By Althea Samson || Graphics by Tyreena Tuazon

The air was thick from anticipation. It has been approximately 547 nights since she has last stepped inside the buildings she once called home, each night stretching longer than the other. The nostalgia of the place hit her once more as she stepped through the doors.

On the other hand, there was another who came from afar. One who was looking for a place to call home. He didn’t know what to do, or where to go. The pang of realization hit him as the plans he had set for himself in the future didn’t pan out. He wandered around tirelessly, walking through various corridors– yet, none of them felt like home. That was until he sensed it. Whispers seeped through the cracked walls, telling him that this place might just be the one he was looking for. 

She walked through the hallways. The sunlight shone through the crevices of the open air corridors, the wind gently rustled the leaves of the trees that surrounded the campus, the weathered red brick walls– as she walked further, the memories she had of this place washed over her in an instant. She remembered it all too well. 

The bustling atmosphere, the laughter of students bouncing off the walls, the whispers she shared with her colleagues– she felt at home once more. Despite the changes in atmosphere, the students, the faculty– there was no doubt that the feeling of being back home was laced with an intense longing. 

Despite the occasional bout of home-sickness plaguing her journey in Brisbane, Australia, Ma’am Nikki Rabe has finally returned to PSHS-EVC. While she was in the Land Down Under, she pursued a master’s degree in Education specializing in both STEM Education and Inclusive Education at Queensland University of Technology. However, Ma’am Nikki is no stranger to being far from home. Hailing all the way from Dinagat Islands, she graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics at Mindanao State University. She began her journey as a teacher here in EVC in 2019, and since then, she has been glued to the Physics Unit, the safehaven of the subject in which her passion is unmatched. Physics, as she describes it, is both challenging and exciting. There’s no doubt that with her presence gracing the halls of EVC again, students will be introduced once more to the wonders and intricacies of Physics.

Meanwhile, he eyed the place. Gazing at it with wonder and fascination. He knew going here wasn’t his original plan. However, the appeal of this unexplored realm drew him closer and closer. A whisper from within was urging him to take a step inside. Without a doubt, he started walking closer and closer – until he took a step inside. 

Perhaps the abruptness of this decision was the turning point in his journey. 

To him, the place was a culture shock. The atmosphere was something he was not used to. A sense of youthfulness and enthusiasm echoed through the hallways; something he’d never quite been in the midst of before. He watched the students as they hurried past, their faces lit up with determination. This scene was more than uncommon to him. Being used to the stoic expressions and dull environment of higher educational institutions, the attitude of these students were contradictory to that of his peers which he had grown used to during his formative years in college. Navigating through this new environment was daunting, it was going to take time to settle in. Regardless, this new place might just be one he would grow to call home. 

Sir Gideon Yepes, also known as Sir Gids, a new teacher of the Biology Unit, has meticulously stepped into the gates of PSHS-EVC. He had just graduated from Visayas State University as a magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. Each lesson he imparts with enthusiasm, his passion for Biology burning bright, flickering with intensity and warmth– despite being a first-time teacher, there’s no doubt that Sir Gids greatly enjoys teaching the subject he loves the most. 

Home isn’t just confined to a physical space. It takes on many forms. Home can be found in between red bricked walls, the yellow gingham skirts seen in every corner, the silent whispers of gossip shared in the faculty room, and the passion for science. 

Two pairs of footsteps resound against the stone floors, each arriving from different journeys. Whether it be nations apart, or just around the corner, one thing is certain– they have finally arrived home.