When I went to a university in 1995, my family had no enough money to send me to school. There were three of us studying in a university in Davao City, Mindanao at that time.
I had no choice but to help my dad, Jaime Reyes, to vend dried fish, school supplies and other stuffs at public markets and sidewalks.
I started the day with my dad at 3:00am. until 8:00am. becuase i still have to go to school by 9:00am. In the afternoon after school, i help my dad to sell our goods at the markets, side walks, underpassess and other places where most people passes by.
So, when i saw this vendors at the Star Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, my similar experience before of vending just flashes back. I’ve been through those difficult days of my life. But with the help of my dad and my mom, three of our siblings manage to finish college. I’m proud of them.
Those were the years where my dad and i found ourself saying…Paita oy…specially when our sales is low.
