Na Shil Hwang / Second Draft / Tues 11

The View

If I were to think of back home and back in my school years, I would always remember my body forming countless drops of perspiration from the humid air around me which was so difficult to resist from the stickiness. Every morning I would go to school but the in the mornings, the sweat drops did not form as much as you think it would since the air has risen up the day before. At school, students young and little will busily scurry their feet toward their classrooms. I could smell of the fresh cool air before the rise of sunshine at its peak which is one of the best things to breathe in before first period. While moving my feet quickly along towards my first period, I would pass an area on purpose to always see the atmosphere filled with fog before my eyes.

"Hey do you want to see something cool?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Follow me."

As soon as I arrived after a few minutes following my middle school friend, my jaw dropped and I could feel myself oohing and ahhing standing in front of a spectacular view. This view was difficult to describe in words when I had first seen it. Before middle school, we were not allowed to go far from our classrooms since it was dangerous that we might get lost. It was a freedom given only after becoming older and to be able to be more responsible. I met this place first in middle school, without a doubt falling in love with it the moment I had seen it.

On the back of the view, there was the gym and below the gym were the locker rooms. Every time I had PE, I was able to enjoy the view of Manila while before and after changing for class. Standing at the edge of the hill, where the landscape can be seen was always view unforgotten. Whenever I stood at the edge of the cliff top, a few more steps could lead to disaster, however always being careful but always trying to grasp the moment of silence around the area, my eyes would close automatically trying to feel the distance. Every time I was able to see the wide space around me, my body would relieve itself from tension. My feelings would always change after I saw this place whether if I was stressed, upset, or sad. Looking at the world around me at a faraway point of view, I could smell the calming breeze and taste the warm rich air. I could taste something like mint which gave a soothing feeling.

The last time I went was a couple years ago, and as always, in this cliff top, many things happened and even many students were there. Everything was as I remembered, nothing had changed from my memory. I was able to start the day by looking down from this place and enjoying the view of Manila from it. Not only that, Manila had not seem to change at all. What I would always see on top of all the buildings and constructions, was a fog, a greyish white fog that always presided especially in the early mornings where the sun was not at its fullest shine If I were to choose the first place to visit if I ever went back to school, it would not be the classrooms, the swimming pool, the auditorium, or the gym. I would first of all visit this place, an area without a particular name, but where everyone could see the outspread landscape of Manila.

The best thing about this place was not only its view in the morning. When I had chances to go to it at night, I could see the small and shiny white and yellow lights on every building and every house. One of its special features, on the 31^st of December every year, the sky would be filled with red and yellow popping lights high and low. Some would shine so brightly, in the midst of all darkness, you can see everyone's faces lighting with excitement.  I would most definitely recommend this place if anyone wanted to see Manila from the outskirts.