It's the CLIMB

This was taken on the bus on the way to Ajuy.
From right: Yzabel, Me, Jesselle, Awie & Mandee
Credits to Justine for the photo!

We had our excursion trip last February 24. ( Sorry, I really didn't have any time to write about it here sooner). We went to Camp Regulus and Gawad Kalinga in Ajuy. Ajuy is my mother's home town and I go there every weekend. I didn't think I'd learn as much as I did with the other field trips I had in the previous years since I was going to a place I knew and visited probably for the millionth time. I was very wrong to think that. The field trip in my own home town made me realize things I never thought I would. It is also the most unforgettable excursion trip ever... at least for now.

I have entered Camp Regulus before just to go swimming. I didn't think there was more to it than the pools but again, I was wrong. Camp Regulus is a good hiking site. In Camp Regulus, you have to cross streams, and climb up a mountain to see a very beautiful waterfall at the end of the trail. We had a chance to taste the water falling from the waterfall. The water made me feel like I was drinking purified water cooled in a fridge. It was delicious. While you're going to the waterfall, you'll see picturesque views of mountains and rice fields. After seeing the waterfall, we had our lunch and after that we were wowed by the Arnis tricks shown to us by the children there. The most memorable part comes next. We climbed a very high mountain that made us crawl, destroy a lot of plants (Don't worry. We said sorry to the plants. It was slippery so to avoid falling and sliding down, we held on to the plants), have our pants looking like crap, and get some of us crying and injured. The pathway seemed to get steeper and steeper with each step. We got to where the trail ends breaking the record of the former second year students. We went down the same way. The pathway was too elevated that some of us decided to sit on the ground to slide down that was the part that made our pants look like crap. It was also the part where we had to hold the plants and have them get destroyed (Plants, sorry again.) I slid 3 times but I was able to regain my balance. I used to go to my grandmother's garden were you also have to climb a mountain (It was nothing compared to this!) so I was easier for me (kind of). It was worth it anyway since on top of the mountain, you get to see a breathtaking view. Of course, we were weary and thirsty after going through all that but we had still one more place to go. We went to Gawad Kalinga. The staff, the people and since Mayor Alvarez couldn't come, his daughter, Isabella Alvarez welcomed us warmly.  They informed us about Gawad Kalinga, they offered us entertainment (In this part, I couldn't help but shake with laughter) where Mr. Secular, Christie and Kylie joined in a dance number. We also had snacks. It was very native and I loved it.

We all went home smiling. You could even probably count our teeth.

In this excursion trip I learned:

• that we have a lot of resources to depend on if we let nature have it's way.
• it is true that on a very difficult journey, you'll find something beautiful in the end of the trail.
• there are too many things we take for granted and don't even appreciate.
• there are people experiencing hardships and problems bigger than ours so we should stop complaining and do something about it instead.
• there are more to life than what we expect

Every step I’m taking,

Every move I make feels

Lost with no direction

My faith is shaking but I

Got to keep trying

Got to keep my head held high

There’s always going to be another mountain

I’m always going to want to make it move

Always going to be an uphill battle,

Sometimes you going to have to lose,

Ain’t about how fast I get there,

Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side

It’s the climb

The struggles I’m facing,

The chances I’m taking

Sometimes they knock me down but

No I’m not breaking

The pain I’m knowing

But these are the moments that

I’m going to remember most yeah

Just got to keep going

And I,

I got to be strong

Just keep pushing on

On the way to see the waterfalls, we paused to have a picture.
With Yzabel, Mandee and Christie.
Credits to Awie.