Flame Pillar of Rizal

Pepe's First Homesick

When young Pepe was nine years old continuing his studies at home, his father Francisco Mercado had planned to send his son to Biñan, his native town, bigger than Calamba, an hour and a half ride away. This was the main reason to make more further studies for elementary and the teachers there were more capable.

His account of the incident, in his student diary called Memorias, was changed from happy days to sad full days, when his father decided this, and his tears became gloomy heart because of the first time that he would be separated with his family.

However, it was made clear that he led a very systematic and disciplined life at Biñan, a well challenging full days ahead. From his Memorias, as early as 4 a.m, he was already on his toes to attend the mass (if there's a mass). After hearing the mass, he had to go home and study his lessons. After these initial activities, he had to take his breakfast and then attend his morning class until 1 p.m. Resting and eating for an hour, he had to return to school for his afternoon classes from 2 p.m to 5 p.m. Played for a while then resumed classes again. After suppertime (consisted of two rice plates) with prayers, when there was a moon, he played with his nieces in the street. An exhausting schedule if you would imagine!

Occasionally, he took also home trip to Calamba. He was not happy in Biñang, finding the town so ugly, its inhabitants dirty, and the food was poor. That's why he wanted to embrace once again the fresh serenity and beautiful scenes of Calamba in love to the full. But here we may suppose that the strongest reason was that he was homesick again and again for his lovely town and especially to his family. He himself says: "I wept silently as I saw the calesa going to Biñan." Yet, he misses so much the Calamba for the first time in his lifetime.