The things I experienced so far taught me so much in life, and I have gained so much wisdom as well. I am excited to share this difficult yet beautiful journey with you, and hopefully many can find inspiration from it.

These are few of the things I have mentioned in my introduction post. Looking back, I can say that I have had a pretty exciting life. And so, my story begins...

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It all started when I decided to study in Marawi- a small city with a rich heritage. It is home to the Maranaos who are also referred to as people of the lake. It has a cold temperature on most days. Though a city, it doesn't have malls or hotels. And, it is predominantly Islamic.

View of Lanao Lake and the Sleeping Lady from MSU golf course

When I first arrived, I was excited, as the place and its people are totally foreign to me. I always like unusual, as it satisfies my curiosity and thirst for discovery. Everybody was wearing hijab—something that I didn’t understand at first. Most dishes are spicy, yellow in color, and having a very strong taste. People speak a foreign dialect. And the rain is very normal.

My mom called as soon as I arrived, asking if I changed my mind and decide to choose UP instead. When I was in 10th grade (formerly 4th-year high school), I took several admission tests, one of which is UPCAT. I passed, with a pretty good score, which qualified me to be admitted to UP Diliman - Engineering School. For many Filipinos, UP (University of the Philippines) is the ultimate college dream. But for some reasons, I was drawn more to what MSU (Mindanao State University) had to offer.

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So it was final, I'm staying. It took me a few weeks to adjust to my new life. The most difficult adjustment was probably taking a bath in the morning. Remember the ice bucket challenge which trended worldwide about three years ago? That is exactly the same feeling I had to endure for two years that I was in MSU. The water was literally as cold as ice!

Fast forward. I gained a lot of friends (both Muslims and Christians), fell in love with the place, and immersed myself in the Maranao culture.

My first year as a civil engineering student was satisfying. I was able to maintain my scholarship for having passing grades. I was able to join clubs and organizations. I also learned how to understand and speak a few words of the Maranao dialect.

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Then summer came. I decided to take up advanced subjects as I was aiming to graduate earlier, or if not, allow more free time for myself for the next semester.

It was a busy week as the schedule for the final exam was fast approaching. Due to lack of sleep, skipped meals, and a myriad of fact sheets to study, my health degraded. I took my final exam having a high fever, and right after I handed down my paper, I fainted. I was still conscious, but I was too weak and too dizzy to get up. Then, he came.

I woke up in the school infirmary. As I opened my eyes, I saw a man who's pretty tall- about 5'8'' in height, with curly hair, fair complexion, and round brown eyes. I recognized him. We are in the same class. Grateful for his help and feeling like I owe him something, I asked if I could repay his kindness through a meal when I feel better. He smiled.

Two days have passed, I was already feeling better. It was a lovely morning, so I went out for a walk to have a breath of fresh air since I was stuck in bed for quite a while. On my way to nothingness, I saw a familiar face, it was him, again. "Is your offer still valid?" he asked. And without any hesitation, together, we headed for breakfast.

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For two straight hours, we talked about things. Then the next day, we did the same, this time for four hours. Then another day came, and little did we know, it already became a routine. Like the line in one of the songs of Bryan Adams “It’s funny how from simple things, the best things begin.” It felt like the universe connived to lead us to each other.

Summer classes were over, it’s time to go back home. It was hard to communicate back then since a text and a call would cost so much. Unlitext and unlicall were not yet available. But despite the limited load and signal, we managed to have at least two minutes of call and 20 text messages per day.

It’s the start of another academic year again; I was excited to go back. The physical absence only made our hearts grew fonder. Everyone noticed our closeness, especially the ones closest to us. He was pretty famous at their department (Social Sciences) since he was the vice president. Girls would often giggle once they saw him. But it was me whom he chose.

It was in late July, our third month as friends. It was raining, we were at the tennis court of the school, waiting for the rain to stop. I remembered clearly how he told me these words “Pekababaya-an ko seka!”, which means I love you. Three months as friends, who shared special feelings for each other, but were just too shy to admit. And finally, in that fleeting moment, we both admitted our feelings.

But there is a problem. I am a Christian, he is a Muslim. And, he is about to be married to someone else.

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🌟 To be continued... 🌟

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