Copar in review

The Final Curtain Call

Life is like a stage where everyone has its own role to play. Everybody is tasked to portray their own role as actress and actor. It is us who will substantiate our characters to fulfill the call for playing the game of existence. We will weep into ocean of tears. We will giggle for some unanticipated happy circumstances. We will merely feel the pounding of our hearts so speedy as though it was going to leap from our chest when exhilarating moments suddenly draw closer to our encounter with time. Yet as we bump into the circumstance, this is not akin to the traditional set up of a movie making, wherein there are scripts to direct for perfect initiation of ones role.

No more directors that would perfect artist facial expressions, actions, and a whole lot more about her/his character. No more cuts! No more chance to scribble formatted lines from a draft. For it is definitely a chance of do or die pattern. Like any other career noted in our society these days specifically the ballooning populace of nursing students we are entitled to portray our own one of a kind role according to our potentials. One of the bulky chapters in nursing life that a need to struggle is the drama of Community Organizing Participatory Action Research- COPAR, if put into summary, it was really a salad of adventure. It was a real life drama at its best. There was comedy- the rolling in the floor laughing then shifted to a suspense thriller where our faces turned to ghostly white, plus the freezing sweats exerted from panic and fright. The numberless scenarios were for real. We chuckled… We contested our wits to escape from the lost of nowhere. We blamed ourselves and members for the unfavorable circumstance heading us to create a mess with our bonds. We cried out to alleviate our lessening fiscal status for we were once worrying our parents. All

these things were put our all in one experience in COPAR exposure. It was BARANGAY LANGUB or NO ONE!

So as you surf this exemplary incident- scribbling every pages of this one of a kind experience, please fasten your seatbelt. Hold your breath. Bring out your bulky sheets of KLEENEX to wipe out your tears for a sordid “history and herstory” of the group members. And ready yourselves to be somehow part of the roller coaster circumstance- its ups and downs and its twist and turns. Be with our ride!

Say hi and hello

Circle was over. Paraphernalia were out. Attendance was already checked. Members flocked in the lobby with zest and altruism to penetrate the area. We loitered in our yellow-colored rented multi-cab. We waited for a go signal and will be heading a short while to Brgy. Langub. We took a deep breath, packed all our hopes, dreams, and idealism in a strong knapsack of needs, threw it over our shoulder, and got off across the adopted community to begin saving people in our own little way of expertise in Community Organizing Participatory Action Research.

It was a long day for Group 57! We dropped by in Puan for a courtesy call as a protocol prior to the formal entry to the site. Next in line was the brief caucus of barangay officials, health care workers, and the rest of the members of the governing body in the community. We took pleasure on the ride boarded from the yellow-colored multi-cab. Every eye were stayed glued with pleasure in the picturesque of the natural wonders, turning every lines of vision into perfect green, luxuriating in the road’s charm. The group were enthralled, totally captivated by the beauty of the first streaks of the light breaking off the horizon with “GREAT RISING SUN” in authority to bathe brightness the vicinity. The roadside with its scenic presentation was amazingly different – so overwhelming. It beckoned to everyone as therapeutic place, a momentary escape from stressful day. The freezing morning breeze which permeated with the raw and refreshing scent of early morning dew was relaxing to our sense. It made us face the day with zest and optimism. The extraordinary scenarios were perfectly ironic to the presentation of physical set- up of the place, to consider the fiscal status quo of the majority of the inhabitants of Purok 6 and 7. People were the typical sample of the obvious poverty that we are struggling from how many decades had started until this juncture. As we went along the area, we appealed to the masses therapeutic relationships. While on the other hand, the clinical instructors submitted their presence for a caucus for a preparation for the next 4 weeks’ activities and the like. Students flocked, brought out their cameras and took a perfect pose like a freelance model, ready to for a billboard pictorial. Or just hallucinating as cover boys/girls of FHM or Maxim as highest paid models in the country in the era. Indeed, they were stars in their own unique ways. The venue was perfectly suited for a certain commercial pictorials. A closer look to the bounty of scenery, it was simply promising.

It took so long for our clinical instructors completed the equal division of the scope and responsibility as well as the labor to agree on as challenge as to base its jurisdiction accordance to the designated puroks. Our CI intoned that Group 57 and 58 will merge, handling the Purok 6 and 7 as to initiate the roles of the pre- entry phase of COPAR. Then, “Mamang Driver” maneuvered the mechanical thing heading to our puroks. The close encounters of an out of the ordinary breathtaking scenes were indeed remarkable. The tour towards the cliff with towering trees alleying the concrete road as a reminiscence of my beloved province where I used to spent my naïve days as babe in the wood. So with that we have conducted an initial social investigation out from the scratch for the community immersion. The day closed with the biding goodbye to the area as we headed back into our school

THE ESCAPEES

We giggled. We laughed. We took a deep breath and happened to be threatened as our faces turned to ghostly white. No more joke. No more chance to be dressed in with our beaming smiles. No more jollity as our group mates hurled their punch lines. The drama was for real! Eight students crafted a new-fangled version of mislaid students in a jungle who had experience a life and death circumstance.

The promising day summoned for a new untold story to add up in the compilation of COPAR BULKY OF STORIES. As always the habitual circle welcomed the calendar day right and be the first thing to transpire at exactly 7:30 AM. We boarded on a yellow multi- cab with our rented driver who happened to be depicted with enthusiasm to maneuver the vehicle to the area. The atmosphere inside that fast moving automobile was

filled with positively-charged spirits. The early chatters were busy on various topics to spice up the first hour of the day with lightness. The group indeed encouraged everyone to put a happy facial expression and optimistic temperament. The punch lines were readily available to launch a blitzkrieg attack to our group mates to steer up humor and laughter from our potential stand up comedians. As the group’s pace was getting into the precise place, the exemplary serenity and beyond belief backdrop of nature welcomed us plus the zephyr that refreshes our outlook in life. The towering trees perfected the place as momentary escape from the city’s eye sore.

At the barangay hall the COPAR people congregated for a consolidation of the basic data to draw together as to reflect with our questionnaire. That was for the sake of uniformity with regards to our queries to the people in Purok 7 and 6. After which the group packed for a long period of hike to start the initial social investigation. We paced over the slippery cliff and some muddy section of the slope. Then took continuous pace towards the numberless ups and downs of the hilltops under the scorching streaks of an offensive sun just to carry out our interview. Our consciousnesses were dominated by the excitement as though we were like a child wide open mouth amazed with the new presentation of nature to us. But for less than an hour the group’s adrenalin level has been pinned down by the monotonous trail we’ve been tracking. The air was getting so thin that our lungs could hardly function physiologically. We were soaked with our own sweat and continuously lathered all over our body. After an interview with different faces of life in the community, we had to go back to Brgy. Langub proper as a meeting place. The group chose to map out the short cut path wherein we could possibly arrive the area as early as possible. The 57 people loved adventure much. I was also one of the few members who will be getting so resistant with their island hopping and deprived myself for a Christmas party last December. As usual, I was tagged to be the one of the “KJ” in he class. But after that one good chance to bump into a real drama, we have intoned to have no more will to wish an escapade in the future. We were gone astray. As if we were babes in the wood- so frail and naïve. We’ve tried to trace the one man to pass the trail. Upon following that option thrice of our attempts, we failed to take a final exit of the area. Our walk was getting longer. Our chance to run off the place was doomed. We were like victims in movie-like scenario as to be served as lunch by the hungry monster readily available for their kingly crispy bites with our flesh and liters fresh blood- to suck it perfectly. Blame us not to experience paranoia. We have tried to tranquil ourselves out of the tension that had been motivated by the circumstance. We’ve attempted to control the panic within us as we went back and forth at the same place. But still we managed a weak smile. The place was getting so weird as it can be considered as dead end environ by fertile mountains and gigantic trees, and various wild plants. I was even feared by the presence of a huge skinny reptile that rushed its way towards the bushes to hide. The place was getting so strange and I can now hear my heart pounding so fast as though I’ve been suspending into death shortly. I happened to be pre- occupied by extreme fright as additional to my group mates whose composure were pretty bad. What if I can no longer escape this nightmare? What if I will lose the chance to get out of this place? Out of that long walk we in tended to gamble with the last resort to head back into the area where we were safe and sound. Finally, one Good Samaritan accompanied us a hike towards our landmark that would indicate for our escape. We paced so fast without minding the more offensive streaks of the sun. Then, here we are alive and kicking fresh from the creepy situation. We were able to feel the warm and caressing wind after all.

FOOTPRINTS OF MEMORIES: LANGUB IN REVIEW

The place is like a work of art- beautiful and cold. A very brief description of the place has been depicted by this line. Ever since, the place has been astounding to us. The simplicity of the area made an appreciation for everyone. Yet in the other way around it signifies a turning point for a new leap of change because the community has its potential for getting better by maximizing the resources. They must believe that there is magic but you have to be a magician, you have to make the magic happen.

As we went through the 5 weeks of COPAR exposure, we were like a naïve children that have been amused by sets of toy presented to us. From the green backdrop of the entire community as a spot where nature has been still protected against the harm of the human acts to the more detailed description of the real spectacular creation of almighty as a better place to live in. The sweet calls of the streaming water of the brook. The melodies of the chirping birds and the sound of the colliding branches and twigs of bamboo trees are music to the nature lovers’ ears. The untouched bodies of water environed by the green meadows and the presence of wild plants and exotic animals constantly dwelling the nature’s reward from the advocacy to save wildlife and save lives campaign are of essence to continually preserve. The plain background of nature is

an irony to the recent leisure that the natural wonders brought to the spectators and adventurous goers. As the nature brought different choices to escape stressful, dreadful, and tedious routine by the busy people in different walks of life like the Lake Laud and Outland Adventure caters to the ballooning numbers of people who were hooked to visit the extreme experience it offer. The presence of animals: domesticated or astray who reaped the nature’s prize attested the rewards system pattern that we will be gaining if our advocacy is for environmental concern.

The day was getting over as I wrote this piece of flashback within our 5 weeks community exposure– the COPAR in review. Indeed, our real life drama as amazingly standing tall COPAR student nurse was a box office hit. The experience maybe overly dramatic but this is the life that we are living.

-IVO -