That was the 13th day of April when I get to know my job as a SPES. Honestly, it’s not my dream summer job. But the interview I experienced with an official of IIPESO flashed back in my mind, I said that I do everything to fulfill my job whatever it is to be given by the management. So I must accept this job and have my heart into it like what I’ve heard from the instructor of my job orientation that COMMUNITY BASED MONITORING SYSTEM is a no joke job, we must love our job to be able to enjoy it and to feel that it is not actually difficult.

The 29th day of April has come, and I will call it ‘my first day with reality’. It was exactly 8 o’clock in the morning when I arrived in our meeting place. Everything was set except for my confidence. At first, I was really shy what would my greeting sounds like. I am not the type who would approach first since I was not that friendly. However, this job taught me how to overcome that not-so-good attitude of mine. I learned the proper way of drawing near to a person and I realized that people would recognize me if I would show them that I was really interested with them. And I found out that ‘smiling’ truly has the biggest part on socializing. 

The next days are the spectacular ones. I never knew there were places like those in PACIANO. I’m a home buddy so I don’t usually go strolling outside. I’m only seeing the usual view on my way home. However, through this job, I caught sight of the other side of my barangay. I entered in every eskinita, I walked in every road, and I absorbed every sun rays of Paciano. After all, it was not all about the ‘pag-gagala’ around the barangay, it was how I understand the different life style and living conditions of every person I met and I must say, that I learned so much from the short but meaningful conversations I had with them. I’ve learned that, life is not always at ease. People can live uncomfortably, as long as they have this four-corner shelter, food to feed their children, and neighbor to have the afternoon conversation with. But seriously, they make their every response to my interview their hope to be helped by the authorities, by the government or even by myself.

The last thing I accomplish in joining SPES is the friendship. My spesmates and some of my co-enumerators and even my supervisors had lots of tickling bonding moments in field-editing, birthday handaans, free-lunch from councilors, and everyday meeting in our barangay hall. It was not really on my plan to gain more friends here because I was fortunately together with a classmate in this job, but I think I was really overwhelmed by the way we (enumerators) get along together.

When all's said and done, this is my first productive summer. I’m not just in the front of the computer or doing same routines everyday. And I’m happy to be a part of SPES in my first and last time.

My summer job is the most difficult one but I can say that the experience paid it all.



– XAWI