Worth the Great Pain - Water Safety Rescue and Survival (WASAR)

They say, "You can only live your life once"...

This became a reality when we attended the week training with Philippine Coast Guard-Special Operation Group (PCG-SOG) National Capital Region (NCR) last October 6 to 11, 2014.

The training is about Water Safety, Rescue and Survival (WASAR) . I have known and heard a lot about it but being there in the first place is indeed one big story.

Ever since, I always dreamt of swimming in the deep sea. However, the fear I have nurtured through the years kept hindering that dream- to swim in the ocean without any floatation device. Why? Simply because the idea of drowning in the deep paralyzed my whole being :)

In the training camp held at Subic, Olongapo, I have realized I am not the only one who suffers the same dilemma. There, I have seen how fear can actually robbed us - fear to get drown, fear of heights, fear of the unknown, etc. I have seen my own struggle as well as others. But the greatest part is how I saw behind those fainthearted lies great men and women who conquer and faced their fear.

Another thing to remember, "It is never wrong to be afraid"

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." - Nelson Mandela

There are numerous lessons we have learned while on the 6-day WASAR training, some of them are:

1. Being a Coast Guard is not a joke!

- It requires discipline and hard work

2. You are the happiest with Jollibee

- Especially when your small intestine seemed like its already devouring your large intestine :)

3. Strenuous exercise could give you a knock out

- Hit harder!

4. It is best to jump when you are scared

- and even when you're not

By the way here's my buddy, who had a kind and really tough spirit.

Luckily she was the best pal and it was a cookie fortune to come along with such a strong heart.

Thank God we conquer the mile swim :)

Since we call ourselves kambal, I have learned our similarities and was also amazed on our differences. That each of us have different strength and weaknesses which complement and allow us to do great things together. And this taught me the importance of never leaving your partner behind.

Thank you kambal you are definitely the best! :)

After the One Mile Swim

How come we bagged the third and fifth place in this training? hahahah

Also we salute every men and women who participated and helped in any way to make this training possible - PCG-SOG NCR&Subic, Batch 2 Team "Bako" and Makati Command Control and Communication (C3)