Other than our family, we continue to love the people who we grow up with. One good example is our household help. There are many cases where the people who help us will be treated as family in the long run, and that’s what the Ticsays did.
Trina Ticsay, a fresh graduate from Ateneo de Manila University, shared on her Twitter account how her Ate Jennifer was the “true graduate”. She uploaded a photo of her yaya donning her graduation toga which she wore while she was sleeping. She also mentioned in her post that she asked her older brother to take photos of her wearing the gown where Ate Jennifer watched her on the graduation live stream.
https://twitter.com/trinaticss/status/1000384481683947521
Ticsay recently graduated with a BFA in Information Design. She mentioned to WHEN IN MANILA that seeing her Ate Jennifer wearing her toga made her feel sentimental since her thesis was about the amo-kasambahay (boss-worker at home) relationship.
Ticsay on graduation day
When I saw my ate’s photos, at first I just totally laughed it off and niloloko ko pa siya about it (she was joking her about it)! Palagi rin niya ako niloloko at talagang close kami kaya naisip pa niya magpa-picture na gamit niya toga at bag ko! (She always likes kidding around and we’re really close, maybe that’s the reason why she thought of having a photo with my toga and bag!) But when I actually got to save her photos on my phone, I looked at them again and that was when I realized just how thankful I was for her-from waiting for me in nursery school to watching me receive my diploma through a live stream!
Ticsay also told WHEN IN MANILA that Ate Jennifer has been in their household for over 10 years already.
Actually, she left when I was in grade school, then came back after raising her kids when I entered college.
Ate Jennifer (center) pictured with Ticsay (behind her). Photo provided by Trina Ticsay
Ate Jennifer’s 6-year-old son also lives with them, Ticsay says. Photo provided by Trina Ticsay
What Trina loves about Ate Jennifer is how she can be herself around her.
“She always has my back,” she explains. “She’s really witty and laughs at me all the time, and to have her at home makes things seem brighter for me even on my bad days.”
To Ticsay, Ate Jennifer is her inspiration.
She really inspired me, knowing that I had worked on it all year long. Not just for my grade, but most importantly for her and all the kasambahays (workers at home) who have made their marks on all of our lives.
Congratulations to you and Ate Jennifer, Trina! 🙂
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Disclaimer: WheninManila.com does not own any of the photos above. Credits go to Trina Ticsay.
