Saturday, April 15, 2006

Reconnecting and Healing


A few months ago, Ellen DeGeneres talked on her show about how she moved to different schools when she was younger. She said that she doesn’t remember anything. She doesn’t have pictures and so she asked her viewers that if they went to school with her, to please send her pictures. “I’m trying to piece my life together,” she said.

She may have said that in jest, but I know how hard it is to move to different places. I also went to different schools. My memory of each school is also a blur. But, I do have pictures.

Just as Ellen did, I just want to throw out there the list of schools I went to. So if you or somebody you know went to at least one of these schools, please direct them to me or this site. I would love to hear from them. These are schools in the Philippines.

1. St. Mary Magdalene School, Kawit, Cavite – 1971 to 1977
2. St. Joseph’s School, Pandacan, Manila – 1977 to 1978
3. Imus Institute, Imus, Cavite – 1978 to 1980
4. Carlos P. Garcia High School, Paco, Manila – 1980 to 1982
5. Centro Escolar University, San Miguel, Manila – 1982 to 1983
6. JOBS Secretarial School, C. M. Recto, Manila - 1982
7. Datamex Computer Training Services, C. M. Recto, Manila - 1985
8. Philippine School of Business Administration, Sampaloc, Manila – 1983 to 1986

Ellen learned that her high school class, which graduated in 1976 was having its 30th reunion. Since she was busy and wouldn’t be able to come, she invited them instead to have the reunion right there on the show. Of course, she could do that. She’s a very well-known celebrity and has the means to do it.

I have never been to any reunion. Be it a class reunion or a family reunion. It’s one of the disadvantages of being out here abroad and not being able to afford to come home. But in 2002, I was able to contact some my high school classmates. I wrote them in their 20-year old addresses, which I kept. I was so excited to hear from them. We exchanged emails and pictures. And I started a site where I posted pictures, memorabilia and memories of our high school years.

Being successful in contacting my high school classmates, I decided to find my elementary school classmates as well. Not only did I find them, but I was also haunted by childhood memories. Read more about this here.

13 comments:

Joy said...

Happy Easter!

I reconnected with former classmates using friendster. It is amazing how many people I had "found" there. Have you tried it?

Abaniko said...

You went schoolhopping Niceheart, ah? :D

I think I can't reconnect to most of my classmates in elementary anymore. I forgot their names already. Too bad.

niceheart said...

You know what Joy? I have a friendster account but I don't log in that often. I think I better do.

I've always felt like I was the newcomer, Abaniko.

domestic rat said...

Yup! I found a few old friends in Friendster. That's a good place to start.

Toe said...

Hi Niceheart... like your pictures... which one are you there? What a good idea to create a site about your high school class.

Anonymous said...

You would never catch me putting up old pics of me from my school or uni days. Brave brave woman.
:)

Suy

Anonymous said...

It must have been hard for you, Irene, to move from one school to another. Your list was kinda extensive. :-)

Unlike you, I'm not so enthusiastic in contacting my grade school and HS classmates because -- 1) I'm an introvert; 2) I had had traumatic experiences in school (favorite target of bullies). But I still get to meet/correspond with two close friends from that school.

All the best in your search.

niceheart said...

You, too, DR? I better get active in Friendster then.

I guess you're right, lord vader. I must be brave for putting up my old pics here.

Anyway, Toe, this is me in high school - http://cpgarciaclass82.homestead.com/Villamiel.html

I'm not really proud of my pictures. Lagi kasing nakasimangot. In the class pictures, you'll find me:
C.P. Garcia H.S. - 2nd girl sitting from the right.
Imus Institute - 5th girl from the right in the front row.
St. Mary - First girl from the left on the 2nd row.

Thanks, Jayred. I'm sorry to hear about your traumatic experiences. I also know a few people who'd rather forget about elementary and high school because of bad experiences.

PhilippinesPhil said...

Hi Niceheart, Braveheart here. I just linked to your site from Watson's.

I think I have you beat with numbers of schools and places lived before I finally started doing it for a living. I am what my "kind" call a "Military Brat
." I loved it and wouldn't have had it any other way.

I wrote a post about it called, of all things, "Military Brat
." Link to it when you get a moment.

Sidney said...

I think the past is the past and it is useless to try to bring it back. Those happy or unhappy moments will never come back !

niceheart said...

You sure beat me, Phil. Wow, 14 schools. I can just imagine how hard it must have been for you.

In my case, Sidney, it had not been useless. I had such a painful childhood and having children of my own brought back those memories. I couldn't run away from it and so I had to bring it back and it actually helped healed the wounds, so to speak.

Anonymous said...

hi, irene! i dont think i can recall my elementary grade classmates but i will never forget my high school friends and enemies, mentors and bullies.

i am also not interested to meet them again but would be interested because i wanna show them my jewels - my kids.

niceheart said...

I guess it's no wonder why there's poor attendance in these reunions. Not everybody's interested in seeing their old classmates.