Arla : The Less Favored Daughter: Written By: Christine Amada

Chapter 1

Surviving the challenges of life

I come from a poor family in the barrio.We live in shantees reserved for calamity victims. My father was able to have one reserved for us.And there his children grew up without any expectation than to eat 3x a day even with just a bowl of rice that we
picked from palay being threshed. To us gathering palay grains is just a game
That was easier than my experience of gathering garbage for the survival of the family.
I remember the days, I had to wake up early so we can gather the garbage from neighborhood. A lot would pity us. My big brother Ricci, my younger sister Gorlette and me Arla They say I am the cooperative daughter but not as goodlooking as my younger sister. I really would not mind. I love my younger sister who looked so pretty with her long braided hair tied in rubber bands worth 20 pcs for a peso. I would not let her become dirty while I smell rotten in my old tattered shirt.Me and my brother would make her ride our bike with an attached steel box where we put the garbage we gathered. The man who owns the junkshop pays for what we gather. His mother in law gives us a lot of stuff.
Life was a struggle but we made it thru. Gorlette would often feel the hunger and cry. Big brother would buy us a piece of bread and he eats what remains. I never give it a thought that brother is hungry too as long as Gorlet never cries. Father will be mad at my brother and me. It seemed  seemed that Gorletteis the only important child. Never mind if brother and I die of hunger. I am beginning to be envious. That had encouraged me to work harder so I can send myself to school.I finished my schooling. .I pity mother who walks under the heat of the sun or raindrops falling just to sell a pair of pillowcase for fifty bucks.I promised myself not to marry someone like my father.
No day was wasted with me. If I don't attend my classes I go with my brother and pick garbage. To us garbage pickers a tin container of canned goods is money. But we survived . I go to my classes penniless but not Gorlettewho has a piece of bread and money to buy some more
But I did not mind at all.I grew up with the notion that I am ugly.But a lot of people say that I have a hidden beauty as well. So I have to know that and not keep it hidden so people will like me as well. But I don't believe in skin deep beauty. I have to make myself more beautiful inside. So, I tell myself. Someday, people will look up to me. Not just because the smile on my face or my twinkling eyes. They will look up to me for what reason? Now I still don' t know.
I have to do something about it. So I worked hard til no one recognized me as the student in blue skirt but as a tomboyish teener in shaby shorts and shirt. Yes, I am the girl in white baseball cap who knocks at your door to get your trashes. And I was able to finish school and had a chance to work in one company at the Clark Air Base .
And luck was on my side, one day a legal recruiter came to my workplace and "presto" I got hired.I was ecstatic. Ioffer my
my good luck to my mother who walks under the heat of the sun or raindrops falling just to sell a pair of pillowcase for fifty bucks.I promised myself not to marry someone like my father. That may sound harsh but I will add miserable children to this world no more.