t'was good for me

Been assisting our Kinder 2 class for 2 days now, since its head teacher was not feeling well. It had been a tiring and trying days. But fun nonetheless. I’m getting the hang of it. The smile I get when a kid embraces his classmate because they shared their snacks. Simple things that brought on lasting effects.

Spending time with them made me think twice on giving up the roving teacher post. It was worth it anyway. I had realizations. My principles were made clearer. I had proven once again to myself that I am still on the path I had chosen even if they say so otherwise.

money can't buy this

My ADHD student today amazed me. After he threw his handkerchief to the adjacent room and tore the pages of the book, he apologizes to me. Forgiven. Good thing he didn’t threw the scissor (during our last session, he threw the scissor to the flourescent lamp, glad it didn’t hit the lamp). At one point, he even smashed my bag to the floor. Everytime I turned my back at him, who knows what he’ll be doing next. Anyway, after a while, he made some writing on my clothes with the chalk and threw the board eraser on my shirt. Still he asked for an apology. Though he was forgiven but pardon the stern look kid. He is diagnosed to be Global Developmental Delay with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Problem and mildly educable. A big challenge on my part. He was not at all affected with the stern look so I had to talk to him in a firm voice, not my usual soft one. When our time was almost up, he kept asking me if its time already so I had to firmly say “no, you are not going home yet, you still have class”. Hahayzz.. What an hour that was. After our class, before he got out of our room, he hugged my legs without uttering a word. Then he went to his lola who loved him dearly.

i did survived..

.. but not without a kick, a shoe thrown at me and much struggle. Hehe.. My life as a teacher for her. It has been like this since her seizures started and worsen. Depending on her medication, sometimes I can get her to focus and be quiet. At times and most of the time, she would ran around the lobby, sit on the floor, good thing though that our room is not spacious enough for her to roll over. I’d also feel lucky if I couldn’t get a punch, a kick or anything thrown at me. Sometimes, I wonder if she deliberately threw them at me because I was such a nuisance to her school life. Hehe.. On the second thought, she’s not aware and she doesn’t really know that it hurts and that it is bad to throw things at anyone, or even kick somebody, or give a hurtful punch. I salute her nanang for being so patient and caring to her despite everything she had done to her.

lazy Monday

It’s Monday once again. And it meant another day with my student, my hyperactive one. I hope she will behave this time and focus on tasks.

Hahayz.. Got to gather up energy before I head to work. I’m just so lazy today. Oh well.. I will survive.

remind me again why I took this job?

She was just so hyperactive today. The moment she arrived at school, she hadn’t stopped talking, shouting, running around the lobby. When I brought her to our little room, she still hasn’t stopped talking. She talked the whole time, I couldn’t butt in, couldn’t make her to focus on the task I asked her to do. Tore the paper I asked her to write on. Sat on the floor with her white pants. If the space was enough, she could have lied down again. Drooled. Threw her shoe on my face, the other shoe on my chest. Punched my stomach. Threw the blocks on me. I wouldn’t dare let her hold the scissors. When our time was up, she continuously ran around the lobby her nanang couldn’t control her too. Attempted to get out of the gate the lady guard had to restrain her with the locked gate on her back. Etcetera etcetera. So tell me, why did I took this job again?

My co-teachers still hadn’t stopped telling me that I shouldn’t have given up the roving teacher item for this. The pay was good compared to the one I have right now and less risk on my part. It gets to the point that they get annoying. I’ve already explained to them why I gave up the said position yet they still pestered me with that ‘you shouldn’t have given it up‘, ‘you should have tried it‘, ‘you should blah blah blah‘, and the sort. I’ve gotten tired of those statement. Its not money I’m after anyway. For me, I can be more effective with one-on-one with the special children who understand little of themselves, this world and their surroundings than tend to preschoolers who would just throw tantrums because they just want to when their needs aren’t met.

Oh well.. We all do have different views. Different ways of addressing our usefulness and attending to our needs. This week or the next, i hope they would eventually stop pestering me.

youth summer ender

Ever wonder what’s up with the youths right now? Well.. Since it is school time once again, they are now getting busy with their studies since most of them are in college. Last summer after the camp and before I went to Cebu camp, we often see and gather together for band practices, jamming, just plain chika-chika and bonding time. We even had crash sleepovers at any youth’s place. They are now starting and getting comfortable with the other youth group since they both are now jamming and practicing together in one place. Good, right, getting united. And 3 youths are being trained to lead them, make their activities, organizing them, etc.

Anyway, before school officially started, we had a beach activity which the 3 youth trainees meticulously planned and organized. They randomly separated the group in 3. Had stations which the group had to undergo. There were memory game, eat-all-you-can, puzzle, blow it all away and a riddle. It was a good start for the trainees though. Not bad, two thumbs up for them. I wasn’t there when they planned it as I was at Cebu camp and had my vacation extension.

Admittedly though, they still need continued guidance and mentoring, of course.

As if school hasn’t started yet, we went for a videoke with the youths and Baby Bear Sai as our visitor last Sunday night. It could be the culmination of our summer.

What would we be doing next now that school has started already? I wonder.

back to the old one

Had a talk with my boss this afternoon. I was assigned back to my previous item. I’m glad, really glad she relieved me of the roving teacher for preschoolers one. As I have been saying to her, I prefer youths over children, specifically preschoolers. The pay may not be that good but its okay, totally okay. I don’t want to be pressured into doing something I’m not passionate about. The pay doesn’t really matter as long as I’m doing something I know I can make a difference. Than be pressured to attend to responsibilities and duties with an unenthusiastic spirit.

I just hope my boss didn’t misunderstood my side.

not in the mood yet

Classes will have a full swing on the 16th at our school. So basically, this week is all about getting to know and establishing a good working camaraderie with the new teachers, cleaning our rooms, decorating, plus another room was added to accomodate the growing number of students enrolling so we had to help out in cleaning that one too. Not to mention preparing for my curriculum as the new roving teacher. Sad to say, I haven’t made one, I’d only be depending on the curriculum made for our regular classes which I’d be coming in on certain times. Laziness got on me plus the hangover from our larag-larag which made me always sleepy and weak. I am late everyday, since Monday till today. Haha.. Instead of coming in at 8AM, I usually arrive 8:30 – 9:00. And be off minutes past 5PM, just like the others. Hehe.. Bad working habit eh. But next week, there won’t be any room for tardiness. I might say, I am only excusing my tardiness since there are no students yet. Haha.. Anyway, I’m still not in working mode. I wish I had more restful week. Because it was as though I haven’t had a vacation or a rest from my responisbilities and duties after summer classes with my student and after our larag-larag. Oh well.. Life must go on.

what happened during the 10 days I was away..

Where do I start?

Yeah.. We left Cagayan de Oro the afternoon of May 25, as posted in my previous entries. Though we had anxiety and nervousness whether we’d be flying in on that day, we never doubted and still continued to hope and prayed that we will. Despite the time we spent strolling at SM CDO while waiting, we did have our moments and bonding together. We laugh at Kai quickly getting up from her sit when I read to her and Marmie Sarah’s text message that the plane was scheduled to fly at 4PM. It was 15 or 10 minutes before 3PM. And we thought it would be the estimated time departure from CDO, so we hurriedly went to retrieve our baggage from the counter and rushed to the airport which was just 10minutes from SM CDO. Only to find out that 4PM was its schedule to depart from Cebu International Airport. Haha.. We had fun waiting anyway. And even when Sarah forwarded the pilot’s text message that they had landed already to the moment when the pilot approached us. We were very excited and it always shows. So when a man in white pilot uniform with an Aviatour patch, black pants and shoes holding a portfolio appeared from the gate, Kai right away stood up. It was somewhat embarrassing for us so we calmed ourselves once again, sat politely and waited patiently(?). Until he approached and asked if we were his and his co-pilot’s passengers. Weeehh..

It was a blessing also that we left Cagayan de Oro at 5PM. Along our ride, we had a glance of the city from above, the sea beyond, the island of Camiguin from a distance, Negros island, Siquijor, we passed by Bohol and saw the famous Chocolate Hills, etc. And most of all, we were blessed to witness the sunset on the horizon. We were met by glad faces of friends at the Cebu airport, at the hangar of Aviatour.

The camp went well. My companions were assigned dorms and campers they had to take care for the duration of the camp. I, as well, was into swimming and snorkeling again. I had already prepared myself for the scorching heat and burnt skin but I didn’t imagined it to be this much. I had sunburn on my nose, on my face, then at my shoulders, which hadn’t healed until now. On the second activity day of the camp, I even had a slight fever. But life must go on, I still had swimming class to attend to and snorkeling class to assist. It was even an opportunity to swim along with the fishes, marvel at the creation under the blue waters we often see, see sea snakes that lie at the bottom of the sea, a straight sea horse, starfishes, fishes coming out of the corals, swimming beneath us, colorful coral reefs that weren’t bleached yet, etc. It was amazing indeed. Until such time that I had had enough of the view since we ventured to the same spot everyday, morning and afternoon for 4 days. Nonetheless, it was a blessing.

I had great co-workers too. Aside from the Cebu people who welcomed, included and accepted us, the Mindanao staffs warmly, we always had great food and I had 2 bottles of Gatorade a day provision. Hehe.. Working alongside with the Mindanao youth workers in this camp was one big blessing for me. It was an opportunity also for them to be part of the Cebu and other people’s lives. At times, we would go out after the campers are settled into their rooms at night and just talk about our day and the days to come. When we couldn’t gather for some time, a tap on the shoulder, an exchange of conversations, a smile, sitting beside them during sessions, eating with them, a short how-are-you encourages all of us. The bonding that we had established from our Davao City camp the previous month was further nurtured at the Cebu camp. It has bonded us so much that we became very comfortable with each other, always ready with a helping hand and an understanding heart to each one of us. That was great! I’m glad they came as well. This year at Cebu camp, I was not alone.

After the camp, we spent our time at Sibulan, Negros Oriental, the town next to Dumaguete City, at an adopted Mindanao team member. Just some unwinding, relaxing, more bonding moments, laughs to cherish, etc. We had our walk at the airport runway, took pictures with the 2-seater planes parked at the hangar, went to Dumaguete City, strolled from their market to Silliman University campus to look for a Jollibee outlet and we didn’t have our tour guide with us, had swimming time at Forest Camp, strolled at the park of Valencia, Negros Oriental, had fried ice cream, strolled at baywalk, had a snack at a camper’s house inside the Silliman University campus, had a drinking spree which bonded us more, walked again at the airport runway, lain at the runway gazing on the starless sky, visited their provincial hall, walked again to Silliman University campus, strolled at Silliman University campus, had body glitters, etc. Those were such cherished moments. Wish we had more time at Dumaguete City, we could have visited Sta. Catalina also. Anyway, at least we have something to look forward to the next time we have the opportunity to visit Negros Oriental. Next year maybe? Hehe.. I hope. Then back at Cebu City, bonding time with the Cebu City people, chit-chat, mais con yelo, SM Cebu, Sto. Niño Church, Magellan’s Cross, and McDonald JY Square for a treat.

It was fun, really. So sad that it had to end and we had to part ways once again. I had great travel companions, fellow youth workers, friends, brothers and sisters. How many times have I said that already. Haha.. Anyway.. For sure, it will not be the end of our adventure or larag-larag. With the bonding and trust we had established, I hope our planned Palawan trip next year would be a reality.

back home

Just got back from my escapade. It was fun, not too tiring. From Cebu City to the town of Alegria to Sibulan, Negros Oriental to Dumaguete City to the town of Valencia, Negros Oriental and back to Cebu City. I had great companions as well. It’ll take some months before we’ll be reunited again. It was a privilege working and traveling with them. I’ll surely miss our time together, our bonding moments, funny moments, sad moments, lakwatsa, walking together, lying on the airport runway at night watching the stars while talking, reaching a goal together, eating together, laughing around, joking around, etc. Will probably be posting some pictures soon.

Have to rest. I’m still a bit dizzy and sleepy.

Dumaguete City post

We did had our plane ride at 5PM that day. Niabot ra jud ang supply sa amo lana. Hehe.. And it was fun. Riding in a 6-seater plane was an experience.

I’m here at Dumaguete City right now. Arrived this afternoon after we ended our camp at around noon. I had a tan. I already expected this but not as tan as this. Haha.. Anyway.. It was worth it anyway, I had a great time.