RIZAL (9-25-2020)

Jose Rizal was a lucky student, both parents are graduates, he came from a wealthy and
prominent Filipino family in Calamba, Laguna.

he had a very inspiring and conducive environment. An environment filled with scenic
surroundings which immediately aroused his interest in art and poetry.

And not the least of all and not to be considered the last, very helpful people who shared
in his early upbringing including his siblings, relatives, and neighbors.
His education started very early at home. His home based studies was first done through
his mother, Donya Teodora who according to Rizal was very good in poetry and better
than him in the Spanish language.

His education started very early at home. His home based studies was first done through
his mother, Donya Teodora who according to Rizal was very good in poetry and better
than him in the Spanish language.

She also taught him the Catholic religion and to behave and be respectful to women.

And it was from his mother that he recalled one of the interesting lessons that he learned
early in his life.

According to him, one night during their usual teaching routines at home, while his
mother was teaching him something, he got distracted.

Upon noticing that he was paying attention, his mother tried to regain his focus by
diverting the lesson to a storytelling routine.

What his mother narrated was one of the old classics. The story of the moth.

----

Weird or not, this particular recollection of Rizal is a vital element of his character and a
common understood basis of his personality later in his life,

Methaporically, the lamp or light is a symbol of knowdlege.

Rizal had sought the light but in doing so, he did not only sacrificed, he also was believed
to ? Class

-believed to die

More about his early learning at home, his father, Don Francisco, who did not act as
teacher like his wife, contributed in other ways like hiring several private tutors and
financed the other valuable necessities, by procuring a family library which according to
some biographers, used to consist a thousand volumes of books.

The tutors who taught Rizal more about the basics and the library were just some of the
necessities that were provided by his father.

And this was done because when Rizal was born in June 19, 1861, his father was advice
by a friend to take extra care for Rizal because that friend noticed the slightly bigger head
of Rizal.

And this was done because when Rizal was born in June 19, 1861, his father was advice
by a friend to take extra care for Rizal because that friend noticed the slightly bigger head
of Rizal.

But according to Rizal, his mother nearly died giving birth to him because of the size of
his head.

As to his siblings, since he had five elder sisters and one older brother who were sent by
their through college, we could certainly assumed that they too helped him in his studies.

As to his relatives, Rizal specially mentioned 3 uncles from his mother's side.

These uncles jointly taught him valuable lessons about reading, travelling, and self
defense.

One of them taught Rizal wrestling and martial arts.

And he had noted some very friendly neighbors who taught him a thing or two about
painting, carving and different assortment of hobbies.

All of these he had before he turned 9 years old.

When he turned 9, his studies was expanded.

His father asked him to go to Binyang, Laguna to continue his studies.

At first, he did not like that idea because according to him, he could everything from his
mother.-Learn everything from his mom

But it was explained to him by his father and brother, Paciano that must go and study
somewhere as he grow just like his brother.

Accompanied by Don Paciano, he was brought there in Binyang to enrol in the school
house owned and taught by Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.
That was a typical school for boys during those times.

In Binyang, he stayed in the house of his relatives.

And he observed that some of his relatives were very religious. One of them, an aunt, was
noticed by him to be praying almost every time.

Although he was raised by his mother who was a devout Catholic to be prayerful, he
found the attitude of his aunt extreme.

Rizal was fond of saying that during his stay in Binyang, he was always served with
sardinas sicas or tuyo.

He also had some naughty relatives.

In his memoirs, he seemed to be unhappy there, because in one of his entry, he mentioned
that his days there were not unusual if he was not laid on benches and given five to six
blows.

If you wonder why class, its because many boys there fought him.

Like a new kid in town, he got bullied and ridiculed.

Take not class that Rizal was a small man. And he was too small when he was boy.

In fact, before he had his first day in class, he bullied because of his size by one of his
classmates who happened to be their teacher's son.

He could have let it passed for he was not quarrelsome but the bully went to far by
insulting his parents who according to the bully, were dwarfs like him.