The Best Fieldtrip to Iao
This is my second time going to Iao (short for Siargao). And at this time, with my high school classmates. It has been 15 years that we haven't seen each other and I could still feel the youthfulness of these 5 travel buddies/high school classmates (just like before).
This blog is different since I'll be describing the people who were with me in my Siargao escapade. We came from different disciplines, different areas of practice and much more varied personalities. And if we will be together, everything will turn to be a fun, hilarious, and humbling experience.
Let's start with June Joyce. She's the most reserved and quiet in the group. She is very professional and organized. Basically, the nurse in the group. She brings the first aid kit and packs a bag full of clothes to keep herself comfortable. In other words, packing her own bath towel keeps her all set (very OC).
I am also with Sharra. Sharra is the sexiest in the group. She rewally prepared for Siargao. Flaunted her bikinis & oversized linen pants topped with cup A (only) bra, she's the beach bum in the group. Her boisterous laugh keeps the vibrancy when annoying times set in. But mind you, she is a keeper.
I have been traveling to different places with Kuya Dominic before I worked abroad. This trip has been our "catching up" after 3 years since he also needs to study abroad. We call him KUYA (or older brother) because of his very chill and brotherly persona. He's the YES man of the group. At all costs, he will be up for anything and everything under the sun. Simply, computing the estimated time of arrival with the presumed velocity of the bus- he is an instant human calculator!
There's this very late but never absent Marlou, who came to the trip justifiably one day late. We lost contact with Marlou for like 10 years. Seeing him in Iao is somehow rejoicing since we want to hear stories from his life. This guy's life journey is very interesting, whether about career, love life, preferences and the like. Significantly, the most open- minded person i have ever met.
The last but not the least, Isel- our manila girl, not your typical ordinary girl. Hypothetically, the best person in the group. She's exuberant and hilariously restless from personality, to aura to floral- laden bikinis. She keeps the group lively even at bedtime. She even swung the coconut tree and caused her face to slapped on the water surface. And tried again and experienced the same outcome. A show of courage in never giving up over life's challenges. Truly, the one of the best people in my life.
My trip to Iao was perhaps the best field trip I had in my life. Seeing again my high school classmates after 15 years brings me back the bests in life- the time where our problems are only solving Calculus equations, identifying the cells in Zoology and doing Applied Physics computation for the rotating merry- go- round (Yes, getting the right answers to these are the best things before).
And even it took us a long time to reunite, still we had the same treatment we had with each other but at this time, with added sense of maturity and professionalism.
No more dramas, no more comparisons, and no immaturity. Laughing to our good- old- recycled- high school jokes is still funny even after so many years.
The trip to Iao was really defining and memorable. Taking surfing selfies, catching up, and doing life updates- we really didn't waste any single moment.
My life has been so dull until this trip happened. I was able to look again at what had happened to my life from a different perspective- in a point of view under coconut trees, with beer and sunset.
I learned to live and be human again.
I always thanked God that this had happened. I know it would be harder for us to rekindle (in the future) because of our hectic schedules, but I will always relive the good memories we shared in Iao wherever, whenever, forever.