Day One
It all started on Friday. After the lengthy closing ceremony, and after about two or three hours of preparing for the trip, we were finally on board and on the way there. On the way we were watching mindless brainwashing programs meant for children - Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer... But then again, I suppose I would prefer that to Wowowee... which is even more mindless... Anyway, we got there in the late afternoon. It was already dusk when we prepared our tents, and by the time night had fallen, we were waiting for food to be delivered. While I had already eaten some dinner of my own, I would eat again, of course. That day was mostly uneventful... except for the treasure hunt!...
Well, like the math treasure hunts, we were given a string of clues that would lead to our next destinations. I'm proud to have been able to obtain a clue for our company (that is, Delta 1 + 2.) It was a very tiring experience, running all over the place, trying to get to the next destination as fast as possible... After that long and tiring experience, we had to sit down and plan our meals for the days ahead...
The night was... well.. eventful in my tent. We were... talking about "stuff"... Well, I can't really talk about it, but it really was fun... Thanks, guys...
Day Two
Because of our "talk" in the early morning, I barely slept... for only thirty minutes or so. Still, I was able to wake up at 4 am, which was what I planned. I tried to take a bath, but there was already a line of people waiting by the time I got there. After waking my friends, I was just waiting for the foodstuffs to come.
Our breakfast was champorado. While some of our platoon-mates do know how to cook, we were pretty much noobs when it came to making a fire. Ah, Lost in Blue makes it look so easy. It took us a long time to get a fire going, and an even longer time to cook our food. But it was worth the wait. The champorado tasted good. Only problem was, it was about 9 am when we started eating... So, after preparing the ingredients for lunch - tinola - we went boating.
Boating was fun. At first, I really was scared of simply boarding the boat, as though the water and the boat were incapable of supporting my weight. But I did find myself on it, and I had a lot of fun. After doing the "task", in which we were made to go around a number of buoys in the lagoon, we had some free time to go our own way. While we rowed, some of the other groups splashed us... But still it was fun...
After that, we went back to camp and tried to cook tinola. Well, it did taste good, and there was the distinct smoked taste produced by the combustion of charcoal. Problem was, due to the limited number of utensils that we had, we had to prepare two servings at a time. Not all of us were able to eat lunch... But I was able to...
Paintball was next. It was all we wanted it to be - and more! It is a shame that i got knocked out pretty early... If I had some funny or exciting story, I'd share, but I don't... I was, well, trying to sneak through an enemy... and I was shot down... But, oh well... We won! I mean... at least we think we did...
After paintball, we went back to camp.... except for me, because I foolishly left my phone at the paintball site, and had to go back all the way to the site, and back again. While the rest of the battalion (military term for batch) was out swimming, we were unable to swim at all... because the pool would already be closing by the time we got back.
So instead, I got started on cooking our dinner... which was pork steak. After having washed the pork, I was tasked to heat it, because it looked... wrong... After a long time, we finally got around to marinating it. While the others were preparing the fire, I was busy marinating it, chopping calamansi... After that, when the fire was ready, I proceeded to cook it...
First step was to remove the "sauce", which would become the "sabaw" of the pork steak. After searching for a container, we finally found one, and poured the sauce carefully into it. We took the pork and put it on some plates, because we needed to heat the wok first. Next, the pork was put back into the wok, and fried. Since the serving was very large, we had difficulty with that. Soon, however, we decided to put the sauce in. I had to carefully mix the pork and the sauce to make sure that the sauce seeped through the meat, and the pork was well-cooked (which was difficult due to the serving size.) Eventually, I'd added the chopped onion rings to the mix. I still feel that it was lacking, though - one or two onions for 2 or so kg of pork... Well, after that, we were simply stirring it, making sure that the meat was cooked. Eventually we got around to tasting it. The sauce was rich in flavor, a mixture of soy sauce and calamansi and meat... We adjusted it by adding some soy sauce and water, to make it taste better. And while all of this was being done, the others were preparing carrots for some buttered vegetables. Problem was, the corn that was bought was a cream of corn soup, and not corn kernels. So, we ended up with "buttered vegetable soup." It did taste good as well...
I'd like to thank my platoon-mates for helping me a lot when it came to cooking the food. Without them, there would be no fire to cook with. There would be no light to illuminate the "kitchen". There'd be no carrots chopped, and there wouldn't even be a buttered vegetable "soup". It really felt satisfying because we were all working together, each member contributing his share, working towards the common goal. While Lendl and I were the ones at the stove, cooking, I wouldn't be able to cook without the fire you had maintained all the while. (Flame On! - Sir Vlad) It really is hard to prepare the flame, and to maintain it all the time. And it's even harder, when smoke gets in your eyes and irritates them. I was in pain for a while because of that... But it turned okay in the end. I'm glad it tasted good... Thank you guys :D. We did well...
So, after eating, we were supposed to have a "cultural presentation". But in the end it never happened, and we just rested. So, there, we had another talk again, this time in Kim's tent, because Vien and Dandy were already sleeping in mine. It was, well, fun also, but it was a pity it didn't last as long, because we were already quite tired and sleepy as well.
Day Three
Eventually, I had to find the utensils that Kim had borrowed. It was difficult, since they were all over the place. I hope that I didn't miss anything, otherwise he would be in trouble. By the time we had cleaned the rice container, he had already left the campsite, but it was a good thing he was still in the vicinity. While waiting for the van to carry bags, we had time to take pictures. However, Vien got hurt in the process, and got some wounds. It's a good thing he received first aid immediately. While first aid was administered to him, we went all the way to the buses and carried our stuff all the way. The journey back was quite uneventful, because I had fallen asleep for a while. It was only a matter of time until we were back in Pisay, with the sense of reality that was all too familiar. Still, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me, and not even reality can dampen that.
Lastly, I'd like to thank Kim and Serl, for all the times we had during this weekend. It was fun being with you guys. And I'd like to thank my tent-mates too: Angel, Dandy and Vien. It was a pleasure being with you guys...:D
My life has changed... The real test has begun... I will make it.
It's been almost a week since I was last online, and able to use the internet. Due to the theft of something that was necessary for our internet connection, i was unable to be online any time at all this week... at least it's resolved now... but i have more worries...
First of all, I qualified for the Intarmed program. I should be happy... but I am not. I feel confused... I am feeling depression... There are just so many things i cannot understand yet...
I am miserable because I have such a conundrum that would seem trivial to most people. If I do go take up that program, I would have to study in UP Manila. And that would mean I would have less chances of seeing my friends in the other UP campuses... I'm sure you know where this is going, so i'll just stop there.
And here are the thoughts that I would probably hear:
(while these may be based on actual people, please do not be offended. I am merely imagining myself in different personas just to understand)
Stupid! How can you even think like that! Don't be such a loser, making your decisions in life based on your friends and barkada. Only losers think like that. Stop being a loser! Stop making such stupid decisions! You were supposed to change for the better. You were supposed to change your loser attitude, have a fresh start, a clean slate. Doing this will ruin everything you've done up til now! You'd be guilty your whole life, choosing your friends over your life, choosing to be a loser instead of a winner...
How could you just turn down the program for such a trivial pathetic reason? The program really matters to some of us, you know. Did you just check that little box on the application form for "a challenge"? To test your skill or your luck? There are some of us who are a bit sad who didn't make it... and you just throw it all away? How dare you! How dare you do that! You're such a loser! I hate you!
Dude, you're so pathetic.. Get a life.. Just choose already.. Whatever choice you make, you'd probably regret it, because that's what spineless people do - regret every important decision they had to make for themselves. Get a life, dude. Think about what matters to you more. And while it may be your life you are deciding on, do think about what other people say about it. For spineless weaklings like you, it's what other people say that dominates your life anyway.
Hey, cheer up... Your friends will always be your friends, wherever you end up, even if you're far apart, even if you never see them ever again. Don't worry anymore. Don't worry ever again. If you miss them, just think about them, and their memories would keep you company... Whatever decision you make, just be happy in the end...
Heh. What a loser this guy is, having conversations with himself. If i were qualified for that program, I would...
welcome to my blog again! it has a new name this time:
Songs of Innocence and Experience.
It is a collection of poems made by William Blake, whom we are going to examine in English 4 this quarter... Well, most of his poems - okay, the ones that i was required to read because i had to report on them - dealt with contrasts in nature, and social issues. The Little Black Boy dealt with racial discrimination; the Chimney Sweeper dealt with child labor; the Tyger dealt with the presence of evil despite the presence of God. It's amazing how he manages to express an essay's worth of thoughts in ideas in a few short stanzas.
In fact, I'm sure that is why the title of his compilation is also oxymoronic in a sense. Innocence is inherent in us. It is our experiences of the pains and sufferings in this world that make us lose this innocence, but we never truly lost it... I for one am sure that kindness, if not innocence, is inherent in an individual, even if the environment exerts pressure on oneself...
So, there... until next time... good night...:D
While I haven't been to UP myself, I plan to go there tomorrow. But then again, I still know that I did pass at my first choice - which is MBB... so, I am very enthusiastic, and ecstatic with joy.
I am glad that most of our batchmates passed... There are also a lot of us at MBB... While it is a relief to have people you know as your block mates, there are a few things that need to be considered...
We students taking up the MBB course would be in block sections... We would all have the same schedules, and be with each other for 4 or so years, for the duration of the course. While this basically ensures that you'd never miss them because they are your block mates, you would have less time and freedom to meet up with your other batchmates who are in different campuses, colleges, or even courses. UP (Diliman) is such a big place, and we would have little free time, so that means we have lower chances of meeting up with our non-MBB friends. But for me, I am sure that I will see my friends again... That's what friends do... FInd ways to get to talk to each other again...
And, as for the MBB course itself... I'm sure it has a reputation in our batch... because of a teacher who graduated MBB... I'm sure it would be exciting to have new experiences with batchmates you didn't get to know in high school... And, we don't really have to be STR teachers. The STR unit never really was in short supply of STR teachers... As for me, I'd really like to be a doctor... I hope I get to be an oblation scholar, or qualify for the intarmed thing...
So, for all of you guys out there... I hope you were able to achieve the courses you put as your first choice... and, even if you're not decided on going to UP, I hope that I'll be able to see you again after graduation. I hope that you'd be happy in your particular course. And, don't worry... wherever you end up, you'll be certain to meet your friends again...
Until then... we still have to deal with STR, and our (MBB) STR teacher... and the upcoming events... and the constantly decreasing time we can spend with each other...
P.S. Excited na ako mag-camping! I want to learn how to cook... Pity it's after the YMSAT though... May STR pa...
There's something I want to share... While I was doing Life Sci one night, I was looking for some music... and I stumbled unexpectedly on this song... which I'd like to share...
Kiss Me Good-Bye
FFXII OST
You say my love is all you need, to see you through
But I know these words are not quite true
Here is the path you're looking for, an open door
Leading to worlds you long to explore
Go, if you must move on alone
I'm gonna make it on my own
Kiss me good-bye, love's memory
Follow your heart and find your destiny
Don't shed a tear, for love's mortality
For you put the dream in my reality
As time goes by I know you'll see this of me
I loved enough to let you go free
Go, I will give you wings to fly
Cast all your fears into the sky
Kiss me good-bye, love's mystery
All of my life, I'll hold you close to me
Don't shed a tear for love's mortality
For you put the dream in my reality
Kiss me good-bye, love's memory
You put the dream in my reality
It's about letting the person you love go. You understand why the person has to go... and still, you would love the person, and hope for that person's happiness... I'm sure you know where this is going... So, well, you know what to do... Until the next life thing that I wish to share...
And, on the retreat... I am changed... I enjoyed every moment in it... Now I am happy... Now I am happy and cheerful, for now I know how much I am loved...
I am fortunate and blessed...
I am loved...
I have no reason to be sad, or in despair, for I am loved...
I will be able to succeed in changing myself, for there is hope...
I will not give up the fight... for I am loved...
I am not alone... for I have people who do love me...
I am happy, happier than I've ever been, for I am loved...
I am lucky to have people who love me...
I am fortunate to have been able to touch the lives of other people...
I am not worthless or useless, because I am loved...
I am loved...
Thank you so much... Thank you for everything - for the friends you have given me, to show how much you love me... And as for my friends, thank you for everything... for being there... for helping me realize that I am not worthless... that I am loved... that I have hope... that my life has some meaning... I love all of you... Thank you all so much.
I am happy... I am blessed... I am loved. I hope that you realize that you are also loved and blessed...