Dare to Explore

Last Friday, December 9, AMCI had its Christmas party-slash-graduation party for the newly inducted B2K5 members. Having received the certificate of completion for the Basic Mountaineering Course, or even upon receiving my shiny silver dog tag at the peak of Mt. Apo, I felt no overwhelming sense of elation or excitement. Instead, there was a quiet sense of pride for having accomplished a course that many individuals would not even dare to try.

Indeed, the past five months have been a test of faith, courage, and skill. Many of my friends and relatives wonder why I decided to take up the sport of mountaineering. Somewhere in between the beginning of training and the heart-wrenching trail of Sky on our second training climb, I found my answer—I climb because it makes me feel truly alive. I can say it over and over again, but somehow, one will not understand until one experiences it for himself.

However, this slideshow by my fellow batchmate, Borj, somehow captures the essence of why we climb. (Really great job, Borj!) I share it here in the hopes of inspiring you to get into mountaineering as well. After all, no climb is complete without the company of friends. In the words of this year's BMC theme, "DARE TO EXPLORE!"

If you can't view the video, click here. It might take a while to load, but I promise, it's worth it!