The feeling started long before we arrived at our Barangay, we all felt a wide range of emotions, some felt excited, some apprehensive, some just tried to forget about it all together...
But as we approached the date of departure, we realize that it was inevitable. Whether you like it or not, you must face such challenges head on and try to do your best to adapt as quick as possible.
So about 3-4 days before our community exposure, we began to prepare ourself mentally, physically and spiritually. And due to this preparation, the emotions turned from a state of apprehension into excitement and enthusiasm. We loaded our belongings into the transport vehicles and crammed ourselves on the remaining seats which could hardly fit all of us but we managed, barely.
The journey was long and nauseating as we drove around mountains and broken roads, "a bumpy ride over a badly rutted road and precarious mountains".
Alas we arrived, surprisingly the feelings of excitement dwindled away on the ride and replaced with feelings of "I wanna go home na". We had no clue what our barangay was like, we weren't sure whether or not we had a place of accommodation, we didn't know if we would have running water and electricity, we didn't even know if there was Signal. As we fast approached our barangay, we can see signs of 'palay', ricefields, ricefields and ricefields. The thing that came to my head "naa walang signal, walang tubig, walang electricity, naaaaa hirap ang buhay" and it dawned on us that we are the farthest from the center, farthest from Poblacion.
We were greeted by the Barangay Captain and escorted us around the barangay hall and he informed us that this would be our place of residence (My gosh).
We performed our initial cleaning and tried to make it our "home" even if it was not what we expected. Such a tiring day, we were extremely tired not only from the journey but because of the challenges that we are set to face in the following days......weeks......month.
Conflicting feelings is what we experienced as we arrived in Sta. Cruz but remember "Hope for the best but Prepare for the worst". Rely on each other and support one another and trust in God that he will lead the way, you just have to take that step.......