This blog, and so as the first blog that I have created, has been a witness to all my adventures for the last two years. It has patiently listened with my angst and rants, consoled me through trying times, laughed and celebrated with me during my blissful days and dealt with my impulsive and sometimes incoherent thoughts. Tonight, I once again unfold here, in my small nook in the cyberworld, one of the greatest adventures of my life...
Every writer has a story on how he or she became one. Perhaps my story could be comparable to that of a girl rekindling an old flame. Yes, I am working in the teaching field at the moment but just like any other sentimental fool; I cannot forget my first love which is writing...
I began writing when I was in the elementary grade. I remember writing poems and enjoying every minute of our writing exercises in English. Then fast forward to high school, I became a staffer for our school newsletter which gave me my first taste of creative and news writing. The taste of it was so sweet that it led me to choose to be a journalist. It was also during these times, however, when I developed my love for biology; it went on for years and my feelings became so fierce that I decided to choose BS Science as my major in college. Came year 2000 when I finally had to submit my college application form to one of the universities here in the Philippines. It has the course, BS Science, on top of the list of my preferred courses; but to my surprise, before handing the piece of paper over to the student volunteer, I borrowed his pen and changed the science course to AB Journalism. I wrote it with a jolt that it felt weird that time. And so the next four years was marked by the highs and lows of being a journalism student. Racking your gray matter for writing ideas was really no picnic but I still pursued it. Writing really has that hypnotic power over me.
Then came 2005, I graduated. But due to my dad’s untimely death, my dream of being a writer had to be on the back burner first so that I can support myself. Being mom- and dad-less and being the youngest in the brood of five, I knew I had to take care of myself. I had to find a job and I had to do it fast because I didn’t want my siblings who already have their respective family to consider me as their responsibility. Hence, I embraced yet another career so alien to me and which I used to consider as the worst career ever-- teaching. But that was back then. Turned out that teaching is so fun and fulfilling at the same time. And so after a year of teaching, I decided to become a full-fledge teacher by taking a master’s degree in English education. I was lucky to be admitted in the program although I’m not an education major back in college.
Writing academic paper was really not a cinch but I enjoyed it because technically, it’s still writing. With it, I felt that my love for writing was starting to resurface. I guess that love also became the fuel that made me finish all academic papers required in almost all of the theoretical subjects in graduate school. I finished the courses March this year. And after a couple of weeks of absence of writing, I felt a surge of nostalgia. I really missed writing.
One of my very good friends has been a tenured freelance writer for a company named Essays.ph . It never crossed my mind that time though to try out for a stint in the company because I still have a full-time job which could really be exhausting and demanding sometimes. And besides, I never really had the chance to practice my major. But due to an unforgettable event in the May 25, the day when the company I’m working for was supposed to close, I immediately applied for Essays.ph.
After two days, I found myself in the gray team office with grappling thoughts: to take or not to take an assignment. I did take, anyway. My first assignment was about coloring pages. I absolutely had no idea what to write; I even thought of showing examples of coloring books instead. Until now, I don’t know how I managed to finish the set and submit them. And oh, by the way, that first writing assignment was marked with booboos. Not only did I submit an hour late (I still get confused about the time discrepancies in the office until now though) but I also didn’t follow the assignment detail (AD). I wrote five 300- word articles when they should have 500 words! Hence, my first revision. And so starting that time, I knew that this experience would be an exciting rollercoaster ride!
And exciting ride it is, indeed. I took one assignment after the other and soon, after two weeks, I noticed being in a different office--- i was transferred from the gray office to the red office. Then, the rest was history. I have been with the company for four months now and I have experienced writing about finance, female enhancements and a whole lot more of out of this world but exciting topics. I also had my fair share of revisions, forced assignments and warnings because of cancellation of assignments.
Writing for EPH and being a QA-slash-teacher in an online teaching company are two jobs that I really have to juggle everyday. My full-time work could really be unpredictable and time-demanding sometimes, but I still see to it that I get to write. I do not only do that because I need a supplementary income but also because I love being a writer. Writing really gives me a natural high and a temporary escape not just from the crazy world of teaching but from this chaotic life. And remember, this is my first love, right?
Hence, I would like to thank EPH for helping me find the way back to my first love. Now, that love for writing has not just been rekindled but has been burning with so much passion.
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