RIZAL’S HIGHER EDUCATION AND LIFE ABROAD

Rizal’s Higher Education at UST

 Rizal’s higher education started in college, after completing his bachelor of arts (a high
school diploma equivalent). His higher education was spent most in UST.
 Both Paciano and Don Francisco wanted Rizal to enter a university but Dona Teodora
opposed the idea because the Spaniards might “cut-off his head”
 In April, when Rizal was nearly 16 years old, he enrolled at UST. He took up Philosophy
and letters because his father liked it.
 At first, he was attracted to priesthood,
(he would have been a Jesuits priest) but the Jesuits father wanted to him to take up
farming but Rizal’s choice was between literature, law and medicine.
 Having received Father Pablo Ramon’s (Rector of Ateneo) advice him to study
medicine. He took up medical course enrolling simultaneously in pre- medical course
and regular medical course.
 While, at UST, he also studied at ateneo taking up vocational course leading to the
title perito agrimensor (expert supervisor). He excelled in all subjects in surveying course
and obtained gold medals in agriculture and topography.
 While at ateneo pursuing the surveying course, he became active in extracurricular
activities. And he was elected as president of the academy of Spanish literature and at
same time he was also the secretary.
 He passed the final examination in the surveying course and granted a title as surveyor
in November 25,1881 .
 Rizal studied at UST from 1878 to 1882. His grade in the medicine subjects consisted of
2 Excellent, 3 Very good, 8 Good and 2 Fair (physics, General pathology. the subjects
of which he got excellent grades were cosmology and Methaphysics , theodicy,
history and philosophy (philosophy and letters in all Ateneo) and chemistry in and
therapeutics and medicine in (UST ).
 During his college days at UST and Ateneo , Rizal as involved in brawls and spanish
brutality.
 During summer vacation in 1878
while walking on a dimly street not knowing the figure close to him, he did not greet and say
“good evening”.
The vague figure (turned out to be a lieutenant) struck Rizal’s back with his sword. The
wound though not serious, lasted for two weeks. He reported the incident to Pardo de
Tavera, but nothing came out of his complaint.
 After completing the fourth year term in medicine, Rizal decided to study in Spain
because he could no longer endure the discrimination and oppression because of the
Spaniards, the professors were more liberal than those in UST.

RIZAL’S JOURNEY
IN
LOVE @ UST
While at UST, he fell in love with three women:

1. “Miss L” – during his first year at UST.

  Fair, seductive and attractive eye
 The romance died like a natural death because of two reasons:
1. the sweet memory of Segunda Katigbak (the first sweetheart of Rizal).
2. Rizal’s father did not like the family of “Miss L”.

2. Leonor Valenzuela (Orang) – during sophomore year.

o Tall girl with regal bearing
o He sent her love notes in invisible ink (combination of salt and water).
o Nevertheless, he taught Orang to heat it over a candle or lamp so that the words may
appear.

3. Leonor Rivera – during his junior year.

o From Camiling, Tarlac
o Frail and pretty girl
o Student of La Concordia College
o Both Rizal and Leonor were engaged
o “Taimis” – used by Rizal as a sign name to camouflage their relationship from their
parents

Segunda Katigbak?
o Rizal’s first love
o Fourteen year-old lady from Lipa, Batangas whom he met during one of his visits to his
maternal grandmother in Trozo, Manila (His old grandmother was a friend of Katigbak
family of Lipa).
o Close friend of Rizal’s sister (Olimpia)
o Love at first sight
o Engaged to her town mate, Manuel Luz.

o RIZAL’S TRAVEL, LIFE, AND EDUCATION ABROAD

o Did you know that Rizal is that most Travelled Filipino Hero?

1. MAY 3, 1882
o RIZAL DEPARTED TO SPAIN BOARDING THE STEAMER, SALVADORA
using the name JOSE MERCADO.
His main reason in leaving the Philippines was to transfer at University Central de
Madrid in Spain to finish his medicine course.

2. MAY 8, 1882
o Had a stop over at Singapore and English Colony.
o He reached the island considered by him as “Talim Island with Susong Dalaga”

3. MAY 11, 1882

o BOARDED THE FRENCH STEAMER, DJEMNAH
 4. MAY 17, 1882
o He arrived at POINT GALLE (PUNTA DE GALLO), a seacoast town in southern Ceylon
(now Sri Lanka). Accdg. to Rizal, the town is picturesque, lovely, quiet, and sad.

5. MAY 18, 1882

o Rizal described Colombo as more beautiful, smart, elegant than Singapore, Point
Galle, and Manila.
o COLOMBO, Capital of Ceylon

6. MAY 28, 1882

o Djemnah crossed the Indian Ocean until it reached Cape of Guardafin, Africa
o Rizal called Africa as famous but inhospitable land.
o Then he reached Aden, where he saw Camels for the first time

7. JUNE 2, 1882
o From Aden, he proceeded to Suez Canal.
o He was impressed of the moonlight which reminded him of Calamba.

8. JUNE 11, 1882

o Steamer Djemnah proceeded to Europe and reached Naples City, Italy.
o The City is busy because of its business activity, lively people and panaromic beauty.
o Rizal was fascinated by Mt. Vesavius, the Castle of St. Telno, and the historic sights of
the city.

9. JUNE 12, 1882

o The steamer Docked at French Harbour Marseilles to visit Chateau d’ef where Dantes,
the hero in the Count of Monte Cristo was jailed.
o He stayed at Marseilles for two and half days at Hotel Noailles.
o FRENCH HARBOUR OF MARSEILLES
o HOTEL NOAILLES

10. JUNE 15, 1882

o RIZAL TOGETHER WITH THE PASSENGERS ARRIVED AT PYRENEES AND STOPPED AT
PORTBOU

11. JUNE 16, 1882

o HOTEL BARCELONA
o RONDA DE LA UNIBERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
o SAN PABLO HOSPITAL
o LAS RAMBLES
o June 15, 1882- from port Buo, Rizal continued his trip for the last trip to Spain. The
steamer reached Pyrenees and stopped for a day at Bou. In this place , Rizal
saw the indifference accorded to tourist in comparison to the courtesy
accorded by the French immigration officers.
 o June 16, 1882- from port Bou, Rizal continued his trip for the last lap by train from
Spain and finally reached his destination - Barcellona, Spain.
o Rizal had a bad impression of Barcelona – ugly, dirty little inns, inhospitable
people. Later, he changed his mind and came to like the city – as a great city
with an atmosphere of freedom and liberalism, and the people were open-
hearted, hospitable, and courageous.

RIZAL LIFE IN BARCELONA

 Rizal was welcomed by the Filipinos in Barcelona, some of whom were his classmates
in Ateneo. They gave him a party at their favorite Cafe-Plaza de Catalina. They
exchanged toast and they told Rizal of the attractions and customs of the people in
Barcelona. Rizal, in turn, gave news and gossips in the Philippines.
Rizal received two (2) Bad News:
 The first bad news was about the cholera outbreak that ravaged Manila and the
provinces.
 The second bad news was the chatty letter of Chenggoy recounting the unhappiness
of leonor Rivera, who was getting thinner due to the absence of love.
 November 3, 1882 - on the advice of Paciano to Rizal, to finish medical course in
Madrid. Rizal left the Barcelona in the fall of 1882 and went to Madrid, the capital of
Spain.
 November 3 1882, he enrolled in the Universidad Central de Madrid (Central University
of Madrid) in medicine and philosophy and letters.
Life in Madrid
 Rizal live frugally, rigidly budgeting his money wisely.
 He spent his leisure time by reading books, such as on military engineering to broaden
his cultural background.
 He always practicing shooting and fencing.
 When Saturday evenings, he visited the home of Don Pablo Ortega y Rey (father of
Consuelo), who has been the city mayor of Manila during the administration of Gov.
Carlos de la Torre (1869-1871).
 Consuelo Ortega
-Rizal became attracted by Consuelo’s beauty and charm.

June 21, 1884

 Rizal was conferred the Licentiate in Medicine.
 By obtaining a degree of Licentiate in Medicine, he became a full-fledged physician
and qualified to practice medicine.

June 24, 1884

 Rizal was broke
 With empty stomach, he attended his classes at the University, participated in the
contest in Greek language and won the gold medal.
 November 20, 1884
 Rizal together with other students armed with clubs, stones, fists fought the government
forces during the demonstrations.
 The students protesters shouted “Viva Morayta! Down with Bishops”.
June 19, 1885
 Rizal was awarded the degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters by the
Universidad Central de Madrid.
 He became qualified to be a professor of humanities in any Spanish University.

October, 1885
 Rizal had a stopover in Barcelona on his way to Paris.
 He visited Maximo Viola (his friend), member of a rich family from San Miguel, Bulacan.
November, 1885
 Rizal went to Paris and lived there for four months.
 He rapidly improved his knowledge in Ophthalmology.
 He also went to Luna’s studio and posed as Egyptian priest in Luna’s canvass “The
Death of Cleopatra” and Sikatuna in Luna’s great painting “The Blood Compact”

February 3, 1886
 He left Paris for Heidelberg, Germany.
 Here, he became a good friend of Dr. Karl Ullmer, a Protestant pastor.

July 3, 1886
 Rizal wrote his first letter in German to
Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt, an Austrian ethnologist interested un Philippine Language.
 He also sent the book “Aritmetica”.
 Their friendship lasted all their lives.
Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt

LIFE IN BERLIN
Rizal went to Berlin for five reasons:
1. To increase his knowledge in ophthalmology;
2. To broaden his studies of sciences and language;
3. To observe political and economic conditions of Germany;
4. To associate with famous German scientist and scholars;
5. To publish his novel, Noli Me Tangere.

June 6, 1887
 Rizal and Viola reached Geneva, Switzerland (one of the most beautiful cities of
Europe.
 The Geneva people spoke in three languages: French, German, and Italian. Rizal was
able to converse in these languages.

June 19, 1887

 It was Rizal’s 26 birthday.
 On this day, Rizal wrote to Blumentritt regarding an industrial exhibition.
After 5 years of stay in Europe and other places, Rizal decided to return home to the
Philippines.

June 23, 1887

 Rizal and Viola parted ways but Rizal continued his tour to Italy.

June 27, 1887

 Rizal reached Rome, the “Eternal City” and the “City of the Ceazars”.
 He wrote to Blumentritt that Rome is a sanctuary of heroes.

June 29, 1887

 Rizal visited for the first time the Vatican, the “City of the Popes”
and the capital of the Christiandom.

June 29, 1887

 Rizal wrote to his father announcing that he is coming home.
 Paciano, Silvestre Ubaldo (his brother in-law), Chengoy (Jose M. Cecilio) and other
friends warned him not to return home because of the publication of his Noli Me
Tangere.

Rizal was determined to return home for the following reasons:

1. To operate on his mother’s eyes.
2. To serve the Filipino people who were oppressed by the Spanish tyrants.
3. To determine how his “Noli” and other writings affected the Filipinos and Spaniards.
4. To inquire on the conditions of Leonor Rivera.

July 3, 1887
 Rizal left Rome by train for Marseilles, and boarded Djemnah, Manila-bound Steamer.

July 30, 1887

 In Saigon, he transferred to another steamer Haiphong which was bound for Manila.

August 8, 1887
 Rizal returned home to Calamba. His family became worried for his safety so Paciano
did not leave him during his first days after arrival.

RIZAL’S SECOND TRIP ABROAD

February 8, 1888
 Using the steamer Zafiro, he arrived in Hongkong, a British colony.
 It was a small but very clean city.
 They were other Filipinos in Hongkong but they were generally poor, gentle, and timid.

February 18, 1888

  Rizal and Basa visited Macao, a Portuguese colony, boarded the ferry steamer Ku-
Kiang.
 The city is small, low and gloomy.
 The city looks sad and almost dead.

February 18, 1888

 In Macao, Rizal and Basa visited the theatre, casino, cathedral, churches, pagodas,
botanical gardens, and bazaars.
 They saw the famous Grotto of Cameons, Portugal’s national Poet.

February 28, 1888

 Rizal arrived in Yokohama, Japan and registered at the Grand Hotel

February 29, 1888

• He proceeded to Tokyo and took a room at Tokyo hotel where he stayed for six days.
Japan for him was the ‘land of the cherry blossoms’ because of its natural beauty and
charming manners of the Japanese people.
• He met Seiko-San (real name: Seiko Usui). They almost met daily as they visited
interesting spots of the city.

April 13, 1888

• Rizal boarded the Belgic, an English steamer bound for the United States.
• He left Japan very sad because he would never see again the beautiful land and his
beloved O-sei-San
• On board the Belgic, he met a passenger, Techo Suchero which Rizal bestfriended.

May 13, 1888

 Rizal reached New York on a Sunday morning. Rizal called the place as “The Big
Town”.

May 18, 1888

 He left New York for Liverpool on board the City of Rome, the second largest ship in
the world during his time.