It was just like any normal Saturday to me when I left my house around 8AM last September 26, 2009. I was headed to my school, De La Salle University-Manila, to attend my graduate school classes. As the FX I rode made its way through Taft Avenue, there were already droplets of rain coming from the gloomy morning that welcomed me earlier. Of course, just like anyone else, I treated those “droplets” as the usual ambon we’ve been experiencing for quite some time now so it wasn’t much a big deal to me then. Finally, I arrived at my destination and I immediately went to my classroom located at the Miguel Hall to attend the first meeting of my subject, The Philippines During the Japanese Occupation 1942-1945.
For 3 hours, together with my classmates, we were all preoccupied with the lecture of our Japanese professor, who in an adorable kind of way, is fluent in Filipino! We talked about some introductory topics during World War II, without realizing that in the next few hours or so, we’d be experiencing some sort of a “mock” World War experience too! haha! 
And indeed, Mother Nature was at war with us when she unleashed Bagyong Ondoy on Philippine shores! After my morning class, it was raining cats-and-dogs outside the walls of DLSU! My classmates and I felt like we were in the infamous Titanic as we struggled to find our way from the far end of the Miguel Hall to the La Salle building! As we reached the Registrar’s office (after walking through nooks and crannies I’ve never been to before just to avoid walking through the water pooling up! haha!) we noticed that the once grassy and green amphitheater, instantly turned into a “lagoon!”
Right on cue, at the very moment we stopped in front of the amphitheatre (paired with dumbfounded looks on our faces!), it was announced that classes are already suspended. After hearing that, I immediately wanted to go home but when I reached the south gate, lo and behold!
And so, my classmates and I decided to just stay at the conservatory. Hours had passed and we could’ve just gone to our missed afternoon class because we stayed inside the conservatory for more than we expected! It was already night time but the downpour of rain was still very, very strong, as if Mother Nature has released all the angst she has been keeping all these time on the people! I already accepted the fact that I can’t go to the Candy Fair anymore 
(I hope there’s a Part 2!) because eventually, water found its way inside the conservatory as well…
Good thing the Lasallian Brothers and the Student Council announced that they’ll be serving hot lugaw and asked us to move to the 2nd floor LS chapel because water was already flooding the entire 1st floor! While inside the chapel, my classmates and I recalled the lessons we just had that morning and coincidentally, the LS chapel was the exact chapel where the massacre of the La Salle Brothers happened during World War II, not to mention that one of my classmates admitted that he has a “sixth sense.” In short, ghost stories never run out in cases like this! hahaha! 
students lining up inside the LS chapel for dinner was served! ;)
But I guess the highlight of the entire evening (aside from the corned beef-and-rice dinner that was served, thank God!) was the classroom-turned-movie house theme! The entire classrooms of the 1st and 2nd floors were converted into instant movie houses, filled with undergraduate and graduate (ehem! ehem!) students alike. Armed with the full blast of the air-condition, laptops/computers, and multimedia projectors, movie titles were written outside each classroom and all we had to do was choose, enter the classroom, sit back and relax, while watching newly-released movies! Some of the available titles I can remember were High School Musical, The Proposal, Year One, even Gossip Girl, How I Met Your Mother, and some Koreanovelas!
my classmates and I decided to settle for Nicolas Cage
The next day, I woke up around 4:30AM and the first thing I heard was that breakfast was going to be served by 7AM. haha! But then, my sisters already picked me up by 8AM and as I reached our home, I had nothing to offer but this story and a learning and worthwhile experience that I know will last a lifetime! 
So, with all that said, I want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to the Lasallian Brothers, especially to Brother Armin (he was really the one assisting us!), the entire DLSU Student Council for their hospitality, and of course to God, for keeping me and my sisters safe despite of the distance we all had during that time. Of course, let’s not forget to pray for those who deeply suffered because of this tragic event that Mother Nature has put upon us. In the end, I think the most important lesson we can get from this is that the words “climate change” and “global warming” are things we should not take for granted, so the best time to take some action is NOW!
Animo La Salle!
Praying that may we all be finally safe,
Mika <3
P.S: According to the news, another typhoon is on its way in the coming days so better be prepared my dear, Candy Girls! Keep safe. *hugs*
