When this journey was announced to us, I was hesitant to join. I have never been away from my parents for such a long time. I thought that I was not prepared to face the real world and its challenges, but soon the truth dawned on me. If I join, I can experience the real world and all of its challenges one step at a time. I joined because I wanted to try and have new adventures, new friends and a better understanding of our country’s culture and history.
As soon as I joined this trip with friends, I realized that we should not only be independent but also responsible with our actions and our words. XPLORE not only taught me how to be responsible for myself, it also allowed me to learn how to be free and calm when I am in different locations. Our visit to Calamba, Tagaytay, Maragondon and Kawit enriched our understanding of our Social Studies lessons about the Spanish colonization period. These places helped me appreciate how vast and diverse our country truly is.
My highlights from the trip include visiting Yoki’s Farm and Bonifacio’s Trial house. In Yoki’s Farm, I witnessed the kindness and friendship Filipinos extend not only to each other but also to other creatures. I was given the chance to feed animals and learn more about them. In the Bonifacio Trial house, We learned to appreciate the sacrifices made by our heroes. In Jose Rizal and Aguinaldo’s House, I was able to experience the lives of both Rizal and Aguinaldo. Best of all I got to spend the trip with friends.
As the adventure came to an end, I realized how much it helped me explore my inner self while away from home. I learned that we have to be kind to every kind so that we can be happy and fulfilled. Being in XPLORE helped me appreciate our culture and history because that is what shaped us, Filipinos, today. Not only that, spending this trip with friends was a truly fun experience for all of us. We were able to learn together and have fun together. XPLORE not only taught us values and virtues but also helped us discover ourselves in unfamiliar places.
