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Bringing back memories is so fun to like living it for a while again.

Good day to all Steemingzen, especially mam @fabio2614, you really made my mind blow with this now. So let me share my throwback memories of my sweet 16. Actually, it's really not as sweet as what you've expected like others, but it's rather a bitter-sweet experience.

Unlike others, I could say that I am living in a different way from them in terms of my young age, it might because of our status in life. While others having their big celebration with their first day of being 16, I was also celebrating it just like an ordinary days, yet, I was still so happy and thankful back then that I able to reached the certain year for being healthy, and for having a complete family. The time was still so sweet with me after all with the hugs and kisses of my beloved parents and siblings.

2005

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The very unforgettable year of my teenage life, with tears and laughter's along the way. This was the year that I was in my first year of college, and being a first timer in the city, since I grew up in a mountainous province area of Cebu. This was the year that I first became an independent daughter in some other ways, like having my own decisions and doing things on my own that could benefit me for good. But beforehand, let me share something funny here. 😂🙊

I wanted to be like with my friends that could able to hangout when having parties/ feast in neighborhood barangays, like having disco in an open field, and having "baile"- a sweet dance in a social gathering.

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I was supposed to enjoy my life like these and that with my friends back in time. But my Father was very strict with his precious daughter. 😃 He won't even let me do such thing throughout those year, not even once. I would rather cry a river just to persuade him, but he would also rather just let me cry 'til morning than to let me go somewhere else. His reason was, he doesn't want me to be with strangers especially with boys. A lot of things being sermon by my Father. Oh common Papa, you really are a very protective person. There was this time that I almost jumped out in the window, because my friend were already waiting for me at the roadside but what my Father did tell me?
Father: "You're not allowed to go. Just sleep early because a lot of things to do tomorrow".
Me: (while tears started flowing down through my face). 😭
During daylight, he promised me that I could go wherever I want, as long as I would finish all the household chores. So that's it. I even filled the half barrel with water, cooked dinner, washed dishes, and all because I was very excited that time, but ended up being hopeless.
Father: "You choose!. School? or Hanging out with friends? If you want to go to college, then, no problem with that. I will try my best to let you study. But, if you just want to wander everywhere, then you are free to go. Just choose one between them. You know our situation after all, so it's up to you. (Since he knew that I was so desperate to continue to college, he blackmailed me with this). 😂
Me: (Just crying all night long), because I couldn't do as much as I want.

First semester in College

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Being a first timer in the city is not easy to start with. It seems that I had the other side of my life being activated because I had to adjust all the way which I never did before. I had to go along with others, in order to gain some friends. City life was very different for me that time. I did not understand at first and it kept me bothering in times, but as the time goes by, I get used to it. On the other hand, I was so happy that I able to reached college. I was just a happy-go-lucky lady, sometimes a loner, a shy type but I was talkative to the ones closed with me. Compared to my high school life, college lessons was just easier for me, since our school in my hometown was teaching advance lessons, so some of it was just like a recap for me. During this time, I also had a classmate who became my best friend.

She's different from our other classmates, and we had a lot of similarities of likes and wants, as well as the character, that's why we became close right away.

Semester Break

The time that my Father told me, that I will just continue my studies by the next semester next year since he couldn't make it anymore. His salary could not sustain with all the financial needs already. This time, another tears flooding again. 😂 Days after, I contacted my best friend and told her what my Father discussed all about. So upon hearing my sentiments, she told me that I would go to their place and will stay there while looking for summer job. So the day after our convo, I talked with my parents and told them my plans. Fortunately, they just let me go with good words and guidance. By the next day, I packed my things.

I never thought that my best friend's Mother was a contractor of a certain furniture company. She let me in at the age of 16, used an ID with another's name with my own photo without knowing what would be the outcome since I was just so innocent that time, like no ideas of what's going on, but in order to survive, I had to do that and just go with the flow. But it bothered me a lot since I was an underage, so that was illegal, and it might cause problem in the near future. I was just thankful no matter what because they're not tight with requirements as long as there's backer. There were so many minors inside. My job was very hard, which it came to mind that I could not live with it for long. I was a sander or polisher for furnitures, and the salary depends on the quantity of our works. The more furniture you polished, the more money you could earn. So that was my life there for how many months of suffer doing it repeatedly everyday. Thinking of it day by day, made me in tears in silence because for me, it was so embarrassing to tell my best friend that I was struggling. But in order to survive, I had to do it no matter what. While with this work, I also thought of my studies everyday on how to sustain it with my salary if I would make it a part-time. I was really hopeless and desperate that time, because upon seeing my situation, seems it was really hard to achieve my goal. Until one day, my best friend came back home from school after being enrolled and brought good news and told me everything about the hiring for working student at school. So I quickly prepared all the requirements. By the following day, I did not go to work, but I rather fixed myself, and went to school to apply for a working student. Luckily, I passed right away with the interview, since the admin also impressed by my good grades. They told me to start as much as possible. After this, I talked with my best friend's family that I would go to my hometown to talk with my parents.

The day I arrived, I talked with my parents right away. But another tears again flowing like a river.
Father: "Even if you are a working scholar, with 100% tuition fee free, how about your allowance? your boarding house? your requirements at school? and all other things needed? How we're able to sustain it?"
Me: (Talking while crying 😭). "Pa, please,,, I really want to finish as soon as possible. I don't want to be behind from my other classmates. I would regret it with my whole life if I will not grab this chance. Just this once, I want your full support. Until I woke up with my big eye bags due to too much crying. By the next day, my Father talked to me with his positive response about the last night's convo. And lucky me with the result. 😍

As a working student, I able to have bondings with the other staffs. I was assigned as an assistant librarian, sometimes at the front desk- the reception area to answer and entertain some inquiries. I was also enjoying being with my new job, at the same time also pressured, since I had to maintain good grades to be able to stay being a working student. While being with the other staffs, we became close with this accounting personnel who recommended me to her sister to do laundry. So this time, I was a laundry girl during weekends, I could able to have more allowance with 250-300 PHP or 5-6 USD per tray of clothes. I could say that I was really so blessed with good people.

At the age of 16, I never thought that I could do of it all. I was just so young and innocent back then, but my mind was already full of serious things. I did not have a lot of youthful memories like other youths whose just enjoying their life as much as they want during this year, but reminiscing all of it now, made me more proud of myself that despite the hardships that I've been through, I still able to get out of it. Everything happens for a reason. We met people by chance, either a blessing or a lesson. My life of being 16 has really a lot of unexpected twists, but what's more important is I able to conquer all the bitter-sweet at times. My family just really made it sweeter anyway.

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Thank you for reading my sweet 16 memories. Have a great day to all.

Inviting my friends @saneunji @mariarosa27 @jenny018 to make your sweet 16 entries now.

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Yours truly,
@hae-ra