Studying a four-year course is not easy. In addition, the challenge does not stop after graduating; we need to pass the professional exam to have the license to use the learnings we gained from the four years of studying in the government.
The preparation for the exam is costly not only in terms of finances but also in terms of mental health. A person with no privilege to focus only on the preparation for the exam must combine work and study for the said exam. In my case, I worked 8 hours and then proceeded to review the center that ended at 8 pm. Honestly, I had no plan to enroll in a review center since it cost too much for me, yet I was lucky since the family of my father’s boss shouldered the expenses of the review center. Though enrolling in the review center was free it added pressure to my side since I did not want to disappoint the person who paid the expenses. I extended my effort in the preparation I had no free time because all of my days were used for the preparation.
Even though I had no work on Sunday, all I did after attending the mass, I proceed to one of the malls in the city to study for the incoming exam.
Well, the efforts were paid off. I passed the exam last November 2015. The result was released late afternoon. So, I had no time to celebrate, in addition, that I did not expect to pass. I celebrated the passing of the exam on the next day, and I went to one of the Holy places of Cebu, the Simala Shrine to give thanks for the blessing that I received.
Now, since we had no planned activity today, I remembered that this day is the 9 years of passing the exam and I think it would be great to celebrate it. Since I passed, I have no memories that I had celebrated this great blessing of my life.
I told my husband that this day was our anniversary, but he did not believe me because he remembered that 30 was not our wedding anniversary. Then I told him that it was not about our anniversary but about the day that we passed the exam. Yes, my husband and I took the same type of exam and passed on the same day. Since we were classmates in college. Same as I, he had no opportunity to celebrate at that time.
We decided to go to Bogo City as a way of celebrating this day. My husband chose the place he wanted to go, and he picked Seoul City for the reason that he wanted to have ramen.
When we arrived at Seoul City in Bogo City, we ordered the same food as the first visit we had to the store.
This is how we celebrated our 9 years of being a passer.
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Writer: Maureen S. O.
Photos owned by my husband: Paul Vincent M. O.