Happy weekend, everyone!!
Are you ready for another blog? I’m sorry for the lack of updates these past few weeks huhuhu. I’ve been busy with our exams, and honestly, laziness got the best of me HAHAAHAHA. But now, I’m back and excited to finally share my experiences in Liloan last month!
As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ll be telling you all about it here, so I really appreciate your patience and support. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed the trip! Without further ado, hajimemashou! (let's start in Japanese)
These pictures were actually taken on the last day of the trip. I decided to share them first so you guys could see how many new friends I made along the way. It was pretty unexpected, to be honest. At first, I thought I’d just keep to myself, stay introverted, and focus on getting through the contest. But things turned out differently.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention, we were actually there for a contest, the Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC). I was chosen by a teacher to join the sports writing team. It was just a normal day when, out of nowhere, a teacher walked into our classroom looking for me and my friend. We were confused, like, why us? It felt so sudden🥲
When we approached him, he asked if we’d like to join DSPC as Filipino writers. We were shocked and immediately said we had no experience and weren’t prepared at all. But he reassured us, saying we’d train with the team. At first, we hesitated, thinking about how we might miss some classes because of practice. But in the end, we couldn’t say no, he believed we had the potential to be writers, so why not take the chance? And just like that, we found ourselves signing up HAHHAHAHAHA
This was our first day there. After a long journey, we finally arrived in Liloan! To be honest, it wasn’t what I expected HAHAHAHA. I thought it would be crowded, but there were only a few people around. But that was just at first—by the next day, more contestants started arriving, and the school became a bit livelier (and noisier) HAHAHAHA.
These were my first group of friends when we got there. Actually, there was supposed to be another member in our group, but sadly, her mother didn’t allow her to come. We had planned so much for this trip, so it was really disappointing that she couldn’t join us.
At that point, we started facing a few unexpected challenges—one of the biggest was budgeting our money for five days. We initially thought someone would be there to take care of us, but turns out, we had to be more independent than we expected HAHAHAHAHA. It was a struggle, but it definitely taught us a lot!
On our first night, we decided to explore the school. It was chilly outside, but we continued anyway. The school actually reminded me a bit of my elementary school, with a big oval in the center—though Liloan's was much bigger. One thing I found really cool was their signage—it lights up at night, which made the place feel more lively.
That night, we also took some pictures of the school and our first day there. Luckily, one of our teammates had a good camera, so I was able to capture the buildings and surroundings really well. The moon was shining brightly, adding a peaceful vibe to the place.
At first, it felt a little eerie since not many people had arrived yet. The quietness made everything seem a bit unsettling, so after wandering around for a while, we decided to head back to our rooms to rest and prepare for the next day.
(Note:, most of these photos were taken by my friends)
The next day, we had our opening ceremony at SM Consolacion, Cebu. When I arrived, I was honestly amazed, it was huge! Since my family doesn’t go to the city that often, everything felt so new to me. But at the same time, I started feeling a bit sick. There were so many people, and the size of the place was overwhelming.
Then came my biggest challenge—the escalator. I had a childhood trauma with it, so during the opening, I ended up trailing behind almost everyone. Every time they went upstairs, they used the escalators, and I was just standing there like, "what now?!"HAHHAHAHAHA.
ps: I lost😭
The mall had so many food choices, different kinds of meals, snacks, and desserts. There were also arcades, cosmetics, clothing stores, and more. I can’t remember exactly when we ate at Jollibee, but we had to treat ourselves at some point. The Jollibee was just across the street, so it felt like it was always calling us HAHHAHAHA. We even ordered takeout in the middle of the night because we got hungry—it was actually my first time doing that!
Looking back, I’m so glad I signed up for this. I made so many new memories and learned a lot along the way!
Such unforgettable memories!!!
A day after these events, we tried tuslo buwa? I haven't tried this before but they said it was good. It's actually a pig's brain which at first, I hesitated. When we started cooking, and then ate, it was worth it. I did not expect it to be that good. For a first timer, it did not disappoint me.
This moment, I then realized the friends I made. It was filled with laughter—to the point where my stomach hurt, and I almost couldn't breathe. 😭 Sometimes we’d crack jokes, but at night, we had a different kind of bonding, sharing horror stories or gossiping HAHHAHAHA. Those late-night talks, whether spooky or just random chika, made the trip even more unforgettable. It felt nice to have people to talk to, laugh with, and create memories that I know I’ll always look back on.
Finally, it was the last day. We took pictures together, capturing the moments we didn’t want to forget. It was bittersweet because just when we had gotten so close, it was already time to say goodbye. We even named our group Room 050 after our room number, which made it feel even more special.
I am truly grateful for this adventure. I learned so many things and made countless memories. Along the way, I realized that I was meant to meet these people, to share laughs, stories, and experiences with them. It felt like fate brought us together, even if just for a short time.
With this memory, I can only be thankful for everything. Thank you, DSPC, for the lessons, the friendships, and the unforgettable journey. And to Room 050—this may be the end of the trip, but definitely not the end of our bond.
I, @saixieh, would like to end this journey with a quote from A.A. Milne:
"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."
Until the next adventure, dear hivers! God bless us all💕
