Every school teacher had a symbol of authority, the meter-long bamboo stick! It served the purpose of pointing at a pupil to stand up and recite or answer questions, to wake up a sleepy student, to punish an erring student, and to point at objects or things on the blackboard. At that time the policy […]
1994 Memoir – 14. Early Primitive Life As a Kid
Diseases and Medicines On account of so many fleas, bed bugs, lice, and ants, we always had infected wounds on our legs, causing skin disease. Very rare was a boy or girl in our town who did not suffer skin lesions or disease on his or her leg. I for one had many. I used […]
1994 Memoir – 11. Mother’s Personality
Just like my father, Mother was a very strict disciplinarian. She would not spare a pinch on the siñgit (groin or inner part of the upper leg) if we did not behave. Very often it was on account of my constant fighting with Elix that we were punished. We were like cats and dogs. If […]
1994 Memoir – 9. Raft Riding Down Abra River
Before our trips to Vigan by raft, Mother would prepare food for the day-long trip, consisting of rice, tapa (dried meat), eggs, tomatoes and salt, wrapped in banana leaves. At sun break we rode a cart pulled by a cow from Bangued to Nagtalabongan, where we boarded a raft propelled by four oarsmen using bamboo […]
1994 Memoir – 7. My Father Florencio Sibayan (Inciong)
Tatang was a very industrious and religious man. He avoided trouble and continuously had a smile on his face. He was humble, simple, and loving. I never saw him pick a quarrel with my mother or with anybody. His advice to me and my brother was to avoid trouble and to run to our house […]
1994 Memoir – 1. Introduction: Jose B. Sibayan, Sr.
1.20.98This book is written for my seven children and families, dedicated in honor of their mother, who wrote a “STORY OF MY LIFE” ending in her trip around the world with JoJo in 1970. Praise the Lord! JBS 9/11/94 (Sunday) Today is Grandparents’ Day. Nobody among my seven (7) children, 15 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild […]