Video credits: Jean Beltran via YouTube.com
It isn't February yet and yes, it is instead the month of reminiscing the dead but, I am joining the lovesquad bloggers out there who have been posting their love stories, I am referring to algergio and pumpkin642016.
Just this morning, pumpkin642016 got a review of her recent love story blog entry and for some reasons, I got encouraged to write about my own love story. I hope she won't feel bad about me copying her idea of love story series.
Video credits: Jean Beltran via YouTube.com
I had actually created a blog about my own love story before and posted it here as well but I guess I was not very clear yet with the complete story so I am going to elaborate further and perhaps provide more photos of us from years ago, so brace yourselves as I post throwback photos later on.
FIRST SIGHT: DOST SOEP
Summer orientation and enrichment program, a specific program formulated by the Department of Science and Technology for the newly passers of their scholarship. That was year 2005.
Image credits: Jean Beltran's FB
Living with my brother in Cebu was a new challenge for me because although I have been to Cebu numerous times, it was my first time to be roaming around the city alone and had to figure out everything to myself, that includes multiple times of getting lost.
I was laten on SOEP's first day, I then met another late comer, Michelle whom becane my good friend from that day on until these days. At the huge hall where all scholars were seated listening to the speaker, I was looking left to right for any possible friendship but to no avail. Good thing Michelle was very talkative and we met new other scholars who are from the provinces too including my future husband, James.
That was our first meeting but we didn't know each other, only by face.
SECOND MEETING: OPENING BANK ACCOUNT
Image credits: cebudailynews.inquirer.net
Part of our scholarship contract was a monthly stipend provided by the government sector. The monthly allowance will be deposited to a bank account with Landbank of the Philippines.
Surprisingly, when I went to open my account, James was also there together with his childhood friend Eugene whom later on became my friend too in college.
Now that I am reminiscing this, James told me he first met me at that bank while I met him at the orientation. He told me today while writing this that it was because there were only three of us at the bank during that time that he noticed me waiting for my turn while they were being entertained, they came first of course.
Unfortunately, we were not in the same room section during the two weeks long SOEP at the San Carlos University Talamban Campus.
I still could see him randomly during breaks but that's it and I didn't know I will be marrying that guy. I found him very shy.
COLLEGE CLASSMATES
Michelle's the one wearing orange shirt, me with the brown shirt at the middle and Eugene beside me. Image credits: Jean Beltran Facebook Page
Time came in for the first day of school in college. Quite fretful for me but I had to face my fears. I was excited to see my good friend Michelle who told me she's coming to the same school as I am and same course as well which was Bachelor of Science in Information Technology.
At that time, DOST scholars are a bit favored for colleges as they have this impression that they are the top students of that specific generation. IT was also a booming course at that time because of the fast pace growth of technology, most of us DOST scholars took up IT that includes James and his friend Eugene. Reason for the school to create a block section for the huge number of scholars with IT course.
Circle of friends. Image credits: Jean Beltran's FB
Surprisingly, I met James at our first subject room. Part of the first day event is for everyone to introduce themselves since we were in a block section, we were classmates for all subjects like that of the high school setting. So eventually and finally I learned his name is James and he figured out my name as well but again we were not close, we were just civil with each other.
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
Over the first and second years in college, I had been very busy with school and studies, projects, understanding coding and just make sure I would have good passing grade enough for me to keep up with the required grades as mandated by the scholarship.
Can you spot James in the photo? Image credits: Jean Beltran's FB
By the sophomore year, I earned multiple friends but there's a circle of friends where James and I were part of. We would always chill together, study together and even create our projects together! That's when the time when we were becoming closer to each other.
Image credits: Jean Beltran's FB
Before the end of our sophomore year, both of us became single. I was in a relationship before with a childhood friend but we had to break up due to third party (not me but the guy). James on the other hand had to stop his relationship because he was having a hard time maintaining his grades because of the travel time he has to do to visit the other girl.
START OF #TEAMFOREVER
Image credits: Jean Beltran's FB
By the time we reached our junior year's first semester, somethings had changed. James seemed to be more interested in me, he would even ask me to reload his mobile sim since I was retailing at that time too. He'd even text me and ask if I could lend him some amount of load and he'll just pay by the next day but then he'd just stay up late texting me.
Image credits: Jean Beltran's FB
He would often talk to me too at school which was a surprise and I know something's not the same. I was not really that attracted to him at first (shh, don't tell him) because he was part of those guys who are good with programming while I can't even code a simple hello world.
But we still were friends and would often hang out at the university and even outside during free hours. We'd even go to our college friends' houses and stay there for overnight studies or just for relaxation.
Then the Intramurals week came in, it was a very busy day as I was part of the SSG members assigned for the battle of the bands. James was present at the grounds of our school with our friends of course. Right after I was done with my duties, I went to meet them, we hang out for awhile then we eventually found ourselves talking seriously and secretly, he was confessing but I can't hear him because of the band music playing.
Image credits: Jean Beltran's FB
I knew he was saying something but I was a bit of in a denial mode for I didn't see it coming. After that day, he started pursuing me. Then I eventually said yes when he got a chance to talk again during an overnight project making. I won't forget about it because he took my hand and didn't even speak a word at all, somehow I understood what he was trying to say and even nodded myself. He then smiled and kissed my hand.
That happened during dawn of August 24, 2008 and I guess I was just sleepy or what that I did that. It was not my plan to say yes to him and I was still planning to keep him waiting for a little longer but that happened and I just can't take that answer away anymore.
The following days were very embarrassing for me because most of our college friends knew and had been teasing us always. But eventually, they stopped and so at that point, we started to learn more about each other.
Image credits: Jean Beltran's FB
I don't really know if I was in love with him at that time. I thought I was just having a good time and I didn't really think of making that relationship work, I guess I was just looking for someone to always talk to and he was fun to talk with specially with his corny jokes.
Later on after months of being together, I soon felt like he was the right man for me although I was not yet imagining of marrying him. I guess I will just stop here and will share more about our love story in the future.
I hope this story entertained you, I am not the best love story blogged compared to algergio but I do hope this made you smile at some point.
Yes, our love story is really common specially for those who went to college but I bet sharing what we've been through would make the story extra special.
Blog entry written and published by Jean Beltran-Figues, A Pinas traveler and photography hobbyist, find more travel blogs in my blog section, click here.
