My Journey Through Life

I started my journey in San Carlos, Pangasinan, Philippines on July 12, 1933. My father, Lauro G. Soriano, the first Justice of the Peace of my hometown and my mother, Andrea Tizon Guzman, one of the first public health nurses, gave me the name, Aurora. I was born early dawn and when my father heard the first cry of the new baby, he opened the window and saw the aurora borealis twinkling brightly in the sky. He said to himself, Aurora is a beautiful name. It will be my daughter's name.
Aurora grew up in a busy home atmosphere. She was the only girl among three older brothers: Lauro, Jr., George Dewey, and Alfonso. After her came Jesus Priscillano. Her father, a widower and twenty years my mother's senior, brought into their marriage six children, Tomas, Josefina, Arturo, Araceli, Manuel and Laureano "Jack".
When she was growing up, Aurora felt like a queen. She was the cynosure of her family's eye. All the members of the family showered her with love and attention. She was brought to social functions and public meetings at a very early age. She was encouraged to attend kindergarten and Sunday School in the Methodist Church. One day, a teacher-cousin, invited her to attend her grade one class as a "visitor". She was only five years old so Aurora dutifully tagged along every morning.
When her teacher gives a test, she also took the test. At the end of the school year, her teacher found out that she performed better than most of her classmates. So she was promoted to the second grade. This begun her path to a challenging and fulfilling journey in pursuit of a career. Aurora graduated from the University of the Philippines at the age of 18 with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree. Got married at the age of 21 with her campus sweetheart. Pursued a specialized course in Public Health at the Institute of Public Health while she was heavy with her second daughter, Aurora Hygeia and carrying in her arms her eldest daughter, Mary Ann. Yes, Aurora Soriano Cudal was a mother of two charming girls and a career woman at the young age of 23. Thus began her journey through life.