A Household To Remember
Mikikit tamu keng tambuyan. Sabe-sabe tamu mag-lunch keng CASAA o mag-dinner keng Philcoa o kari Atching Fe. Sabe-sabe tamu rin luluwas. Mipanagkat tamu patse kailangan (more like ‘bisa’, haha!) tamu mag-mall. Neng kayi pin, abe-abe ta pa mag-library, anti mong seryoso tang manigaral pero ing tutu na nyan, mipanyismis tamu rin bandang talwi. And for those of us who are lucky enough – may orgmate ka na, may chever ka pa! Haha!
In short, with all our activities and bonding moments, we AguPips spend so much time with each other as it is. It’s one thing to be in frequent company with orgmates, right? But what if in our whole time we spend in the big ol’city, we’re with them even after class and mall hours? Can it get any better than that? It was not uncommon for some AguPips to live together even from way back. Although I think the reasons for such is a fair mixture of chance and necessity.
LEFT: Rex tries to review for an exam in EEE 103, while Andre plays Yoshi's Egg on Rex's PC.
RIGHT: The closet on one of 34G's rooms, kaybat neng lininis Rex. After 2 days, megulu ne ulit, haha!
I have been living with at least 1 AguPip all my college life. I shared a room with Dennis (Salagpi 2001A) for the first 1.5 years. The rest of my college years (don’t bother counting), I was fortunate to live with more AguPips – an apartment-full of them, in fact, at ‘The 34G’.
The 34G. No AguPip today is unaware of the legendary Aguman household. You’re probably thinking I am exalting our own apartment by describing it as if it isn’t a cramped two-storey, two-bedroom, wooden-walled apartment with a leaky ceiling right smack in an eerie compound on a shady neighbourhood. But I tell you, its reputation precedes me and my stay in Aguman.
LEFT: God knows what Lang is doing in this picture, hehe!
RIGHT: Adyang linipat ne y Phil, madalas ya pa rin bibisita keng 34G. Mamyalung yang Worms keng PC ng Lang.
No other Aguman household probably has lasted this long and stood the test of moving AguHousemates and AguHouseguests through time. It all started in June 1999 when 3 members – Ricky (Sakmal 1992A), Fabz (Tayid-Tayid 1997) and Lang (Diquit-Diquit 1996A) – decided to live together in one apartment in 34B Lt J Francisco St, KNL. Eventually, Fabz was replaced by then new member Macoy (Tuglung 1998A). Ricky also eventually moved out. But by 2000, together with more AguPips, Lang and Macoy moved to a bigger unit that can accommodate more housemates thus making the monthly rent way cheaper. The 34G was officially established.
For the past 8 years, 34G has lost and gained housemates. When Marco moved into the apartment in January 2007, he became the 16th AguPip to consider the place his or her home away from home. Of course, if we count in the AguPips who ‘lived’ in 34G but never actually paid rent (we call them ‘annexes’), the number is bigger. (Relax, I am not going to reveal any names, hehe!). A few months after Marco moved in, Buduy (Lakatan 2006A) became the 17th AguPip to have officially lived in 34G, but only for the summer term. He temped for Michael who was on summer vacation.
LEFT: Argel lies on the floor during one of his 'tampururut' moments
RIGHT: Frequent visitor Yek and Joms make some Christmas snowflakes to decorate the house with
Like any other Aguman household, 34G plays a more important role in Aguman affairs than what members realize. It is practically an extension of the tambayan – all the noise and laughter, and that even includes all the ‘kalat’ like rummageables and other org paraphernalia. The walls of the place have witnessed a lot of Aguman events and bondings and have heard all sorts of issues from its housemates and the members that visit. Different batches of Executive Councils have convened there. Some of the housemates even discuss Aguman issues, both organizational and personal, even during the wee hours. Members from all committees often meet there to prepare for the organization’s different endeavors. And it’s not just pure org business. 34G has also hosted numerous birthday celebrations, get-together dinners, movie nights, sleepovers (intentional and circumstantial) and bonding sessions. In a nutshell, it has seen the many personal ups and downs of Aguman and its members.
LEFT: Renz studies his lessons while Arnel looks on from the outside.
RIGHT: Rex takes a scoop of the Dennis' ice cream treat.
They say familiarity breeds contempt. Yes, it’s true. But it comes with the territory anyway. No other experience has taught me more things and lessons in life than living with the organization’s best people. So yes, the pros definitely trump the cons – to the words of Simon Cowell – by a mile.
I was fortunate to live long enough in 34G to let me undergo the many changes in life that has made me a better person today. Okay, maybe it is way too longer than what I probably would've wanted, hehe, but hey, things happen for a reason. When I moved in to 34G, I was the youngest, most naive, dependent and innocent housemate. But I was surrounded by the best set of older brothers and sisters so I learned and mastered the ways of the world (and of the org) in no time. Heck, in just a year of ‘training’, even my Elder housemates dreaded my headshot hirits, haha! Like I always say (you’re probably weary of this phrase), “I learned from the best”.
I admit though, there were many times when I wanted to move out for a number of many different reasons (mainly mood swings). But at the end of those manic episodes, I’ve always realized that I cannot do it. I thought, how could I possibly deliberately cut myself out from a place that has actually helped define a huge part of my being. And I also knew, I should stick around if only to pay it forward – I’ve become the ‘Elder brother’ now.
LEFT: Housemate Mike poses with Fergie and Kevin during one of the Wednesday dinners
RIGHT: Members converge at 34G in preparation for the Acquaintance Party 2007
I dedicate this piece to my current housemates, Argel (Salagpi 2001A), Renz (Kaputul 2004A), Joms (Kadaya 2005A), Michael (Lakatan 2006a) and Marco, as well as to all previous 34G housemates: Andre (Salagpi 2001A), Kuya Arnel (Tipun 1999A), Bong (Salagpi 2001A), Buduy (Lakatan 2006A), Ate Claire (Palumpon 1996B), Hermie (Ambula 2000A), Kuya Langski (Diquit-Diquit 1996A), Macoy (Tuglung 1998A), Philbert (Ambula 2000A), Ate Sai (Ambula 2000A) and Ate Tin (Ambula 2000A). Pati na rin kareng Annexes whose names I should not divulge. You know who you are, haha! Cheers to all the cherished memories that we’ve had in our humble apartment. That’s considering both the good and bad memories, hehe, which were all there to make college and apartment life a little more interesting and meaningful, right? Hehe! The 34G has survived all these years, despite the many misunderstandings, break-ups, house mishaps and rental increases. And I hope it will survive in the years to come, if only to allow future members to have the same wonderful, lessons-laden, and life-changing experience that all previous 34G housemates have had.
|