To say that a lot has happened in the past three days is a terrible understatement. But I will try to recount them all,. Chronologically, as always.
February 17 2015 Tuesday
Woke up at 4 AM. Left almost as soon. As per our strategy in the wee hours of dawn, Dad accompanied me to the tricycle terminal. In Almar, I rode a taxi straight to UP Diliman, Kamagong, or what I more know as "Centé" (Centennial dormitories). I arrived there 4:58 but we didn't leave until 5:30 because sir July, sir Karl, and Ariel were waiting by the old kamagong. I only know the new one (which is right beside old kamagong), and it had a more fancy label so I waited there.
Airport at around 8, I think. They bought us Jollibee. I ordered corned beef breakfast + extra rice and a hot choco.
The domestic airport was more spacious and cleaner than the international one. At least, in my very few experiences. However, it had no air bridge, which was supposed to be a bad, inconvenient thing. I found it fun though, having to walk towards the plane, under the morning sun and against the incessant wind that comes from either nowhere or the rotating engines of the other planes.
We rode an Air Asia flight to Puerto Princesa, QZ4242 I think. I'll confirm it later. Andrew says it's Z2424 It was my second time in a plane but the wonder remains. I sat by the aisle along the emergency exit, but I can still see through the window. At least, when Andrew isn't blocking it while looking out. It's his first time; I understand completely XD
It's also Don's first airplane ride, and he and Andrew bought the very costly food just for experience/commemoration. I must admit, I felt that I wanted too, but I'm rather thrifty by nature.
There were no cumulus temple pillars during the descent, but the view around Palawan is exhilirating. And I'm not even by the window seat. Small patches of clouds (what I described as goat poo) blocked some of our view but they didn't stop us from seeing the mountains jutting out like crocodile scales and casting shadows on the wild greenery along the long narrow strip of Palawan.
I expected more sights upon landing.
We arrived at the airport 10:45 I think. /Basta/ it's at least 15 minutes earlier than ETA. It was a rough landing, the flight was shaky, and considering Air Asia's immediate history, heart stopping is more than an apt adjective.
Apparently there was some important PNP person who was in the flight with us. He was welcomed by a handful of policemen and policewomen carrying a tarp, and a ribbon if I remember correctly. He walked with straight back and head looking far forward and a sizeable belly hiding his true height.
Anyway, the Grand Vista Hotel shuttle wasn't there, so sir July's acquaintance, the local city engineer, decided to be really really nice and drove us to the hotel and also give us a tour. Thank God for him. As I write this I realized how he was another one of God's providence. I just can't thank God enough.
Well, the tour was after we had a short break and a lunch at the local Robinson's. We ordered something from the food court; I bought something bad. I think it was fish steak and /sitaw at kalabasa/ in oyster sauce and shawarma. Should've bought something else.
Anyway, we were a few minutes late back to the hotel. But Mr. still decided to give us a tour. The contest is tomorrow but we're having a tour. XD
So we went to Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center. I have some pictures!
The first we saw were these young crocs
Then there was this hornbill
This old crocodile is like a Godzillet. If you look through the gate the thickness of its tail is almost as huge as me!! I saw it in person and when I did just I blurted out "ANLAKI!!!" (YES ALL CAPS). I looked through the gate and it was really really scary even though it wasn't moving. I had to step back a bit just to get a picture of the whole crocodile that's why it looked small in the pictures.
This is a parrot. Obviously. It can't speak though.
This is a bearcat. It's super cute!!! :3 I want a pet bearcat :)
Then we went to Iwahi Prison and Penal Farm. There the prisoners make crafts and do farming and dance. I wanted to buy a pair of kamagong arnis for 175 and maybe a maximum prison shirt for 400 but again, I'm naturally thrifty.
We then went to Baker's Hill. We saw this
That is a peacock. Very lovely!!
Then we went to Ramon Mitra's house and I touched the two-hundred-year-old tree trunk.
We had dinner at Baywalk and I ate kambing and crocodile sisig. Kambing sisig was hardly different from normal sisig. It was too filled with fat and that chewy/crunchy whatnot. Crocodile sisig was tastier than normal though. It wasn't like beef that had fibers nor like pork that's too greasy. I like it.
Then at night, after bathing and brushing and some cleaning rituals, around 11 PM we reviewed together using an old PIChE quiz bowl.
Then we slept. It was a cold night, but we slept
February 18 2015 Wednesday
Contest day.
I woke up at 5, thinking if I should start my morning or if I should sleep. Having slept late last night, I decided to sleep. I woke up again at 6 and went straight to breakfast. I ate tinapa and egg. I decided to take a bath after, though.
We left Grande Vista at around 7:30. The Legend Hotel was less than 10 minutes away. The whole team wore a white polo shirt, so I decided to wear a white polo too. But I really wanted to wear that smooth gray polo, so I did. I changed my polo for that. The white one was wrinkled because of that though.
Anyway, before the first round the whole team was still studying. I wasn't XD I basically just relaxed the past week. So I didn't really expect the next 2 hours.
In the first round, we lead by 30 but the next teams held closely by 5 to 15 points. Ariel and Andrew were really good! Since the round was easy we wrote the formulas we know. I didn't write much because I relaxed the whole week so I relied only on stock knowledge. The process control question was funny though; it was just easy but I wasn't sure. When I got it I laughed so hard and hit andrew around 4 times. If I were left-handed I might've hit Ariel XD
The second round I didn't know the scores. But I know we did well. And I liked the parmesan cheese in the pasta. And the bread was good too. Don got the only ChE 125 question.
The third round was fun too! I was just having fun there, saying random things and whatnot. I could actually solve around 80% of the problems that we got. Of course, it wasn't always without minor mistakes that needed input from my invaluable groupmates.
We won with 280 points, followed by la salle at 190.
I didn't even feel then that we won. It didn't feel special. I just sat there and felt that I was watching things from afar.
The tiebreaker between BatSU and MIT (around 150 to 170 I think) was totally anticlimactic. BatSU lost because because they answered "isotope" instead of "isotopes." Bad grammar is a terrible way to lose a trophy. The judges were better this time, so I didn't really expect that to happen. I shook my head as the judges deliberated and buried my face on the table as they announced their final decision.
Sour as it is for them, it's a sweet joyous occasion for us. After 8 years! UPD finally got the championship! And we won by a landslide. We led each and every round. There were less bad questions and the judges were more competitive. It felt really good after the numbness.
And it would never be needless to say that this, too, is God's providence.
I became a technical support person later that night. The program was a mess; they started late and moved the program around without even notifying the people involved (me). Because of that I wasn't able to view the fireflies on a boat ride with UST friends. The only upside is I got to watch the performances close up.
Anyway this too, is grace. It's a good day.
February 19 Thursday
We were assigned as ushers in the morning. It was another mess. They just gave us papers and told us to go make people sign attendance sheets. But in reality we took pictures, asked for seats, got scolded by old, single, self-entitled ladies (aka the most annoying people in the world).
Engineers are a mess; they like sitting around in conventions not listening to speakers and doing nothing. They only come for the trip and the food. When lunch time came a lot of people rushed to the buffet table /not even caring to form lines/. Really, they pass the board exam and don't even have the discipline for this?
To be fair, though, there were also the nicer ones. Patient, respectful, and understanding. I like those people. But sadly the "higher" engineers aren't like that. There's always special treatment. I never liked that. Except Sir Francisco Arellano was a cool person. He was old, but cool. And there were those who listen and take notes. But they are really few and I wonder if it's worth the trouble for them.
Actually I disliked only that annoying old lady. I really dislike those who complain a lot but do nothing. And those who complain a lot are a lot more annoying when they are self-entitled.
And Sir Karl and I had a conversation about this and I realized (again) that it was pointless to look at such pitiful people who can't give grace because they never knew it. I should keep my eyes on Christ, /have respect unto all His commandments/ and remember what they really need, and who the real enemy is.
After that we went to the parallel session A and I watched Darren present their undergraduate research. There was also this pretty girl from PLM and another pretty one from UST.
But I slept through most of the presentation. I hadn't helped in the ushering and I felt a little sad. Even though that wasn't really my job.
That night we ate at Bona's Chao Long House. I ate french bread with tuna and beef stew with noodles. Really good stuff. Sir July says it tastes like mild Vietnamese food. I wish I ordered extra noodles.
Then we watched the presentation of PIChE chapters in the Skylight Convention something. Nothing much was notable. Except maybe Ms. Trixie Dy, the central girl in the Bataan chapter, and our picture with Mrs. Laurito.
Jake said "Eh di, wow!" He deleted it after a while. Too bad I didn't get a screenshot. Not like I know how to get one on my phone.
Anyway the day was also a good one. I look forward to the underground river tomorrow.
February 17 2015 Tuesday
Woke up at 4 AM. Left almost as soon. As per our strategy in the wee hours of dawn, Dad accompanied me to the tricycle terminal. In Almar, I rode a taxi straight to UP Diliman, Kamagong, or what I more know as "Centé" (Centennial dormitories). I arrived there 4:58 but we didn't leave until 5:30 because sir July, sir Karl, and Ariel were waiting by the old kamagong. I only know the new one (which is right beside old kamagong), and it had a more fancy label so I waited there.
Airport at around 8, I think. They bought us Jollibee. I ordered corned beef breakfast + extra rice and a hot choco.
The domestic airport was more spacious and cleaner than the international one. At least, in my very few experiences. However, it had no air bridge, which was supposed to be a bad, inconvenient thing. I found it fun though, having to walk towards the plane, under the morning sun and against the incessant wind that comes from either nowhere or the rotating engines of the other planes.
We rode an Air Asia flight to Puerto Princesa, QZ4242 I think. I'll confirm it later. Andrew says it's Z2424 It was my second time in a plane but the wonder remains. I sat by the aisle along the emergency exit, but I can still see through the window. At least, when Andrew isn't blocking it while looking out. It's his first time; I understand completely XD
It's also Don's first airplane ride, and he and Andrew bought the very costly food just for experience/commemoration. I must admit, I felt that I wanted too, but I'm rather thrifty by nature.
There were no cumulus temple pillars during the descent, but the view around Palawan is exhilirating. And I'm not even by the window seat. Small patches of clouds (what I described as goat poo) blocked some of our view but they didn't stop us from seeing the mountains jutting out like crocodile scales and casting shadows on the wild greenery along the long narrow strip of Palawan.
I expected more sights upon landing.
We arrived at the airport 10:45 I think. /Basta/ it's at least 15 minutes earlier than ETA. It was a rough landing, the flight was shaky, and considering Air Asia's immediate history, heart stopping is more than an apt adjective.
Apparently there was some important PNP person who was in the flight with us. He was welcomed by a handful of policemen and policewomen carrying a tarp, and a ribbon if I remember correctly. He walked with straight back and head looking far forward and a sizeable belly hiding his true height.
Anyway, the Grand Vista Hotel shuttle wasn't there, so sir July's acquaintance, the local city engineer, decided to be really really nice and drove us to the hotel and also give us a tour. Thank God for him. As I write this I realized how he was another one of God's providence. I just can't thank God enough.
Well, the tour was after we had a short break and a lunch at the local Robinson's. We ordered something from the food court; I bought something bad. I think it was fish steak and /sitaw at kalabasa/ in oyster sauce and shawarma. Should've bought something else.
Anyway, we were a few minutes late back to the hotel. But Mr. still decided to give us a tour. The contest is tomorrow but we're having a tour. XD
So we went to Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center. I have some pictures!
The first we saw were these young crocs
Then there was this hornbill
This old crocodile is like a Godzillet. If you look through the gate the thickness of its tail is almost as huge as me!! I saw it in person and when I did just I blurted out "ANLAKI!!!" (YES ALL CAPS). I looked through the gate and it was really really scary even though it wasn't moving. I had to step back a bit just to get a picture of the whole crocodile that's why it looked small in the pictures.
This is a parrot. Obviously. It can't speak though.
This is a bearcat. It's super cute!!! :3 I want a pet bearcat :)
Then we went to Iwahi Prison and Penal Farm. There the prisoners make crafts and do farming and dance. I wanted to buy a pair of kamagong arnis for 175 and maybe a maximum prison shirt for 400 but again, I'm naturally thrifty.
We then went to Baker's Hill. We saw this
That is a peacock. Very lovely!!
Then we went to Ramon Mitra's house and I touched the two-hundred-year-old tree trunk.
We had dinner at Baywalk and I ate kambing and crocodile sisig. Kambing sisig was hardly different from normal sisig. It was too filled with fat and that chewy/crunchy whatnot. Crocodile sisig was tastier than normal though. It wasn't like beef that had fibers nor like pork that's too greasy. I like it.
Then at night, after bathing and brushing and some cleaning rituals, around 11 PM we reviewed together using an old PIChE quiz bowl.
Then we slept. It was a cold night, but we slept
February 18 2015 Wednesday
Contest day.
I woke up at 5, thinking if I should start my morning or if I should sleep. Having slept late last night, I decided to sleep. I woke up again at 6 and went straight to breakfast. I ate tinapa and egg. I decided to take a bath after, though.
We left Grande Vista at around 7:30. The Legend Hotel was less than 10 minutes away. The whole team wore a white polo shirt, so I decided to wear a white polo too. But I really wanted to wear that smooth gray polo, so I did. I changed my polo for that. The white one was wrinkled because of that though.
Anyway, before the first round the whole team was still studying. I wasn't XD I basically just relaxed the past week. So I didn't really expect the next 2 hours.
In the first round, we lead by 30 but the next teams held closely by 5 to 15 points. Ariel and Andrew were really good! Since the round was easy we wrote the formulas we know. I didn't write much because I relaxed the whole week so I relied only on stock knowledge. The process control question was funny though; it was just easy but I wasn't sure. When I got it I laughed so hard and hit andrew around 4 times. If I were left-handed I might've hit Ariel XD
The second round I didn't know the scores. But I know we did well. And I liked the parmesan cheese in the pasta. And the bread was good too. Don got the only ChE 125 question.
The third round was fun too! I was just having fun there, saying random things and whatnot. I could actually solve around 80% of the problems that we got. Of course, it wasn't always without minor mistakes that needed input from my invaluable groupmates.
We won with 280 points, followed by la salle at 190.
I didn't even feel then that we won. It didn't feel special. I just sat there and felt that I was watching things from afar.
The tiebreaker between BatSU and MIT (around 150 to 170 I think) was totally anticlimactic. BatSU lost because because they answered "isotope" instead of "isotopes." Bad grammar is a terrible way to lose a trophy. The judges were better this time, so I didn't really expect that to happen. I shook my head as the judges deliberated and buried my face on the table as they announced their final decision.
Sour as it is for them, it's a sweet joyous occasion for us. After 8 years! UPD finally got the championship! And we won by a landslide. We led each and every round. There were less bad questions and the judges were more competitive. It felt really good after the numbness.
And it would never be needless to say that this, too, is God's providence.
I became a technical support person later that night. The program was a mess; they started late and moved the program around without even notifying the people involved (me). Because of that I wasn't able to view the fireflies on a boat ride with UST friends. The only upside is I got to watch the performances close up.
Anyway this too, is grace. It's a good day.
February 19 Thursday
We were assigned as ushers in the morning. It was another mess. They just gave us papers and told us to go make people sign attendance sheets. But in reality we took pictures, asked for seats, got scolded by old, single, self-entitled ladies (aka the most annoying people in the world).
Engineers are a mess; they like sitting around in conventions not listening to speakers and doing nothing. They only come for the trip and the food. When lunch time came a lot of people rushed to the buffet table /not even caring to form lines/. Really, they pass the board exam and don't even have the discipline for this?
To be fair, though, there were also the nicer ones. Patient, respectful, and understanding. I like those people. But sadly the "higher" engineers aren't like that. There's always special treatment. I never liked that. Except Sir Francisco Arellano was a cool person. He was old, but cool. And there were those who listen and take notes. But they are really few and I wonder if it's worth the trouble for them.
Actually I disliked only that annoying old lady. I really dislike those who complain a lot but do nothing. And those who complain a lot are a lot more annoying when they are self-entitled.
And Sir Karl and I had a conversation about this and I realized (again) that it was pointless to look at such pitiful people who can't give grace because they never knew it. I should keep my eyes on Christ, /have respect unto all His commandments/ and remember what they really need, and who the real enemy is.
After that we went to the parallel session A and I watched Darren present their undergraduate research. There was also this pretty girl from PLM and another pretty one from UST.
But I slept through most of the presentation. I hadn't helped in the ushering and I felt a little sad. Even though that wasn't really my job.
That night we ate at Bona's Chao Long House. I ate french bread with tuna and beef stew with noodles. Really good stuff. Sir July says it tastes like mild Vietnamese food. I wish I ordered extra noodles.
Then we watched the presentation of PIChE chapters in the Skylight Convention something. Nothing much was notable. Except maybe Ms. Trixie Dy, the central girl in the Bataan chapter, and our picture with Mrs. Laurito.
Jake said "Eh di, wow!" He deleted it after a while. Too bad I didn't get a screenshot. Not like I know how to get one on my phone.
Anyway the day was also a good one. I look forward to the underground river tomorrow.
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