Well except those who really can afford it, whom among the college students (now and then) are not crawling in their finances?

How I can I forget all those “loans”? Loans from friends. Loans from relatives. Of course, most especially the real student loans. You’d be lucky you get the ones that you have a lifetime to pay for (i.e. loans from good friends and relatives!). Ha ha ha.

[Hey, you know who you all are…I’m really, really grateful, always!]

Unfortunately, I also got some of those that you have just a semester to pay for the loans…otherwise, you cannot be cleared to enroll in the next semester. ;-)

In whatever way, a college student is just lucky when you have parents who have fully prepared for your college education. Either that, or if you had a full scholarship or even a kind benefactor — like a Filipino-American retiree or something?!

I did have one, you know… a benefactor, I mean. Most people around me didn’t know, because he wanted it that way. He was someone who hid inside a ship bound to the U.S. when he was 18. After series of odd jobs, he got luckier than most, I guess. He later married, had three kids…and married again! No one of his children married, he didn’t have grandkids either.

Thus, he made it his advocacy to send children of his less-fortunate relatives to school, all the way to college. He had too many college graduates already. I was his last “scholar”. He just had one requirement for me then, I have to write him and his (second) wife a letter regularly…in full ENGLISH. :-D

We’ve met in person only on two occasions. He died after I submitted my B.S. Thesis. He was 94.

Ahhh. Lolo Nick, I will never forget you. Wherever you are, I know you are happy for me. You took me like your own granddaughter. I am just happy I met you and sent you endless letters! I know you and Papa are exchanging stories now.

Aside from you two, nobody else but me knew what you did… and… it will remain that way!