Philippines

I had one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I had the opportunity to go to the Philippines and perform with a group Synergy. It is a college aged group at my old performing studio. I was not planning on doing it because you have to pay your own way and it is not cheap. I kept getting a prompting that I needed to do this group so I finally decided to do it and auditioned. We started practicing in January once a week until we left for the Philippines the end of July. We had such a fun group. I loved every single person. I will now kind of journal about each day in the Philippines.

Day 1 and 2

We arrived at the SLC airport at 6:30pm to check in for our super long flight to the Philippines.

We had to be there super early since it was and international flight and we had to check all our luggage and equipment pieces. Hopped on board to head to LA it was about and hour and half flight. We arrived at LAX to switch on to our next flight, China airlines. As we were checking in at LA over half of the group didn't have tickets for our next flight from Taiwan to the Philippines. We were all a bit worried but Kim reminded us there is always stumbling blocks when there is something great to be done. We finally got it all figured out. We all hung around waiting to board the plane. We got on board for our longest flight on a 747 plane (about 13 hours) to Taiwan. One thing is for sure is the china airlines has smaller seats and no leg room. (fyi if you ever fly with them be short.) Luckily the flight wasn't too bad for me because I slept for over half of it. We

arrived in Taiwan and had about 3 hours at the airport before our final flight to the Philippines. So we all kind of did whatever until then. We got on board for our last flight that was about 2 hours. We were so happy when we landed. We were all so happy because everyone got all their luggage and equipment pieces. A man was down waiting for us holding a sign that said "Synergl". We all had to laugh about that. We all felt really gross and tired from travel but of course no time to rest. (day 3 is a new day but really rolls together with day 2)

Day 3

We headed to a restaurant. It was Chinese food. Some of the things I couldn't get the courage to try. I did try crab though. It was decent but I felt barbaric cracking open the shell. The one thing that I could not handle was they do not clean anything they cook. It still had the eyes and bones. I couldn't eat the food when it was looking at me. We sang the staff a song to tell them thank you for their hospitality they loved it. We headed to our hotel which took a while because of traffic. May I say I have never been more scared being in a bus. People drive like maniacs. It is a ton worse than NY. It was crazy. No one uses lanes and are constantly honking. We got to our hotel which was in the middle of the main city Manilla. We got a little while to rest and exchange

money then went off to a radio station to be interviewed and sang a few songs. After that was a cultural show dinner that they put on for us. It was fun a few of the group got to go on stage and do some of the cultural dances with them. After dinner we headed back to the hotel and and were out.

Day 4

We woke up and got ready and headed to a sacrament meeting. Our bus driver got lost so we were about fifteen min late. So this big group of white people come walking and everyone turns and looks at us. I think we totally disturbed the meeting. The kids kept pointing and smiling at us. Our director Kim wrote the bishop a little note since we were not there early enough for him to talk to the bishop and asked if our group could sing I am a Child of God. It is a beautiful accapella arrangement that Kim did. So we sang and the spirit was so strong. After church we headed off to our first performance. It was at one of the FEU campuses. As we stepped of the bus people greeted us with flower leis and would not let us take any of our equipment pieces

ourself. They were so friendly and happy and wanted to help with everything. They fed us lunch

and we talked with the kids. Then we got ready for our show. We had a question and answer session before where they got to ask questions and some press people were there as well. They cheered so loud as we began to perform. We all had so much energy. The crowd was amazing.

After our show we did a few accapella numbers one is called Paraiso. It a song about the Philippines. It brought some of the audience to tears. We then had people come and meet us after and get autographs from us. After we headed off to another show. This performance was at an Orphanage and also a place for the elderly and handicap. It was such an awesome experience. It was pretty funny to see the nuns out there dancing in their chairs. After our show we sang

some more accapella and one that was really touching is called "prayer of the children" in that song it says "can you hear the prayer of the children aching for home for something of their

very own." I remember looking into the eyes of these innocent children while saying that line

and feeling so blessed. We then played with the children. One of the nuns came up with tears in her eyes to our director and said how grateful she was that we came because we gave the children joy and she said that her and children will all pray for us. One little girl came running up to me after the show and just hung onto me and would not let go. It was so hard to leave her. They then literally kept dragging us to go eat. We didn't know they were giving us dinner so we all ate a little bit so we wouldn't offend them but we had dinner at a restaurant right after. It was an awesome day.

Day 5

This day we got up ate breakfast and boarded the bus to a place called Pagsanjan Falls. It was so fun. Two of us got in the canoe and had two boatmen. One in front and one in the back. They paddle us upstream to a waterfall. It was quite the long trip to be rowing upstream. I road with Annie. We had fun together. Our boatmen were a father and son Chito and Chris. It was so beautiful. I have never seen anything like it. After we got up the the falls we all boarded a bamboo raft that took us right under the waterfall and we got to swim for a bit behind it. Pictures will explain more than words. We then headed to the hotel to hurry and get ready for

another show. This was at St. Paul University Manila. This was super close to our hotel. It was a

really nice place. It was the first Broadway theater in the Philippines. They were so kind to us.

We had so much fun. After they took us and feed us. (I am not exaggerating we did not pay for

one meal.) The people are so generous. They would do anything and everything for you. After

we socialized and ate it was off the the hotel for bed.

Day 6

We headed to a plantation after breakfast. It was called Villa Escudero. We road a long bus ride arrived to the plantation. It was so beautiful, full of coconut trees everywhere. We went through a museum that was on the plantation that had a ton of different old statues and replicas throughout the years of the crucifix. The whole bottom level of the museum was that. It was a bit eerie. After we went on a carabao ride. A carabao is their national animal. It is a water buffalo. We were able to see some more of the beautiful plantation. After we got to eat lunch there at a man made water fall called labasin falls. It was so nice and relaxing. After lunch we got to go swimming and rafting at the plantation. We had so much fun as group. We kept trying to do

all these different staking pyramids in the water. We were all laughing so hard and sad when it

was time to leave. We once again boarded our home (AKA the bus) for a drive up to the mountains for our next show. This show was at a performing arts high school. We stayed there over night in the student housing. It reminded me of oakcrest housing. We had five beds in a little room with one bathroom. We had to hurry and get ready super fast which was a bit difficult with one little bathroom and five girls but we did it. Then the school fed us dinner and we headed off to perform. We taught them a little dance then they taught us a cultural dance. Then we performed. We talked with the kids after and they were so kind and appreciated us so much. I was talking to some of the kids and asking how this school works. I guess they get bussed back home for the weekends and the rest of the time stay up here in the student housing. After the

show we headed back to our rooms. I attempted to shower. It was so icy cold and the tiniest little drizzle out of the faucet. It made for some good laughs.

Day 7

We woke up and ate breakfast at the school. There was also these wild dogs that were up there that I kept feeding. (don't know if I was supposed to, but I did.) We named them Gina and Bono. We then left the highschool. We headed to a show at another FEU campus. This was the Silang campus. While getting of of the bus Annie rolled her ankle really bad. It instantly swelled and was turning black and blue. She had a priesthood blessing and rested in a room the rest of the time. We did our show then signed autographs and talked to the audience. We were then fed lunch by the school. After that show we headed to see the smallest active volcano in the world, Taal Volcano. We took some quick pictures then boarded the bus again to head back to Manila to do another show at the Main FEU campus. We arrived there and a bamboo band was playing mu

sic to great us. We headed up to the theater to get ready for the show. Annie was in the audience watching. It was weird to not have her performing with us. After the show was over they fed us dinner. We then headed outside to head back to our hotel. They had a whole marching band playing and thanking us for coming. It was unreal how kind these people were. We then headed back to Hotel Kimberly and went to sleep.

Day 8

We woke up and headed to the airport to fly to Cebu. We arrived in Cebu and headed to our hotel. The hotel was on Mactan Island. This hotel was amazing it was a beach front resort. (too bad we were always so busy we never got to use the pool or the beach) It was called the BE Resort. It was such a fun place. We then had about two hours to get ready for our show and rest. I took a nice much needed nap. Off to our show at University of San Carlos main campus. Annie was able to perform with us again which was nice. Although the stage was half the size that we were used to performing on and it was super super dusty and slippery. I actually slipped and hurt my ankle. It was a pretty comical performance so many people fell. We also would only have half of the dancer couples on stage for each part because there was not enough room. After our shows we introduce ourself and it is pretty funny when you start going out to talk to the audience after and you hear some of them from a distance calling your name and asking to take a picture with you. After our show we had dinner at a restaurant. Then back to the hotel for some sleep.

Day 9

Had breakfast at the hotel then off to a show at the Sacred Heart Ateneo school. They place was packed. People were sitting in the isles and standing up in the back. There was no place left in that room. We had a fun show. Minus this show Kim hurt her back and pulled/pinched a nerve. Another priesthood blessing was needed. After we did a question and answer with the kids. I remember one of the kids asked us why we were not on the show Glee. The kids were so kind and sweet. We then ate lunch at the school you could see the kids trying to peek into the room where we were eating. We then sang some songs for the teachers and those that prepared us the meal. It brought many of them to tears which in turn made me begin to cry. As we left the room the kids were all lined up outside the door screaming and touching us. We then headed to another school to perform. We were told there would be about an audience of 4,000. We all did not know what to expect. As we were driving to our next show I just watched out the window and had the most spiritual experience. I felt so blessed and thought to my self why me. Why have I been given so much. The shacks that people were rebuilding because it just rained. Not only were they having to rebuild after each rainstorm but doing with a smile on their face and waiving to us as we drive by. I remember singing the song a Voice to the World in my head as I watched what was going on out of the window. It brought me to tears. That was honestly one of the most amazing experiences I have had in my life. We arrived at our next show and Yin-shou was telling us a little bit about this school. It was a school for underprivileged girls. She said if their families could afford one light bulb they were to rich to go to this school. The school was run by these amazing nuns that had so much love for these girls. The school was called Sisters of Mary School in Talisay. I remember first walking out on the stage and all of us were in shock and some of us started to cry. 4,000 screaming girls. We could not hear ourselves or the music. Singing our solos was so hard. You could not tell if you were on key. We usually go talk to the audience after but Kim told us we would get injured if we tried. After our show we ran back into the dressing rooms and this big crowed of girls came after us. They were up banging against the doors. We had to wait a bit before we could come out and help take down the equipment. They then fed us and a few of the older girls were in there to help. We sang them so songs as we usually do as we hugged and said goodbye one girl with tears in her eyes hugged me and I hugged her with tears in my eyes. She said "thank you so much and said I don't know if I will ever see you again." Wow such amazing experiences. We headed back to the hotel for sleep.

Day 10

This day was a day full of fun. We were able to go island hoping. A few of us went wave running, some snorkeling, and some of us even went scuba diving. I went scuba diving but was a bit scared. Everyone was certified but me. I have gone twice before. We went to the dive shop they asked if we were all certified and everyone said yes and I just didn't answer. (haha) They took us out on a boat and we went down about 35 feet. The coral was so beautiful. We saw a sting ray, many beautiful fish that we were able to feed. So we had schools of fish just eating out of our hands. We also saw a giant clam that the dive master stuck something in the middle and it closed up on him. There was also many beautiful star fish that I have never seen before. It was so amazing under the water. The group then headed back on the boat to the little island to eat. I will just say I ate a lot of rice. It was a bunch of sea food with eyes on it looking at you. After lunch some of us went snorkeling and some went and played volleyball in the middle of the ocean. It was beautiful white sand beach. We had so much fun. We then got back on the boat were many of us got massages while heading back to our island. On our way back to the hotel we stopped at some little shops and also the monument were Magellan was killed. We got back to the hotel to get ready for our final show. This show was for the same school as the other night but for the boys. This show was such a different feeling then the night before we were much less movie stars and really got to get to know and talk with the boys after. At the beginning of the show the boys were reserved and quite and as we began to perform smiles came to their faces and they began to clap and dance. I remember one of the boys I asked how old he was and he smiled and pounded his hand to his chest. He said "I don't even know I cant think right now, I have never been so happy." I smiled and gave him a hug. He told me I was handsome. I laughed and said "I am handsome huh... Well you are beautiful." He said back "I am sorry I just cant think right now, I mean you are beautiful." They then fed us. As we sang to thank them I remember thinking that it was really coming to an end and how sad I was to leave these humble people. We got back to to hotel and went to bed.

Day 11

We went to the hotel to head back to Manila. Once we were in Manila we got the afternoon to shop/rest/etc. That night we went out to dinner. After Kim read us his poem he writes of the trip. It was so amazing. After we all held hands and sang accapella one last time together in the Philippines. I don't think there was one dry eye. I will miss this group so much. The group and the Philippinos will always have spot in my heart.

Day 12

Long journey back home repeat of day one just backwards. I really do mean a repeat. When we got to LA they didn't have tickets for us back to Salt Lake. We barely all got tickets and got to the gate just as they were closing them. It was so nice to be back home. All of us had swollen ankles from flying especially Jeremy. They pretty much folded over his shoes. haha I remember going out side and seeing my husband pull up and my dog sticking his head out the window wagging his little curly tail. I asked my husband if he had feed the dog because he was so skinny. Apparently he doesn't like to eat while I am gone. All I can say is I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to be a part of such an amazing group and experience all that I was able too. It was honestly a life changing experience.