Yesterday was the second Friday of the month of March and I attended the once-a-month Tagalog Mass. The homily of Fr. Raul was timely with our work in the College. This week is mid-term exam and all students are not attending classes because their reason is that they have to study. For us Teachers, regardless of nationality, religion, creed, sexual orientation, status in life this is the usual situation. When students are not around, most of us come to the College to do our other tasks, Quality Assurance, Timetabling, preparing lessons and most of all FACEBOOK. Reading articles, news, sending emails to our friends and love ones was our way of escaping moments. No students coming to our office asking for marks, asking teachers "I don't understand Mr". Well we miss them for a week and by saturday, we will face them again. Anyway, going back to the main topic of lent season, Fr. Raul said, in the observant of the Holy Week, most of us Christians often neglect our duties and our responsibilities as apostles of Christ. God taught us to follow the commandments wherein the first three refers to our relationship to God and the other seven refers to our relationship with our fellowmen. We have to fast, repent for our sins and do penance for them. Fast, as Fr. Raul have said does not necessarily mean we should not take food but instead fast to keep away from sins. Fast to do penance for our mistakes. Like, "Can we live for a month or two without FACEBOOK?" I asked myself this question... Can I live a month without internet connection? As I reflected on this, I wonder, I was here in Oman for seven years and I have no permanent internet connection. I registered to an internet cafe of 100 hours of usage, but it is closed now. I went to the house of Ms. Anet to connect to an unknown network, use the internet for free for a few hours of every visit, but I dont go there anymore. Now I am using my our modem which from time to time I put one (1) Rial for 24 hours 1 GB connection. I do farmville but the 1 GB connection is only good for 16 hours of farming, no youtube, no downloading, no chatting since most chat have been blocked, no skype.... NOTHING... In other words, I can live for more than a month without internet. Even in the College, the ETC is promoting that they had upgraded the speed of connection from the Omantel, but the matter of truth is the college network is still slow. Displaying reports from the College System takes time. Browsing through the internet is like a dial up. Booting the computer takes around 7 minutes wherein you can still go to the bathroom and come back and still booting up. It is just like testing your patience. Thank God (Alhamduallah) my patience is infinite as I usually have it with my students. This lent season is my last here in Oman since I submitted my resignation to my HOD already. I will try to do my very best to observe the lent. Do penance for my sins. And above all, forgive people who have wronged me in the past as I will ask for forgiveness to people I have wronged with.
