poVerTy

Tingnan mo nga naman, pareho pa kami ng experience ni Jose Rizal… Hehehe….



‘’I can live in this city when I already have a profession and I can

devote myself to some work that will earn me a livelihood;

otherwise with P50 it is impossible for me to live here… One can

live cheaper if he eats horse-meat, cat instead of rabbit, goes to

taverns where one can eat for one peseta and 50 cents. I’m

keeping up this bravado that brought me here out of

self-respect, so that they may not say I’m killing myself for P50.

God knows how many months at Madrid I shall need to recover

the advanced expenses I’m incurring here.'’



Contrary to popular belief, Rizal was often short of money, and

in Paris he had to borrow money and perhaps he did eat cat

meat or what we would call today ‘’sio-meow'’ to make ends meet.



His family was going through hard times and could not send

him additional funds, besides Rizal did not ask permission to

visit Paris. He actually persisted even if his kuya Paciano

ordered him to stay in Spain.



Rizal was appealing to nanay for funds and Paciano later

advised him to pawn his jewels so as not to go hungry.



Unfortunately, Paris then as now is a shoppers’ paradise and the

stores are part of the tourist attractions, so Rizal went window

shopping:



‘’We had a quick look at the establishment they call Bon March

(literally, cheap), one of the four or five very big department

stores here, the others being Ka Louvre, Le Printemps, La Belle

Jardiniere, and others. In these establishments are sold all kinds

of articles except food, though I believe I have seen a cafe and a

restaurant. It occupies an entire block with all the floors of the

buildings as large as the space between our house and the

telegraph office. So that you may be able to form an idea of how

big it is, it keeps 150 Norman and English houses whose only

work is to deliver the purchases of the buyers, the horses

occupying an entire large building.



With respect to Norman horses, mine though small, resembles

them closely for its broad haunches and thick musculature.

They serve only as draft horses and they are very strong; there

are some that are like elephants.'’



Rizal is living in me… Hehehe…

It’s shameful for me to admit that i’m in a state of poverty…

Madali akong magsabi sa mga magulang ko at sa mga kaibigan ko ng mga problema ko…

Nagkukwento ako ng tungkol sa studies, sa lovelife at kung anu-ano pa….

Pero pagdating sa financial problems, hiyang hiya ako magsabi…

I already asked three of my closest friends but they turned me down…

Hindi dahil ayaw nila kong tulungan kundi dahil wala lang din silang magawa…


Today, I badly need cash…

I have here a small amount to make me survive for two days…

The next few days would be hell… I cannot afford to tell this to my parents…

Naaawa na rin ako sa kanila at ayoko nang dagdagan pa mga problema nila…

My father lost his job for almost two years now… My mom is the sole breadwinner…

With her salary of 4000 a month ( net of deductions and loan payments ),

I just can’t imagine where she gets the money to feed seven people and to send four children to school…

Hahaha…. Hindi ako nahihiyang sabihin ang kalagayan namin kasi yon ang totoo at yan ang dahilan

kaya ako nagsisikap… Konting tiis na lang maiaahon ko rin ang pamilya namin sa hirap…

Hindi ko rin mahingan ng tulong ang mga kaibigan ko dahil alam kong nakakaranas din sila ng hirap-

hindi nga lang kasinglala ng sa akin… Ayoko na ring makadagdag sa iniisip nila…

Himala na lang talaga ang inaasahan ko… Magtitiwala ako sa Kanya hanggang sa huli…

Alam kong hindi Niya ko pababayaan…