A Laundrywoman And Her Jaguar
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
For many years and for the most part of her life, Michelle* was a labandera (laundrywoman). She was born to a mother who also washed clothes for a living. Because of extreme poverty, only the eldest was able to finish school in a remote province while Michelle had to quit high school in her first year and help feed the family. Today, she drives her own Jaguar, owns a large home, a battalion of dogs and lives with a large household staff.
In my career, I meet the most amazing characters, people who all want to learn English for the most incredible reasons. Entering the room warily and dressed in the most expensive brands, she somberly told me during our class, "Ngayon na may pera na ako, iba na ang mga tao na kasama ko. Pero lahat sila, nagsasalita ng English at pag may party, wala akong maintindihan at nahihiya ako. Kaya hindi nalang ako lumalabas." (Now that I'm well-off, the people I encounter are different. But all of them speak English and when there's a gathering, I can't understand anything and... I am ashamed. That's why I don't bother going out.) There is evident self-pity as tears well-up in her eyes.
She began washing clothes as young as high school, charging P3/shirt at construction sites. She later on ventured into selling bananacue along Ayala Avenue. Suddenly her eyes sparkled, she straightened up a bit and beamed, "Alam mo, pag-tindera ka at nagbebenta ka sa Ayala, sikat ka! Hinding-hindi ko makakalimutan ang tuwa ko nung na-promote ako at binigyan ako ng bisikleta ng boss ko dahil marami akong benta." (You know, if you're a vendor selling stuff along Ayala, you're big-time! I will never forget the day when my boss promoted me and gave me a bicycle as a result of my sales.)
Michelle's life today is a result of hard work because she believed in a better life. She now runs a garment company while her husband, who was a construction worker, supplies large-scale services to construction sites. She did not marry into wealth. Instead, she and her husband created their wealth based on sheer faith using whatever strengths they had to move up one day at a time.
She studied English because she wanted to somewhat catch up on the classroom time she missed out on in her youth. Also, she wanted to be able to banter well with the people in her new-found circles. Towards our last few sessions, she would come into the room, smiling, and giving me updates in her best English.
I remember the last day we had as I asked her, "Michelle, one last thing. What advice can you give me so I can be as successful as you?"
She laughed, blushed then sighed, and her eyes started to moisten again as she spoke with intensity, "Ma'am, basta gawin mo ang lahat at wag ka lang titigil. Kung ako nga pinanganak na wala, nagawa ko ang lahat nang ito. Ikaw pa, pinanganak na meron. Wala kang dahilan para hindi umasenso." (Ma'am, just do it and don't stop. I grew up with nothing but was able to do all this. You, on the other hand, were born into so much more. You have absolutely no excuse for failure.)
The sheer simplicity of her advice is what also made it rather profound.
This, my dear friends, was the day when my attitude towards success took a sudden turn and life has been so much different ever since.
In my career, I meet the most amazing characters, people who all want to learn English for the most incredible reasons. Entering the room warily and dressed in the most expensive brands, she somberly told me during our class, "Ngayon na may pera na ako, iba na ang mga tao na kasama ko. Pero lahat sila, nagsasalita ng English at pag may party, wala akong maintindihan at nahihiya ako. Kaya hindi nalang ako lumalabas." (Now that I'm well-off, the people I encounter are different. But all of them speak English and when there's a gathering, I can't understand anything and... I am ashamed. That's why I don't bother going out.) There is evident self-pity as tears well-up in her eyes.
She began washing clothes as young as high school, charging P3/shirt at construction sites. She later on ventured into selling bananacue along Ayala Avenue. Suddenly her eyes sparkled, she straightened up a bit and beamed, "Alam mo, pag-tindera ka at nagbebenta ka sa Ayala, sikat ka! Hinding-hindi ko makakalimutan ang tuwa ko nung na-promote ako at binigyan ako ng bisikleta ng boss ko dahil marami akong benta." (You know, if you're a vendor selling stuff along Ayala, you're big-time! I will never forget the day when my boss promoted me and gave me a bicycle as a result of my sales.)
Michelle's life today is a result of hard work because she believed in a better life. She now runs a garment company while her husband, who was a construction worker, supplies large-scale services to construction sites. She did not marry into wealth. Instead, she and her husband created their wealth based on sheer faith using whatever strengths they had to move up one day at a time.
She studied English because she wanted to somewhat catch up on the classroom time she missed out on in her youth. Also, she wanted to be able to banter well with the people in her new-found circles. Towards our last few sessions, she would come into the room, smiling, and giving me updates in her best English.
I remember the last day we had as I asked her, "Michelle, one last thing. What advice can you give me so I can be as successful as you?"
She laughed, blushed then sighed, and her eyes started to moisten again as she spoke with intensity, "Ma'am, basta gawin mo ang lahat at wag ka lang titigil. Kung ako nga pinanganak na wala, nagawa ko ang lahat nang ito. Ikaw pa, pinanganak na meron. Wala kang dahilan para hindi umasenso." (Ma'am, just do it and don't stop. I grew up with nothing but was able to do all this. You, on the other hand, were born into so much more. You have absolutely no excuse for failure.)
The sheer simplicity of her advice is what also made it rather profound.
This, my dear friends, was the day when my attitude towards success took a sudden turn and life has been so much different ever since.
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