They never stop learning

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. — Aristotle

It was my dream to get a college diploma that Tatay and Nanay wanted to hang on the wall by our dining table. Tatay passed away before I could tell him that I did not finish college. I also didn’t tell him that I was in love with another boy.  I couldn’t imagine how Tatay would have reacted.  But I am sure his love was bigger than his traditional macho Waray affectation. But Tatay would have been proud that I learned big time from the university of hard knocks.

After my father’s death, I found myself doing odd jobs — assistant stage manager, props man, salesman, assistant cook, receptionist, stage manager — all sorts of work to keep my head above water. I even went to the extent of selling shampoos. Nanay meanwhile was teaching Grade 1 pupils  at the Campesao Elementary School in Borongan, Eastern Samar.  I asked Nanay to give me two years to fix my life. By then, I had the insatiable appetite to court success and disaster. Anything risqué was enchanting. It still is. My beloved mother conceded but not without reservations. Nanay didn’t know where I lived for two years crawling, roaming, dancing, cavorting, singing, praying  without complaint in the dark, pungent,  exciting, dangerous, alleys of the big city. 

When I met Tita Conching Sunico, grand dame of Manila’s society, things got better. She taught me more than any university could have offered.  I was a terrible student in social graces and etiquette but I talked to anyone like a relative and that was good enough for Tita Conching. And like Tita Conching, I love to laugh at myself at anything or nothing. I remember being asked by Tita Conching to deliver a package for  a prominent man. I didn’t know who he was. I didn’t know that he was a rich guy who spoke Spanish just like my Tita Conching and who owned big companies. He was also good to me because I spoke to him and treated him like a long lost cousin.  I was never afraid of anyone. With Tita Conching I met people of consequence. Tita Conching allowed me to “peek” into her world. She would tell me the society’s who’s who. She would also show me her treasured photographs and would bring me to her travels. She “schooled” me as she was like a gigantic book of knowledge. I will forever be grateful to her.

Friends have been egging me to attend short courses. I am open to the idea of enrolling maybe in  a short course on entrepreneurship, political science  or philosophy. When I interviewed Gigi Alfonso on my show Private Conversations, I learned that she heads the University of the Philippines Open University where some movie stars are enrolled. Gigi said that it is a campus less education — you don’t have to be present inside a classroom — but can study on-line. Once in a while you meet with your teachers and fellow students. Perhaps the most famous celebrity enrolled at the Open University is Sharon Cuneta.

Movie stars have recently put premium on education. Some celebrities are going back to school or have gone back to school: Vilma Santos who took up a short course at the University of the Philippines, Rica Peralejo  is currently enrolled at the Ateneo,  Sarah Geronimo at UP Open University and Erik Santos at Centro Escolar University. Ina Feleo, Bianca Gonzales, Moy Ortiz finished at the Ateneo, Dominic Ochoa finished at the UST, Tin Tin Bersola graduated from the UP, Mariel Rodriguez, Drew Arellano and Iya Villania finished at De la Salle, Luis Manzano graduated from De La Salle Benilde, and Ai-Ai delas Alas finished Mascom at FEU, among others.

In Hollywood, Natalie Portman went back to school at Harvard University.  Brook Shields while at the peak of her career went to Princeton, while Jodi Foster went to Yale.

Here is a list of some of our favorite movie stars and where they were schooled, culled from wnbc.com: James Gandolfini from Rutgers University; Dean Cain, Princeton University; Bill Cosby, Temple University; Kristin Davis, Rutgers University; Calista Flockheart, Rutgers University; Mira Sorvino, Harvard University; Oprah Winfrey, Tennessee University; Bruce Lee, University of Washington; Whoopi Goldberg, New York University; David Duchovny, Princeton University, with graduate degree from Yale University; Tommy Lee Jones, Harvard University; Meryll Streep, Yale University and Vassar College; Denzel Washington, Fordham University; Renee Zellwegger, University of Texas; Ashley Judd, University of Kentucky; Lisa Kudrow, Vassar College; John Lithgow, Harvard University; and Claire Danes, Yale University.

There are also some who dropped out of school like Reese Witherspoon, a Stanford University drop out, Clint Eastwood dropped out from the  Los Angeles College, Brad Pitt from the University of Missouri,   George Clooney a  Northern Kentucky  University drop out, Madonna from the  University of Michigan, Angelina Jolie is a New York University drop out, Gywneth Paltrow University of California Santa Barbara drop out.

Right now, I want to go back to school. When, how, where, I don’t know. But I know I’ll be in school soon.