How I became a tourism student

By: Jennelyn A. Arteta

During our fourth year high school, I know that a lot of us experienced difficulty in choosing course to be taken or where you will continue your studies. It is really difficult to decide in that situation, ‘coz we have many factors to be considered such as our budget, quality of education, security and safety, etc.

      In my case, it’s different because when I’m in 4^th year high school, I already have a plan for my education and it is to study here in Ateneo de Naga to take the Tourism course, but my mother doesn’t allow me to go here because of the distance. Instead, she wants me to study in Aquinas University. I’m from Albay, so it is really far, right? And aside from that reason, she also doesn’t permit me to study here because she knows that I don’t know how to do household chores, and if I study here, of course I will live in a boarding house, apartment, or dormitory, so she is so worried about my future/life here in Naga. But as what I’ve said, I really want to study here to be a tourism student because since I was a child, my aunties, older cousins and other relatives wants me to be a flight stewardess. Unfortunately, I was not gifted when it comes to height but it does not become a hindrance for me not to achieve my dreams.

      So, since my mother doesn’t want me to study here in Naga, what did I do? Of course, I did my best! I have no options left but to lie. I did it this way, one day, I’m asking for money to my mother to take the entrance examination here in Ateneo, but she refused. But it seems that I was really destined to be a tourism student here in Ateneo because after that day, I heard that there will be an entrance examination in Ateneo which will be held in St. Agnes Academy and it was free! So, I took the exam and maybe after a month, I got the result and it was stated there that I passed the exam. Luckily, my mother went here for a vacation, a 15-day vacation because she is working in Japan. So, when I got home, I told my mother, “Ma, you should congratulate me”. She was shocked! Then asked me, “why?” then I told her that I passed the entrance exam in Ateneo, but instead of having a smiley face, she became mad at me. So, here comes the lie, I told her, “Ma, you should be proud of your daughter because almost 60 students took the exam, but there are only 3 passed the exam including me. Imagine, even our valedictorian didn’t pass the exam.” So, she automatically changed her mind, she believed in my lies without her knowing that I really don’t know how many examinees took the exam and I don’t know each one of them because there are from different school, I don’t know either if how many students passed this but as far as I know all examinees in Ateneo passes the entrance exam, and lastly, our class valedictorian didn’t take an entrance examination here in Ateneo. So, that’s the reason why I’m here in Ateneo taking up BS Tourism Major in Development Tourism Management. J

This photo was taken after
we performed at Bicol
College of Legazpi. I was
still a cavalry here.

This photo was taken during our tour
in Albay

This photo was taken at La Huerta Farm