Canigao Island: First Hurrah for Summer!

Craving for those cerulean skies, fluffy clouds, lush greens, powdery white sand while basking under sun? Hatch now your escape plan for summer! Get ready for an escape to Canigao!

Located off the coast of the municipality of Matalom (27 kilometers from Maasin City, Southern Leyte), the island is reachable by a public water transport operating in Barangay Sta. Fe, Matalom (recommended as it is a much closer kick-off point compared to the town's poblacion). The island is pretty small. By foot, a tourist can round the island in less than 30 minutes. But what usually takes longer is how one enjoys each part of the island that is graced with heaven's blessings.

 

Are you ready for your jump-shots?!

How to get there? 

From Maasin City (Southern Leyte's Capital), get a bus or jeepney that takes you to Super Ball Port in Barangay Sta. Fe, Matalom. At the mini-port, get a ticket/pay the fare at their counter and wait for the banca that will take you to the island. Ask as well the banca operator or the ticketing personnel the schedule for the return trip. Usually the last trip going back to the mainland is 5:00 PM (unless you will be spending the night in the island).

What to expect in the island?

The island has a few cottages, a canteen and a mini-market that sells fresh catch and souvenir items. visitors are expected to bring food. The resort's canteen doesn't offer much of the munch stuff. The resort has provided charcoal grills that visitors could use for grilling fresh catch or their brought liempos and the like. To ensure you get a cottage, it is advisable to call the resort in-charge at 053.569.9077 (Office of the Municipal Mayor) and request for reservations.  Cottage cost: P300. However, you can still unfold your picnic blankets at the shady parts of the island. 

The island boasts of its powdery white sand. Tourists could enjoy playing volleyball, frisbee and other beach sports. 

Some parts of the island are restricted for swimming. Swimmers should never swim beyond cordoned areas. Since the island is a marine-protected sanctuary, visitors are reminded of the rule of thumb in travel:

“TAKE NOTHING BUT PICTURES, LEAVE NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS,. KILL NOTHING BUT TIME"

Please help!

The island resort management encourages visitors to bring their trash back to the main land as they leave and dispose them appropriately.  

A Hand that Hurts and Restless Feet

The second day of my Comprehensive Exam for my master's degree was double-stressful. Though we only have two more subjects to take, Macroeconomics and Organizational Planning and Control, it seems like I was feeling the need to exert so much effort for these two subjects -- the first one being the subject of the Graduate School Dean and the second one being the subject I have least understood (and studied). 

My biggest problem in the next four hours of the examination would be when my right hand (the one I use to write) hurts. It had been aching since yesterday during the eight-hour thinking-and-writing battle while it continued to sore in the evening that disturbed the soundness of my sleep. I was scared I could not finish the exam as I had to pause writing every now and then to relax it. All the more my concentration was somehow distracted when others had one-by-one passed their booklets.

"That was quick", I said to my self as I gazed a look of frustration at those who were done. But I really didn't mind them finishing early, what I was really worried about was the possibility that I couldn't finish the exam because of the aching hand.  I was likewise trying to control my emotions as some of my classmates were pressing on me to finish the test.

There were only three of us left taking the MPA questionnaires. By the time one of them finished, I was still trying to figure out my composition for the last question. I wanted to have someone write for me the answers I would so gladly dictate. But my gut-feel is telling me not to as it would change my already beaten-up penmanship. Modesty aside, I probably had one of the good handwriting since grade school. But my penmanship for this exam was way the worst I have seen - shaky, uneven, inconsistent. I don't remember a criteria in the booklet that talks about penmanship, but if it had, I would probably fail in that part. God forbid!

"Thank God!" was all I could exclaim as I punctuated my last statement and quickly checked if I already satisfied the number of questions to be answered. I was the last examinee to submit my paper and the last one to get that sigh of relief.

----xxx----

After the exam. some of my classmates agreed to attend a funeral wake in Argao, Cebu. I decided to go with them since my trip back to Maasin is still the following day. Before heading for the long trip, we first had our lunch at Julie's (surely we will miss this place!). We eagerly lined up in a long queue of hungry masterands who will soon receive their diplomas in a graduation gala in less than a month. 

The trip to Argao took us about two hours. It was never a boring trip. Though I felt tipsy because of the kontra-biyahilo medicine I was taking, I still managed to crack jokes and joined in the unending conversation about the recently concluded comprehensive exam. There were eleven of us jam-packed in Rose's SUV ~ Maristel (whose father's wake we were attending), Desiree, Audy, Senen, and Carla (from Pag-IBIG), Rose (of Matluster, who did all the driving, Thank you!), Ritchy and Lyndon (of NSO-Province, Sorry April wasn't able to come), Rosemariwen and Marichu (of DepEd) and myself.

After paying respect to Maristel's dad, we (except Maristel) headed to Argao's famous torta maker to take home some pasalubong. Rose made a quick stop-over at her aunt's home before kicking off the long drive home.

At OJ's Torta in Argao

At OJ's Torta in Argao.

As promised, we visited Simala to say our "thank you's" to the Lord and the Blessed Virgin. This was my second time in Simala, the first one was some years ago when their monastery wasn't as grandiose as how it is now.

A quick pictorial in front of Simala's grandiose monastery facade.

Audy took this picture at the grand staircase of Monastery in Simala

Ma'am Carla, Ma'am Ichu and Sir Boy lighted candles and said prayers at Simala.

It was getting dark when we departed Simala. We dropped off two of our classmates in San Fernando and another in Minglanilla. The rest of us decided to have dinner at SM, but only five of us could make it to the finale. Rose, Desiree, Carla, Audy and myself had that sumptuous dinner at Cafe Laguna. 

As we bid each other good bye, I suddenly felt a rush of nostalgia realizing that our days as masterands are counted. I brushed off that bit of sentimental moment and looked forward to posting this blog when I get home.

Hand over Mind

It was already past three in the afternoon while I was jotting down the last paragraph consisting of roughly six sentences that wrapped up my answer on one of the questions in the comprehensive examination I have been preparing for since the recent week. I wanted to make a curse of discomfort as I tried to rest my hand for a while before finally passing the “pink booklet”. But all I could mutter were silent prayers of thanksgiving for making me get through the day’s tough and rigid situation.

For the past seven hours, it was as if my hands were talking to me to stop writing. I could hardly clench a fist. I remembered someone telling me not to crack my knuckles lest they would break. My penmanship was getting shaky; eyes – teary; neck – stiff; concentration – deteriorating; water bottle – empty. It doubled the pressure seeing most of my classmates pass their last booklet while I was in the middle of assessing whether to answer question number 10 or number 3. I had to employ the “eenie-meenie-miney-mo” selection procedure to get me to a decision. I answered number three. I didn’t want to get to the same error of not trusting my intuition during the first subject.

The exam was nerve wrecking. Despite that, I still wanted to write more. But while my head is teeming with so much eagerness to add a few sentences more, my hand was already complaining. I also could not take advantage of my left hand to do the writing. There was no other way. I had no choice. I had to give my hand the privilege of rest. 

The exam was nerve wrecking. Despite that, I still wanted to write more.

 

“Had we been using computers in this exam, the task would have been done in no time”, I said to myself. I am no longer used to long hand writing – and imagine for almost eight hours. No joke. Sir Boy, my classmate from HDMF was sharing the same sentiment.

At the end of the day, all we could do was to look forward for tomorrow. Four down. Two more to go. 

Post script:

It's the same hand that complained that typed this blog post. : )

That Day before the Exam

I was scanning through the pointers of my comprehensive exam when one topic, Stress Management, somehow gave me some points to ponder. It came to my mind if blogging my day’s experience would be relieve me from stress or would just make this whole stressful thing (of reviewing for the comprehensive exam for my master’s degree) get worse. On the contrary, blogging just simply takes the stress away. If I will be asked what could relieve me from stress, I’d say “blogging” (sheepish grin).

The day was hot. Cebu hit at 29 degrees centigrade at weather forecast. I cannot stay at home to do my final review for the “much-awaited” comprehensive exam for my master’s degree. Other than the scorching heat, my bed at the apartment was tempting me to laze down and sleep. I had to get over this “hit-the-snooze” syndrome when hearing the alarm clock. No, no. Procrastination should not get in the way. I had to be somewhere else.

I opted not to go to school because I was sure none of my classmates will be there. Obviously, they are also                            S-T-U-D-Y-I-N-G. I couldn’t also get myself to some study center because I knew I will just doze off. I had to be in some cozy place. The day before the tough Comprehensive Exam, I would like to spend it with Bo’s (in Ramos).

  

The place was not teeming with customers. Three medical students were thrashing out their lecture in one corner while a foreign national was forking her omelet on another side as I entered the coffee shop. The barista took my order – a choco-chip blend grande and a chicken turn-over. Then I settled myself in another corner facing the patio of coffee shop.

“Aahhhh!” I sighed as I made myself comfortable in a comfy couch. I plugged my earphones in my mobile phone so I could listen to my recording of the pointers for the exam. I took out my review notes and some photocopied materials so I could start my review. My mobile phone came in handy to connect with my classmates and with the coffee shop’s Wi-Fi connection, accessing the Internet was a breeze.

It was past 12 noon when I had to make another order for a fudge brownie and a raspberry chiller (forgot to snap a picture of it) while I was on the fourth subject for Day 1. I then found out I was reviewing on the wrong subject after a classmate confirmed on the subject’s coverage. I would surely flunk in the exam without that advance head’s-up. Whew! It was a sigh of relief, but it meant only one thing – I haven’t reviewed yet for the “real” fourth subject for Day 1. Funny. But yeah, it was frustrating.

I pulled up my composure as I managed myself to wrap up everything in the next three hours and a half. Not much time though, but I had to make that needed rest.

Just in time when I packed my things, the coffee shop was now crowded as a number of doctor-wannabes swung the door open to get themselves their day’s dose of Bo’s Coffee or a place for them to study, more likely.

Forty three minutes past four, I was already home.