My Firsts

I'm starting to get use to eating alone. Not so bad really, I found out that I eat faster when I'm alone. Unlike when I'm with someone that I would have to pace my eating with my companion. Plus, most likely pag may kasabay ako, matagal kasi nga kwentuhang umaatikabo. Unlike when I'm alone that all I have to pay attention to was the food on my plate. While having lunch yesterday, it made me realize that andami ko ng nagawa noon na mag-isa lang ako. Things that I never really thought that I'd do alone. Siguro nasasabi ko lang na hindi ko kayang gawin mag-isa dahil all my adult life, I'm surrounded with friends and peers (and lovers). So habang kumakain ako, pinilit kong isipin yung mga first time experiences...

First Book I Read: Believe it or not, the Bible. I learned how to read even before I went to Kindergarten. We used to have an English illustrated version of the Bible which I read. In truth, I find the Bible fascinating. There are more myths and magic stories in the Bible than in any other book. What with the stories of Abraham and Sarah having a child at their old age, Joseph and Egypt's seven years of plenty, Moses and the parting of the Red Sea, even Lazarus being brought to life after being dead for three days. One of the reasons perhaps kung bakit maagang lumabo ang mata ko. I remember my mother telling me to stop reading the Bible kasi baka daw mag-madre ako or minister or, worse, mabaliw! Hehe. If she only knew...

First Vivid Memory of School: Nung Kinder 1 ako (saling-pusa lang ako nun) kasi naman anliit ko and mas bata talaga ako sa mga classmates ko. There was this one time na yung teacher ko ay may schedule for observation ng principal and district supervisor. So nagkaroon kami ng practise lesson the day before and she kept reminding us na yung lesson na tinuro nya that day will be the same lesson na ituturo nya kinabukasan. May isang question sya na nasagot ko (mahilig ako sumagot ng tanong pag wala ng nagtataas ng kamay among my classmates). And talagang tuwang-tuwa yung teacher ko saken. On the day of observation, yung principal and district supervisor nasa likod ng classroom to observe and super behave kami ng mga classmates ko. Nung tinanong nung teacher ko yung same question like she did the day before, wala pa ring sumasagot, then, tinawag nya ako (coz we both know that I know the answer to the question). Hindi ko alam kung anong iniisip ko nun, basta bigla akong umiyak. Siguro natakot ako na magkamali ng sagot. Tsk.

First Crush: I had my first crush when I was in Grade 5. She's a transferee from another school. Her name is Jeffelle ("J" na naman?). She's chinita and maputi and her uniform was always immaculately clean. One time, nakasabay ko sya umuwi, ang sarap kausap and she's smart. Pity that she transferred to another school the following year...I wonder where she is now...

First (and last) Boyfriend: Ok, ok, malamang may magtataas ng kilay sa makakabasa nito. Yeah, I had a boyfriend. It was the summer before my senior year in high school. His name is Allan. I met him sa outreach program ng church namin sa GMA, Cavite. One week lang kami dun. Ang nakakatawa, sinagot ko sya after a day na inamin nyang crush nya ako (easy to get ano?). But honestly, it was more of peer pressure kaya ko sya sinagot. I'm not really into boys (as I found out much later) kaso yung mga kabarkada ko na kasama ko sa outreach was saying na kelangan sagutin ko daw kasi ako na lang daw hindi nagkaka-boyfriend sa barkada. When we went back home, we exchanged a few letters. The excitement eventually wore off and I just stopped communicating with him.

First Ocean Travel: That was summer of '98, Superferry 12 going to Cebu City. Um-attend ako ng Kawayan Camp together with Jeng. Active pa ako sa church nito and I was getting involved in Christian youth activities sa PUP (under Kalasag Christian Fellowship). I remember, maalon ang dagat nun kaya para kaming dinuduyan sa loob ng cabin habang natutulog at umuurong yung plates at mga baso habang kumakain kami. Hindi naman ako nagsuka, unlike nung iba kong kasama na sobrang hilo, they weren't able to explore yung barko. Basta ang alam ko, may swimming pool ang Superferry 12 at madalas patugtugin yung jingle ni Sharon Cuneta na "super ferry...talagang trip kita"...at hindi pala kumpleto yung life vests sa mga cabin (hindi pa naman ako marunong lumangoy).

First Air Travel: Domestic flight lang, nung nagpunta kaming Zamboanga para sa work. We took the first flight papunta dun. Yung kasama ko (Cheryl din ang name), alam nyang first time ko sumakay ng plane, panay ang asar saken! At talagang pinaparinig nya ata sa lahat ng taong kasakay namin na first timer ako. Tanong ng tanong kung uminom daw ba ako ng Bonamine bago sumakay, baka hindi daw ako makatulog, etc. Pati tuloy yung team leader namin, tawa ng tawa. Sabi ko sa kanya: "Che, pwedeng tumahimik ka? ihuhulog kita dyan sa bintana (nasa window seat sya)." Ang fear ko nun e yung Abu Sayyaff kasi Siocon pala ang pupuntahan namin, pero wala namang untoward incident na nangyari. Paglapag lang nung plane, sabi saken ni Cheryl, halikan ko daw yung lupa...At meron palang nakakatuwang karatula kaming nakita habang nagbi-byahe sa van. Yung isang bakery sa Zamboanga City na ang pangalan ay: "Master Baker"...*grins*

First Movie Watched Alone: I can't remember when "The Mask of Zorro" was shown here. Tanda ko lang nasa college ako nun. I'm not even sure why I was in SM City at that time. Basta ang alam ko, malakas ang ulan nun kasi may bagyo and basang-basa yung lower part ng pants ko kasi lumusong ako sa baha. Hindi ko rin alam what made me purchase a ticket and go to the cinema alone. Big mistake kasi anlamig ng aircon. I end up not understanding the movie at all kasi two hours akong nangangaligkig ng ginaw sa loob.

First Time I Ate Alone in Public: This happened siguro about a month pag-alis ni Jeng. I can't remember exactly kung saang fastfood yun (ang alam ko sa SM City din). All I remember is that I somehow felt awkward and stupid, eating alone. After nung experience na yun, hindi ko na inulit...ngayon na lang ulit. Hehe.

First Time I Ate Balut: This year lang. Very memorable kasi sort of Baptism of Fire ko yan kasi hindi naman talaga ako kumakain ng balut. I remembered the first time I did so, kasama ko si Jane kasi may surveillance operation kami sa Rennaissance Towers. Merong nagtitinda ng balut dun sa labas ng Ministop. Pareho kaming hindi kumakain ng balut ni Jane pero parang na-dare lang. So bumili kami ng tig-isa. Buti na lang maliit yung sisiw at masarap yung vinegar nung manong. Kinain ko lahat, maliban sa balat at yung bato na tinatawag. Siguro mga tatlong sunod-sunod na gabing kumakain kami ng balut dun. Tumigil kami nung nagsimulang magsakitan ang mga batok namin...

First time sa Strip Joint: Haha. Hindi ko alam kung worth it pang i-kwento ito. Imagine ang kasama kong pumunta dun mga lalaki? Ako lang nag-iisang "alien". Nagkayayaan lang kasi may surveillance operation kami sa Quiapo. E, andami dun, tabi-tabi pa. So we went to this cheap one malapit sa Isetann Recto. Big mistake din kasi ampapangit ng babae (pwera biro). Hindi ko alam pero, honestly, naawa rin ako sa kanila. Kahit anong gawin, babae pa rin ako. Sino ba naman may gustong sumayaw ng ganun? Tapos, hiyang-hiya yung mga officemates ko kasi yung "first experience" ko daw sa ganun e hindi maganda.

First time I Drank Beer: Freshman or sophomore lang ata ako sa high school lang nun. Sa bahay, parang coming out of age. Pero present ang nanay at tatay ko. I supposed I got so drunk that night kasi may kasama pang yosi plus Pilsen pa yung ininom ko. I hated the morning after kasi nagkaroon ako ng pantal-pantal sa buong katawan na sobrang kati!!! Parang kinagat ako ng isang milyong higad...After nun, matagal bago ako uminom ulit and I hated beer all thru high school. Ngayon...balik-beer ulet. Hehe!

Marami pang first time. Kwento ko pa ba yung, first time I had my period? first kiss? first time I fell inlove? first eyeball with online acquaintance? Nakakatawang maalala pero madalas pagkatapos ng first experience, parang merong nabubuksang pinto para sayo. Kahit gaano ka-simple yung first time, masarap pa rin alalahanin kasi ibig sabihin, nag-take ka ng risk. And that is the only thing that's important. Hindi yung experience itself kundi yung thought that you took the risk. Kasi after ng first time, sisiw na yung mga kasunod...