"DALI, KUYOG, BALIK TA SA TAGBIBI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL". This is the theme of this year's alumni home coming celebration which means, come, join us, let’s go back to Tagbibi Elementary School. One of the main reasons we went to Leyte aside from the fiesta celebration is the alumni homecoming event my partner attended. It was a reunion he attended with his elementary classmates at Tagbibi Elementary School. It was such a fun event and I was so happy I get to witness him have fun with old classmates and friends. I was happy he brought me with him as a plus one.
This is a photo of me and my partner together with his elementary classmates. They are from batch 2008 and they had their own printed t-shirts for their specific batch.
In the first part of the program, the alumna mothers had a Zumba presentation, so the teachers and all of us were just sitting on the chairs looking at them. Watching people gracefully dance Zumba while sweating out all their energy is a delightful sight. It's important to not only exercise but also enjoy what you do to make it less of a burden, and doing Zumba with a lot of people is a fun way to achieve that. It's a great activity that I enjoy doing with others, although not today.
Watching people enjoy their dance during the Zumba session was a lot of fun. I believe that Zumba provides an opportunity not just to exercise but also to form bonds, not only amongst the dancers but also with the audience. It was a great way to kick off the program while the ladies danced. As we waited for others to arrive, we were all seated beside the tables, getting ready for the program to begin.
Just a quick storytime, related to alumni homecomings. During a mass at church I attended a few months ago, the priest gave a sermon about the true meaning of alumni homecoming. He pointed out that these events are not true reunions because some classmates who haven't achieved success may attend and feel ashamed.
This can also happen at family reunions where there is chaos or disagreements. The priest suggested that the most significant form of reunion is when someone passes away and people come together to attend the funeral. At such gatherings, everyone, regardless of their success, comes together to mourn and pay their respects. The priest highlighted, that is therefore the best “reunion”. Do you agree with that or not?
Comparing ourselves to others is not productive as everyone has their own time frame for success.
In my partner’s batch, are many of them in their whole class, and only 12 or 13 of them attended, not even half of their entire population.
For me, it is crucial to attend such events like alumni homecomings every once in a while to connect with people you associate with your classmates. You shared so many good memories when you were younger, creating dreams together. So why not try to reunite with them occasionally? It's not just important to socialize, but also to look back on where you came from.
As we waited for the program to start, my partner's classmates engaged in lively conversation, exchanging updates on their lives and careers. Despite being a newcomer, I felt included in their discussions and enjoyed listening to their stories and experiences. I was grateful for the warm welcome and happy to have made instant friends. Best of all, I wasn't bored for a second during the event.
The photos clearly depict a lively scene of children dancing on the dance floor while their parents enjoy themselves. It's essential for parents to bring their children to events like Alumni Homecoming so that they can socialize with other kids and have fun. Attending such events also allows children to connect with people who once played a significant role in their parents' lives. As a parent, I would definitely bring my children to such an event to relive my beautiful memories and let my children experience the joy of socializing with others.
The program commenced with an opening prayer, which gave thanks to all those who participated in the alum homecoming event. The prayer leader expressed gratitude towards the donors and volunteers who helped make the event a success. The message and the prayer were heartwarming and provided an excellent start to the program.
During the first segment of the program, the event host announced each batch and instructed them to make an animal sound as their yell. This fun activity brought a unique twist to the event. Afterwards, all batches were asked to come up on stage and take a class photo.
Me being a supportive partner, I took photos of them in front and they all struck a pose.
After my partner and his classmates had gathered to take class photos and perform their cheers, we took our seats to watch several batches perform dance presentations. The school also held a fundraising activity where they crowned a King and Queen of the Alumni Homecoming 2024. This event serves as a fun way to raise money to support the school's needs through the participation of alumni.
It filled me with joy to see my partner thrilled to reconnect with his former classmates and matchmates during the alumni homecoming.
We traveled all the way from Cebu City to Leyte to attend the event, and apart from the Fiesta celebration, my partner had been away from home for a long time and was finally able to join his friends and classmates.
Witnessing his happiness made me happy as well, and I always support him in anything that brings him joy. I recall when he asked for my permission to attend the alumni homecoming after being away for several months.
Although it was difficult to say yes because Cebu and Leyte is quite far, I knew that socializing with his former classmates was important, and it was also an opportunity for us to return to his hometown after months of being apart.
When the program ended, we went out of the basketball court and we saw some of his cousins. We took a photo and struck a pose.
After the program, we went to one of his classmates' houses to have an after-party. We had a little bit of liquor and beer, and we shared good stories, reminiscing all their fond memories of their elementary years.
I learned a lot about what my partner was when he was younger, and it made me so much proud when I learned that he indeed changed a lot. Even his classmates did not expected of a major change that happened to him, not only physically but holistically, and how matured he has already been now compared to what he was during their elementary years.
We then went home with happy hearts and smiling faces. It was such a fun night! Ciao!☺︎♡