Bohol Seminar

SK MANILA BOHOL SEMINAR 2011

Chocolate Hills

     Aside from the fact that our first seminar fell on the exact day of my 18th birthday where in I had few trouble asking for my Dad's permission to allow me to go. I was covered up with so much excitement, Mom instantly allowed me upon knowing that it would fall on my birthday. She said that it is a great opportunity that I shouldn't miss and that it would be a very memorable and a highlighted day of my life. Eighteen (18) the age where a lass would finally turn into fine young lady, the age of maturity in the Philippines, the age where you are officially an adult. God has given me such a great gift, a gift of not only reaching this age but of giving this seminar a perfect timing.

Floating Restaurant

Before I left our house Mom handed me over a box that was wrapped when I opened it I found cupcakes wherein each has a letter that reads "HAPPY BIRTHDAY", and I brought it with me to the airport and shared it with my fellow SKs. Our meeting place was at Liwasang Bonifacio beside the Manila City Hall where the bus that would drop us off at the airport were. When I arrived, everyone was greeting me photo-ups here and there, hugs everywhere. I bet it was going to be a fun-filled day, a very memorable one. My grandfather (mother side) is from Lila, Bohol. I've never been to Bohol, but I heard so much about it how much the place is filled with historical spots and of course the small yet big-eyed creatures known as the tarsiers. Mom went to Bohol with my uncle (her youngest brother) and Papa (my grandfather) years ago to visit our relatives there. I saw photos in the camera (which was operated by a film (the time where digital cameras were still nonexistent)), it was amazing. And so I've been looking forward to coming to Bohol. And finally! This!

Floating Restaurant

From the airport we went straight to tour the city, we had a tour guide. We saw incredible houses, we saw a house that was shaped as a ship (I bet it is also ship-shaped inside) the guide told us that it was owned obviously by a retired seafarer (a captain) who loves his work so much, that he had his house shaped exactly like a ship. We saw the historical statue of the blood compact which was along the highway (unfortunately due to some circumstances the tour bus didn't stop there for us to have our photo taken). First stop was the famous Chocolate Hills which had I guess about a hundred steps before reaching the peak. It was cold and breezy, we don't mind climbing up such a long trail if it's worth it. And indeed it was, maybe there's around a hundred or thousand of these Chocolate Hills which they say changes color whenever it rains. Next stop was the Tarsiers, I expected it to be a bit bigger than it actually it, they're like koalas hanging in the thin branches of the tree. We were asked to turn the flashes of our gadgets off because these creatures are very sensitive with it that they commit suicide. Another thing, they engage in sexual activity for only 3 seconds this is why there are few of them. I love seeing how small they are but they eyes are so big it's like it's bigger than their head. So adorable!

Panglao Island

We then headed out to the Floating Restaurant where we had lunch, it was a buffet style and we had happy tummy and satisfied cravings afterwards. In the middle of the river is a stage made out of bamboo wherein there is a folk dance and performance. The river is, well, has a brown color of a river but you cannot see any trash in it. There are few informal settlers who live beside the river that dives and jumps into it (I wonder if I can try it but unfortunately I can't swim without a life vest). Our last stop was at the Dumaluan Beach Resort where we will be staying for a couple of days. We had a team building wherein our eyes were covered with a bandana and we had to hold on to the shoulder of the one in front of us. It was an activity that would teach us how to trust, and it would determine how much we trust people whom we known and have been with for a while. All we can hear are the voices of our coordinators telling us where to go and what to do, we even went in the ocean which kinda bothered us because it was high tide. But still, trust is trust. We had an Acquaintance Party during the night time where we, the District 5 officers prepared for a dance number (Sarah Joson was our D.I. being a passionate dancer herself, and belonging to a dance group called Posh).

This is the most awesome and unforgettable SK seminar ever. Maybe not because it was our first off-site seminar but because we got the chance to bond and get to know more about each of us.

(AUGUST 2011)