Touching lives in “little” ways September 26, 2008
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Canberra, the Australian Capital Territory, comes from an old Aboriginal word meaning “meeting people.”
That was exactly what I did while in Australia – meet people from all walks of life and from different nations of diverse cultures. Never mind their politics.
But I won’t forget meeting this young man named Albert Chua, Jr. whom I treated as my younger brother. I met him through Nomer Esmero, my co-Ford Fellow. He was first introduced to me as a son of a rich Filipino-Chinese tycoon in Manila. At first, I thought, a great divide exists between the rich and ordinary people who could not afford even a plane ticket to travel, much less, study abroad. You see, I feel uncomfortable mingling with rich people. I was afraid Albert might look down on me because I’m not rich, but not so poor either. I do not sport a car. I don’t wear branded clothes. I’m not classy. In short, I’m just an ordinary mortal like anyone else.
Our first meeting was at Fenner Hall, one of the student dormitories at the Australian National University (ANU) where most Filipino students stay. He just said hi! when I was introduced to him. I said to myself, “See? This guy doesn’t want to talk to fair-skinned women from the barrio, so on, and so forth.” Yeah, my mind was clouded with negative thoughts against this chubby lad.
Came another meeting, then another one, until we almost met everyday. Gosh, I almost didn’t realize that I am so close to this guy already and have forgotten all my negative thoughts about him. No longer the monster-richy kid in my mind, he is nice, very approachable, helpful, and fun to be with because he got tonnes of sense of humour.
He came to fetch us one day and watched the Filipino basketball league in Woden. Oh man, he was driving a brand new Honda car.
Bespectacled like a genius, he looks very young and white skinned even mosquitos wouldn’t even dare bite him. Chubby, not because he eats all the expensive and delicious foods on earth, but because he finishes without blinking an eye all the food that you serve him. I felt like a good cook!
I came to know from his stories that he is the eldest son in a family of two. He was pampered with luxuries that other children of his age would die in envy. He was enrolled in one of the private schools in Manila. Unfortunately, he was beyond a normal kid at that time. He was hyperactive, very talkative, and naughty. Would you imagine this young upstart bullying his classmates and making his teachers cry? That every time there was an untoward incident in the school, people would think that he did it? That’s how “normal” Albert was when he was in primary school. No wonder, he was kicked out, and no secondary school would accept him!
He decided to go to Sydney and live with his aunts. Luckily, without properly knowing his “background” in the Philippines, he was accepted in a secondary school. But do you think he stopped being naughty? Of course not! Old habits! He fooled around. But that’s alright because he just made fun out of petty things.
This “naughty” boy, however, managed to finish two courses – accounting and economics – from ANU, and passed two stages of qualifying exams for certified accountants.
I am amazed at how he managed to do that. He grew up in Australia without his parents taking care of his daily needs, listen to his problems, and cheer him up in his moments of loneliness. He doesn’t even have permanent friends in Australia because people simply come and go.
I know that I am strong and independent, but I can’t imagine myself in his shoes. You’ve got money, but you are away from home for a long time – and surviving. But he did it! I really admire him for that — a brave soul living alone in a foreign land at a very young age.
I admire Albert, too, for maintaining good communication and relationship with his parents and sibling in Manila despite the distance. Once in a while, I hear him talking with his mom through the Internet. He can be naughty, but he is always an obedient son. Mostly, he gets his parental guidance over the phone and via the Internet. How wonderful!
Albert never boasts unlike other rich kids in the block. In fact, he is very transparent and down-to-earth. When he was an undergraduate, he served as president of the Filipino student association in ANU. He organized events for Filipino scholars, helped incoming scholars settle, assisted those in need to the extent that spent his fixed allowance from his parents. Others abuse him for his generosity, but he utters not a bad single word and tries to rationalize and understand why people would do that.
To me, Albert is an epitome of a young man of goodwill. In my six months of stay in Australia, I never heard him aspire for things to just to satisfy his self. Every time he presents his ideas to me, it is always for the benefit of the Filipino scholars and other Filipinos in Canberra.
Albert’s goodness is deep within him. “Self-exiled” in Australia and living in Canberra for 10 years alone and away from his parents is no mean feat. I can feel his loneliness beyond his naughty façade. It takes a strong character to do that.
Unfortunately, Albert never had a relationship with a woman at his age of 24. He never even braved to court one. His friends sometimes call him panis (rotten) because he runs away whenever he meets a girl he likes. I can’t understand why. But if you let him talk to girls online, he is very talkative and very friendly. One of his friends even wished for him an online relationship and marriage!
There are people who inspire our lives, not because of their material richness and achievements, but because they touch us in many “little” ways that enriches our souls. I am happy that I met such a person – Albert Chua, Jr.
I feel privileged and blessed by his friendship.
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Comments»
hmmm.. parang kilala ko na si kuya albert ah.. hehe
ang bait nya talaga, sana ligawan ka nya
Hi manang helen,
Thanks sa comment. Nadala ka ng article..hahaha!
Keep in touch po.
Ciao!