This adventure has awaken my senses. Urgency, alertness and sharpness are some of the things I have come to know in this trip. "Paddle hard-paddle hard-paddle H-A-R-D!!!" Oh, you, wild water adventurers can truly relate! Sorry if I purposefully OP some of you. hahaha! *i know, the grammar sucks!* Itch the tot that counts. haha!
The whole Davao trip was like an Ateneo version of immersion. I got immersed in serenity. Serenity + adventure? Can they co-exist? Yes, dear, they can.
How do I describe a touching kindness and warmth we received from the Casa Ruby caretakers? They greeted us back with a smile each time we would encounter each other. They helped us prepare our food on our flight back to Manila. They took care of our things.
In the midst of a busy crowd, I felt safe. I could have my version of walk-in-the-park under a dimly lit moonlight in Davao's busy streets. A patrol car was just along the street. haha! I also found serenity in the smaller version of jeepneys I saw there. The silent contentment I felt among the people of Davao whom I saw was too strong not to be noticed. It was far from the agony, impatience and aggressiveness of most of the people in Manila. *I'm sorry, I'm being judgmental! Please don't quote me on this.* In Manila, people always seem to be in a hurry. Have your walk-in-the-park and you'd end up losing your valuables. I'd like to say Davao is a progressive city that sits in tranquility. I also noticed that the salesladies and cashiers exude charm and simplicity that attract trust and a sense of security from customers. Maybe it's just me. I was used to seeing fully-made-up grocery stores staff everywhere in Manila. *Again, please don't quote me on this.* Overall, I felt that the essence of Davao is safety and security. There, I found serenity.
A-D-V-E-N-T-U-R-E! It's the other side of Davao. Wild water rafters, anyone? I've had so much FUN! It was so much FUN going into the rapids not knowing what to expect. Would our boat turn upside down? Would the current overpower us? "Easy forward!" "Paddle Hard." "Back Right." "Back Left." "HIGH FIVE!" All these commands from our river guide moved us to alertness. If one of us in the team didn't outright follow (due to the overwhelming currents), he'd call the person's name and he'd remind in a teasing way. "Khrissie, we're a team here," he'd remind her. To which, Alia, the joker, remarked, "We have a passenger here." Hahaha! That cracked all of us! Even, Khrissie, herself, laughed so hard. Hahahaha! How about me? I was the only person confused whether to back paddle or to go forward with "Back Right" and "Back Left" commands. "Mitchie, back paddle, back paddle..." Hahahaha! In summary, the adventure exceeded our expectations. It was more than we desired. 'Twas one One Joyful Ride with my loved ones minus our yayas, though.
Tmalen, Khrissie and Alia are the only ones who could relate to this! HAhaha!
Serenity and adventure are what I want in life. A good balance of this would be the ingredient that would make me not forget this journey I'm with.
"Take me to the depths of darkness. But give me hope that a light is waiting for me...Then, I shall find my peace."
