I ask myself over and over, "Where has the time gone?" It was decades ago this month when I graduated from college. Now that I have dated myself, I really, truly cannot believe it has been that long ago when I received my undergraduate degree from Ateneo de Manila, one of Manila's finest, if not its best university. It was a proud time especially for my family.

While in high school, I told my mom, that there was really only one school I wanted to go to and that was Ateneo. Even though I was told by high school counselors that the field I should major in college was languages or foreign service, I did not listen. It did not matter to me that the suggested courses I ought to pursue were not offered in Ateneo then. I could not think of anything else but step foot there. To be honest, I was blinded by the school's elitist and attractive image. It had after all produced the Philippine national hero, Philippine presidents, politicians, and countless leaders of industry. Fortunately, Spanish was a compulsory subject I had to take for two years due to the Philippines' historical link to Spain. I enjoyed learning the language so much I spent much of my free time studying it both in school and at the Spanish Embassy in Manila. I learned it so fast and well my college professors as well as the native born Spanish language teachers of the Instituto Cultural de Espana, the Spanish School of the Spanish Embassy in Manila took notice. Much to my parents delight, I was awarded a cultural scholarship to pursue graduate study in Madrid, Spain shortly after graduation.

The sweetest moment in my educational career, I would add, was when I graduated from Spain's most prestigious university, the University of Salamanca. I received my Master in Spanish Language and Culture there. It took a lot of hard work and long nights to successfully complete their masteral program. There was even a time when I thought of not returning because of the heavy work load. I am glad I stayed though. To think, I visited this university twice while I was living in Madrid on day long sightseeing trips. Had I been told then that I would one day study there and be an alumnus, I would have laughed it off. I have my parents to thank and Ateneo of course for starting it all.