I was supposed to write about our retreat last Sunday morning (and when I say morning, it’s early morning, as in 3am), but I was so tired and worn out. Yes, I did still manage to watch a French film from TV5 (that French channel on cable) but my fingers couldn’t seem to type the words out of my weary soul. I want the details fresh off my mind, but I wasn’t able to do that. So here I am now, three days after the high school retreat.

Let me begin.

DAY ONE

Things have been pretty normal, well, at least in the A____ way, during the retreat. I went to work a little later than usual because I didn’t have my first class, which was with my advisory section, Fourth Year. I went with all my things with me, luggage (is luggage appropriate? I didn’t even bring that much) and all. My students from the other year levels greeted me, telling me that I should bring them some ‘pasalubong’ from Tagaytay. I told them that I’m going to bring them something - I am going to bring them soil straight from the soles of my shoes accumulated from Tagaytay… hehe. Tama na yang buko pie at espasol na yan. Lupa na lang.hehe..

Our head, was asking us to buy some candies and some masking tape from the N____ market. It was okay, but the conditions of the school were quite demanding. Dear old president has decided not to bring the school bus along with us. Which means that we have to go to the market, with our bags and the students’ letters in tow, plus, not to mention, some students who have just come from the journalism contest from Rizal are also going to come with us with their baggage along. Hoo-wee… What a great way to start the day… Good thing that Ms. E____, the elementary teacher, pleaded the president that we do need someone to drive us to Freedom Park, since we have a lot of things to bring. Just imagine three teachers, with bags and kids with their own bags in tow. Wah…

When we arrived at Freedom Park, the kids were already inside the bus. The earlier assigned seats in another bus were disregarded by the others, especially by some of my favorite (AHEM - sarcasm) students. The other adviser was really mad, he was shouting and he was really in the verge of cursing because it was all too much. Fortunately, I was able to keep my cool and talk them out of the bus and into the other one. The problem is, we were able to get into the bus, we didn’t have seat to sit on. The students were already seated, and when the bus moved, the two of us were still standing. Good grief. Talk about helping others. The other adviser shouted that the students should give us a seat (for the love of god!) and thankfully, they did.  Problems arose when we were already on the way to Tagaytay - one of my students’ mother followed our bus just to give a bag filled with two 2-gallon bottles of mineral water. Students guessed before that the bag included panties (nalimutan daw), but it’s just filled with two gallons of mineral water. hehe.

When we arrived in Tagaytay, Justin (one of my students) put out his video cam and videotaped his classmates (well, yes, including me) as they walked out of the bus. sigh.

After snacks, a short orientation was made. Their retreat master was this guy, probably only as young as I am, who’s quite… well, gay. I don’t really know if he’s gay, but my students have noticed it too. There was something about him which just seem too feminine.

Anyway, they had several activities, and by 8pm, they had an activity which required them to write a letter to God. This was the point wherein almost all of them bursted into tears as they have read their letters in front of everyone one by one. One of my students even cried for about 15 minutes or so… That activity really hit him that hard.

They weren’t able to finish reading their letters.

DAY TWO

Luckily, I was able to sleep during our first day in Tagaytay. During the teachers’ retreat in May (and god, how I hated that retreat!) I couldn’t sleep a wink. Perhaps it has registered in my system that I have been there before, that’s why it’s no big deal for me anymore if I stay there again.

The boys were the one who stayed in the dorm we have stayed in during the teachers’ retreat. The girls stayed with Ms. E____ and I. I had to shout often, especially with the grade six because they were so noisy. Come next day, the president, who stayed in the same floor as we did, delivered his litany of complaints for us. He has been complaining about the girls making too much noise and yadda, yadda. Heck. Why couldn’t he try telling on those girls himself?

The first activity during the morning was all about writing a letter to oneself, and the students have to read those letters in small groups. We, the advisers, have to join the groups, together with the retreat master, Brother Joseph. A lot of students cried because of this activity again. They made me write a letter for myself again (the students talked me into it for participation) and they told me to be touched by what I wrote (therefore it will lead me into tears) but I wasn’t.hehe.

During the middle of the day, we had to sort tons of letters for our students. God, that was really the most dreadful thing to do for the day. Just imagine us sorting hundreds of letters from different students from each section as well as for other year levels and putting them into their small brown envelopes. Ugh. It was really annoying that I nearly cried because of being tired and annoyed. I was telling the other adviser that I wanted to give up sorting (for the love of god!) but he was still grouping letters for their proper owners. During the retreat, I was able to know what a postman feels like, having letters sorted but none of them being meant for you… well, I did get some letters, about less than ten, that is. But the students… they had too many letters and we had to sort them all… Arrgh…

GOODNESS GRACIOUS.

(Continued in the next post)