Lessons Learned Amidst The Challenges

I am certainly grateful for March, yet I am also relieved that I'll be turning the page of my calendar to welcome April very soon! March 28th was a significant day for two reasons:

First, we got back our wagon from the casa after three long weeks of diagnosis, repair and road tests due to an oil recommended by my father's friend which messed up with the engine. And the very depressing part is we paid an exorbitant amount because we had no other choice but to have it fixed there! Regular shops turn down an American car. They reason out that the computerized system used in the vehicle prevents them from successfully manipulating the pertinent parts. Fine. And the amount wasted was more than a down payment when getting a new vehicle. Very sad.

Lessons learned

✿ Get a Japanese car over an American car. Maintaining it is more practical and affordable. An American car is sturdier though.

✿ Do not use any product that may wreck the optimal performance of your vehicle. Follow what is necessary to avoid unnecessary expenses.

✿ When my brother came to assist us on our way home, he inquired, "Ate Ida, naalala mo ba nung naaksidente tayo (which caused my paralysis)?" ...I am grateful that my parents and I are alive. Money can be earned after all.

✿ Encode in your mobile phone the important numbers you may use when an emergency arise.

Second, I received an email from my employer about the complaint from the difficult student last March 18th. It was dismissed and had no bearing on me. I was verbally harassed. I was accused of being incompetent, irrational and didn't know how to handle a conversation. My only fault I deem was when I made a follow-up question, after the student paused. He ranted that he wasn't done with his explanation and that I interrupted him!

Lessons learned

✿ Agreeing with the statements of a difficult student is way better than apologizing.

✿ Japanese in general are polite and respectful. And I naively thought everyone was. But there are also a handful who are not so I must always be on the guard.

✿  I can't please everybody even if I give my 100%. But I will never lose my sparkle and my enthusiasm to give quality lessons especially to my loyal students. 

In retrospect, I have learned that challenges are inevitable. I actually welcome them in my life. However, they should not be taken lightly and I continue to praise our good Lord for allowing me to go through all these and triumphantly overcoming them!

How is your March faring so far? What situation did you manage to gracefully conquer?