Water, Mud, a Raffle, and a Rock Star: the 2010 Outbound
Last December 10, Batch 2010 had their Educational Outbound Tour in San Pablo, Laguna. As Camia’s adviser, I am required to accompany my class, which is not a problem at all. Although some of them didn’t feel like going; the long Pisay Christmas break just started. Actually, this is my first Outbound set right before a vacation. All the other three that I attended were scheduled on a Friday within the school calendar. It’s a bit sad that TKC isn’t complete to a superlative degree: Job, Dan, JJ (who backed out the last minute because of a minor accident), Vinz, Jon, Jeff, Rekon, Kat, and birthday boy Justin weren’t able to join the activity. If it’s any consolation, lesser people meant lesser kids to account every time there’s a stopover.
Camia was supposed to share Bus 4 with Jasmin (the advisers, in the most recent meeting, picked random numbers), which meant that Bus 4 = corny bus. Jasmin’s not part of ARCI, but I know some of them relatively well. Jasmin is MTP-heavy (arguably “MTP-heaviest”), with the likes of Elvis, Charm, Jed, Ren, and Iman, and some others have FC status with me. The Jasmin MTP boys alone contributed much “corniness” to my life, so I psyched myself to tolerate all the one-liners (from one-liner land) that will come about.
Apparently, the Camia-Jasmin pairing was not meant to happen. Instead of four buses, there were five, which should be good news, since the buses won’t be as cramped. However, this meant also that some sections will have to be divided and distributed. Fortunately, Camia wasn’t picked, probably because only 21 were going anyway. Dahlia wasn’t as lucky, for half of the class will ride in Bus 4 with Camia while the other half will ride another bus. Dahlia isn’t part of ARCI too, but like Jasmin, Dahlia is MTP-laden, with Kristina (MSK), Nathan (double N), Rain, Lordom, Lance (CTK), and Stephen (STPN) in the line-up, so I know them somehow. Apparently, Jasmin and Dahlia math enthusiasts comprise half of the MTP 2 roster.
Oh, a little trivia. In the past years, I was assigned to be in the same bus as Jasmin 07 and Jasmin 08, and of course Jasmin Hipons 09 was my advisory class, so I rode with them as well. If the original Camia-Jasmin 2010 pairing pushed through, haha, it seems I’m destined to be with the Jasmin class in the field trip of any batch.
The batch was supposed to assemble by 5:15, and leave the school by 5:45 AM. Some students are exchanging gifts since it’s the last school day of the year. TKC students even gave me their TKCTKC (Thy Kingdom Camia’s Terrific Kris-kringle for Christmas) gifts to me, meant for their “secret” recipients, even in the bus. Juan and I tried to teach the new “sexyback” moves (inspired by the dance steps we gathered while watching the Paskorus finals), but it’s just way hilarious. The teachers were briefed for the days activities, and off we went to Laguna.
I was with Ma’am Annelle, Sir Petri, and Ma’am Monix in the front rows of Bus 4. We were joined by three Lakbay guides: Kuya McCoy (the main guy), Kuya Gitchu, and Kuya Dave. This is the first outbound I’ve been which isn’t jam-packed: the aisle seats were almost empty. Ma’am Monix lent a DVD copy of some movie about a swordsman and a princess (I forgot the title). Oh, this is also the first outbound wherein the Lakbay Kalikasan guides didn’t do much environmental talking in front. I was actually surprised that they were the ones who asked who among us brought DVDs instead of giving lectures. This were for the better in my opinion; in general, students do not like straight classroom-like stuff, especially if they already know the topics discussed.
The buses made the first stopover in Petron, and the kids ate breakfast and made kulit (of course). Most were in McDo or Petron Treats, and some just couldn’t resist Starbucks. Bus 4 had to make a second stopover, this time to fetch three students somewhere in the Laguna highway. Apparently, the Lakbay guide who was instructed fell asleep, so he wasn’t able to relay the instructions to the bus driver and therefore, we failed to stop at the specific area. The bus halted for a time as the Lakbay guides fetched two Dahlia students and one from Adelfa (Jil). Three sections represented in one bus.
The field trip was billed “Seven Lakes,” but in real life, only five can be visited. But since the Outbound also serves as the batch Christmas Party in the afternoon, there will even be less lakes. The first lake required some hiking before being reached, which was harder, since there’s light rain pouring. Which meant a more muddy trekking experience. Good thing I decided to wear my reliable Mojo sandals (instead of rubber shoes) which I bought when I was in first year college (apparently, Mojo is a brand and not a common name). They take less time to clean, and I actually don’t have a pair of rubber shoes. I’m not really an outdoor person, but I enjoyed the long walk. The students and teachers were asked to “traverse” the lake on narrow bamboo rafts, which required balance. John Paul volunteered on something which required measuring the depth of the lake on the raft. Surprisingly, it was quite deep considering its nearness to the shore; the rope’s length was probably more than double JP’s height. Afterwards, Tei was to dip a big litmus paper to check the lake’s pH level. There was no paper when he raised his hand from the water, and the group was entertained. Some people were just going through the motions of listening. Mia and Athena were having fun taking pictures, and I joined them as well. Before trekking back to the bus, the students needed to count their number of steps given a certain rope length, the purpose of which is vague to me (well, I was at the back of the pack, so I couldn’t totally hear what the guides were saying).
Back on the bus, Ma’am Annelle told me she already joined a trip that went in the same place, that’s why she isn’t coming with the group. She warned me that the second lake’s walking is way harder, and she was right. The guides had all the reasons to prohibit those from wearing slippers (but Portia went, anyway). One of the straps of the sandals of Ma’am Monix snapped, but she was innovative enough to continue; she used hair bands to hold things together.
The second lake was the highlight of the morning activity. The kids had water activities like tug of war, and of course, the classic basaan. I was with sort-of-trek-buddy Josh who wouldn’t want to get wet. I know I will be wet eventually, since it’s just way more fun if a teacher is “attacked” and I wouldn’t disappoint TKC on this, so I just delayed it as long as I could (playing pakipot). Jami acted as my shield, but he simply isn’t enough; he’s a little negligent of his tasks. And then they attacked, so I just let Mia and Zarra document the moment. Oh, Justine had a really fun “wet look” moment as well.
The kids were to travel the middle of the lake riding a wider bamboo raft, and they were divided in groups given the raft’s capacity and the availability of life vests. I was under the impression, from observing the previous groups, that there was an environmental lecture while the raft was moving slowly. I thought it was perfect scenario, romantic even. Well, the kids just waded in the first part, and were asked to dip while holding on the raft while going back. Mia, Zarra, Aveline, and Ianne didn’t do the second part.
Going back to the bus was harder. I was able to clean myself in the water, and the mud simply returned after. The sandal straps of Ma’am Monix were completely destroyed this time. Trekking, I learned, entails the mastery of momentum. There were times that I almost slipped because of, well, the mud. I was chatting with one of the guides, and he verified that Mojo was the best brand of choice; in fact, the Lakbay Kalikasan people all have Mojo sandals since they were sponsored (well he could have said that Mojo is the best since they were sponsored by the brand, but I believe that they wanted to be sponsored because they think it’s a durable brand). I thought the guide were leading us to a place where we can wash our share of mud, so Josh and I became a bit excited, only to find out we were led to the bus. We felt more dugyot. I suppose we – Ma’am Monix, Aaron, Josh, and I – delayed the whole itinerary since we were the last ones to reach the bus. Haha.
The kids were wet and hungry, so that made the trip to the resort longer. Once there, I attempted to wash myself, but the first faucet I used was a weak water source. So I ate lunch all dirty. The kids were seated in round tables, and the teachers were in a nearby separate place. Some kids started changing clothes, and soon the program started, so I wasn’t able to change, but at least after eating, I was able to spot a strong faucet, so at least I have lesser mud. There were spontaneous dance numbers, and David and Brandon’s band performed as well. I was seated with Portia, Elysse, Ianne, and Josh. Elysse was armed with corny jokes, so I had to rebutt every time. Perhaps the highlight of the afternoon is the raffle. If a person is not in the hall when s/he is called, the prize is forfeited. That made people leave less, I guess. Three TKC students won: Arvin had a Rubik’s cube, JP got a flash drive, and the biggest winner is David, who won for himself a brand-new Nokia XpressMusic phone.
There were group dynamics per class after the raffle. As Camia were doing the first task, I decided to change: gray cargo shorts and my favorite black Pisay shirt, plus black slippers. Oddly, nobody took notice of the long scar on my right leg, which was contrary to what I expected. Select students of TKC were tasked to transport a rod to the ground by passing it through fingers in rows. This needed precision, and it took them some time before they got the rhythm. I got myself busy by taking pictures.
The second activity was easier. A person should sit on a plank, and he needs to be wheeled – well, piped – a certain distance using pipes. Choosing JP to sit was no-brainer, and TKC fairly did well considering unflat surfaces. The third game required people to dip in the pool to fish out stones with specific letters (was it PSHS?). I became an instant baggage counter, holding people’s phones, watches, and other should-not-be-wet items. TKC weren’t as fast in this one, and also in the last activity. Eight people were to sit like ducks, and move like worms, and their chain shouldn’t be broken. This is hard, since their cadence never existed. After 10 years and dozens of pauses, they finally reached the endpoint. Hoorah!
The other sections were eating merienda already, so instead of lining up individually, I simply asked for food for everyone. There were a lot: doughnuts, mamons, plus junk foods. Strangely, I had to return most of the items I procured, and the parent in the counter were surprised of my act. While we were eating, ambulant vendors were selling random stuff. One was pushing her sales talk so much, she was unaware that I was not a student, so she ended up puzzled. Before riding the bus again, I tried to collect TKC for a class picture, to no avail. We just chatted while standing, until it was time to go home.
People were a bit tired already, so there’s less chaos going home. Which was a good thing, since the DVD of choice was School of Rock, starring the very talented Jack Black. I have never seen this film before even if I wanted to. I was able to watch a more recent film of his, The Pick of Destiny, which featured uber wacky songs. Watching School of Rock was such a delight, probably because of the hidden (?) rockstar in me, plus this qualifies as a teacher movie (well not in the normal way). There wasn’t a dull moment, and I particularly liked the scene where Jack Black was singing very simple Math questions to his students. Haha. Oh, the three students fetched somewhere earlier were dropped off in practically the same spot as before, and Marckie, Jethro, and Elysse were dropped off in Shell Mamplasan.
The buses made a last stopover in a gas station, a good number ate dinner already, some still couldn’t miss their caffeine shots, then we went for school. The guide was trading jokes and brain twisters to the willing audience. I was texting TKC regarding the class Christmas party on Wednesday. At last, we’re in Pisay.
I tried to wait until all TKC students were home before I go myself. I was getting a bit tired, so when everyone’s tucked already, I left school, rode a pedicab until Quezon Avenue, then rode a jeep towards Blumentritt. I needed to rest immediately, since I’m meeting Jasmin Hipons the next day, so straight to bed I went.
Camia was supposed to share Bus 4 with Jasmin (the advisers, in the most recent meeting, picked random numbers), which meant that Bus 4 = corny bus. Jasmin’s not part of ARCI, but I know some of them relatively well. Jasmin is MTP-heavy (arguably “MTP-heaviest”), with the likes of Elvis, Charm, Jed, Ren, and Iman, and some others have FC status with me. The Jasmin MTP boys alone contributed much “corniness” to my life, so I psyched myself to tolerate all the one-liners (from one-liner land) that will come about.
Apparently, the Camia-Jasmin pairing was not meant to happen. Instead of four buses, there were five, which should be good news, since the buses won’t be as cramped. However, this meant also that some sections will have to be divided and distributed. Fortunately, Camia wasn’t picked, probably because only 21 were going anyway. Dahlia wasn’t as lucky, for half of the class will ride in Bus 4 with Camia while the other half will ride another bus. Dahlia isn’t part of ARCI too, but like Jasmin, Dahlia is MTP-laden, with Kristina (MSK), Nathan (double N), Rain, Lordom, Lance (CTK), and Stephen (STPN) in the line-up, so I know them somehow. Apparently, Jasmin and Dahlia math enthusiasts comprise half of the MTP 2 roster.
Oh, a little trivia. In the past years, I was assigned to be in the same bus as Jasmin 07 and Jasmin 08, and of course Jasmin Hipons 09 was my advisory class, so I rode with them as well. If the original Camia-Jasmin 2010 pairing pushed through, haha, it seems I’m destined to be with the Jasmin class in the field trip of any batch.
The batch was supposed to assemble by 5:15, and leave the school by 5:45 AM. Some students are exchanging gifts since it’s the last school day of the year. TKC students even gave me their TKCTKC (Thy Kingdom Camia’s Terrific Kris-kringle for Christmas) gifts to me, meant for their “secret” recipients, even in the bus. Juan and I tried to teach the new “sexyback” moves (inspired by the dance steps we gathered while watching the Paskorus finals), but it’s just way hilarious. The teachers were briefed for the days activities, and off we went to Laguna.
I was with Ma’am Annelle, Sir Petri, and Ma’am Monix in the front rows of Bus 4. We were joined by three Lakbay guides: Kuya McCoy (the main guy), Kuya Gitchu, and Kuya Dave. This is the first outbound I’ve been which isn’t jam-packed: the aisle seats were almost empty. Ma’am Monix lent a DVD copy of some movie about a swordsman and a princess (I forgot the title). Oh, this is also the first outbound wherein the Lakbay Kalikasan guides didn’t do much environmental talking in front. I was actually surprised that they were the ones who asked who among us brought DVDs instead of giving lectures. This were for the better in my opinion; in general, students do not like straight classroom-like stuff, especially if they already know the topics discussed.
The buses made the first stopover in Petron, and the kids ate breakfast and made kulit (of course). Most were in McDo or Petron Treats, and some just couldn’t resist Starbucks. Bus 4 had to make a second stopover, this time to fetch three students somewhere in the Laguna highway. Apparently, the Lakbay guide who was instructed fell asleep, so he wasn’t able to relay the instructions to the bus driver and therefore, we failed to stop at the specific area. The bus halted for a time as the Lakbay guides fetched two Dahlia students and one from Adelfa (Jil). Three sections represented in one bus.
The field trip was billed “Seven Lakes,” but in real life, only five can be visited. But since the Outbound also serves as the batch Christmas Party in the afternoon, there will even be less lakes. The first lake required some hiking before being reached, which was harder, since there’s light rain pouring. Which meant a more muddy trekking experience. Good thing I decided to wear my reliable Mojo sandals (instead of rubber shoes) which I bought when I was in first year college (apparently, Mojo is a brand and not a common name). They take less time to clean, and I actually don’t have a pair of rubber shoes. I’m not really an outdoor person, but I enjoyed the long walk. The students and teachers were asked to “traverse” the lake on narrow bamboo rafts, which required balance. John Paul volunteered on something which required measuring the depth of the lake on the raft. Surprisingly, it was quite deep considering its nearness to the shore; the rope’s length was probably more than double JP’s height. Afterwards, Tei was to dip a big litmus paper to check the lake’s pH level. There was no paper when he raised his hand from the water, and the group was entertained. Some people were just going through the motions of listening. Mia and Athena were having fun taking pictures, and I joined them as well. Before trekking back to the bus, the students needed to count their number of steps given a certain rope length, the purpose of which is vague to me (well, I was at the back of the pack, so I couldn’t totally hear what the guides were saying).
Back on the bus, Ma’am Annelle told me she already joined a trip that went in the same place, that’s why she isn’t coming with the group. She warned me that the second lake’s walking is way harder, and she was right. The guides had all the reasons to prohibit those from wearing slippers (but Portia went, anyway). One of the straps of the sandals of Ma’am Monix snapped, but she was innovative enough to continue; she used hair bands to hold things together.
The second lake was the highlight of the morning activity. The kids had water activities like tug of war, and of course, the classic basaan. I was with sort-of-trek-buddy Josh who wouldn’t want to get wet. I know I will be wet eventually, since it’s just way more fun if a teacher is “attacked” and I wouldn’t disappoint TKC on this, so I just delayed it as long as I could (playing pakipot). Jami acted as my shield, but he simply isn’t enough; he’s a little negligent of his tasks. And then they attacked, so I just let Mia and Zarra document the moment. Oh, Justine had a really fun “wet look” moment as well.
The kids were to travel the middle of the lake riding a wider bamboo raft, and they were divided in groups given the raft’s capacity and the availability of life vests. I was under the impression, from observing the previous groups, that there was an environmental lecture while the raft was moving slowly. I thought it was perfect scenario, romantic even. Well, the kids just waded in the first part, and were asked to dip while holding on the raft while going back. Mia, Zarra, Aveline, and Ianne didn’t do the second part.
Going back to the bus was harder. I was able to clean myself in the water, and the mud simply returned after. The sandal straps of Ma’am Monix were completely destroyed this time. Trekking, I learned, entails the mastery of momentum. There were times that I almost slipped because of, well, the mud. I was chatting with one of the guides, and he verified that Mojo was the best brand of choice; in fact, the Lakbay Kalikasan people all have Mojo sandals since they were sponsored (well he could have said that Mojo is the best since they were sponsored by the brand, but I believe that they wanted to be sponsored because they think it’s a durable brand). I thought the guide were leading us to a place where we can wash our share of mud, so Josh and I became a bit excited, only to find out we were led to the bus. We felt more dugyot. I suppose we – Ma’am Monix, Aaron, Josh, and I – delayed the whole itinerary since we were the last ones to reach the bus. Haha.
The kids were wet and hungry, so that made the trip to the resort longer. Once there, I attempted to wash myself, but the first faucet I used was a weak water source. So I ate lunch all dirty. The kids were seated in round tables, and the teachers were in a nearby separate place. Some kids started changing clothes, and soon the program started, so I wasn’t able to change, but at least after eating, I was able to spot a strong faucet, so at least I have lesser mud. There were spontaneous dance numbers, and David and Brandon’s band performed as well. I was seated with Portia, Elysse, Ianne, and Josh. Elysse was armed with corny jokes, so I had to rebutt every time. Perhaps the highlight of the afternoon is the raffle. If a person is not in the hall when s/he is called, the prize is forfeited. That made people leave less, I guess. Three TKC students won: Arvin had a Rubik’s cube, JP got a flash drive, and the biggest winner is David, who won for himself a brand-new Nokia XpressMusic phone.
There were group dynamics per class after the raffle. As Camia were doing the first task, I decided to change: gray cargo shorts and my favorite black Pisay shirt, plus black slippers. Oddly, nobody took notice of the long scar on my right leg, which was contrary to what I expected. Select students of TKC were tasked to transport a rod to the ground by passing it through fingers in rows. This needed precision, and it took them some time before they got the rhythm. I got myself busy by taking pictures.
The second activity was easier. A person should sit on a plank, and he needs to be wheeled – well, piped – a certain distance using pipes. Choosing JP to sit was no-brainer, and TKC fairly did well considering unflat surfaces. The third game required people to dip in the pool to fish out stones with specific letters (was it PSHS?). I became an instant baggage counter, holding people’s phones, watches, and other should-not-be-wet items. TKC weren’t as fast in this one, and also in the last activity. Eight people were to sit like ducks, and move like worms, and their chain shouldn’t be broken. This is hard, since their cadence never existed. After 10 years and dozens of pauses, they finally reached the endpoint. Hoorah!
The other sections were eating merienda already, so instead of lining up individually, I simply asked for food for everyone. There were a lot: doughnuts, mamons, plus junk foods. Strangely, I had to return most of the items I procured, and the parent in the counter were surprised of my act. While we were eating, ambulant vendors were selling random stuff. One was pushing her sales talk so much, she was unaware that I was not a student, so she ended up puzzled. Before riding the bus again, I tried to collect TKC for a class picture, to no avail. We just chatted while standing, until it was time to go home.
People were a bit tired already, so there’s less chaos going home. Which was a good thing, since the DVD of choice was School of Rock, starring the very talented Jack Black. I have never seen this film before even if I wanted to. I was able to watch a more recent film of his, The Pick of Destiny, which featured uber wacky songs. Watching School of Rock was such a delight, probably because of the hidden (?) rockstar in me, plus this qualifies as a teacher movie (well not in the normal way). There wasn’t a dull moment, and I particularly liked the scene where Jack Black was singing very simple Math questions to his students. Haha. Oh, the three students fetched somewhere earlier were dropped off in practically the same spot as before, and Marckie, Jethro, and Elysse were dropped off in Shell Mamplasan.
The buses made a last stopover in a gas station, a good number ate dinner already, some still couldn’t miss their caffeine shots, then we went for school. The guide was trading jokes and brain twisters to the willing audience. I was texting TKC regarding the class Christmas party on Wednesday. At last, we’re in Pisay.
I tried to wait until all TKC students were home before I go myself. I was getting a bit tired, so when everyone’s tucked already, I left school, rode a pedicab until Quezon Avenue, then rode a jeep towards Blumentritt. I needed to rest immediately, since I’m meeting Jasmin Hipons the next day, so straight to bed I went.
Labels: 2010 Outbound
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