Off to Barangay Luz!

Today was righteous.

I apologize for my poor transitions and the like; the internet is so unpredictable (except during internet parties) and seeing as it's so late at night/early in the morning and I'm next to a sleeping Chan, I have to keep it short.

After a speed-eating session, we picked up the students for an informative trip to Barangay Luz, a model Barangay that has partnered with Ayala (essentially a big company that owns a lot of land...again, I apologize for my brief explanations). While there, the students learned a lot, listened a lot, and most importantly...held worms! Mmmm sarap! :-)

The man who spoke to us was, I believe, the secretary of Barangay Luz. He was so passionate and proud of his community, and seemed really eager to inform the students. The students also got to see the products made by the people of Barangay Luz, and receive a more in-depth education of vermiculture. Vermiculture is a process by which worms and compost are used for the purpose of recycling. The worms get to eat, the products get to be recycled, and the people of Barangay Luz have a cleaner community and economic success with the program. What's not to love?

As a side note, the recycled products from Barangay Luz are of incredible style and quality. I personally wanted to buy them all. But I'd have to ask mommy Diana for money first!

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We left in the bus from Barangay Luz to drop off the U.P. students at rehearsal. Riding the bus is always a top opportunity to grow closer to one's mentees, as well as the students in general. They're intellectuals, they're captivating, and they're wise beyond their years.

And, they really are teenagers.


They giggle and tease, sing, TEXT, and sometimes forget to live in the moment because they're looking ahead into their futures. Looking around at them, I just have to take a step back and, cheesy as it sounds, smile. They possess a certain glow of freedom, endless potential, and innocence that is unique to people of their age group.

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As we sadly let the U.P. students go off to rehearse, we happily took the Sci High students to the next activity of the day.



The Waste Management team did a great job (thumbs-up, team!) leading the groups of Sci High students, challenging them to apply the 5-step process to what they had learned earlier today. The students also did a great job of responding for their first year of SEALNet. I have no doubt that next year, or even now, they'll be just as strong as the U.P. students at the workshops.



Today was also exciting at the hotel, for multiple reasons. The kidnapping situation in Manila occurred today, and we're all hoping that Domily gets to stay with us. Luckily, we were able to take our minds off of the news during debrief when, thanks to the feedback our PL's asked for today (and Darwin), we were all focused on improving on what we're already doing with the students. But of course, another way to take your mind of bad news is laughter, and we were provided that during 'spotlight on', when Kenneth was, for lack of a better word, Kenneth.

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Debrief was brief today, and we all went to our group headquarters (why yes, it does sound more intense than it actually is) to work on our plans. Outreach never ceases to amaze me. Staying up until around 3 AM for almost three nights is crazy! Although we may scare some people a bit with our ravenous appetite for exceptional activity books, I think we can handle our timeline and still have quality time with our mentees. The other groups are also well organized. The Leadership group is really spirited, and their workshops are going to be loads of fun. Waste Management is doing a fair job getting acclimated, as they are a new group.



All in all, today has been just another day in SEALNet: Challenging in a good way, and irreplaceable. As I told Diana and Kelly, I didn't know exactly what to expect when I came to the Philippines for this trip. But I think I can safely say that all of us got, if not what we expected, something better. SEALNet isn't just another thing to say you did, or put on an application. It's a life-long, valuable experience for mentee and mentor alike.