The Journey (CMLI)

It all started in the grounds of LLCI, one early two-thirty in the morning. Everybody met there. Ms. Sunit and Mrs. Colon, the teacher-advisers; the seniors: Earl Marvin Benigay, Emmylou Abiera, Dolly Valerie Bertulfo, Shiela Fe Casera, Rafael Canora, Michelle Grace Custodio and Kyra Cerillo and the juniors: Sneh Krishna Anora, Christerine Capocao, Dennis Penaflor, Ingrid Dianne Bernil, Hannah Ticzon, Cherry Mae Alito, Samantha Alexa Lagcao, Cindy Rose Diabordo and Christia Jane Buba. Everybody was excited, that much was obvious. We were all ready to face whatever challenge that awaits us in Baguio.

The trip to Baguio was tiring, but not a bore. If the group got tired of talking, we go to sleep. And if Baguio is still not in sight when we wake up, we either continue talking or indulge ourselves with the beautiful greenery outside. When we finally arrived, night and rain greeted us, along with the chilly atmosphere that had everybody's teeth rattling in immense coldness. We went straight to the Teacher's Camp to leave our luggage, had ourselves registered and then went off to SM Baguio for dinner and some groceries. It was getting a little late and we still had a major Baguio-exploring to do first thing in the morning so we cut our SM trip short and returned to camp for an all night's rest.

Our first morning in Baguio was the best. Our first stop was the Baguio Cathedral where we attended the mass and had a little pictorial. Then, we had breakfast and rowed in the lake of Burnham Park. After that, we went to the Philippine Military Academy. Ms. Sunit and Mrs. Colon were hoping that we could meet some LLCI alumni there. Shiela and Sneh were desperate to get their pictures taken with some of the cadets. The rest just joked that their shots would be worth publishing in a magazine. However, not all of our hopes had been met. Shiela and Sneh hadn't had any close-up shot with any of the cadets and we had not come across any alumni. But, all's well than end's well. Our shots together were very good anyway.

After the visit in PMA, we went to Wright Park and rode some horses. Everyone was engrossed. Next in our line was the mansion. It was where we bought key chains for the pasalubong. Our last stop is Minesview. Half of the group was already hungry so we hastened all the pictorial and shopping to get ourselves lunch. We went back to the camp to face our real purpose of our coming to Baguio: CMLI. Our five days of CMLI was too big to fit the word fun. Neither could it fit this whole page. But there are, however, two words that we had picked up for this journey.

Responsibility and goofiness. Responsibility refers to everything we learned from CMLI, from the battling apathy and lack of discipline, up to the initiatives of leadership and for the commitment in upholding our morals and duties as youth. CMLI speaks of the greatness that was entrusted upon us by Dr. Jose Rizal himself. It speaks of our deteriorating society and our obligation to make our country a better place for the next generation to live in. It wanted to instill us the value that we have to develop for our parents, for our society and for our future.

Goofiness, on the other hand. refers to everything we learned apart from the scope of CMLI. It refers to the friendship not just with other youngsters but also among our co-LIDEAN spent on late-afternoon wrestling sessions, late-night ghost stories, and with exchange of silly talks in the mess hall. Goofiness may also speak about the 'kilig' moments for our com-mates. It could also be the fun we had in carrying our things during the workshops; or our frequent shopping sprees at the teacher's camp souvenir stalls. Either way, we were all glad to have responsibility and goofiness in our journey.

Unbelievable it may be, our last night in Baguio was spent with a tropical storm. But no one freaked out. In fact, we still managed to laugh amidst the misfortune. But kidding aside, we prayed for the safety of our trip back home. And thank God we arrived as sound as we departed. Everybody was exhausted. Some of us were sick. But we were all happy and grateful. Our stay in Baguio may have lasted for barely a week, but the memories and lessons we got would be forever etched in our minds in the journey that was CMLI.