Where were you when the 9/11 attack happened?

A photo of the memorial site (taken March 2010) hangs in the wall covering up the construction of the new building

Ten years ago today, when the attack at the World Trade Center happened, I was at my room in Laguna, watching the evening news on television. I had just gotten home from school (I was at second year high school then).

Photo of the construction taken March 2010

Of course, back then, I didn't understand completely the implications of that incident. But then again, who did? It was just confusion, even to a young high school student thousands of miles away from New York City.

When I joined the Philippine Daily Inquirer years later, fellow workmates recounted the night at the office when the attack happened. They said that they had just put the next day's issue to rest and several editors had already gone home when the terrorists drove those airplanes in the building in a scene that is all too familiar to us nowadays.

Apparently, reporters and editors had to scramble back to the office, begin writing and editing once more so they can revise the paper's next day issue right away. Of course this takes work, especially with the layout, but the story is too big to ignore.

When I went to New York last year, I was able to visit the site where the Twin Towers used to stand. But really, a tourist couldn't see anything else there yet as everything was boarded up and covered.

Today, with the collapse of the World Trade Center's 10th year anniversary, expect to be bombarded with more tributes, testimonials, unseen footage, interviews with key people, analysis of the post-9/11 era. But I'll take that any day of the week instead of news about another horrendous attack in New York or anywhere else for that matter. Here's for a safe and peaceful September 11, 2011.

More photos (all taken March 2010):

Where were you and what were you doing that faithful night? Let us know by commenting below. Thanks!