A Mountain of Community Exposure

Kezy Espiritu, another 3rd year BSN student of SLU, School of Nursing of the oxygen group grew up in the lowlands. Mesmerized with a lot of mountains, she shares her thoughts on her community nursing duty.


I think that this community exposure will be unforgettable especially for me who grew up in the lowlands. I enjoyed the trip and I did not sleep along the way in order for me to see in detail the places that we are going to pass by.

At last we reached Cayapes, Kapangan. The air is very refreshing and there are no traces of pollution by vehicles, and establishments. I can say that I really love nature. The numerous trees in the surroundings relaxed my eyes and the chirping of birds and insects' sound also gave me a break from my music player. I can’t forget our trek going up to Locot. It was so tiring but when we reached the top, the feeling of exhaustion vanished. It was a beautiful scene. The rice terraces are so green. It was my first time to see it in real life. At that moment, I thought of building my house and staying in that place to live a simple life away from the kind of life I have.

Aside from the mesmerizing views, I enjoyed my stay in the community because of the people. I’m so thankful that I know how to speak in Ilokano. It’s my way to communicate with them and to know their insights. They are very accommodating. They welcomed us in their homes without hesitation. I can feel their warm gratitude as we served them through our skills in health care. I’m glad that they are really eager to work with us. Through them, my skills were enhanced. It’s a two way process. They learn from us and we also learn from them.

I also had fun in teaching the pupils in grades 1 and 2 of Cayapes Primary School. They really participated in the activity we prepared. They were all attentive and active. They were friendly to us even if we have only been with them for a few minutes. I was so glad to see their little pearly teeth as they smiled. Happiness filled my heart as we imparted our knowledge to them. They said “bye-bye ate, bye-bye kuya”, and we really appreciated it. Children are really angels. Their voices and smiles uplifted me.

Sometimes you really need to deviate from your usual routine for you to appreciate the existence of other elements in this world. You can never say that you are satisfied with what you have until you see things outside of your comfort zones.