It was the first day of the month when we had our recollection at Mater Dolorosa Passionate Novitiate located at Kawas, Alabel, Sarangani. Our section was accompanied by Teacher Evangeline Velarde, since our adviser, Ma’am Love in on her leave. Supposedly, Ma’am Thara will join us, but she did not take it long because of an important errand. I was mesmerized by the beauty of the place. It has the perfect spot for the view of Mt. Matutum from afar. As soon as we enter the hall, it’s just like our church but a small one.

Our recollection started by our seminarian. He’d been in the church for years. The seminar begins by tackling about the meaning of the recollection and have us answer one activity by group. As our seminar goes on, he played a video about the relationship of a child and mother, same also to the father. I was touched and let my feelings out. He then told us to make a letter for someone that is special to us. On our afternoon activity, there’s another seminarian introduced to us. Brother, talks about the importance of friendship. He also gave an activity for us, in whole section. We formed a circle and light up the candle to tell everyone a “sorry and thank you”. Our recollection ended up as brother Joseph talk about his life on how he has become. My classmates also volunteered to share their past experiences and giving messages on each other.

One thing I had realize in our recollection is that I should treasure the relationship I have with my parents. They won’t show how tired they are just to provide my needs and wants. Their efforts in me, just to make me feel safe and the everlasting love they give. Also, to my friends, they have been always beside me since I met them. We may have our own priorities and we’ll depart from each other months from now, but the memories I had with them is something to be treasured. All the hardships and misunderstandings we had, but we still lean on each other. They’ve became my family and I’ll be forever grateful for having them.

Being a teacher has lots of responsibilities. They don’t just teach, but they also care for the students. A teacher doesn’t just talk in front, but they share ideas and teach the students well. Alabel Alliance School was built in 1989 and about three years in service. There are 292 students that were enrolled this school year, headed by their school principal, Pastor Rey Sajo.
In my two weeks in Alabel Alliance School, I gained a lot of experience. On my first day, our supervisor did not give a duty. I approached her after the class and asked what we were going to do to help her. She told me that we’ll just start tomorrow after that day. On the next day, she let us check the quizzes and activities of the students. Sometimes, she also has us encode her lesson plan on her laptop while she’s discussing. As days went by, I became close to the kids, especially those who were always get scolded for being hard-headed.

For my two weeks in that field of work, I gained learnings and lessons. The first thing to have is a bunch of patience as you deal with kids. Their behavior can’t be controlled and should be monitored. It is also a part of a teacher to teach manners and how to get along with the students.

In years from now, I can see myself as a teacher. That kind of training guides me on pursuing my dreams in the near future. Ever since I was young, I really wanted to teach even though I don’t have high patience, but I’ll work on it and learn more knowledge about the passion of teaching. Maybe someday, my dreams will all happen.

MALAGKIT NA SUMAN

If you’re a fan of sweet snacks or love exploring new foods, suman is something you must try. This traditional Filipino delicacy is made of glutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar, and salt, all wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until cooked. The ingredients are produced locally in Cebu, where the delicacy originated. Suman is a popular dessert or snack in the Philippines, and you can find it almost anywhere in the country.Suman may seem difficult to prepare, but with a few simple ingredients, you can create it at home. The sticky rice should first be combined with coconut milk, sugar, and salt. Banana leaves should then be sliced into rectangles and briefly heated over a stove or grill. A scoop of the sticky rice mixture should be placed in the middle of the banana leaf, which should then be wrapped and fastened with a string or toothpick. You can now eat your homemade suman after an hour of steaming the wrapped sumans.

Suman may seem difficult to prepare, but with a few simple ingredients, you can create it at home. The sticky rice should first be combined with coconut milk, sugar, and salt. Banana leaves should then be sliced into rectangles and briefly heated over a stove or grill. A scoop of the sticky rice mixture should be placed in the middle of the banana leaf, which should then be wrapped and fastened with a string or toothpick. You can now eat your homemade suman after an hour of steaming the wrapped sumans.

It is not only tasty, but also nutritious. While coconut milk is a good source of vitamins and minerals, glutinous rice is high in fiber, which helps with digestion and controls blood sugar levels. If kept in a refrigerator or other cool environment, the treat lasts for a week before going bad.

Suman is a representation of Filipino food and a delectable snack that is suitable for any time of day. Furthermore, suman has always been present in most filipino’s homes during Christmas traditions as it symbolizes the gratitude of the people to the blessings of God. So, if you’re looking for a new snack to try, give suman a taste. It’s a tasty and healthy treat that’ll give you a break from your study sessions.

UNWIND

This place has the perfect relaxing place from which to explore nature and wilderness. EDEN Nature Park is one of the famous tourist spots located at Toril, Davao. A verdant 80-hectare mountain resort is about 95% handmade. This was once stripped bare by illegal logging, but fortunately revived as thousands of seedlings of pine trees were planted. It was discovered on year 1971, owned by Jesus V. Ayala and built the company by his Son, Miguel Ayala. We had our private car to take us to EDEN, but you can get there via public transportation. Just hop on any Jeepney bound for Toril which can be found traveling along Claveria Street, Roxas Avenue, and Quiapo Boulevard in Davao City. Tell the driver to drop you off at Mercury Drug Store. Once you get there, hire a motorcycle and for about an hour, you will arrive at your destination.

While my family was preoccupied paying the entrance fee when we first entered the park, I was content to simply take in the scenery. As we get on the upper part, the fresh air hugged me as the trees were dancing joyfully. The bamboo maze was our first attempt, but due to the dense vegetation surrounding it all, we were always led to the end wall. After half an hour, we successfully found the way to exit. Secondly, we then go to their children’s park which has slides, swings, and other fun activities. While we were strolling to the other locations, we found a mini zip line. The Indiana Jones Ride is a mini-zipline mainly for kids. You’ll be carried to a 50 ft end as you sit there. Lastly, after all the fun experiences, we had a quick lunch on one of their restaurants. I forgot the name for a reason that we visited the place last 2019 and it was four years ago.

As what I have previously mentioned that EDEN Nature Park is verdant and lush, nature tripper will enjoy hiking through the park’s 4-kilometer forest trail. In addition, they have also other recreational activities like sky rider, sky cycle, sky swing, horseback riding, sky wheel, and more. If you are not fund of walking, you can have their guide shuttle tour. Unfortunately, we were unable to attempt one of those because we ran out of time. Perhaps I can return to EDEN Nature Park soon enough.