Friends, Romans, Countrymen...

Just when you thought life couldn't get any better, God throws you into a whirlpool of new ideas and uncertainty.  I think it's His way of saying, "You aint seen nuthin yet!"

A couple of weeks ago, I graduated, along with 36 others, from a two-week seminar for Regional Tour Guide Accreditation.  This was arranged by the Department of Tourism Region 10 (DOTR10) Office and we were rated by DOT officials and tour operators from Manila. To qualify for the seminar, all applicants had had to undergo screening and interviews, and then, those who were chosen had to pay a fee of P3,000.  The seminar literally took 14 days, taking even our Saturdays and one Sunday.  We were warned that if we were absent for more than eight hours, our accreditation certificate would be forfeited.  I was scheduled to have a road trip tour to Surigao del Norte that week the seminar started but due to some Divine Intervention, it was canceled and I was able to attend every day of the coveted class. 

Maybe it was because we were thrown together for such a short period of time or maybe it was because we all had to undergo extreme stress from Day 1, our class had formed a bond of friendship that is difficult to let go of or to forget.  Where can you find a group as diverse in occupation (teachers, chefs, students, entertainers, colorum tour guides, river guides, mothers, business people, and, of course, the unemployed) or as far apart in age (18-40) as ours?  In my opinion, ours was a picture of the individual AMUMA (caregiver, nurturist): 

Ness (smart classy, gikawat ang niyog para pang-display) - Alvin (cariñoso pero nag-vertigo) - Gina (nag-emcee impromptu) - Gen (ms. city tourism) - Spy (the silent owner of Bugsay) - Gabby (so much love, so much drama) - Shay (the born storyteller) - Mayen (camera ready, pero absent palagi) - Sittie (has hidden talent) - Rye (chef napabayaan sa kusina) - Mae (this is Liceo and Rodelsa Hall and... should I stop talking na?) - Rhandi (chose Region 10 over El Nido, nakaka-touch) - Ying (sa sobrang stress nagpakalbo!) - Cy (pwede na mag-guide sa Gingoog) - Cocoy (smiling guide) - Great (another great storyteller) - Vonette (ms. city knows all) - Nap (loves XU) - Anne (unsuspecting valedictorian!!!) - Binggoy (hidden talent din basta may beer) - Ren-Ren (Junjun?) - Golda (the businesswoman) - April (pirmi bang first?) - Rob (the entertainer) - Karen (the photographer) - Weng (the expert first aid kit) - Emie (best in interior design) - Daley (youngest/crush ni...) - Shiegz (always a word in edgewize) - Carmz (ms. energizer bunny) - Jan (proudly Red Rafts) - Eper (teaches computer tourism) - Ian (ian ang guide) - Apple (mestiza gwapa) - Pren (proudly Liceo) - Eman (the cowboy-man) - Mitch (you can find her at Lasang) - Aidz (a natural guidener) - Kumar (3-star presentation)

Even today, two weeks and a few days having gone by, there is still that tie that holds us together.  It's that tie that gets us texting each other, chatting with each other, asking each other...  MAY UPDATE NA BA?

Go, Go, Go, AMUMA!