Epic weekend

The last weekend of this month (August) was a long one due to several holidays. Actually, Eid’l Fitr fell on the 30^th and the National Heroes Day should’ve come after. But since we’re in the Philippines, NHD was celebrated earlier (last Monday) for “practicality.” It’s indeed favorable for everybody, especially for students like me. Saturday until Tuesday off would be perfect for relaxation. However, resting seemed out of reach.

FRIDAY NIGHT, after school

I got home at passed 9pm to eat, wash up and pack my things. My lights went off by almost 12am.

SATURDAY

Woke up at 3am to bathe and sip coffee. I took a cab that drove me through Mcdo and pulled over at the AS steps. I was actually with my mom; because of the heavy monsoon rains, she was refusing me to go camping. It was just a few minutes after 5am and we [thankfully] found Kath and Vince there. After saying her litany, mom left us.

More than an hour passed and we’re about to leave UP. That’s after having all the campers complete, giving them IDs and be being bullied by this “all-knowing” couple. At the bus, we talked about the theme of this sem’s Geog Camp:

Geography 3D:

Demarcate: to learn the distinct discipline of geography

Deepen: to deepen their geographic knowledge &

Defy: to elucidate the misconceptions pertaining to the field

We also had several exchange of knock-knock jokes. I delivered one myself but it was a major fail and there’s no need to talk about it.

Fast forward: we reached Heaven’s Gate Memorial Park (Antipolo) at almost 9am. Of course that cemetery wasn’t our campsite. Our destination was still more than a kilometer away. It’s too bad that our bus couldn’t travel on the slippery/heavily muddy road, so trekked to our actual location for a couple of minutes.

As soon as we got to Philip’s Sanctuary, we settled down and then started our activities right away. The campers—divided into 3 colorful teams based on their class schedules—were instructed to make flags for their identification and cheer for motivation. Our hosts generously served morning snacks as we were working. After that, we made way to the ‘deepen’ part of our program. I was one of the lecturers about photography while the other facilitators conducted workshops either on GPS or on the basics of Google Earth. Then we had lunch; and flag and cheer presentations at the amphitheater followed. Next were the simultaneous activities like: zip line, mud slide, rafting, boating, log-crossing, hanging bridge-crossing and some at the lop ropes area.

Quite strenuous, right? So we took a break(?) from 4-7pm.; though that was the time to conceptualize our performance for the E-night (apps and campers) and check on the progress of the camp (mems and Sir Emman). We had our buffet dinner after, and then the E-night proper. We, the applicants of JPGS, executed our “talents” before the campers did. Our ‘variety show’ ended a little before 11pm. After leading the campers to their rooms, lights went off. For them.

As soon as I got to our cottage, I bathed with the ice-cold water. Swear, I hated that shower so much. I stepped out of the bathroom only to find the other facilitators were assessing the day with Sir Emman. I noted the minutes.

SUNDAY

I’m still jotting down everything they say I have to note. It was passed 1am and I felt that they were just ranting already. So I decided to transfer to the other room and nap. They wouldn’t let me escape just like that, though. My roommates exchanged disturbing horror stories that haunted me until 2am. And at exactly 4am, Ate Gie entered the room to take stolen shots of us, sleep heads. Thank God I’m highly sensitive to noises and light, I was not victimized.

I got up by 5am to wash up. I woke my co-apps next and we started torturing the campers and the facilitators who were still sleeping. Vince recorded several songs, the PCSO theme among others, in the megaphone and played them at the doorsteps of the rooms. J

Then we warmed up altogether at the pavilion led by Kath, had breakfast afterwards and prepared for the “amazing race.” There were 10 stations and I was assigned to the 7^th with Ate Gie. I don’t wanna go over the details, you know the Amazing Race? That’s just about it, only that we have different stations whose game mechanics were geography-related.

When the race ended, everybody has the free time to do anything: sink or swim. LOLJK, it was our time for our recreation activities. Then at 12pm we had lunch, and assessment followed and the awarding at long last.

Before we could go home, we had to trek down to road, nearly 1km away from our base camp. It was my least favorite part for I almost died in it. At 6:47pm, I was already having dinner with Ate Irene at SM North. Thank God.

MONDAY

The very moment I opened my eyes, I breathed in the long weekend for the first time. I didn’t let go of my pillow until lunch time. I ate like I haven’t seen food for the past 48hours. I spent the entire afternoon on the bed, before the TV. I felt the urged to sleep some more but just as I was to give in to the temptation, I got a text message from Sab asking if I’m attending Karen’s debut. Two hours after, I hit the road and battled with a cheater cab driver who took me to Quirino Ave. when I asked him to take me Quirino Grandstand!

In parties, only in parties, I hate to come early. Though in this particular one, we’re the first group who came. While waiting, we watched the fireworks display/fountain show at the Manila Ocean Park. At almost 7:30pm, dinner was finally served and after a few, an AVP opened the ceremony. Vince and Carlos were part of the 18 roses, Sab and I were on the 18 shots. I was trying to convince myself that I looked good in my Hawaiian dress [and garland] despite my stupid speech. So anyway, we said our goodbyes right after the formal rites.

I arrived at home at almost 12am. There was even a  weird checkpoint in our street then.

Washed up—climbed to bed—slept on Howie Severino’s documentary.

TUESDAY

I was up by 8am because our Intsik10 class has a Chinatown fieldtrip. I had a very great day with my ‘Mandarin Family’ and we stayed together—eating and doing whatever—until 4pm. I was so sleepy that I could barely walk anymore. However, before going home, I considered “cooling down” at SM Manila but I didn’t liked it there. I just went home.

As I was sitting now, I’m realizing how lllooooonnnnnggggg the weekend really had been. It was an epic—a long narrative about the adventures of a hero. :0