The Story of My Life

Carmela Rivera Ventanilla

I. Identifying Data
My name is Carmela R. Ventanilla but most people call me Ella, I was
born on March 5, 1994 in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija and now I am currently
residing in Taguig City with my family. I belong to a middle class family.
There are four members in my family. My mother 53 years old from San
Miguel, Bulacan and she is currently working as Documentation Head, my
father 56 years old from Bayambang, Pangasinan, he is working as Security
Head at Sea Oil, Philippines. I only have one brother, he is 3 years older than
me and currently working as Waiter at Royal Caribbean Cruise. We are all
born as Catholic, we often go to church every Sunday.
I have graduated from Polytechnic University of the Philippines with a
Diploma in Computer Management Technology way back 2013. After
graduation, I have been working as a cashier in SM Hypermarket, FTI for
just 6 months. After working at SM Hypermarket, Ive started working at
Suyen Corporation (Bench) as Store Supervisor for 5 months. After working
at Suyen Corporation Ive moved to Vismay International Corporation as
Account Executive for almost 2 years then Ive resigned myself to pursue my
Bachelors Degree for a better opportunity.
Now, Im currently Information Technology student at Informatics
College Manila to continue my Diploma Degree to Bachelors Degree. At the
same time, Im also working at Imagenet Philippines as Data Lifter, after my
schedule at school I quickly go ahead at the office to work.

II. Developmental, Academic and Social History

a. Infancy During my infancy, my mother conceived me for about 9 months in
Tenement Building located at 5 th Floor at Taguig City. And when the time that
my mother felt pain in her tummy, she was alone that time, she quickly
called to my father who is working at Bureau of Customs According to my
mother, she experienced 13 hours of labor for me. Instead of giving birth
here in Manila, Mama insisted that she will give birth in Gapan City, Nueva
Ecija because her ob/gyn was located there. March 5, 1994 was not the
exact date of my birth, it is just only the schedule for my check up for me to
deliver in Caesarean Section but my Mother feel that she will give birth to
me. The funny thing is that I dont have any clothes to wear on that time by
then, they just barrow a maternity dress to one of the pregnant mother in
the hospital for me to have a clothes because they dont want me to wear
new clothes that hasnt been wash by reason of it might cause irritation.
According to them the story behind my name is CAR from MANILA became
CARMELA. Because by that time my parents is from Manila and travel to
Gapan City Nueva Ecija to give birth for me. After giving birth with me, my
 parents decided to leave me in Bulacan together with my brother to my Tito
and Tita which I called Tatay and Nanay, because they are both working in
Manila and they just visited us every week. According to them I am easy to
care because I am quite and anyone can take care of me, and they also said
that they had a hard time to make me smile or laugh.
b. Early Childhood this is the time I started to walked and talked, the first
words I uttered was Mama, Papa, Tatay and Nanay, and they said I am
playful that time. This is the stage that I started to play on my own my
favorite was Barbie doll. I admit that I am spoiled in my early childhood
because my Nanay and Tatay doesnt their own child and they give their all
love with us. I go with my brother in his school as a saling-kitkit or saling-
pusa the term they called if you are not enrolled but you want to also
learn inside the classroom because that time Im not on the right age to go
to school.
c. Play Age this is my favorite stage of my life wherein I play all the way
round. We often play in the farm in front of house. I have a lot of playmates,
which are my cousins and neighbors. Our favorite time of year is from March
to June because that is the vacation time for most of my playmates that
have their schooling. Our games are jolens, turumpo, tumbang preso,
paway, tamaang tao, football, volleyball, Chinese garter, ten-twenty. This
was also the time that every night we usually go to perya because that is
also the celebration of Fiesta in our Barangay. I am very playful that time, I
always stay outside the house and my nanay always had a hard time to find
me because I usually stay in my playmates house. My skin is very dark
because I always play in the afternoon without minding the heat of the sun.
We also swim in the river behind our house. My nanay always angry all the
time because I always escape just to swim together with my playmates. We
also go to different places just to get Camachile also referred to as Manila
Tamarind our favorite fruit when we are kids. My play age in Bulacan was
very memorable because Ive experienced a lot and until now I do remember
every moment of it.
d. School Age this is the stage when I first enter formal school. Ive been in
kindergarten for 2 years. I was so excited because I get envy with my
brother when he was the one who go to school first. His teacher became my
teacher also, she is my favorite above all because she is very kind and
helpful. But I am always absent from school because I always get sick due to
migraine. Also I remember that Im still drinking milk in bottle when I was in
kindergarten and still peeing in my bed. For me to stop drinking in bottle,
they put chili in the nipple of the bottle for me to taste and stop drinking
from it. When the time comes, I already practiced to stop doing it. After
kindergarten, I was enrolled in Grade 1 in Salacot Elementary School, a
public school in San Miguel Bulacan, wherein I belong to section 1, my
teacher was very terror, and she always slap on the hand every time we
commit mistakes. Then in Grade 2 Ive decided to enroll in Section 2
 because the teacher was always absent, and I thought that it was favor for
me because I always get lazy going to school. I always get high grade way
back in elementary days and in Grade 3 again I belong to section 1 also in
grade 4 wherein my teacher is my relative, I hate her because she always
scolded me at class without minding that Im her niece. In 2004, my mama
and papa decided to get us in Bulacan for us to study in Manila, it was very
hard for us to leave my hometown and also my Tatay and Nanay because we
had a lot of memories with them but we dont have any choice but to follow
our real parents. We transfer in Manila and my Tatay and Nanay also
relocate in San Jose, Nueva Ecija. We both leave Bulacan. It was hard to
adjust when we transfer in Manila, new friends, school, environment which is
far different from the province. Grade 5 to Grade 6, I was enrolled in Go and
Shine Learning School and after elementary days I received a First
Honorable Mention which makes my parents proud of me.
e. Adolescence this is my high school time, I was enrolled in Cayetano
Science High School after Go and Shine Learning School. At first it was so
hard for me to adopt different culture in high school since new face again,
new set of friends, new environment, and new association. I was belong to
last section which makes me to chase to belong to higher section, it was a
competition when you are in a science high school everyone is very
competitive, everyone aims to be the best among the rest, and thanks to
God after first year I belong to section 2 in my second year and again it was
s struggle to compete among my fellow student until my Fourth Year. Every
year I have a new set of friends which I treasure the most which until now
we are still communicating. High school days, this is the time that Im having
a crush with someone but I dont engaged in any relationship because Im
too young and I just want to concentrate in my study. But there is an
exemption, way back in fourth year; there was boy that makes me kilig
every time I see him. Every time he sent me messages. But the problem is
he is a dork, he did not directly told me that he likes me but we always
communicate with each other. So I assume that we have the same feelings, I
still remember, December 21, 2010, and 21 became my favorite number
until now, when he message me through Yahoo Messenger that he likes me
with the emoticon of flowers but I dont reply anything because Im too shy
and Im thinking that Im too young for a relationship. So we just go with the
flow, we didnt talked about it anymore. February, JS Prom, close to
graduation he asked me to dance with him so again I assume that there is
something with us. After that night, we didnt talked about it until graduation
we didnt open our feelings. We both dont know what will happen after we
separate from high school. College days here it is, I was enrolled in
Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sta. Mesa, my first choice was
Computer Science, but the course slot in PUP was full so I was shift to
Computer Engineering Management Technology, it was a 3 years ladderized
course. New environment, new friends, new association again. Here it is,
 first day in College, I was so shy, and quite that time until Ive met my set of
friends which I accompany with all my struggle , college was hard, lot of
requirements, assignment, thesis. Second year, this was the time I engaged
in a relationship which last for about three years. After graduation year
2013, Ive decided to pursue my Bachelors Degree but the problem is none
of the school I inquire can credit the subject Ive take form PUP, it feel so
devastated that time because I feel that I was a victim of scam. They told us
before we entered PUP, College of Technology that after graduation we can
continue our ladderized course to any school that we want. But it did not
happened, instead I will be back to zero if I wanted to get Bachelors degree
to other school. Even the main campus cannot accept a transferred student
from College of Technology because of different curriculum Ive take. That is
one of the saddest part of my life. Instead I decided to work then.
f. Early Adulthood - this is a very confusing stage for me because I dont
know what profession I will take, though Im a Computer Engineering
graduate, I know to myself that I cant compete with the others when it
comes to computer. First Ive apply from different companies, I always get
rejected because I dont have any experience, of course Im a fresh
graduate, so what do you expect. I didnt stop to apply, after five months of
job hunting, theres a new that SM Hypermarket FTI will open and they are
hiring new employee for Cashiers, so I tried, and Gods will, I was accepted.
At first, I was thinking that what kind of job it is, it dont any connection with
my course, my mother told me that why dont you give a try, you just need
to gain experience and afterwards you can transfer to different company.
After 6 months, my contract was ended so I need to find another job
opportunity. Job hunting again, I was feeling down that time because again I
was rejected by the company I was applying because of their reasons that
Im not 4 years graduate, I am lack of experience. After two months of job
hunting, I was accepted by Suyen Corporation (Bench) as a Store
Supervisor, I was overwhelmed and proud to myself because from being a
cashier I was promoted to a Supervisor. And take note my favorite number
21 is also the date I get hired then Ive realized that the hardest test in life
is having the patience to wait for the right time. Because that time I was
applying when everyone rejected me, I was so feeling down, however a big
thanks to Bench that even though that Im not a Bachelors degree holder
they still accepted me and see a potential that I can be a Supervisor. Three
months as store supervisor, Ive met this guy, a student from University of
the East, to make the story short, we have a relationship. The problem is we
always fight with each other because of my schedule, Im too busy with my
work that I cant give the time that he wants, because my time from the
store before was always hectic, my rest day is weekdays, Monday to
Thursday and we are not allow to take rest day on week end. For my love to
him Ive decided to resigned from my job and transfer to a different
company that has a normal scheduled. What hurts is that I really love my
 job at Bench, because of love, Ive sacrificed my career for him to give the
time that he wanted. But the saddest part is, before my last day in store,
Ive found out that he was reunited with his ex-girlfriend that they see each
other more often. It really hurts of course because Ive sacrificed my job
that Id loved just because of him but he still chose to hurt to me. A lesson
learned is that some women choose to follow men, and some women choose
to follow their dreams. If youre wondering which way to go, remember that
your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesnt love you anymore.
After that heart break, I still go on with my life until I was accepted from my
previous company, Vismay International Corporation in which I was a
Account Executive, in spite of new job I have regrets from my decision
before that I was on the top and now was being demoted from being a
supervisor down to rank and file position. With that regrets I still go on, Id
just instilled to myself that it is Gods will, whatever happened to me God
has always a better plan. After 3 months, Ive met my currently boyfriend,
we love each other, were two years in a relationship now. After almost two
years in Vismay, Ive decided to resign again to find a better opportunity
outside. I think thats the quarter life crisis for me because I begin to feel
doubtful about my own lives, brought on by the stress of becoming an adult.
Maybe also because of the pressure given by my father. He wanted me to go
abroad because of high salary, but going there is not easy, at the same time
he wanted me to finish my study. At first, I dont want because I already
earned money on my own and I already contributed with the house
expenses. Until now, I admit that I am dependent with parents, every
decision Ive make, I consulted them first. If they dont like, I will not do.
Until they told me to pursue my bachelors degree to have a better job. Until
one of my friend told me about Informatics College that they are accepting
transferee and they credit the lots of subject Ive take from PUP, so I inquire
and enrolled. Because Im shy with the expenses Im spending every day,
Ive decided to find a part time job to sustain my needs when it comes to my
daily allowance.

III. Paradigm of Personal and Educational Philosophy

Idealism, relate to my life because I always tend find the answer to

every circumstances, Im also into self-discovery and self-actualization. I
continuous search for a deeper meaning for Who am I? Where am I going?
What is my destiny? What will happen to me 5 years from now? That I
always get frustrated if the things I want doesnt happen. From my
experience before of looking for a job, every time I get rejected, Im feeling
down that things that I want doesnt happened, which is to get hired.

IV. Utilization and Application of Personal Philosophy and Educational Philosophy

Everybody has a different view on the world. All citizens have a
different opinion on how people should act and what traits make a good
person. Someone might consider loyalty, honesty and tolerance to be very
important. I agree that these traits are vital, but I believe that the ability to
be optimistic is the most essential trait. I also think having a sense of
humor and a smile is very important.
Voltaire once said Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in
the lifeboat.This is one of my favorite quotations. Human existence isnt
flawless, but why should we dwell on the imperfections of life when we can
smile at the almost faultless. I believe that life is too short to waste on
negativity.
A smile is one of the only gestures preformed and understood by
everybody in the world. Whether you are from India, France, or Germany,
you smile in the same language. It is a universal welcome. A smile has the
power to make someones day, if you smile at someone they will probably
smile back. Therefore, smile all the time, pretty soon the whole planet will
wear a happy grin. I believe that life is like a mirror, we get the best results
when we smile at it.
This is my philosophy of life. Laugh your heart out, think optimistically,
and dont forget to smile. I imagine the world to be a happy and safe place
for all who inhabit it. I have the power to make the world a better place.
You have that power to make the world a different place too, how are you
going to change it?