate.”.

"There are only a few people here, how can I lie about not having a cellphone?"

“Gosh, my cellphone has a lot of important contacts”.

“What if they also takes my Chowking meal?” (Chowking is a fastfood chain here in the Philippines)

"Can I hit his crotch hard enough to disable him?

"Oh yeah, there's 3 of them. Fat guy might grab you by the hair and strangle you with it"

“He can’t stab me with that rusty old thing, I’ll die of shame!”

“Lord, why me? WHYYY?”

Silent guy hid the “itak”. Then, he took off his shirt, and wore it again. Now that was freaky. They were speaking in a dialect which I couldn’t make out, until I heard three very familiar letters, “NPA”.

“Oh my gosh, they’re fugitives!”

“What if they kidnap us and bring us to a deserted forest?”

“Man, I can’t take a bath there...”

“Dugyot!”

"Then again, I could write a book if i survive. I'll be famous!"

"What am I saying???"

I got home safely that night. Turns out, those guys were too wasted to successfully stage a hold-up. Then it occurred to me, from my various conversations with “experienced’ people, hold uppers don’t look like the ones you usually doubt. Just like the time that I didn’t notice or suspect:

-the guy who slashed my bag

- the guy who slashed my other bag

-the guy who used his elbow to “feel” my pocket and used his large fat frame to keep me from moving inside the jeep

-the guy who attempted to snatch my bracelet

and

-the guy who kept on shoving me along a passenger line until I caught his hand inside my bag.

Do you know what they look like? Simple. They look like me and you. In this time and age where money can drive people to do crazy things, it’s hard to trust anybody. This may sound silly, but looking at the potential everyday dangers that I face on my 45- minute trip home, I think I have more than enough reason to “doubt everything”.

(This article was from my other blog, written before i joined TIG)