Class 2006 Our Story? (The Immaculate Years) part 1

Class 2006 Our Story? (The Immaculate Years) part 1

FIRST CLASS YEAR
(The Immaculate Years)

The Sultry Zambalenean wind blew smoothly through the newly sprouted green leaves in the Academy. Young and full of vigor, we came back to continue our education and the training we once left.

The good old days flashed back before us. what we once experienced as juniors now constitute a strong and mighty immaculate.

During our days as underclassmen, we found it very scary to go back to PMMA; but the day, with all the enthusiasm and delight in our hands, we couldn't wait to see the august hall of our institution, as Kings, though not clad in royal robes nor crowns but with the highest respect from the underclassmen, for now we are the supreme ruler of the Corps.

This time we are now the "Kings of the Barracks" - a dream that was once enjoyed only in fancies was now a sweet reality, Being a firstie was each plebe's dream, thirdclassmen's fantasy, and a secondclassmen's wonder. As the highest member of the regiment, unthinkable reporting and compliances are replaced by duties and responsibilities.

Changes in the system made it hard for some to go with the flow. Many had been denied the continuing of their training due to violations of new rules and regulations which were diligently enforced. Nothing is constant though the edge was rough; we merged ourselves in the transition process for the betterment of the corps, for our future and for the future generations of PMMA'ers to come.


to be continue....

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Vote for the next Shipmate of the Month

Vote for the next Shipmate of the Month

Vote for the next Shipmate of the Month

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Class 2006 Our Story? (SHELLBACKS on deck) part 3

Class 2006 Our Story? (SHELLBACKS on deck) part 3

Days on board were not as easy as it seemed to be. Work and study come together in the process of learning. "Experience is the best teacher' as the old saying goes. On board, we learned many things, which cannot be erased for it was written by experience. Making our sea project taught us things that we were to study. We decoded the principle behind a merchant marine officer. Staying late after work to study and helping the "mates" with the paper works was a part of our shipboard training. Eagerness to learn and humility was also a good thing...

Earning for ourselves gave us a feeling of pride knowing that we could now enjoy simple pleasures of life as fruits of our labor. One of the favorite moments onboard was the end of the month... - the time to receive our hard-earned dollars. Our allotment which our family and loved ones received somehow pacified financial shortcomings.

The year we spent taught us the life of a seafarer and seafaring as a profession. It was a combination of lonely and colorful memories that we vividly recall even to this day.

We would surely miss the life onboard; but seeing our families, friends and love ones excite us the most. The time to disembark our first ships neared. We left the sea as apprentice cadets, and we shall returns with the STRIPES.

The time has come for us to go back to our lair, back in the arid plains of Zambales. This time, as Firstclassmen.


the end...

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Class 2006 Our Story? (SHELLBACKS on deck) part 2

Class 2006 Our Story? (SHELLBACKS on deck) part 2

On our first day on board, we familiarized ourselves with the vessel and its crew. Recalling every lesson learned from the academy was quite challenging. Relating every detail we learned from basic seamanship, general ship construction was a very powerful drive for us to appreciate the structures that makes a ship seaworthy.

Our ships sailed to the seven seas and took us to places that delighted our hearts. It is our first time to visit the different foreign countries from the continents of North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia.


We had seen with our very eyes, beautiful of superb cleanliness, cultures, beautiful works of art and almost every material beauty that we saw only in magazines, books, televisions, and imaginations. The most unforgettable of it were the beautiful ladies of different colors and flavors who ranged from blonde, brunette, auburn and camel brown, beautiful faces with blue and green eyes and assorted "chinitas". Trading the famous Filipino hospitality with them enabled us to share memories that they will never forget... Not in their entire life on earth. This is what we call - caring for acquaintance the "PMMA style."

We ate exotic foods new to our taste buds, drank world class wine, brandy and great testing beers from different countries as well as savored delectables chocolates irresistably tempting our appetite for another bite.


to be continue....

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Class 2006 Our Story? (SHELLBACKS on deck) part 1

Class 2006 Our Story? (SHELLBACKS on deck) part 1

SECOND CLASS (SEA) YEAR
(SHELLBACKS on deck)

"Come hither, bunkmates, let us wonder through the mystery of latitudes and longitudes under the mortal-rejoicing sun that journeys above. Let us uncover the streets of the wide stars attended great man at sea to reach lands of milk and honey." We now head to Poseidon's lair in search for knowledge and ventures.

The experience of luxurious first-class plane tickets, modern bullet trains, luxary cars, limousine rides, and checking in first class hotels for free after all the unforgettable cadetship ordeals which denied us of the beautiful world inside the hot and empty ennui of the Academy was most reeee-la-xing...

We were amazed by the looks, sizes and beauties of each ship we saw for the first time. Gigantic ships of enormous lengths mesmerized our eyes especially upon seeing an almost floating metal island comprising of merchant fleets. Their built was so strong and they make way as if they were unsikable in a raging hurricane.

As we approached our maiden vessels, we wondered how it looked like inside, what kind of crew we will live with, what life awaits us and what beautiful and bad things we will be having in our days on board. The feeling of strangeness wrapped our hearts as we took each step in the accommodation ladder ( gangway). Surely it is now the real thing, the life every midshipman has been waiting for, the feeling that every midshipman has been longing for... an unexplainable feeling of excitement and doubt.

to be continue.....

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Class 2006 Our Story? (The Year of the Tiger) part 3

Class 2006 Our Story? (The Year of the Tiger) part 3

January came and the corps was back for the sequel, the finale of our scout for the sea where our vessel awaited us. Academic were tremendously arduous; projects, assignments, research works, quizzes, simulators demonstration and many others overflowed our bucket of priorities. Life in the battalion became tense as well; since our seniors were often times moody due to twists and heavy rolling.

Not so long ago, the day of Hearts came, a chance to unwind for a while. A blissful break for the weary heart and mind. We celebrate with friends and loved ones in our annual party. This time, some of us proudly showcased their " ONE AND ONLY'S" while some paraded in grandeur their "ONE AMONG MANY'S".. Truly, the Valentines hop of our 3rd class year was unforgettable, for we have a little bit of pride and confidence to be with the woman of our choice, which was in contrast during our plebe year when we just took anyone in the vicinity, not minding the looks and the qualities of our partners, - like suicide squad in dire need of drag.

Before the school year ended; we, the whole class of 2006 selected the incoming officers of the regiment as well as the committee heads who will be spearheading every endeavor and who would forebear the Academy's prestige in all the activities outside and inside institution. We were already preparing for our first class year yet we were still due for shipboard training, -an odd preparation that happens only in PMMA. The sense of leadership and responsibility that has been etched by two years of toil was soon to be tested. We were, after all, SECONDCLASSMEN.

The Department of Midshipmen Affairs turned us over to the Department of Shipboard Training to finally facilities our embarkation. we left the academy ready to sail the high seas. The feeling of excitement could not be hidden in the sparkle of our eyes. Days and hours were the only factors to count and we would be sailing beyond books and imaginations to places and experience we had never encountered before.

the end...

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