MAGIS

Out of the Fish Bowl
Maan A. Estrellado

Posted Friday, 14-Jan-2005 9:38 AM

     I now regard our Nursery students with greater pride and admiration. I marvel at how much they have grown and matured since their first day in Xavier School . They came in clutching the hands of their mommies and daddies, unsure of what to expect in a big school such as Xavier. Most of them come from a world where English is spoken naturally and where traveling is to ride in the family's air conditioned vehicles.

     I have always wondered how much exposure these children need to realize that their world is not a fishbowl. I ask myself how the school can be an instrument to expose them to a wider ocean of greater depth.

     Last December 14 and 15, 2004, the Nursery students all had a significant experience of playing host to the young children from the different barangay day care centers of San Juan . Much preparation and orientation were done by the class advisers to help our boys see the activity in the right perspective. They regarded the young guests as their new friends who also needed to be cared for.

     Teacher Anne Barretto, class adviser of N-3 was the host of the simple program held in the Lecture Hall. Allen Silvano of the Campus Ministry and Service Office welcomed the children who came in with their teachers and guardians. Everything was done in Filipino. The Christmas play, participated by both our students and the children from the day care centers reminded everyone that Christmas is in honor of Christ's birth and is a time of sharing and acceptance. Christmas songs and dances entertained everyone. The singing of Pasko Na Naman, a very familiar Christmas song involved everyone to sing, dance and clap their hands to the happy beat. This further helped the young ones feel more at ease with their new surroundings. The special numbers of OPM's and Filipino poems from some children of the day care centers also proved how gifted they truly are.

     It was such a delight to see the Xavier boys take care of the children. Each held his partner's hand on the way back to the Nursery classrooms in the EED. It was to the Nursery teachers' delight when they overheard some of the boys even telling their partners, “Ito ang playground,” or “Ito ang classroom ng Prep.” The children bonded even more during the parlor games. Oh how our Nursery boys did their best in conversing to the children in Filipino! The young children were treated to hotdog sandwiches and juice provided by the Nursery boys who would say, “Kain ka na.” When their guests needed to go the bathroom, some Nursery boys said, “Sasamahan kita.” Then, imagine a chubby Spanish mestizo Xavier boy holding the arm of his energetic partner to make him sit still and saying, “Dito ka lang. Mawawala ka.” The free play in the EED playground proved to be another challenge to our boys. Yes, they were running around like anything, mainly because they were trying not to lose sight of their partners! They were just being obedient to their teachers who told them to go back to the classroom after playing with their partners in tow.

     The gift-giving was a special moment to all the children. Our Nursery boys had a bag of goodies for their partners. Actually, they were not really the usual goodies given to kids. These were actually necessities – from grooming materials like combs, soaps and toothbrushes to educational materials like pencils, crayons and story books. All of these were packed in t-shirt shaped bags. It became a personal gift from the boys because they were the ones who provided those items and packed them. They even had a personally designed Christmas tag hanging on each bag. The children from the day care centers in turn handed their partners Christmas cards which were greatly appreciated.

     The whole event was much of an eye opener as well as a personal and meaningful experience to our Nursery boys. They closely interacted with young boys and girls who lead simple lives. It worked both ways. The children from the day care centers, though quite unsure of the rich environment they were in, were all brave enough to let themselves be treated with much care from our Nursery boys. Our students turned out to be such gracious hosts, and in their own little ways accepted these children just like any new friend.

     Soon, the Nursery boys will be moving up and will be on their own. In my heart, I send them off with the prayer that they will not forget this experience. I hope that as they grow older, they will see the greater meaning of what it is, and how it is to swim outside their fishbowl.

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