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Kuwentong ESL #2: "Apong Yoji"

I am writing this blog without any intention to reveal someone, but I just want to remember and express how grateful I am to have met such a wonderful person.
My second story for my blog is about Apong Yoji. (Apong means: Grandpa).  He belonged to my very first batch of students as an ESL teacher of one company in the Philippines. I do not remember exactly how old he was when I met him, but he was quite old, I think in early or mid 70s. My first question to him when I met him was that why he wanted to study English. "I want to learn English now that I am old, because I could not do it when I was younger." That answer stuck in my head. While some people easily quit in doing what they want to do, there he was, The Apong Yoji who wanted to do what he wanted to do while he was alive. Every December, he would go back to the school and study. The reason (this is according to him) He wants to skip winter in Japan.

I was touched and learned a lot through his life story. He used to serve in the military until he retired. He is the only one in this world since his wife passed away. They do not have children as well. He has a neighbor who looks after his house whenever he goes back to the Phils. I think his life is quite pitiful. However, he never showed it and often put a smile on his face. Everyday, after his classes, he would frequently stroll around the city and tried every restaurant his eyes would catch and tell me the next day about the food that he ate the other day. I still remember when he said that he tried "balut" and he liked it. 
 He was also a good student. He never missed any of our classes. I often saw him studying at the study area during his free time and even at night. His notes were full of japanese words and their meanings in English. 
One of the things that he imprinted on us was a bell hanging on his bag. If you know him, you would know that he was coming because you could hear the bell. I did not understand at first why he always had that bell hanging on his bag and it rang whenever he walked. Many people thought it was annoying and loud. Some thought that he was such a weird old man. However, knowing the Japanese, even simple things have meanings for them. In his one group class, he explained that the bell hanging on his bag was a gift from his wife who passed away. He was the love of his life and he will never ever forget her. Whenever he hears the bell, he remembers his wife and it reminds him that even if they do not live in the same world anymore, her memory will still remain.

Heart-warming right? In the world where people say that "Nothing lasts forever", Apong Yoji sets an example of what true love is. 

I do not know if he is still alive now. I left the Philippines two years ago, and from then, I did not hear anything about him. I hope he is still alive and well. I hope I can still meet him someday...

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