Michael Schonmann

20 years old ako noong pinagpaliban ko ‘yung pag-aaral ko ng kolehiyo para magtrabaho. Ginawa ko ‘to para makatapos ang mga nakababata kong kapatid. Sino pa ba kasi ang gagawa n’un para sa kanila? Sulit naman ang sakripisyo, kasi ‘yung isa, college na. Si bunso naman, patapos na rin ng high school. Bilang panganay, mahalaga na magawa ko ang lahat ng aking makakaya para mabigyan sila ng magandang kinabukasan.

Marami rin akong pinasukan na mga raket para suportahan sila. Pati nga ang pagsali sa Mr. Pogi sa barangay namin, ginawa ko na. Kahit naging 1st runner up lang ako, masaya pa rin ako. ‘Yung consolation prize ginamit ko para i-libre ang pamilya ko sa labas.

Pumasok din ako bilang waiter sa isang fine dining restaurant sa Makati. Mahirap nung una kasi wala ako masyadong experience. Akala ko madali lang pero hindi pala! Lalo na ‘yung maraming order at maraming customer? Naku, natataranta talaga ako nung una!

Pero nagsikap ako kasi ang hirap makahanap ng stable job ngayon. Lalo na’t di ko lang ginagawa ito para sa sarili ko, kung ‘di para din sa pamilya ko. Kaya sinisigurado ko na ang bawat araw, gagawin ko na learning experience para gumaling ako sa ginagawa ko. So far, I’m getting there. Kaka-regularize lang nga sa’kin eh! Gusto ko talaga umangat kaya ‘yung next goal ko naman is maging team leader sa restaurant.

Basta para sa pamilya at sa mga kapatid ko, all-in ang effort ko.

Translation:

I was 20 years old when I stopped attending college in order to work. I did so to send my younger siblings to school. Who else would do that for them? But they are worth all the sacrifice because one of them is now in college, and the youngest is about to finish high school. As the eldest, it’s important that I do everything I can to give them a bright future.

I tried a lot of sidelines, to support them. I even joined a pageant once. Though I ended up as the first runner up in that contest, I’m still happy. I used the consolation prize I received to treat my family.

I also worked as a waiter at a fine dining restaurant in Makati. It was tough at first because I lacked the necessary experience. I thought it would be easy, but it was not, especially when a lot of orders would come in. I used to panic a lot in the beginning.

But I strived hard since it’s difficult to land a stable job these days. I’m not doing this for myself, but for my family. Now I’m making sure that I treat every day as a learning experience to improve myself. I think I’m getting there. In fact, I just got regularized at my current job! I really want to succeed that’s why my next goal is to become a team leader in the restaurant I’m working for.

As long as it’s for my family and siblings, I’ll give it my all. ADVT

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