RIZAL AT UST

Fortunately, Rizal’s first romance, with its bitter disillusionment,did not adversely affect his studies in the University of
Santo Tomas.His love for higher education proved to be greater than his love for apretty girl. After finishing the first year
of the course in Philosophy andLetters (1877-780), he transferred to a medical course. During theyear of his studies in
the university, which was under the Dominicans,rival education of the Jusuits, he remained loyal to Ateneo, where
hecontinued to participate in extra curricular activities and where hecompleted the education course in surveying. As a
Thomasian, he wonmore literary laurels, had more romances with girls, and foughtagainst Spanish students.

Mother’s position to higher education.

After graduation withthe highest position in Ateneo, Rizal had to go the University of SantoTomas in order to prepare
him self to a private career. The Bachelor of arts degree during Spanish times was equivalent to a high schooldiploma
today. It merely qualified its holder to enter a university. BothDon Francisco and Paciano that Jose should pursue a
higher learning.But Dona Teodora did not want him to study more. Evidently she had apremonition that to much
knowledge would imperil his child life.

In a family council in the Rizal’s home in Calamba, shevigorously objected to have her beloved Jose acquired a
highereducation. She was thinking of the safety of her son. She know thefate of Filipino intellectuals-Father Burgos, Dr.
Antonio Ma. Regidor,Jose Ma. Basa, and others of 1872-who were either executed or exiledby the Spanish authorities,
and blamed their sad fate to their learning.

Fearful of the Spanish authorities who seem to frown on thoseFilipinos who learn to much, she warned her husband.
“Do not sendJose again to Manila. If gets to know to much, they will cut off hishead!” Jose, who was present in their
family council when his mothersaid this, was shocked. He know her mother was a woman o educationand culture: she
even taught him and inspired him to write poetry; shecame from a family of high learning – her own brother ( and his
uncle)Jose Alberto Alonso had been educated abroad and could speakmultiple Spanish, French, English and German.

Rizal enters the university. In April 1877, Rizal, who was bearly16 years old, matriculated in the University of Santo Tomas
taking upPhilosophy and Letters. He enrolled in this course for two reasons: (1)his father like it and (2) he was was “still
uncertain ti what career tofollow”. He had written to father Pablo Ramon, Recotr of the Ateneo,who had been good to
him during his days in Ateneo, asking for advicein the choice of career. Unfortunately, Father Recto was in Mindanaoand
during those days it several months to travel a letter from Manilato Mindanao. Consequently during his first term (1877-
78) in theUniversity of Santo Tomas he studied Cosmology, Metaphysics,Theodicy and History of Philosophy.

It was during the school term (1978-79) that Rizal took upmedicine, enrolling simultaneously in preparatory medical
course andthe regular first year medical course.

The reason why he studied medicine were:

1.)he wanted to be a physician so that he may cure his mother’sfailing eyesight.

2.)the Father Recto of the University, whom he consulted for achoice of career, finally answered his letter, and
recommendedmedicine.

Finishes Surveying course in Ateneo (1878).

During his term inUniversity of Santo Tomas (1877 – 78, Rizal also studied in Ateneo, hetook the vocational course
leading to a title of

porito agrimensor

(expert surveyor)). In those days it should be remembered, thecollege for boys in Manila offered vocational courses in
agriculture,commerce, mechanics and surveying.
Rizal’s unhappy days at UST. Rizal’s Ateneo boy wonder, found theatmosphere at the UST a suffocating to his sensitive
spirit. He wasunhappy of this Dominican Institution of high learning because (1) theDominican processors were hostile
to him, (2) the filipino studentswere racially discriminated, and (3) the method of teachings wereobsolete and
repressive.

Decision to study abroad.

After finishing the fourth year of hismedical course, Rizal decided to study in Spain. He could no longerendure the
rampant bigotry, discrimination, and hostility in UST. Hisuncle, Antonio Rivera, Leonor’s father, encourage him to go
abroad.Both Paciano and Saturnina, whom he contacted secretly, were of similar opinion.

For the first time, Rizal did not seek his parent’s decision andblessing to go abroad, because he knew that they, especially
hismother will disapprove his plan. He did not also bring his belovedLeonor in his confidence. He had enough common
sense to know thatLeonor, being a woman, and young and romantic at that, could notkeep a secret. Thus, Rizal,s parent,
Leonor, and the Spanishauthorities knew nothing of his decision to go abroad in order to finishhis medical studies in
Spain, where the professors were more tolerantand understanding than those of the University of Santo Tomas.

Spain

With his parent’s blessings and unknown to Spanish

authorities,Rizal left Manila on May 8, 1882. He went to Spain where hecompleted his university study, improved his
knowledge in languageand arts. At that time, the government in Spain was a constitutionalmonarchy.

Secret departure on Spain

. Rizal’s departure in Spain waskept secret in order to avoid detection by the colonial officials and thefriars. Even his own
parents did not know that he was leaving. Onlyuncle Antonio Rivera, Paciano and sisters and some close
friends knew.Paciano gave hin 700 pesos. Staurnina gave hima diamond ring
whichhelped him very much during his days of poverty in Europe. Tomaintain his studies and Sojourn abroad, he needed
a monthlyallowance of 35 pesos, and this amount Paciano promised to sendregularly through uncle Antonio.

Rizal used a passport obtained by a cousin named “Jose Mercado”. Tooutwit the Spanish authorities, he went to Calamba
ostensibly to attainthe town fiesta. A crytic telegram by Manuel T. Hidalgo from
Manilaarrived, announcing that the Spanish steamer Salvadora wasscheduled to sail Singapore. Early in Morning in May
1, 882, he leftCalamba by carromata, reaching manila after 10 hours of travel.
Hehad time to book travel. He had time to book passage on theSalvadora, to write farewell letters to his family and
friends, and bidgood-bye to his friends. The kind Jesuit father, whom he visited to
sayadios, gave him letters of recommendation to members of theirSociety in Barcelona. He said also a tearfull farewell
meeting to his beloved, Leonor. This proved to be their last meeting, for they weredestined never to meet again.

Singapore.

During the voyage, Rizal keenly observe the personsand things around him and compared him with those in Philippines.
Hewas the only Filipino on board. His fellow passengers were
foreigntravelers and some Spanish imployees and merchants returning toSpain. “Almost all of those men” he wrote,
speaking of the Spanishtravelers, “spoke ill of the country for which they have gone forpecuniary reasons”.

After five days of sailing, the Salvadora reached the Englishcolony in Singapore. For the first time, Rizal saw Singapore
and wasimpressed by its progress and beautiful sights. He particularly
admired “the confidence which the native Singapore seemed to have theirgovernment” surely a great contrast to “the
fear of their shown in theFilipinos”.

First trip through Suez Canal.

In Singapore, Rizal boarded inDjemnah, a French steamer, which was sailing to Europe. It was Largerand cleaner than the
Salvadora. He tried to Speak French in somepassengers, but to his surprise, the bookish French which he learned
inAteneo could not be understood. He had to speak it with a mixture of Latin and Spanish words, aided with much
gesticulation and frequentsketching on paper, to himself understood.
A week after leaving Singapore, the steamer reached Point deGalle. In the morning of May 18, voyage was resumed, and
in theafternoon on the same day the steamer docked at the Colomb, Ceylon.

From Colombo the steamer crossed the Indian Ocean to CaféGuardafui in Africa. On May 18, he saw for the first time the
coast of Africa.On June 2, he arrived in the city of Suez, the Red Sea terminal of the Suez Canal.

aples and Marseilles.

From Port Said, the Djemnah proceedto its way to Europe. On June 11, Rizal reach Naples. On the night of June 12, the
steamer docked at the French harbor of Marseilles.

Barcelona.

At Marseilles, Rizal took the train for the last lap forhis trip to Spain.After the passport inspection on Port-Bou, Rizal
continued histrip by rail, finally reaching destination, Bacelona.The Filipinos in Barcelona, some of whom were his
schoolmatesin the Ateneo, welcomed Rizal. They gave him parties at their favoritecafé in Plaza de Cataluna.