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Pineapple: Memories from a Jakarta Journey

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Introduction – The Sweet Start Jakarta wasn’t on our original bucket list. But like the taste of pineapple — bold, unexpected, and just a little tangy — it surprised me in the best ways. I came for the adventure, maybe for the food, or perhaps just for the change of scenery. What I left with was a mosaic of memories: the chaos of traffic, the quiet of morning prayers echoing through the alleys, the colors of batik swaying in shop windows, and the smoky scent of cigarettes lingering on street corners. It wasn’t perfect. But it was vivid, loud, sweet, a little strange — and in the end, unforgettable. Day 1: A Midnight Landing and a Pineapple Plan We arrived in Jakarta just past midnight. Immigration was smooth, but finding our Indrive driver turned out to be more challenging than expected. The pickup area was confusing, and the language barrier made things harder. Messages got lost in translation, and for a while, we weren’t even sure if we were talking to the right person. But our d...
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To my younger self, to my previous students, and to the system that failed both of us:

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  I’ve carried this weight quietly, not always knowing what to call it — regret, shame, grief. But today, I want to face it with honesty. To my younger self: You didn’t even plan to become a teacher. You were promised something different — something closer to your real passion and advocacy. You said yes because you believed that, somehow, this would lead to your purpose. But the promise was broken. And instead of guidance, you were met with silence. Instead of support, confusion. You were thrown into a role you never trained for, yet expected to master it from day one. And when nothing felt right, when every step felt like a mistake, you kept pushing — even as you began to lose faith in yourself. I forgive you for feeling lost. I forgive you for doubting yourself. You were in a place where no matter what you did, it felt like it wasn’t enough. But I see now — your effort was real. Your heart was in it. Even in your lowest moments, you cared. To my students: I know I came across str...
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Chain of Love.🎲🎯🏈🏀

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An elderly woman found herself stranded in the middle of the road with a flat tire. She waited for hours, hoping someone would stop to help. Finally, a young man pulled over and approached her with a warm smile. "Hi, Ma'am! How can I help you? By the way, I'm Brian," he said kindly. The old woman explained her situation, and without hesitation, Brian got to work. He invited her to sit inside the car so she wouldn’t get cold. She watched from the window as he worked tirelessly, even injuring his hand while changing the tire. Despite the pain, he didn’t stop until the job was done. When he finished, the old woman rolled down her window and said, “How much do I owe you? Name your price.” But Brian shook his head. “You don’t owe me anything, Ma’am. I’m just glad I could help.” She insisted, “But why? I should pay you.” He smiled and replied, “If you really want to repay me, just help someone in need when you get the chance. Think of me when you do. That’s all I ask.” They...
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Public vs. Private School: Does It Really Matter?

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Public vs. Private School: Does It Really Matter? By a Proud Raphaelite Earlier today at CD-R King, while waiting in line, I overheard a group of students from a public school having a loud and inappropriate conversation. I didn’t really listen closely—honestly, I didn’t want to—but I caught enough to know it wasn’t something you'd be proud to repeat. Then, a student from a private school walked in, and the tone shifted. “Pok!” one of the girls shouted. “P*k p*k!” the other replied. (You get what they mean.) “Midbid nyo an?” a boy asked. “Dae,” one girl responded. “Bua talaga kamo,” he replied. Then came the strong statement: “Dae man mili taga-private school, bako p*kp*k.” Another girl added, “Grabe man mgani magmuda mga taga-private. Paghuna ninda kun sisay sinda. L*si ninda!” They continued bashing private school students, making sweeping generalizations. Eventually, they got bored waiting. “Ate, pwede iwalat mi na muna? Jan man lang kami,” one asked the clerk. “Dal...
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My Moments of 2014

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Merry Christmas, Everyone! Are you having the time of your life? 😊 How did you celebrate the birth of our Lord? I hope all is well with you and your loved ones. It’s been a while since I last blogged, so I thought I’d make up for it by sharing my best memories for each month of 2014. Let’s take a look back at a truly unforgettable year: JANUARY I welcomed 2014 at home with my family—no grand celebration, just a warm and simple one. On January 1st, we gathered with the Sarzuela Family, where we played games and exchanged gifts. Later on, my friends and I had our New Year’s celebration at the Raquion residence. 😊 We even planned an outing for Jussel’s birthday, but we had to cancel it due to a sad event—a friend’s mother passed away. We chose to be there for him instead. Brotherhood always comes first. FEBRUARY The month of love! I didn’t have a special someone to celebrate with, but my friends and my SRA family filled my heart with joy. I received small gifts and sweet gestu...
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Wounds in Life

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"Each of us has wounds in life. Just look at the wounds of Jesus—they are reminders that you are not alone, and that you are deeply loved by God." Lately, I’ve been feeling so down and alone. It’s been almost a year since I lost the bond I once had with my closest friends. I failed two subjects during the second semester and now I’m retaking them this Summer. Our scholarship was discontinued due to issues with the foundation. And above all, I’ve been feeling isolated—emotionally and spiritually. Last night was one of the loneliest nights I’ve ever had. All the pain, the sadness, the thoughts I tried to suppress, came rushing in all at once. I’ve been trying to focus on school this Summer, thinking I can set my problems aside for now—but they keep creeping in. I miss my friends. I miss how, even when I tried to push them away, they would still be there. How they just knew when something was wrong, even if I didn’t say a word. They never needed an explanation. They simply...
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I'm back!!

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It’s been a year and a half since my last post—yep, it’s been that long. But guess what? I’m back! (For good this time… hopefully! Haha 😄) I’ll be honest—it was really hard to keep up with blogging while juggling schoolwork and responsibilities. But recently, I’ve come across so many inspiring posts from fellow student bloggers, and I thought: "If they can do it, why can't I?" That’s when it hit me. Maybe the real hindrance wasn’t school or busyness—it was my time management . So here I am, writing again. This post is just a quick hello to all of you who are still visiting this blog (thank you!). Nothing too deep yet—feels like I’m still recovering from my blogging “jet lag” after being away for so long.. 😂 XOXO, – Bem 🌸 P.S. I’m planning to rebuild this blog from the ground up! Got any suggestions for layout, design themes, or must-have features? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Let’s also connect: Facebook: Tarx04 Twitter: @Bembem_sarie T...
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