It was the worst typhoon we've seen in years, it left more than enough destruction to last in weeks. Typhoon 'Milenyo' left thousands of people either homeless or roofless. In our area in particular, it took almost two weeks before the electricity went back due to the damaged electricity lines and posts along the long stretch of the C5 highway, which apparently distributes the electricity in Makati-Taguig border.

On the day it hit Manila, two days before the start of October, I woke up late in the morning, as usual, to rumbling noise in the skies. It could not be attributed only to the strong rainshowers and the occasional thunderstorms but also to flying roofs and tree branches outside. It was literally unsafe for anyone to go outdoors. It was only me and my cousins Lael and Hansel at home then because the classes were suspended early for a change. Everyone of us, including my parents, had to sleep really late, clearing the house of flood all night after being the last in our street to be penetrated by the water outside, only to get flooded again the next day.

Few days after the typhoon, I had to go back to the school for the new term that I barely felt that I had a one week off. For another time in this lifetime, I have faced the tragedy again. Good thing, the appointment of our new Dean is in transition so the appealing process is faster than usual. I really hate getting this, though I know Mapua could never really get rid of me no matter how many times they kick me out because I already have less than 60 units to take (albeit I still have to go through the entire process again). That's all for the paper works, and most of the time it was only because of my past grades that still have to be computed with my present grades for the periodic assesment thing that still totally baffles me up to now. Students like me who have reached the below-60 units mark are called immortals. Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking pride in that. But I think putting humor into it could at least somehow make me forget that I am actually overstaying in college.

Let me share a word-of-mouth story which explains how this policy began:

A Mapua student with only 30 units left before graduation was kicked out. Of course, like anyone else in the situation, he appealed for a reconsideration but in vain, He shamelessly even tried to take his poor mother to do the begging for him, but still in vain. The duo was forced to look for another university that will take him in. They found home in one of Mapua's rival, strategically located just outside the walls of Intramuros. It was widely known that most of the students from Mapua who were either kicked out or have plainly given up transferred there. It was even sometimes jokingly referred to as the Mapua Annex. Fast forward to post board examinations, our hero aced the test. Mapua claimed that the credit must be given to them because they said they have molded the student from his first year in college. Being grateful that he is, of course our hero has offered the credit to his adoptive university he now calls his home.

During those times I've been waiting for my readmission papers, a certain Magister English Training Center was contacting me and offering another part-time job. I was totally decided not to take it but when I knew that I only had to interview call center applicants and my shifting hours and schedule will be on my discretion and the fact that it would only be for a month, I gave it a try. Magister is a blooming training center which just turned one year this quarter. We have no HR department, no ID's and I have no permanent position. The company sure has a long way to go and it makes me feel great that I've somehow been a part of the pioneer batches. Now I have only a few days left before my (non-existing) contract ends and I never really felt that I am actually working.