Everyone experiences social stratification. From different levels of socials classes, a distinct stratification may arise. In one way or another, whether we like it or not our lives are affected — for good or bad; it’s your choice.
For some, my life has been an open book, particularly the issues and cases that changed my young endeavour as an educator. Many people are always asking me, why I seem not affected at all? Little did they know, before the things they know, I have already been in many social stratification because of my family socio-economic status, my gender, ambition and choices in life. It would be dramatic if I lay them down one by one, and so I will just focus on some.
I come from a family where both parents seemed did not have the opportunity to realize the importance of education. I am not throwing it against them. I believe, it’s more of God’s way to make me realize that life is a matter of choice. That I am the only one responsible for reaching my dreams and making them realize that the youngest in the family can have a college diploma. Because of my family’s socio-economic status, I experienced lots of stratification. In high school, I never joined any field trips, contest with payment, my projects were out of cheap materials, school things out from recycled materials. All of these affected my grades, but not my compassion to always be my best with what I have. I never asked my parents to exceed their support. I understood the situation. I adjusted. I graduated with many ropes and metals around my neck. I made it, but little did I expect it was just the beginning, because college is even more challenging.
I used the ropes and metals around my neck to get a scholarship. I was very lucky to have almost ten choices of Universities in Metro Manila, but the bus going there had no gasoline. I stayed here in our city and continued my education at Gordon College. Fortunately, the political situation that time had an enormous support towards education. That for a fee equivalent to a one kilo of rice, I was able to enrol per semester. It was a lot more difficult in college. There was tremendous challenges and situations where social stratification were really evident. However, theses didn’t hinder me at all. I was persistent and resilient. I graduated, and again there was a rope and metal around my neck.
The metal this time was the shiniest of all. It gave me easy passport towards having a permanent and decent job. May be that was the fruit of social stratification I had. Was it another social stratification? But this time in my favor. Was I happy? Yes.
The job that I dreamt the most was finally in my hands. I didn’t know that the paradise I been wanting was actually a jungle. I was not against of it. I was readied. This job had put me into another social stratification that I did not believe I could ever experience. It’s not a depression, tragedy, judgement, discrimination or humiliation. It’s the best gift life has to offer – Christianity. The rest is history.
The experiences laid here shows that social stratification doesn’t choose. Everyone can experience it many times. It’s not a problem at all, but a challenge needed to be survived. That one day, when all are gone, I will face our creator proudly because I had life worth remembering.
By: Corskie M. San Jose | Teacher III | ALS
