Jose Rizal Life in Calamba Laguna

Advincula, Paul Matthew J.                                                      August 7, 2017

                                                                                                     4-HRM

Jose Rizal life in Calamba Laguna

Rizal's childhood was the happiest period of his life. Calamba, the hero's hometown, belonged to the Dominican Order. A few kilometers south of Calamba lies mount Makiling. Jose Rizal used to go to Mt.Makiling to stroll.

East of the town is Laguna de Bay and he used to meditate by Laguna de Bay with his pet dog, Usman which was a black dog. Rizal was also a student in the Ateneo de Manila in 1876 when he was 15 years old. When he was fifteen, he wrote the poem entitled “In Memory of My Town”. He used to write and to draw a lot during his free time. Rizal actually began sketching at the age of five. At the age of eight, Jose Rizal wrote his first poem entitled “Sa Aking Mga Kababata” When he was also eight years old, Rizal write his first dramatic work, which was a Tagalog comedy.  It was staged in a festival in Calamba, and was later sold to a gobernadorcillo from Paete for two pesos.

Rizal was sickly, underweight, undersized, and frail as a child. He probably played soccer, and ride a bicycle. Rizal also had his own nipa cottage where he played in the day, built by his father. He began birdwatching at the age of 3, observing the culiauan, the maya, the maria capra, the martin, and the pipit. I can also imagine that he occasionally drink with his friends as a playful teenager.

Aside from playing and writing, Rizal was also a religious child. He recited the Angelus prayer daily and as his first teacher, her mother taught him a lot and even read some books with him till he fell asleep. As part of his colourful life, Jose Rizal also had a numerous girls whom he fell in love with.