"Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily; life is but a dream."
Becoming a unit with friends is easier said than done. What more if you are presented with strangers?
An experience that will never escape one's memory took place at Mapawa Nature Park, Malasag, Cagayan de Oro City on the 12th and 13th of July 2014. Various student volunteers from the different STREAMS departments participated in this year's Pagbugsay 30: ROWERS' CAMP to promote camaraderie and awareness among its volunteers.
As a precursor to the activities to be held in the camp proper, the volunteers had a Pre-Camp Session on July 11 at Student Center 401 in Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan. The session was highlighted by Ms. Richel P. Petalcurin and Mr. Ivanell R. Subrabas' talks on the advocacy and the humble beginnings of STREAMS. Mr. Subrabas also shared "Noah's" story, from his being one of the program's participants to his becoming a licensed educator, of how the volunteers gave him the chance to strive for his dream, and of how the program served as the catalyst to reach it . . . and live it.
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The first batch of Rowers made their merry way to the venue by jeepney on the 12th of July. After settling down, the facilitators conducted a getting-to-know-you activity dubbed as "Two Truths and One Lie" that made it possible for both facilitators and volunteers to interact and know more of each other.
More volunteers arrived, come nightfall.
During the Rowers' Banquet, where everyone was dressed in their semi-formal attires, Mr. Harold S. Floren (STREAMS President, 2010-2012) and Engr. Franz Daryl Q. Magriña (STREAMS President, 2012-2013) shared their highs and lows before, during, and after their involvement with the program. They recounted inspiring stories that made the volunteers feel both happy and extremely proud of their choice to be one of the Rowers.
After long speeches and anecdotes, everyone made a bee line for the "buffet table of sugar, spice, and everything nice!" because in STREAMS . . . we keep eating! Joke. Presentations of singing and dancing then concluded the night's activities.
But wait!
That was not the same story for everyone else. Some Rowers decided that 11PM was too early to retreat to their comfortable beds. A few stragglers chose to do karaoke night on their portable gadgets (Ehem! Nicko. Ehem!), some watched movies on their laptops, and the rest huddled in groups to just chit-chat and talk about everything and nothing. In the silence of the night, laughter and vivacious chatter echoed into the hollowed darkness.
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With less than five hours of sleep, everyone was roused to prepare for morning praise and exercise. Together, the Rowers stretched and meditated. Then, in the midst of the oneness with nature and with God, a splash of bitter cold water literally drenched the Rowers from above! And there you have it, guys! They have just been "baptized" as official Rowers! Yay!
Group activities followed. Teams "Awesome," "Tutubi," "Daog," and "Mas Daog" all underwent different kinds of tasks that tested the degrees of their trust in themselves and in others, measured their strategizing and handling skills, assessed their sensitivity towards people around them, gauged their humility to seek for others' help, and determined their readiness to forget competition when reaching similar goals.
Without a doubt, the Pagbugsay 30: ROWERS' CAMP 2014 was an event of success! The facilitators expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the participants' eagerness to immerse themselves into the activities.
They who gathered as strangers left Mapawa with new bonds of friendship forged — a comradeship that will surely stand the tests of time. Row!
For no matter how perilous the waves are or how chilly it feels to the skin, every Rower knows not to stop because everyone is essential to reaching and living the program's dream. So let's keep gently rowing down the stream and never forget to do things the merry way. Whether it is good or bad, we can never know what's around the river bend if we don't navigate it.
Life is but a dream if you don't live it . . . so let's KEEP ROWING!