Life seems to have a penchant for connecting my name with the word ”late.” Here are some facts supporting this.
- I was born as a ”blue baby” who managed to breathe later, compared to normal babies.
- I got married when I was 38.
- At 42 years of age, I started taking new college courses to beef up my new career in accounting and finance in Norway.
- I chose to become a Norwegian citizen at the age of 43 after having stayed in Norway for about five years. That time, Norway did not yet allow double citizenships for its citizens, so I had to give up my Philippine citizenship in order to get a Norwegian passport.
- At the age of 54, I took the the test of Norwegian – advanced level (Bergenstesten) as a prerequisite for a refresher course in municipal accounting that I would be taking next year.
- This year, I taught myself via YouTube and a user manual how to use a modern sewing machine.
I have always known it, but it did not sink in until yesterday that I am and will always be someone with an immigrant background, no matter what passports I would hold. In the past 15 years, I have become more and more Norwegian at heart, more than I have acknowledged it. I have felt, however, my heart would always have a place for my native land, the Philippines. I speak and write Norwegian daily now, at work, at home, and in public places, but I also try to use other languages whenever I can so I will not forget them: English, a favorite second language, Filipino, my original national language, and Ilocano, my native language. I still remember some Spanish words and phrases, after having taken required Spanish language courses in the University of the Philippines for four semesters in the late 1980s, but I have forgotten much about that language, since I did not use it much after those required courses. Both Ilocano and Filipino have a lot of borrowed words from Spanish.
Some of the people I have met might have thought my life has been easy. What they saw though were just ”the peripherals.” Sure, I might have some talents, or that my brain treats learning like it is an exciting game, such that I usually understand easily new concepts when I concentrate, but I attribute much to hard work whatever ”personal successes” I have clinched. I have also prayed for a lot for wisdom and guidance so I would do well each task I start.
Starting many things late in life is not at all easy. I, too, have my share of struggles. What helped me get through all these is my strong will. I do not easily give up on things I set my mind and heart on, for as long as I believe there would be fair play at work. So at 54, it looks like I will be starting many new things or restarting other things I have not finished before. I will start to write daily again, since it looks like I still have many creative ideas that the world could benefit from. I will take up refresher Norwegian language courses as well as other courses that would interest me. I might try finishing my driving course next year.
Whoever said that it is never too late to start anything for as long as one is alive may be just right.
