THE LOVELY'S/LENIE'S "EXPEDITION"

MYSELF

Introducing oneself is not easy. Indeed, it is difficult to know who I really am. However despite on this, I will try my best to tell you not just of who am I but also the story of my life especially those unforgettable experiences I had, weather it is embarrassing or happy moment.
I am Lenie Soriano Pensahan “Lovely” is my nickname, 19 years of age and I was born on January 21, 1990 in Kibangay Lantapan Bukidnon. I have one brother and he is our eldest and four sisters and I am the third daughter of Mr. Adelfo Signocan Pensahan and Mrs. Lydia Soriano Pensahan. But presently, I grow up with my beloved family, relatives, friends and co-tribe which the Higaonon tribe in the community of Tagbalili Province of Esperanza Agusan Del Sur.
“I am a product of a war”. When I was eight months of age there was a war happened not just in our Barangay but also in some other places which are nearest to our community which is the Tagbalili. I am one of those children crying while our parents bringing us in the forest to run out the fighting between New Peoples’ Army (NPA) and Military, but some of them killed civilians and they also got any kinds of things they saw and killed the animals like carabao, chicken, goat and etc. the civilian people in the community was so panicked and frightened at that time and our family are one of those who went to the forest and find place to hide. According to my parents I got sick and that was dangerous because even I cried they cannot heard my voice and my stomach was thin. After one month we went to the next Barangay where we called Nato. My parents was so afraid, it seems that I am going to die. But my parents really do there best and find ways to relief my sickness.
Fortunately, and being faithful to our Heavenly Father, my life becomes normal until I was in the age of two. When I was a baby of course even until now and to the end of my life I really felt the love and care of my parents. I remembered when I am three years of age that I got sick, my father gaffed me in front of Mother Mary’s picture and if I’m not mistaken my father was praying for me.
MY ELEMENTARY LIFE
I was not able to experience pre-school since at that time there is still no school for pre-school in our place.
Four years later…….when I am in six years old my elementary life was started in Tagbalili Elementary School. I was remember when my elementary days that because of the situation in our Barangay that is faraway in the Municipality and the road is very dangerous and we ride a motorcycle with a very expensive fare, our teachers challenged very much, sometimes we can take up a class just three times a week because they went to their own places to get there supplies.
When I was a child, I love playing with my sisters, neighborhood or friends with different kind of toys especially a doll, swimming in the river, ridding in the carabao, climbing in the trees especially in the fruit trees and most of all those traditional games and even a game which does not fitted to me as a girl. I’ve encountered any kinds of quarrel to my classmates, friends and sisters. There was a time that my father whipped me because even the sunset comes I was still playing with my peers.
I am so thankful and proud to say that even I was in elementary level I had so many good things that I’ve learned like how to cook food and viands, to wash clothes and plates, to clean our house and etc.
I graduated in elementary with my pride especially to my parents not just because I am the valedictorian but also because I finished my elementary level because of the efforts they gave me, they taught me how to read, write and those good manners that every young people must possess.
MY HIGH SCHOOL LIFE
After I graduated in elementary I was so excited to step in high school which is the next stage of my life. I enrolled in a public school in Bayugan National Comprehensive High School (BNCHS), Bayugan Agusan Del Sur (now-Bayugan City)
My high school life was full of happiness and sadness. I stayed in the Caberte’s Boarding House. I was so happy because the family or the owner of the house where I rent came closer to my heart likewise to them and I’ve mate friends inside and outside of the school, I’ve also encountered so many problems, trials and hindrances one of this was being homesick because that was the first time I am faraway to my beloved parents and friends, self-pity just like if I am alone staying in the boarding house when my board mates went to their home, in my side I was not able to go home because of very far in our place, danger road with the expensive fare and this also the reason why I go home just two times every year. If my parents visited me sometimes ones in two or three months I’m very happy and I want to go with them in the home.
High school level is in teenager stage. I was in third year high school in the age of fifteen that I felt crush to someone or to somebody, I am a type of a girl who have many “boy friends” than to the “girl friends” even in my own community and even until now in my stage. Despite on this, I am so proud of what I had experienced because I have so many things that I’ve learned like budgeting my money and food allowance, developed my self-confidence and “trust”. And I slowly knew myself through my strengths and weaknesses and most of all on how to value those people who gave support, trust and inspiration.
I graduated in high school with full of gratitude. I am proud that my parents march in the stage with me to get my awards. And I heartily dedicated my Alma Matter to my beloved family, relatives, friends, classmates, schoolmates, co-tribes as well as to my community and to Saguidon family.
I really treasured my experiences of my high school days as I go to the next level of my studies which is in the college, I know that would help me much and I’m very thankful and blessed about it.
MY COLLEGE LIFE

The present…
I was sixteen years old when I enrolled in college in Pamulaan Center, University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) Mintal Campus, Mintal Davao City, College of Governance Business and Economics (CGBE). My course is Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED)
I am so happy and blessed that I am here in Pamulaan, I know it’s a big opportunity for me to be able to achieve my dreams in life and someday I can help my family as well to my community.
Furthermore, I felt that it’s very difficult to adjust to my new environment, imagine! I live in a place with the people who came from the different far communities and belong in the different tribes and of course we have also different cultures, traditions and beliefs but months past that we knew to each other we discover that we are all the same in terms of mission and vision as an Indigenous Peoples’ youth and most of all as a Pamulaan scholars who have a big responsibilities in the community.
In any activities that we had I can say that it could really help to developed and enhanced not just to myself but also to my future as a volunteer community worker someday through sharing of what I have leaned.
Start in the boarding house until in the Pamulaan Center I’ve mate a new group of friends especially from my roommates, and I’m happy to mate my fellow youth IPs’ especially my co-tribes.
Despite of those sad and hard experiences that I had here in Pamulaan, I also enjoyed when we had a tour together with my fellow Pamulaanean, the three Pamulaan staff (Ate Neneth, Ate Paula and Kuya Bob) and also some of our teachers. We went in the Mt. Kibuloi and in the pineapple plantation. I can’t really forget those memories because that was the first tour we had in Davao and when I saw some of the pictures all of the people are smiling.
In the month of December, all of the Pamulaanean went to the Samal Beach. And that was one of my most unforgettable memories together with my fellow students. In the beach, we had a program like exchanging gifts for the prayer partner and we also enjoyed the games we had like the “ .
In the school, although in sometimes I felt stress and there are some cases that it’s hard for me t o understand the lessons but I really try my best to overcome it.
I am not so good in dancing but I really love dancing, that’s why in our P.E1 subject I was happy because for the next time I performed a dance like interpretative dance, foreign dance, pop dance and especially our cultural dance.
In almost three years staying here in Pamulaan Center I have so many things that I’ve learned that I treasured so much weather it is academic or non-academic that can applied inside and outside of the school. And to be soon…..as I go on to my journey here in Pamulaan, in my studies and in my community I know many possible and impossible that will happened to my life. Just want to say good luck and God blessed as I go on to the journey in of my life.
Note: TO BE CONTINUED ...