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Two years from now, I hope to receive my diploma and to make my parents proud. Once I graduate, I'll start to review for the upcoming licensure exam for teachers. Someday when all falls into place, when I have my license, I plan to be a public school teacher to help children who are afraid and having difficulties in math.

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Now that I’m turning 20 years old, I consider myself as an adult who knows what to do and can help herself strive in future. This I can’t do without my family and friends’ support. My relationship with them enables me to define my best version of myself. I may experience struggles in life while growing up, but I am still grateful to them for showing me that life can be bittersweet. I learn how to see the good things in people even if they did something wrong. Also, I don’t force myself on friendships or relationships. Lastly, having perseverance and resilience are key factors in navigating the life of being an adult.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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2018 - 2019
My family loves to travel. Once a year we schedule a family outing. In May 2018, me and my family went to Bohol for a trip. We went to Sagbayan Peak, Chocolate Hills, and Can-umantad Falls. The next year, we went to Pescador Island in Moalboal to snorkel. We saw turtles, beautiful and lively corals, and sardines run. When the pandemic came, we postponed our family outings and followed the protocols.

2021
When super typhoon Rai (Odette) hit the country last December 2021, my family was not prepared and didn’t know that it would leave a great impact. A lot of us had suffered – losing our homes, jobs, and family members. People lined up in the streets to buy water and gasoline. As I reflect what happened last year, my achievements in life that I mastered was to be resilient and persevere. I experienced lining up in streets to buy water and if I don’t have the determination to do so, my family will not have water to drink. This makes me realize that being resilient comes a long way when dealing with adversities in life.

2022
Recently, we went to Sayaw Beach in Barili to have a family reunion. My cousins enjoy swimming in the beach since the water is clear. Surprisingly, the beach in Barili is as nice as Moalboal. I also saw smaller fishes that have stripes and small crabs. Overall, I am very thankful to experience this kind of bonding with them because this only shows how we value our family.

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I attended elementary in Don Vicente Rama Memorial Elementary School and then junior high in Don Vicente Rama Memorial National High School where I belong to a Special Program of Foreign Language in which I learned how to sing Spanish and spoke a little of it. At first, I found it hard learning Spanish because they have different ways on how to say a word whether it can be feminine or masculine but by reading Spanish dictionaries and listening to Spanish songs, I can now construct basic Spanish phrases. In my senior high, I attended University of Cebu Main – Senior High School Department where I chose the STEM strand because I want to pursue a degree in architecture, or anything related to construction and design. Now that I’m in higher education, I attended Cebu Normal University taking up Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Mathematics. I may not pursue my dream to be an architect, but I didn’t regret taking up my degree program because in the future, I know I can inspire and help children who are having difficulties in math.

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Aside from singing and drawing, my special knowledge that sets me apart from other people is that I can stay the whole day inside my room reading novels. It is one of my expertise and reading helps me garner new words that can improve my vocabulary in English. Although my parents were a little worried because once I start reading, I won’t stop until I can picture the whole plot in my head.

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M.J.Q. (cousins wedding) with her sisters and cousin in August 6, 2022

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My hobby of singing started when I was little. My family has a great voice and that influenced me to start mimicking the song my aunts would sing. I remember I was eight when I first listened to ABBA songs since my aunts are a fan of them. Dancing Queen was always their go-to song and every time I heard it played, I would run to my grandparents house where my aunts sang. As time went by, my singing improved by joining a choir and listening to different singers, because of this, I started to gain my confidence back. Additionally, my hobby in drawing started when I was still in nursery school when my father taught me how to draw a house. From then on, I began to draw trees, birds, clouds, and later draw Disney characters. I joined my first drawing contest when I was a kindergarten, and it was held in Zapatera Elementary School. My father accompanied and supported me even though I didn’t win and said to me that he was proud of me. Those are my hobbies that I am familiar with, but I also try to explore some hobbies when I am not busy.

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My family is like any other traditional Filipino household. My parents taught me great lessons in life such as learning how to save money and to prioritize the needs rather than wants. I lived in a compound together with my extended family and it was chaotic but in a good way. My relationship with them influenced me to be family oriented and to appreciate nonmaterial things.

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M.J.Q. (left side) with her parents and siblings in Bohol 

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M.J.Q. (during her first birthday) in September 27, 2003

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M.J.Q. (wearing denim dress) with her cousins in 2005

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My name is Mary Jurise Bautista Quiñanola. I was born on September 27, 2002 in Cebu City. When I was young, I noticed that I looked different compared to my siblings and cousins. I have dark skin, big eyes, and big forehead and compared to them, they have fair skin and not too big forehead. At first, I really didn't mind because my siblings and cousins don't treat me differently. My cousins are my best friends because they are the ones who I grew up with. Every afternoon, we play different kinds of Filipino local games such as Chinese Garter, Tumbang Preso, Bahay-Bahayan, and Buwan-Buwan. With them I feel included and found my safe place. Though my childhood would not always be cakes and rainbows. I also had struggles finding friends in school. During my kindergarten up until I graduated elementary, I got bullied by my classmates. They tease me for having big eyes, dark skin, and big forehead. Often called me names like dakog agtang, alien, and tarsier. Little do they know that it was the start of me losing my confidence.

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Mary Jurise B. Quiñanola