This was a special moment that is probably unforgettable for me. Its a time I will always make reference to and remember every now and then until I grow old till my memory probably fades away that I could not imagine the scene any longer.
It started when I traveled for my 3 weeks compulsory orientation camp for youth service. Its a 21 days of a tight schedule occupied with activities here and there.
Source
Wake up early in the morning before 5am to prepare for morning devotion. Preparation here means having your bath and dressing up before 5am. And because of the population in the hostel with limited facilities, you must be a great planner for you to meet up with the time. Otherwise, you face punishment from any of the military men around. You know that's not so rossy, so we all try to avoid this by waking up earlier before time.
So ideally time for morning devotion runs between the hours of 5am to about 7:30am or so of which morning lectures starts exactly by 9am and will end by 2pm sometimes, 3pm. That's already a 9 hours stretch from 5am in the morning. Of course you need some time to rest and the time given to us for rest is close to none. It's as good as saying you do not own your time for these 3 weeks of hell on earth.
Next activity is moving to the parade ground for some match pass practice by 4pm. This also goes on for the next two hours after which a social event will begin by 8pm in the night for another two hours then go to bed to wake up 4am the next morning. This was life in camp and we all wake up the next morning to continue in this manner.
Meanwhile, all these activities is compulsory for all (both male and female). Failure to participate, you face the music. It's like a rinse and repeat process. A deeper look at this is a whooping 18 hours of unstop activities with barely 4 hours recess in between.
Once this 21 days is completed, it's time to send everyone off the camp to their place of primary assignment. And this was how I landed in a critical remote village. This was deep, and I never expected it. It's not as if something is wrong with the village (actually something really is). After all there are people living there and it's not really their fault because most of the residents are indigene and were born and brought up there. So that is not their fault in any way.
I was coming from a metropolitan city (the biggest in the country) and the problem is how I will be able to adapt to this kind of environment of a remote village where all I met was no electricity (I'm used to it where I'm from), no clean water, market is very far away, no readily means of transportation except with your legs, no general/meals except local dishes I'm not used to. I can just continue to list more and more.
To crown all of these woe for me, I was stranded with no cash on me. I had used the last one I've got to settle my transport fees to the village and my new bank account where I've got some funds is still inactive so I'm unable to access it.
I forgot to add that there is no mobile network over there too so I couldn't even call anyone for help. The people around me were people we are all meeting for the first time so I can't just walk up to anyone of them for help. I wasn't thinking about it at all.
But the help came in handy. So its what I am never going to forget. We've all tried to rapport the previous day with each other the previous day upon our arrival to the village and I just casually relayed my current situation to the general house without even expecting any favor in return since it's just mere talking. Little did I know that one of these guys had put me in mind.
Luckily enough we finished all documentation the second day and it was time for everyone to travel back for about two weeks break. Everyone had arranged their things to leave but I was the only one not making moves to travel. So this guy approached and asked if I won't traveled and I could remember my reply that day.. I do not have any money to transport me and even if I am able to borrow some cash, it also would not be able transport me home because of the distance. I know nobody nearby so I have no where to go.
Immediately this gentle man asked me to pack my stuffs and then replied me you are following me home. It was like magic. I didn't hesitate because I also wanted to leave the place but lack of funds impeded me. He sponsored my transport fees to his house that day and I remained there with him for 6 weeks. Then the rest of the story is history has they will say. But I'm still going to tell that part again someday later. It was a very fortunate moment of my life I will always reckon with.
