A ONE OF A KIND TRIP TO BALUT ISLAND: Celebrating post Valentine with Lipol Grace Academy Students
By: Jessemar J. Wao
February is said to be the heart month. It
is with this month that various celebrations would be noticed. For some, month
of February is the most romantic month for Proms and dates which are actually
very rampant. Various celebrations from the schools, business establishments
like hotels, malls and many others, just to show various ways of celebrating
Valentines Day. Ours is different. We had a very , I think exciting,
challenging, and of course worth remembering post valentine celebration
with my students in college at Lipol Grace Academy located at Lipol
Sarangani Davao del Sur, Balut Island. As the school’s administrator of course
my task to visit every month the school and also conducted activities and one
of the activities is Heart Night.
OUR TRAVEL PLAN
Nicole Reyes, Wilna Catipay, Angelie
Huesna, and Ruel Huesca had already planned about the trip because they
all wanted to visit the place, as they always want to see some of the
panoramic views of Balut Island. I have been bragging it to them about
the place. I never knew that they have been craving to experience the trip. At
last, the decision to go had been realized. I instructed my students that
if they would join, they should help me in the conduct of the heart night
program and so they said they will. Then February 19, 2013 Tuesday is
supposedly the day we will depart however due to typhoon signals the departure
was cancelled instead of February 19, it was transferred into February 20,
Wednesday.
I could see
the faces of the four students seemed so excited to ride the vessel. They were
so energetic to carry their bags, unfortunately we’ve waited four hours from
8:00 PM to 1:00 AM. We had experienced so much risky situation before we rode
the vessel. Since the vessel is not for passenger services the in charge of the
vessel instructed us that we should find a place where the members of the coastguard
could not see us while checking the vessel and he instructed us that we should
go to Banwalan Tambler it
where the small boats stayed as they call it ( Pakura) a small service boat. Then we went to
Banwalan and follow instructions. The Pakura operator transported us to the vessel
named M/V Orlan J by two’s because it could not carry many passengers. The
situation was too risky, first you have to balance the weight when you ride pakura because if not you tendencies are, the
small boat might sink or you might be drenched by water. At last we made it
all.
While on the vessel, all of us were silent and waited for the
engine to start. Then few minutes ago the vessel have its trip to Balut Island.
I never sleep that time because as what I have learned from travelling , they
said that when you ride a vessel you should not take a sleep or a nap because
if thing go wrong you are prepared. I noticed my students were all calm yet the
waves started to roar. Then at 5: 00 clock in the morning, as the sun
started to rise my student Nicole hurriedly came out and went to the
front area of the vessel and had her picture as the sun rises in Balut Island.
Then Angelie followed her and all of them were so amazed with the horizon of
the sun from the south.
AND THE PARTY BEGINS
It was 10: 00 o clock in the morning when
we expedited and already at Barangay Lipol, I could see the happy
faces of my students as they warmly welcome us. They were so excited to see us
and mingle with my college students. They were all prepared for the event which
will supposedly happen a day after however due to heavy rains and strong winds
the program was cancelled and was held Saturday night. My students
were so busy preparing the food. My objective about the said activity is
that I wanted to see my students wearing formal attire. I wanted to see them
how they behave in a party. And I wanted to bring what is in the city food
set-up. Nicole, Angelie and Ruel were in charge of the food preparation.
My sister Jesseluz and my niece Sheena were in charge of the cooking of food.
Our Barangay captain which is also my cousin was there and he was so happy
because it was the first time where the formal party was held in our Barangay.
============ Read the Part II
of this Article============
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