This is my unforgettable summer eons ago.

I could not take it anymore. We were wading/walking in a shallow rivulet somewhere in a coastal area in Luzon.

My stomach was rumbling as if Manny Pacquiao was defending his championship against Clottey.

It must be the oyster. I finished a few blanched-with-hot-water-and-squeezed-with lemon-newly-gathered oysters from the farm. Oyster farm, that is according to the karinderia where we had our lunch on our way to the barrio where we would have our immersion in culture of indigenous people and at the same time reforest the denuded mountains in that province. Kung baga forest make-over.

My classmates had already crossed the stream. I was still in the middle where water was at the waist level of a vertically challenged person like me.

They were shouting what I was doing daw? Can you guess? I said “Go ahead. I think there are some small crabs that tried to hitch in my pants. I LIED. You should have seen the dilation of my eyelids, the tremor in my lips and the raising of my brows by a fraction of an inch.

That experience taught me to bring imodium (diatabs for some) all the time and never eat seafood when you’re not sure where they came from.

We were eight in the group and there were four students who came from the elite school.

We were disappointed to know that we were not staying in the barrio; instead we were housed in a forester’s house cum seed storage.

Well, it is a two- storey structure with two big rooms at the second floor and a balcony where most of the cashew seeds for planting were stocked .

Downstairs, there was a kitchen, a dining room and a store room where farm implements were kept for ready use. The forester never stayed there. So there was no power, no water and no electric fan. Whoa.

We did the cooking outside using firewood. Muntik nang maubos yong isang puno sa forest para panggatong. Kaialangan talaga ang reforestration.

The project had funding and the youth leaders took advantage of our immersion ek-ek project before we graduated. Two birds with one stone. The stone was as big as a basketball. toinkkk Yon pala all expenses paid kami pati pagkain at pamasahe as long as we met the required hours. We were supposed to be staying in families in the lowlands.( That was how they called the barrio). But we were quartered in that God forsaken place because a member of the group accidentally heard that the male and female members of the other group were not there to plant seeds but to solve an unwanted pregnancy problem. O dava, intriga at kahindik-hindik.

On our arrival to the site, we were welcomed by a long yellow snaaaaake which we found wrapped around a huge timber that served as a bridge. I almost summon my superhero power to grow a pair wings so I can go back to the civilization. Ngiiii.

The forester came to our rescue. He assured us that it was not the kind of snake that was poisonous. Mahilig lang pumulupot. Ngiii ulit.

The mayor sent us the groceries and dry fish for our consumption until next marketing day.Every day, the forester would bring us fresh fish and vegetables. We ordered emergency kit too with aspirin, imodium, itch cream and bandages.Kulang na lang, ipadala namin yong pharmacist.

Early morning, with hats and walking sticks made from tiny branches of a tree, we went to the place assigned to us to plant the seeds. The walking stick helped in making hawi of the talahib, make palo of snake and other forest animals that came to our way. It also served as cane to negotiate the high places where I was tempted to sing the The Sound of Music upon seeing the beauty below. I forgot my phobia–fear of heights.

The straw hats did not only protect us fro the heat of the sun, We also used them in gathering wild fruits , like mango (wild fruits daw oh) black berries and guava.

We added more imodium to our requests for medicines and emergency kits.

And while we we’re having tan and enjoying the grilled cashew seeds (oops, the forester told us that they were treated kah, kah, kah, hindi na po uulit. Itatanim na namin lahat kahit lima o sampu sa isang butas) the other members of the team were staying mostly inside their rooms.

Ginawa pa kaming mga serbidora sa kanila which we did not mind. We enjoyed serving them. We separated their food from ours. Salbahe. Wink, wink , wink.

Then a barangay chairman invited us all in the dance benefit. Wow, makakasayaw din kami. We were given rolls of ticket.

Bawa’t sayaw daw namin ay may donation ang mga lalaki sa barrio charity. The barrio charity is the weekly kapihan where the drinks were not coffee but hard drinks marka Demonyo. ahehehe. Ginawa kaming belyas, waaah. Buti hindi pa noon uso ang pole dancing. Yong kasama kong gay, baka lumambitin sa isa sa mga puno doon habang sumasayaw. I knew it was just an excuse of the barrio officials to party with the ” Galing sa Menila” gals and guys.

Buti na lang wall flower ako palagi. Kahit na diligan mo, di titinag sa wall. Wala akong naging customer.

When we returned to the forest house, some barrio folks were making signs to us. We thought it was a sign of World peace, or peace or you’re okay.

Yon pala ang ibig sabihin, sira ulo. Mga salbahe anoh.

Thinking that the leaders of the group would hold us beyond the required number of hours for our credit, the dramatic actress in me persuaded them to let us go when my tears rivaled that of the small waterfall that we found in the forest. Hitsura ni Kris Aquino. Pack up kami bigla.

Pasalubong namin sa bahay, durog na duhat.

achecheche.

So that is unforgettable summer folks. Do you want to hear my haunted summer vacation. tinunininuninu.

The Ca t