I am about to write about another milestone in Dana's life. It's her first time to go out with her friends for the day. Now, you have to understand, Dana hasn't gone anywhere without us, except maybe with her class on their retreat. Even with their educational field trips we were always with her. This is the first time she's going anywhere by herself, even though it's with her friends.They've made plans for this day out after their graduation and she has been really excited about it. I, on the other hand, was more worried because she doesn't know how to commute because she's had the privilege of being driven around in a car. Yes, she's ridden public transportation but she hasn't really paid attention to roads and locations because she was with us. So, I knew that I had to teach her how to commute by herself first. We looked at Google maps so she'll know where she's going and how she's going to return. It's easier to picture everything when it's visual and there are references. She's familiar with the area that they're going to so that's a plus. I also told her how to commute using the jeepney, like where to get off, how much to pay and what to do next if she misses her stop. I knew she was nervous but I trust that she understood.
So, today, I said goodbye and told her to enjoy while all throughout the day I was anxious and wanting to call her mobile just to check but I restrained myself. Oh and I also emphasized that she not bring out her mobile while on public transport for fear of it being snatched granted it wasn't an expensive phone but you never know.
Anyway, there were seven of them who went to Robinsons Magnolia to hang out. They went there from school and even their teachers were worried about them but understood that it was time for them to spread their wings. According to her, they mostly just went around the shops, ate some snacks, played games and had lunch together. Although it was decided during their planning that they weren't going to watch a movie, while at the mall, they decided they wanted to but they weren't able to watch what they wanted because the movies were rated R-13. Plus, some of them spent a lot on lunch and didn't have enough money for a movie ticket which was when they decided to transfer to SM City Sta. Mesa where the tickets were cheaper. Then, they all rode the LRT train to get there faster. Once there, she decided to just go home because she was tired and she didn't want to come home late.
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| riding the LRT |
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| first jeepney ride alone (she gets a pass for using the phone in public) |
She said that the day was a "Fail" but it was fun. It was a fail because it was difficult to decide on what to do because everyone had their opinions and it's hard to agree. She also wasn't able to realistically budget her money which led to not having enough for a movie ticket, although granted that they weren't supposed to watch a movie anyway. She also got tired of running around looking for their other friends.
She had fun because she was still in good company and nothing beats the sense of freedom of being able to go out independently. There was also a sense of accomplishment that she didn't get lost on her way home and she actually made it home safe and sound. Next time, I'm sure she'll have a better handle on her money and her time. :)
