CHRISTMAS EVE 2010

My mother woke me up for the occasion, I fell asleep because I was tired from the 23rd's tradition with friends. So we went down, and there was something more homey to this Christmas eve's feel and something sad as well. This will most likely be our last Christmas here in our home, in a long while.

Things I got from group exchanging gifts:

• FORLAN Class: from Paul - native sun/moon necklace
• PSITS Christmas Party at Mang Inasal: from Marnie - a cow stuff toy bat

Presents from other people:

• Tita Dinah - hanky
• Chipstar - a thoughtful Christmas card and a very cute cow memo pad holder :)
• Elwin, the boyfriend - a 4GB flash drive so cute, "crystalized with Swarovski Elements" and it says its waterproof

And after the opening of gifts, we took lots of photos. Dad and mom wanted photos of our living room and dining area in different angles so that when we fly off to America, we remember how home looks like. We ate desserts and enjoyed the evening with our two maids and two aunts. :)

Even though the gifts were fewer (although there are still other gifts on the way from other relatives), Christmas eve was still heartfelt for me. And just a few days ago did a fact hit me; it hit me, I pondered, and later grew grateful for the fact that:

I've never spent a Christmas or New Year 

away from the family or away from home.

Thank you Jesus for that. :) I didn't really think about how common it was for others to spend Christmas away from family and away from home, not because they want to but they have to. My friend Princess is at work now since she has to work, I'm chatting with her a bit to keep her company.

Christmas is a time to bond with family and friends, think and ponder about all our relationships, especially our relationship with our God.

Happy Birthday Jesus Christ! :)

Very thankful,

-allie

//photos to follow

TEACHER

So just this Monday, our teacher returned our papers from last week's (or two weeks ago) exam. I was confident about that exam since I actually studied for it. I've been studying this semester for the objective exams, unlike before where I just had to wing it each time or cram my a*s off. 

So I was saying, I was confident about this exam, maybe only three to four mistakes since I had no clue with the three enumeration numbers. So she gave out the papers, and my confidence came tumbling down. I got a sixteen over twenty-five. A frickin' one six! I Computed for the passing grade, which wa seventy percent and it was seventeen point something, round it off and you get eighteen. I reviewed my answers, and there were two numbers that she gave me a two and three instead of a five. I checked with the book- and my answers were right! So right that I nailed the keywords and got it almost word for word.

So I approach my teacher...

Me: "Miss, what's the right answer for these two numbers? How come I got only a two and three? What keywords were you looking for?"

Teacher: ... *looks at my paper* ... "It's not the complete answer, it's right but not complete."

Me: *opens the book and shows her the answer, I underlined it* "but miss, it's what's written in the book."

Teacher: "Your answers need not to be the one written in the book."

Me: "But what are the keywords you are looking for?"

Teacher: ....

Me: "The passing is eighteen right?" *giving her the hint that she could at least give me the passing mark*

Teacher: "Yes." 

Me: "Okay thanks miss."

Now, I should have said, "So you mean to say the answer or definition written on the book, which I have written on my paper almost exactly, is not complete? Then why the hell are we using this book anyways? And as I remembered in your discussion, you referred to the books definition as well, you did not question its completeness."

Now I understand that as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the right and wrong also may vary in each person's perspective. But this was a frickin' "give the definition" question and I gave the definition as the book said it and as she discussed it! I could have gotten the twenty-two over twenty-five I deserved- but NO! So I just ranted on to my seatmates for the next subject, they said my face was turning red. And then I ranted on some more the whole day... and that whole day since I got the paper I was like this:

And I couldn't let it go because I studied my a*s off! And that was rare. The coverage to study was a lot, but the quiz was short! 

And so I picked my mum up at the office and I was beat. I ranted on to my mom and asked her to drive home, I was so tired from the emotion I had. And when we got home I told my dad about it and he was mad about it too, my mom was laughing at my frustration and how it drained all my energy. I showed him my quiz paper and the answer on the book, and he asked if I wanted him to write a letter or something, but I said it wasn't necessary and I knew I had to let it go, because our teacher was also our department's chairperson and she has helped me a lot, as in A LOT so I can advance through my curriculum. I wasn't really mad at her, I was mad at the fact that I was right but still helpless to do anything. I knew I just had to let it go, I had to. 

And now I'm actually feeling better. But writing about it brings a little frustration back, but I'll get over it soon enough. My feeling and my mom's theory was that it was my teacher's pride that was getting in the way, maybe she was embarassed that she already said the answer wasn't complete but there it was on the book. I don't know *rolls eyes*. I am hoping though that she'd secretly change my grade in her class record, I'm free to hope right? :p

Letting it go,

-allie

PS: I know scores aren't everything, I a firm believer that grades do not measure a person's intelligence, but when you're given less than what you deserved, less than what you wroked hard for, then maybe you'll understand where I'm coming from. And this wasn't the first time the teacher had more say in it than students.

PPS: Yesterday was Teacher's day! I didn't go to school but I greeted this teacher via e-mail and she replied. We're good. *fist bump*