kbvalladolid

[kbvalladolid]

ℂ𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖 ℕ𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕆𝕦𝕥𝕡𝕦𝕥𝕤

Personal Narrative Essay

Autobiography

Biography

Reaction to a Personal Narrative

Reflection Essay

Memoir

Facial Recognition

Travelogue

Self-Obituary

[kbvalladolid]

𝐄𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬

When I was in my second year of high school, I had a group of friends and there were ten of us in the group. We were also classmates, so we were always together inside the school. In our group there were seven girls including me, two of our gay friends and one guy friend as well. Our group named ‘ulikba’ and we also don't know where it came from and why it was named that way or maybe we just forgot the reason behind it or we were just joking at those times. We are very close even though we came from different sections last school year. Each of us is not difficult to get along with because each of us is very approachable, and maybe because of that we became friends and formed a group that turned into a family. We treated each other like we were siblings but in a different mothers. I have a friend who is on the same street and our house is close to each other. And she is Niña, she was my closest friend in the group back then.

Niña and I are always go to school at the same time as well as when we go home since we are on the same street. Sometimes we are always at each other's house on weekends to do school works and sometimes we go out and go to the mall to hang out and eat somewhere. We also have known each other for a long time because we were also schoolmates when we were in elementary school and we had the same service but we only became classmates once and that was in our 8th grade. Our family has known each other since we have always been together as if we were twins. We have a lot of memories built and endless conversations that almost even when she goes to the comfort room she tells me or any small things, we always talk about it every day. Niña and I are not the only ones who are always together, we also get to spend time with our other friends especially at school. Endless laughter and storytelling just happens in our lives but we always prioritize our studies because we have many dreams in life that we want to fulfill together in the future.

One day, because of Niña’s beauty, someone liked her in another section in the other building. The guy always passes by the building where we are located and he always has someone with him. Because Niña and I were always together, the guy's friend also noticed me and later liked me too. At first, Niña and I didn't care about them, we always ignored them as if they were just ghosts. But at the end of the day, we also liked them, not only because of their physical appearance but also because of the attitude they show towards us. We didn't tell this to our group of friends first because they might get mad at us and then at the guys.

Time passes by, Niña and I also told the truth to our friends and they weren't angry because where we were happy, they said they would support us. It didn't take long, we got along better with the guys at school or even on the way home than with our group of friends. It became rare for us to be together because Niña and I preferred to be with guys who liked us. We usually go to the music studio because they play instruments like guitar and drums. We had fun together for a few days and we don't realize that our other friends are upset because of what we are doing that we get along more with the guys we’ve only just met than with those we’ve known for a long a time. Our friends were angry and ignored us for a long time but Niña and I just ignored it because our pride at that time was high and we chose to follow our heart. We were blinded by love to the point that we forgot that we still had a group of friends to be with and talk to. We realized that late when the guys we used to be with, left us for superficial reasons. We both became a bit sad because even in a short time, we had and developed fun memories with them. To clarify those things, until courtship just happened and we didn’t answer them like we just fell in love but it didn’t go into relationships. But they were the ones who left us and stopped courting.

We didn't have anyone else to approach then because Niña and I were the only ones together because our group of friends was moving away from us because of what happened. We didn't mean it because we held on to what they said they would support us where we were happy but we were wrong. We were so confident that they would always be there and support us but we made a mistake and it went too far to the point that we forgot about them.

On a bright sunny day at school, it was our recess that time and we saw our group eating together sitting on a bench under a tree. Niña and I tried to approach them to talk and apologize for what happened but when we approached them, they suddenly walked away. We had no choice but to accept the consequences, and we just left instead of chasing them.

While we were on our way home, Niña and I talked deeply while walking and we shared our thoughts and opinions with each other — realizing the wrong actions we had done and we regretted it very much. So the next day we come to school and decided to talk to them personally, and they agreed. We sincerely apologized and then we talked about other things. Later on, they became fragile to us and accepted our apology. Niña and I were very happy at that time and we hugged in a group while the others got teary eyed. We miss each other so much because our argument lasts for a few weeks.

We realized that even if someone else comes into our lives, we should not forget those who came before and have always been there since day one — specifically our best friends. Whether those guys left us, our friends are still there and will never leave us through good times and bad times. I personally realized that we should know our limitations and must know our boundaries at that time and be open to each other’s issues that are not understood to be resolved right away. Niña and I were so grateful that we have a set of friends that until now still do not leave us even though we had parted ways in senior high school and we are in different schools.

[kbvalladolid]

𝓛𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓦𝓪𝔂 𝓽𝓸 𝓜𝔂𝓼𝓮𝓵𝓯

My full name is Kelly Biago Valladolid. My mother got my name in a book she was reading when I was still in her womb. I am 18th years old and born on May 8, 2003 at Pasay City and grew up in the city of Makati and currently resides in Cavite with my family. My parents’ names were Emily B. Valladolid and Romel N. Valladolid, they both come from Albay, Bicol but they are from different places — a bit far and a few hours away. I also have a younger brother and he is Rammiel B. Valladolid. Our age gap is 7 years, far from my age but still thankful because I have him. I had a happy childhood living with my parents along with my brother. For sixteen years, we lived in Makati City and there I grew up and learned life. When I was in kindergarten, my parents took me to Bicol to study while they returned to Makati to work. My grandparents were with me and took care of me during those times and a year later, I also went back to where my family was and continued my education there. I took my elementary education as well as my secondary education at East Rembo Elementary School and Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino High School which are both located in Makati City. But now, I’m currently studying at Gen. Pantaleon Garcia Senior High School which is located in Imus Cavite. I am currently in twelfth grade and taking a strand of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Throughout my stay in that place where I grew up, there I made friends and built unforgettable memories. I have learned a lot in my life especially when I stepped into my teenage years and it has been a guide for me to learn to stand up in my own and live without becoming dependent on other people. Aside from building memories, I also have many experiences that I have gone through in life and those experiences are the ones that have strengthened me. I went through a lot of ups and downs in life and because of that I also learned a lot of life lessons as well that I applied to myself.

When I stepped into high school, that’s when I started to have problems such as problems with school, family, love and also in myself — and that’s where I really experienced being sad. But despite all that, this high school life of mine is one that I will never really forget because during those times,even though my emotions were a roller coaster, it was more prevailed by happiness and I really cherished all the memories with my friends, classmates and other teachers.

After I graduated junior high school, we moved to Cavite and here we have lived and will live forever. This is where my parents got a house when I was only in grade 7, they really just waited for me to graduate before we left the city. It’s sad because we’re leaving the place where I grew up and made friends but at the same time, it’s happy because we have our own house and we won’t be renting anymore. We have been here for two years since we left Makati and after a few adjustments, we got used to it especially me. Here I studied senior high school and I also had friends and acquaintances here so it was fun too.

After I graduate from senior high school, I will also study in college here and I want to take a course in tourism because I want to be a flight attendant or pilot someday. But since we are not rich enough to study to be a pilot, I plan to be a flight attendant in a few years to save money and then I will study again and move into the pilot industry in the future. But because the tourism course is not applicable to my taken strand in the school I applied to in college, I just decided to take psychology since that is also the suggestion of my mother and our relatives. But I will still pursue my dream job even if I don’t get my preferred course.

I really want to be a flight attendant or pilot because my family and I love to travel and spend vacation in different places. Maybe that’s why I liked and dreamed of that kind of jobs because I want to travel around the world. Before, I didn’t really know what I wanted in life and what I would do with my life in the future. I was even scared then because it seemed like I was the only one who had no dreams in life, but because of the people I met and got along with and maybe because of the experiences I had in life — the idea of travelling came up in my mind since that’s what my family and I do ever since. I also hear from my friends about the job that they also like it, I wondered why can’t I pursue or dream what they also dreamed of. It takes time before I can really decide on that kind of job and until now, that’s still what I want and dream of in life that I want to achieve in the future.

In my family, since I am the eldest child, they expect so much from me as if I were their bread winner. And when I didn’t meet their expectations, they would scold me as if I hadn’t done anything right. I was in a toxic family and it is difficult, you always feel pressured and when you fail in a thing, you’ll think that everyone around you thinks you are a failure. That’s okay but I think I really see it as a pressure for me especially when someone is relying on me. But that never stopped me, instead, it motivates me. Despite all the hurtful words being uttered at me whenever they see something wrong with me, or in relation to school stuffs and all — I take it as an inspiration to work even harder and persevere in life so I can prove something to them when the day comes. Even though there have been times when my parents has been toxic, I still haven’t lost my love and care for them especially to my mother. Even though I have gained resentment in the past years because of their treatment to me, I still cannot forget their hardships and sacrifices to lift me up.

Growing up, life has never been easy for me. It has many surprises and challenges but we have no choice but to overcome them all. Be strategic and hard working in life to achieve all dreams because I believe that it will all pay off when we reach the chapter of our lives where all of our dreams are fulfilled. Keep chasing our dreams and we will get there too, just trust the process and always believe in ourselves that we can.

[kbvalladolid]

𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

Daddy, a daughter’s first love. A loving person who gave all his love, care, and even his surname to his family. He was tall and had a big belly as big as his generous heart. He has a pleasant smile and kind look that makes him look the most handsome of all. He is a very hardworking father for his family to survive and meet their daily needs. He has many strategies in life to get out of life’s hardships. He was a teacher of mankind and a preacher of kindness. He is also a chef by profession so he always cooks delicious dishes for his family with love so it tastes even better.

His name is Romel Valladolid and he was born on September 8, 1976 in Albay, Bicol. He was born into a very loving family of 9, his mother, father, and his 7 siblings. He was the eldest child of his parents. They lived in a poverty stuck part of the province but they were rich in love. They might have not had much money back then, but they were very wealthy in having friends and a loving family. He is a great individual because of his family and the way he was raised. He grew up in a province where life was simple with his family and in even small things they were happy. His family did not have a high income so things were rough. Even though their lives were difficult then, they are still able to get on with life now. And even though he never made college and only finished high school because of poverty, he became strategic in life and persevered to get a good job.

When he was still in high school, he had a strategy in life to have money every time he went to school. He tries everything he can to make money, such as selling small chips inside the school, selling papers and ball pen and so on. At an early age, he learned to work even while studying because he was no longer dependent on his parents then because of the hardships of life and because he also has many other siblings so sometimes his parents' income is less. He tried almost all jobs because when he was young he learned to live and be independent for him to live himself. And because of his difficulty and hardships just to get an education, he graduated from high school, where his parents highly valued his diligence and strategic approach to life. Besides graduating on his own, he also helped his next sibling graduate from high school as well.

Because of the real hardships of life, his parents could no longer support his college education, so he did not pursue it but just looked for a job to help his parents and siblings. He looked for a sideline job then and he was hired, until he could help his parents financially at a young age.

In the course of the working period at an early age and testing various rackets back then, he got his next two siblings to graduate from college. Until he decided to go to Manila thinking that there were bigger opportunities there so he didn't put it off any longer and he immediately left their place. He also immediately accepted and had a job there in a restaurant as a dishwasher and kitchen helper. Six years later, he switched jobs where he became a cook in a restaurant as well. He also took a long time working there and was promoted to work abroad. He went to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and worked as a chef in a big hotel and restaurant there. He also spent two years working there. When his contract there ended, he also returned to the Philippines where he had another job at a five star hotel as a chef as well in Ayala, Makati and he worked there for almost 13 years.

By being strategic and being hardworking in life, he helped his parents as well as all his siblings. And since his siblings finished their education, they also went to Manila to work as well and had their own family. Even though he did not go on to go to college because of the hardships in life, he still became successful in his life because of his diligence and strategy. And he became a good father to his children and became a good husband to his wife and lived a simple and happy life.

[kbvalladolid]

𝕷𝖎𝖋𝖊 𝖎𝖘 𝖀𝖓𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖈𝖙𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖊

Reading upon Khristia Oli’s personal narrative, I realized a lot in life while reading the text. One of my realizations is that always check on your loved ones even if it ends up in another house. A simple text or call would be appreciated by those loved ones who are far away from you because they will think that you remember them. 

Khristia started her personal narrative by describing what she was doing at that time in detail as well as their gray-tiled floor was mentioned. His brother-in-law and she were talking about their Ate Len who didn't go to duty and they were wondering because she wasn't the type of person who took an absent in work and they suddenly both decided to visit her sister at her house located in Jade Residences but there was no one in the house and they did not see Khristia's sister there. Until they called their sister's co-worker to ask if they could visit the apartment where their sister was because the co-worker was just nearby in that place. Khristia was so worried about her ate at those times while sitting and watching the movie, she couldn’t calm herself and still continuing praying silently.

As I read the following paragraphs I also felt sad with what I found out and what they also found out as her other sister answered a call and found out what happened to their older sister. I was also surprised when I found out how their older sister was leaning her back against the wall in the apartment alone. Khristia and the others in the house quickly left to go straight to the hospital where their older sister was admitted. Their older sister suffered a heart attack and makes me realize that even the young ones are still possible to have it. It was unexpected and very sudden, all they knew was that it was at work or that they had gone on other errands. 

We cannot control life so make the most of it and live happily with each day that comes. Appreciate it as if there is no tomorrow and as if it is the last. Life was full of surprises so we should really appreciate every day with our loved ones and enjoy life because we do not know what will happen in the next few days. We can’t predict everything so as long as it’s early, live the life you want and spent it with your loved ones or even with people special for you and be grateful for every moment. These are just a few of my realizations and learned from reading Khristia’s work and I’m happy because they overcame that and their older sister continues to recover.

[kbvalladolid]

𝕆𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕆𝕓𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕃𝕚𝕗𝕖

In life it is inevitable to get hurt or it is inevitable to have problems. Life is tough and we'll definitely go through a lot of life obstacles. They say that being hurt is part of someone's life which is true and I have already experienced it. In my eighteen years of existence, I have experienced being hurt several times by the men I once loved. And yes I entered into a relationship early, but it gave me a lot of life lessons for which I have been thankful so far.

I have had my first boyfriend back when I was in my 3rd year high school and it lasted a year and became my biggest heart break. Over the years, I thought when you enter into a relationship you will only experience pure joy and love, but I was wrong. We still can’t really escape being hurt and cry endlessly. Before I had a boyfriend, I had flings with other guys and ended up getting hurt and being left behind for superficial reasons including my boyfriend. He also left me and I had no choice but to accept it and just move forward in life.

Because I was always left alone by the people I loved, I came to the point where I doubted myself in everything, questioning my worth as well as my existence, asking myself why the world isn’t fair to me when the only thing I want is to be loved and just wanted to be happy, I also asking myself why I haven’t been good enough for someone, I always ask myself why I am the one who is always left behind and I don’t even know if there’s anything missing in me or if I should change just so the person can stay with me. I put so much effort into taking care and loving people and I've never felt loved. Why am I always the one to take care of people and never the one to be taken care of? Like I just want to feel loved and appreciated as well. And these are just a few of the experiences or realizations I have had when I have always been suffering in pain.

All these failed relationships only exacerbate my trust issues with everyone especially in men. It's hard for me to trust again because maybe when I trust, what happened to me will happen again and that's what I'm afraid of. I'm afraid to try again because of my past experiences before and what if I just lose myself again in the end? I will be the one who will be miserable and will only suffer. Being repeatedly hurt, also causes me a trauma and its crazy how trauma causes me to push people away when all I ever wanted is to be loved.

I always approach my friends and ask for advice that will help me ease my feelings whenever I'm dealing with a certain problem. I approach my friends and other mutual because no one will listen to me, 'cause when I approach my parents, they always judge me and say hurtful words to me. So I prefer to just keep quiet and cry silently in my dark room. I have had toxic parents since then so that was also one of my problems. I just usually ask myself why life is not fair to me, why other parents out there are close to their children and opening up their problems without judgment, while my parents just judge me every time I say something to them and they would only tell me that I am dramatic. It's funny how my parents notice that I’m in love but they don’t notice when I’m sad. I won’t go into too much detail because the focus of my reflection will change which should be just for me.

I know I’m young and still exploring in life knowing that I’m still going through a lot in life and it might be even harder. But we only live once so those experiences led me to be stronger and all those pain I experienced made me even stronger and because of that, I have learned a lot that it can definitely be applied and carried throughout my life. I didn't think I would be able to overcome such problems because at that time I was giving up and I didn't feel like I would be okay anymore. But I just prayed all the time and I asked Him for guidance and heal my heart so that I could recover immediately and move on with life. I fixed myself alone and I loved it even more because for the next person I will love, I am whole again and ready to commit. But for now, I will focus on myself first and just wait and trust God's time and plan for me because He is the only one who knows everything.

And to all the people who hurt me, I want to thank you all because I wouldn't be able to grow, learn and be strong if you all don’t come into my life. And for those everyone who are going through a traumatic experience, you should all know that all your feelings and experiences are valid. Always pray and trust the process. And lastly, these experiences have been the obstacle I have encountered but it is also the biggest lesson I have learned.

[kbvalladolid]

𝓦𝓪𝓵𝓴 𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓜𝓮𝓶𝓸𝓻𝔂 𝓛𝓪𝓷𝓮

When I was in my junior high school, specifically my grade 9 and 10 days. That was one of the most memorable things that happened and I will never forget in my whole life. We have been classmates for two years and have developed friendships and so many memories that we will carry with us throughout our lives. There were 43 of us in our class, but we had more girls than boys. We only had 14 boys and the rest of us were girls. In those two years, some left because they had to move school or maybe someone repeated, but that's okay because they're only one or two. During our two years of togetherness, apart from good memories, there were also disagreements and fights sometimes but we still managed it and fixed it immediately. We have been through a lot in the two years we have been together. There are also many tests and trials that come especially in our academic subjects but we are happy that we have achieved it and we have passed them all and moved up together or let's call it graduation.

On the first day of our class in grade 9, we hadn’t met since we had a different section before. But over time, we have become closer to each other because of group activities in the room where you can join or be with your classmates and share thoughts and ideas to come up with a great outcome. Maybe that's why each of us became close immediately. In those days, as a fourth-year high school student, it was really normal to have lots of activities and performances in every subject. They said, that being grade 9 is one of the most memorable moments and experiences because here begins the heavy work and many things to do. One of which we had stage playing competitions as well as dance competitions against other sections at our grade level. One of our stage performances competition was "Noli Me Tangere" in the Filipino subject and we also did a stage musical play in our English subject and it was "Phantom of the Opera". Also one of our performance competition was on the subject of MAPEH specifically in Physical Education, and we were assigned to perform a cotillion dance. Aside from the competitions, we also had non-competition performances in other subjects such as we had choir singing and speech choir with the whole class. Those are just some of my unforgettable performances we did in our grade 9 days. 

In those performances, of course it does not lose the presence of daily practice where here we generate good memories and life experiences. We practiced everywhere as long as there is a large space and we can all fit to perform. Apart from the homes of some of our classmates and inside the school, we usually practiced in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) because there is really a big space for us. And in addition to the tall buildings and establishments in that area, the BGC has a section or a part where most of all can practice or can even perform some outdoor activities. And this is where my classmates will follow the ‘Filipino Time’ more and not follow the call time where the wait takes longer than the practice. Despite the infrequent arguments, it still surpasses the laughing moments that occur whenever we practice in or out of school. It was fun back then, even though everyone often had arguments and misunderstandings, we still performed well and got high grades. And even though it took us a long night or a whole day to practice various performances, all our hard work and sacrifices still paid off because apart from winning and getting high grades, we were able to build good memories with them that we will cherish throughout our lives.

Aside from our unforgettable performances, we also have groupings regarding our specialization or Technical Vocational Education (TVE) where our subject is all about cooking (cookery). We are able have bonding and get together because of that since we cook different dishes or desserts and sometimes we even sell them to our schoolmates.

Until we were in grade 10 and that was our last year together before we parted ways. I also have many memories that I still can’t forget in those times. I can say that my classmates and our section have always been very solid. We also had class performances as well like stage and musical plays, dancing, singing and so on. We performed plays by Romeo and Juliet and Les Misérables. We also have dance performances such as cheer dance, festivals, Persian dances and more. I don’t remember the others very well. Just like what I said earlier about practice, that's what we do every time we have performances in grade 10 as well. And apart from those performances, we also experienced in our TVE subject where it was all about baking (Bread and Pastry Production). We were able to bake a variety of breads, cakes, cookies and more.

I have nothing else to say but my entire junior high school was a lot of fun. There I met friends and formed memories with them along with our teachers. Sometimes they call us the jungle of De Jesus because of the noises in our room (de jesus was our section back when I was in grade 10). Every time there is an event at school like teacher's day or even the birthdays of our subject teachers, we prepare a program in the room to surprise them and we also have snacks served to them. This was just one of my most memorable memories when I was in junior high school. I learned a lot of things and had fun during that time with my classmates and I will never forget that. I am so thankful because they were with me and they made my years the best and most memorable.

[kbvalladolid]

𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 ♥

An emotion that touches your heart — looking through her eyes tells a lot of stories and what totally she feels. I spent my four years of friendship with this person but she never failed to make me happy. She is Aleah Ritumalta, my best friend since 2016. 

Before, she didn’t show her emotions very much and she wasn’t that approachable person. As time goes by, I was not expecting her to glow up and she became more approachable and mature. By looking at her face you can easily guess that she is dominant in our friendship. She knows how to handle herself without the help of others and she can also control everyone but in a good way.

Way back in our junior high school days, it is the best year for me because I met her and we became friends. It was unexpected because I didn't think we would be as close as we are now. It was also unexpected for us to be friends because I immediately judged her based on her facial expression because she has a fierce face where she looks stunned. But all of that was just my first impression of her. Whenever we see each other just by looking into her eyes it will tell you that she has something to say or spill such as chika’s, sad moments, and or anything that just happened throughout her day. Aleah has short straight hair just like how straightforward she is. If someone’s hurt her feelings or ruined her day, those glamorous eyes and genuine smiles will turn into a glumness look. I am happy that she can now express her feelings without hesitating and it is a great pleasure to see her strength, weakness, happiest and saddest moments in her life.

[kbvalladolid]

𝔼𝕤𝕔𝕒𝕡𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕗𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕖: 𝔸 𝕥𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕚𝕟 ℙ𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕒

Back when I was in my junior high school, we had an educational tour provided by our mayor in our city — including the transportation and the places we were going to. All public schools in our city and all grade levels from kinder to grade 10 have a field trip that was also provided by her. All we will take is ourselves and the snacks that we will eat during the trip and extra money as well in case of an emergency. When we found out that everything was free and there was nothing else to spend, we were so happy and excited that it seemed like we had no problems thinking about the activities we would pass on in the next few days since the school year was about to end at that time. The day before our field trip, we went to school first because we still have classes and meetings about the destinations we are going to in the next day. After our class, my classmates and I decided to go to the nearby supermarket to buy our snacks and drinks that we would eat throughout the trip. We also made a contribution to buy other snacks that we could share with our other classmates on the bus.

I woke up early because our call time at school was 5:00 in the morning. I ate my breakfast first before taking a bath and grooming myself. Before I leave our house, I prepare the things that I will take with me for the whole trip. When I came out of our house, I was greeted by the cold and fog as if it were embracing me. A few minutes later, I got to school right away and waited for about half an hour because our bus was leaving at exactly 6:00 in the morning.

We started our trip with a prayer led by the tour guide who accompanied us on the bus. And he discussed which place we would go first because we had two destinations for the whole trip. We first went to Pampanga with some sections on other buses and the other sections had a different route where they were the ones going to Bulacan to avoid the places we were going to get crowded so that we could enjoy every place. I sat in the back of the bus next to my friend but eventually, I also moved seats when we were in the middle of the trip because there was still vacant seat on our bus that no one had sat on, We almost occupied the entire bus that we were just classmates together as well as with our adviser and along with the driver and the tour guide. While the other buses had two sections inside because only a few came. But because of the excitement of my classmates, almost all of us came because it was the first time we had a free field trip and that was also our last year at school before we parted ways in senior high school.

Starting from Makati, we knew that going to our destination would take a long time so the tourist guide entertained us so as not to get bored. He talked about the histories of different places and sometimes he made funny jokes so that our bus will not be enveloped in silence. While listening to him, we ate some chips and passed them on until they reached those sitting in the front so they could also eat if they wanted. A few hours later, we finally reached our first destination and it was the Sandbox in Porac Pampanga. It has a two-hectare adventure destination with a unique selection of facilities that provide a memorable outdoor experience for everyone.

Our tourist guide signaled us to get off the bus and from the parking lot, we walked a little and take some pictures before reaching the entrance. The first thing we saw was the big yellow letters and what was written there was the word ‘Sandbox’. We approached there immediately since we were the first in line before the entrance opened. We took a lot of pictures with all my classmates along with our adviser while the rest of us climbed up and stood on the word. After relentlessly taking pictures, we decided to split up with our different group of friends in class and try the different outdoor activities at Sandbox. My friends and I have lined up for the giant swing since that’s was the first thing that can be seen immediately after the big letters. Giant Swing is the country’s tallest swing and each swing can accommodate two persons at a time and rocks back and forth at 10 meters above the ground.

I was very nervous when we turned in line to sit on the swing with my friend. My other friends are also sitting on the next swing near us. As we were fitted with safety equipment, I couldn’t help but be nervous and pray because I didn’t know if I would be able to get down alive. My friend and I just laughed when she hear me praying and was very nervous, even though she was also shaking with nervousness. A few seconds later, the swing started to rise slowly and you can see the view of the whole place from above. Then suddenly as I admired the beautiful view, the swing suddenly fell and swung back and forth. I heard nothing but the two of us screaming and yelling at the people below to stop it. Eventually, it weakened and also stopped swinging. The staffs that were in charge there supported and helped us to remove the seat belt and when we got up, we were a bit dizzy but it also disappeared right away. While we waited for the rest of us to finish, we talked first about our experiences in trying the giant swing and took another photos for remembrance because it was the first time we had been to that place. The second outdoor activity that we tried there was the Avatar One, it is the Philippines’ first roller coaster zip line that provides an exciting ride for the thrill-seekers. You don’t just zip down the 180 meters course but you will zigzag along starting from 12 meters high. Many students are waiting there and waiting in line. We also quickly lined up to try out this unique zip line we would experience for the first time. Only one person at a time can ride the zip line so it takes a long time for other people to wait, including us.

After waiting for a long time, we are the next in line and I am the one who presented first so I could finish right away because I was thirsty and my tumbler was left on the bus. While I was wearing the safety gear that was attached to me, I couldn’t help but to get excited because it just seemed so easy unlike the giant swing that almost killed me. I started to hook and hang myself on the zip line and the staff that was in charge there pushed me so that I will slipped all the way to the end. It was fun and I wasn’t even nervous. I also got back quickly so the harness and helmet attached to me were immediately removed and will attach to the person who was next in line. I no longer waited for my friends to finish and immediately went to the parking lot to drink water on the bus. Our bus is open because the driver is inside waiting for us. I also went back right away to the park and just sat on the bench with the rest of my classmates. While my other friends and classmates are also trying out the other activities there such as Aerial Walk where there is a high rope adventure course of nets and rope paths and walkways. And also the Adventure Tower, where it was a 15 meters of wall climbing fun, rappelling, and free falling. These are the only ones that are open and we can try because the other activities there are water activities which are no longer included in the field trip package. Due to the high sunlight, I had no choice but to sit on the bench and wait for the time to pass — as my eyes wandered around the place and enjoying the moment with my other classmates who were also sitting on the bench near me.

Our scheduled time was about to end and we had to go back to the bus because the other buses from Bulacan had already arrived at the place where we were staying. We spent 3-4 hours in the Sandbox, so most of us were tired and hungry. But since we were already on the bus and ready to go to our final destination, we decided to eat our packed lunch to regain strength and to get our energy back. After we ate and rested, the others slept because we were still far from our destination where we were going to Nature’s Spring factory in Bulacan. Although it wasn’t the first time I went to that factory, because it was also one of the places I went to repeatedly whenever we had a field trip when I was in my grade school.

Time passed, we got to the factory and we were not dropped off at the bus first because our tour guide was still waiting for the signal from inside. While waiting, we were given inside the bus some single hair nets that we would wear throughout the tour inside the factory. Later on, we went down and lined up to enter to the entrance. First we entered was a cold room where there was a big screen and we watched about how they prepare their products and other stuffs related to what is being done in the factory. After we watched, we were ushered out of that room and wandered around the factory with our tour guide. It didn’t take long, so it ended right away and we went to a side of the factory where you could buy their products. After that, we just took another pictures and then decided to go back to the bus. We just rested, slept, and ate some snacks the whole trip until we got back to our school. After we got off the bus, we went straight inside the school to urinate before we went home.

While we were on our way home earlier, I was just looking out the window on the bus while listening to music with my earphones realizing that it was okay to escape and give yourself a break for a while, from school and from the stressful activities that needs to be done right away. In addition to what I realized, I also realized that this field trip was good because apart from giving us a break from our stressful minds — it also served as bonding with my classmates before we parted ways in life. We were happy that we were given the opportunity to experience and appreciate the place we had never been before. We also made memorable memories that I will cherish throughout my life with my classmates in junior high school, specifically my grade 10 family.

[kbvalladolid]

𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓥𝓮𝓻𝓰𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓛𝓲𝓯𝓮

This piece is all about my life, well specifically how I die. I did not quite remember what time or day it was, since I was too old to remember even the simplest things in life like where I put my toothbrush or my comb more importantly my spectacles.

I have lived quiet long, I can’t say this is what I want since I have no idea what I want at all, I spend all my life with my family, my precious loved ones and for this I am thankful. I have experienced almost everything this life could offer, the pain, the happiness, the enjoyment, contentment, sadness, and euphoria. Indeed life truly is something so magical even Shakespeare can’t put words into it.

Did I regret something I did? Absolutely not. All the decisions I made were based on my feelings, based on my point of view base on the idea of why it should be done. I was really living the moment, practically doing whatever I want too in life.

There’s a lot of people I am thankful for, my family who supported me from everything, my career path to my every decisions in life. Thank you for always being there when I need someone to lean on mom and dad. For my brother, who may be at times can be a jerk but his love and protectiveness for me overpowers it all.

To my friends who made my life more exciting and fun, I would never forget how you guys made me feel happy and free even just for a while. I will always remember how we laugh even at small and silly things, how coffee is our usually go to after a long day at work, I remember all of our road trips, how each one of them are quiets different nevertheless still beautiful.

To the people who have hated me, can I ask a question? Why do you guys hate me? Well I still won’t know the answer because I am here in my own safe space and bubble and you are in the other dimension of this parallel universe.

To the person who believes, supported and love me, wow I couldn’t thank you enough and thank you for always lifting my spirit up. When I’m in trouble and things go sideways you were always there. Thank you for coming and being in my life. You made me realize how great it is to be alive; you made me realize how happy I am to have this kind of life with you. You made me do things I never expected I’d be doing, your corny jokes that always makes me smile. I will always and forever be in awe with you cooking skills. I’m sorry that sometimes I may feel like what we have is not enough, I have realized now that what we have is enough. I will always miss your laugh, your smiles, and the way you always laugh when I’m mad because of something you’ve done. Thank you for letting me put make up on your face, even if it really annoys you. I will miss annoying you and bothering you for the rest of my life. You are my love, and forever I will always be grateful.

I guess my time there is enough and I hope I made you all feel the love and feeling I have for you. You made my life worth living. You made me realize it’s better to love than to not love at all. And I would like one final wish; I wish all the people around me would think of me like I was never gone. I will forever cherish the life I have spending lots of year, months, weeks, days, hours, minute and seconds with each one of you. Thank you and see you soon.