I was where I ought to be

"Kapag ordinarayong tao na lang kami at nakita ka namin sa TV, magiging proud kami. Sasabihin namin nakasama ka namin. Huwag mo kaming kakalimutan."

Out-of-the-blue, Sir Niño uttered this in a peaceful and fun Thursday afternoon. I was arranging the second drawer of the paper-cluttered cabinet, Terry went out to have a retouch of her make-up, Sir Niño was in front of the computer-patched-to-a-landline-mic-and-console, airing the afternoon newscast.

Doing his usual Facebook pangungulit and pang-aaway with friends, I glanced at him for a second and went back to my day's craft of organizing the scratch papers and disposing unnessecary stuffs that were in the drawer. Touched with what he said - adding up to the sadness that I feel because of the nearing end of my OJT with them - I pretended to be busy and tried to focus on what I was doing.

"O, ano... iiyak ka na?" he jokingly said. "Hindi ah, bakit ako iiyak?" I answered with conviction. "Mami-miss mo kami? Hindi nga 'yung seryoso," he asked. "Oo naman. It's a given," I responded. Honestly, though, I was feeling a lump form in my throat and tears started to fill the corner of my eyes.

Terry came back and told me to put down what I was doing as she intended to continue the cleaning the day after. I placed back the papers to the drawer and got the copies of the day's newscast for my files.

I went home with a flashback of my 200-hour practicum experience playing in my mind. Alone in the broad vertical seats of the jeepney I was riding, there was no other way than to get the hanky in my bag and wipe the tears that I have been hiding for an hour or so.

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I thought to myself, "I was where I ought to be." I wasn't reading journalism books, I wasn't obliged to painstakingly watch news to learn the correct way of speaking and breathing in front of a microphone, I wasn't forced to read law books to have a fair and comprehensive preview of the Philippine Law. In the 200 hours that passed, I was simply conversing with experienced broadcast journalists who had known very well the vacillating pathways and tunnels in Philippine journalism.

Given the outstanding and understanding mentors who I have been with for the 200 hours that passed for my internship program, I had nothing more to ask for. I needed not to take Journalism to learn newswriting and angling; I could say I am now up for our upcoming Broadcast Journalism class next semester because of the newscast training that I had during this practicum.

Sad to end, but there are still various students waiting next in line - also possessing the willingness and passion towards learning and growth. I remember Karen telling me before she left, "Marami ka pang matutuhan. Nakakalungkot din umalis e." True enough; now, I find myself exactly telling these same words to Terry.

But then again, every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. At the very best, I have been blessed because I was where I ought to be.

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Engineer Abinales gave me tips on dealing with technical and techie stuffs.

Ka-aksyong Patty guided me towards proper newscast.

Pañera shared me impeccable ideas in Law.

Bonito shared me worthy-to-be-cherished Lessons through the oh-so-cool Cool Edit Pro, our petty debates, question-and-answer conversations and his patience sa pangungulit ng isang matanong na batang may malikot na pag-iisip.

Wherever I would be going, when the day comes that I would be writing and reporting in any national medium, you are among the first ones who I would text to tell, "Bonito, ito 'yung trainee mo. Panoorin mo..." :)

Thanks Papa God for this greater than great OJT experience at Aksyon Radyo. :)