Na-USTe Ako!: The Last Exile, Dapitan!

"just keep on trying, keep on flying
I will be the light"
-Cloud Age Symphony (from the animated series 'Last Exile')

So yeah, I was back inside the University of Sto. Tomas once again last Friday to file my brother's application. If I could remember correctly, this would be the 4th time that I was in UST, not counting being in the area multiply times since I was in like 8 or 9 years old.

I left CSB at around 3pm and rode the LRT until Tayuman. Took a jeepney ride until I finally arrived at Dapitan. The present Jollibee there used to be an old Greenwhich restaurant years back so it's kinda sad that JFC turned it into another Jollibee branch (No wonder Greenwhich-Bayan bowed out of the competition because of Chowking-Star J and nearby Jollibee-Bayan).

I went inside and once again got amazed and all. It's like I was in Intramuros except that i'm not. I headed to UST's own Tan Yan Kee Building/Student Center (Since UE Caloocan's Fine Arts Building is also named after the guy). When I went there inside, I looked ofr the admissions center. Thanks heavens it wasn't crowded with applicants accompanied by their mothers like the one I saw in La Salle's Bro. Andrew Gonzales Building last month. 

The admissions center looks a lot like the library in SJA. I don't know why but that's pretty much my observation from the wallpaper to the cubicles and the like. When it was my turn in line (To be honest, there wasn't much any line at all) I brought out all of Jorge's requirements, his birth certificate, application form, two identical 2x2 ID's and of course his recommendation letter. 

Speaking of "recommendation letter", he admissions lady said I don't need to have it submitted until enrollment (if Jorge is to pass the exam). But I noti

ced that the envelope containing the letter has the letters "CSB" written on it. Good thing I didn't opened it upon initial request of the admission lady since this one I know contains the letter coming from CSB itself! Wheew!

Then she directed me to one of many PC's to encode the needed information about my brother. They have this program that serves like an "application form for examination" thing. The moment I pressed "Submit", I was quickly shown with the available exam date, place, and time plus his test permit number.

So it read that Jorge was to his exam on the 7th of December, 8am to 12 nn at the Beato Angelico Building.

After I was done with my primary objective to be in UST, it's then time to fulfill another objective, mag-lakwatsa!

Good thing I brought my 'old-reliable' FinePix digicam with me to remember this momentous event of a lifetime. I went around campus, took

 some pictures and walked in some parts and walked in other parts. 

Then I walked some and took pictures more.

I saw their most famous building (where I took my exam more than a year ago), the statue of its founder and the mini-park fronting it. I also saw the really, really wide soccer field+baseball field+volleyball field. They also have an "Ying Te U"-type of road, you know, one single road lined with trees on each side where you could see people jogging from afar, few cars would be seen passing by, etc.

I also saw from afar their amphitheater wherein last few Fridays ago, there was a concert held there at night. In addition was Beato Angelico, the place where CFAD people go.

I also saw UST Hospital, lots of sad memories there.

 Fronting it is a wide stretch of a food strip occupying the first floor of their Accountancy building/parking building. They have not just stalls but also restos like Ice Cream Monster, McDonald's, KFC, and San Miguel Foodstore. 

30 minutes after 4, I left UST and while I was walking in Dapitan chanced upon one of my old friends back in CSB, Neri. He is fresh from his graduation two weeks ago where he earned his bachelor's deg

ree in Consular and Diplomatic Affairs. Congrats to him!

Good thing that I was in UST earlier because by 4pm, admissions got attacked by swarms of applicants accompanied by their mothers. Hahaha!