THE SILK ROAD

In Marco Polo’s book, Travels, he said,

"When a man is riding through this desert by night and for some reason -falling asleep or anything else -he gets separated from his companions and wants to rejoin them, he hears spirit voices talking to him as if they were his companions, sometimes even calling him by name. Often these voices lure him away from the path and he never finds it again, and many travelers have got lost and died because of this. Sometimes in the night travelers hear a noise like the clatter of a great company of riders away from the road; if they believe that these are some of their own company and head for the noise, they find themselves in deep trouble when daylight comes and they realize their mistake. There were some who, in crossing the desert, have been a host of men coming towards them and, suspecting that they were robbers, returning, they have gone hopelessly astray....Even by daylight men hear these spirit voices, and often you fancy you are listening to the strains of many instruments, especially drums, and the clash of arms. For this reason bands of travelers make a point of keeping very close together. Before they go to sleep they set up a sign pointing in the direction in which they have to travel, and round the necks of all their beasts they fasten little bells, so that by listening to the sound they may prevent them from straying off the path."Marco Polo grew up without his parents on his side. His father just appeared when he was about 9-12 years of age. His father, a noble indeed, captivated his heart through the stories of wealth possessed by the eastern lands. His youthful dreams began until it became a great history. Whether a tale or not, Marco Polo and his book were already engraved in the tombstone of history.

Contribution:

True or not, his book became the bestseller during his time. It captured the hearts of the readers especially the Westerners. Traversing thousands of miles mostly on horseback through vast deserts, over steep mountain passes, exposed to extreme weathers, wild animals, and uncivilized tribesmen, these experiences as story-telled in his book turned to be a great source of influential drive.
Experts conducting research on Marco Polo and his book learned that most of the contents of the book were evident as confirmed by the travelers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Examples were his countries he described which actually did exist. Another contribution of Marco Polo was his information on his book which was incorporated in some important maps of the later Middle Ages. This information was also essential to the famous Henry the Navigator and Columbus. His system of measuring distances by days’ journey was remarkably accurate.

(from a source):

However Marco Polo's best achievement is best said with his own words in his own book:
“I believe it was God's will that we should come back, so that men might know the things that are in the world, since, as we have said in the first chapter of this book, no other man, Christian or Saracen, Mongol or pagan, has explored so much of the world as Messer Marco, son of Messer Niccolo Polo, great and noble citizen of the city of Venice."

Thirty (30) years after he return home, Marco still owned a quantity of cloths, valuable pieces, coverings, brocades of silk and gold, exactly like those mentioned several times in his book.
Some critics question the authenticity of his account. Many of his stories have been considered as fairytales. His book (Travels) made no mention about the Great Wall were in fact, this could possibly be the very first thing he has noticed. While traveled extensively in China, Marco Polo never learned the Chinese language nor mentioned a number of articles which are part of everyday life, such as women's foot-binding, calligraphy, or tea. In additional, Marco Polo's name was never occurred in the Annals of the Empire (Yuan Shih), which recorded the names of foreign visitors far less important and illustrious than the three Venetians. So did Marco Polo ever go to China?

At his deathbed, he left the famous epitaph for the world: "I have only told the half of what I saw!"

Sven Hedin

He was born in Stockholm, Sweden; an explorer of Asia, writer, and geographer.
He met Mille Broman, his great love, but because of the call of his duty and his own desire to find the missing piece of the East-West trade, he left Mille.
"The whole of Asia was open before me. I felt that I had been called to make discoveries without limits – they just waited for me in the middle of the deserts and mountain peaks. During those three years, that my journey took, my first guiding principle was to explore only such regions, where nobody else had been earlier," Hedin said. In his account of his famous journey through Asia (1898) Hedin described how he saved one of his servants by bringing him water in his boots. Later he returned to this episode several times in his drawings and writings. He charted maps of significant areas in Pamir, Taklamakan, Tibet, and Transhimalaya (also called Hedin Mountains). Hedin became a member of the Swedish Academy. During World War I Hedin was on Germany's side. This was prevented further explorations. He was also against the leadership of Hitler which later became the cause of his imprisonment. On his table he still had a photograph of Mille Lindström, stuck inside a small religious calendar. Hedin's excellent panoramic drawings have been of significant help, even up to the latest decades, in interpreting satellite photographs.]

Lesson:

Throughout Hedin’s search of the Silk Road, he manifested his great endurance and will to make one more step even if the situations were sometimes against him. While in the desert, his heart was alone since the woman she loves so well was engaged with another man, but he his desire to continue his search through that uncharted desert, never left him. It was indeed a matter of life and death going to the other end of the desert, but he never give up. His attitude of finding the other pole though seemingly impossible stood out.

In life, things that are happening around us are just part of changes, much as we like them or not. What matters most are our willingness to make one more heap of courage and determination in order to meet our own extremes. We should continue to find our own purpose. Our life doesn’t end when we already have the things we want. It only ends once we, ourselves, don’t want to find our purpose anymore.

Courage was Filipinos’ main weapon By: Ambeth Ocampo

Summary:

“The real weapon in the revolution was not guns or bolos but raw courage!”

Things are not simple as they are made to be in textbooks and movies. According to the inventory sent to headquarters by the president of Maypagibig in December 1896, we will realize that courage was the primary drive for Filipinos to continue their stand against the Spanish colonizer. The group only had: “16 ang binabalahat na kapsula (guns requiring cartridges); 2 escupeta dalawa kanyon (two double-barreled shotguns); 5 escupetang isang kanyon ngunit dalawa ang sira (five single-barreled shotguns, but 2 are defective); one rifle owned by Florencio Lavina.”

The list could already tell us that the Katipuneros fought with little else but bravery (or was it folly?) with few guns, fewer bullets, and no target practice. What could the Katipuneros feel on the battlefield?

Feliciano Jacson, a pharmacist from Manila known as “Totong” or “Patola,” supervised the Katipunan gunpowder factory due to his professional training. It was around the last quarter of 1896 when the Katipuneros maintained a munitions plant in San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias).

Jose Ignacio Pawa, a Chinese blacksmith from Tondo who later rose in the rank and became a General set up another factory in Imus for the repair of guns ad reloading cartridges and muzzles. He also made bamboo cannons (probably the type we use at New Year) that was crudely reinforced with a baling wire. Although these bamboo cannons were only effective at very close range, they boosted the morale of frontliners in a direct attack on the enemy. Despite their shortcomings, these bamboo cannons were a definite improvement from lances or bolos that were only useful at literally an arm’s length from the enemy.

It appears that the industrious and creative General Pawa also made paltiks. The guns on display at the Museo ng Rebolusyon in Pinaglabanan look like ordinary metal tubes attached to triggers and handles. On January 14, 1897, a certain Modesto Dimla “Matianac” wrote to General Vito Belarmino offering a metal pipe he had bought to be converted into trabucos or blunderbusses. He even offered to cover all expenses provided the guns made out of his tubo are strong and sturdy.

It only says one thing: In war, the Filipinos use all manner of weapons and all types of warfare. This will prove that real history is not as simple as textbook history.

ANALYSIS:

Bonifacio believed it would take no less than an armed revolution to free the Philippines from Spanish rule. Unlike Rizal and other people in the reform movement, Bonifacio believed that the Philippines should be totally separated from Spain. In his essay "What the Filipinos Should Know," Bonifacio wrote in Tagalog:

“Reason tells us that we cannot expect anything but more sufferings, more treachery, more insults, and more slavery. Reason tells us not to fritter away time for the promised prosperity that will never come. Reason teaches us to rely on ourselves and not to depend on others for our living. Reason tells us to be united, that we may have the strength to combat the evils in our country.”

He also wrote about how the Filipinos were tortured by the Spaniards. They were bound, kicked, and hit with gun butts. They were electrocuted and hung upside down like cattle. He said that Filipino prisoners were thrown into the sea, shot, poisoned. For Bonifacio, it was time to take action.

Seeing the country’s situation which was insufficient of weaponry, it was really a very difficult thing to battle their enemy. Bolos, spears, bows and arrows plus the limited number of guns are nothing against the powerful guns and canons of the Spaniards. Truly, it was raw courage that drove thousands of Filipinos to join the “free-our-country” force with just those things at their hands. Believing that their number as a whole could be the source of strength and unity among them, they still chose to offer their lives for this heroic reason.

I really believe in the text which says, “The real weapon in the revolution was not guns or bolos but raw courage.” It is visible that our weapons are nothing against that of theirs, but we still manage to fight without fear of dying. What else could be the reason for this?

What drove them to join the battlefield was purely courage. The thought of winning a battle and the need to free their motherland was the manifestation of courage since they knew that anytime could be their last.


COMPARISON WITH ANOTHER SOURCE:

From the book, “History of the Filipino People by Teodoro A. Agoncillo:

Preparations for the Struggle, pp.168

Meanwhile, the Katipunan began preparations geared for any emergency. Bonifacio thought that sooner or later the revolution would explode, and he did not want to be taken by surprise. Consequently, he ordered the manufacturer of bolos to be distributed to the members of the society. Bolos alone, however, would not do, for the enemy was armed with Remingtons and Mausers.

First Skirmishes, pp.172

After the “Cry of Balintawak,” the first encounter happened between the Katipuneros and the Spanish Army at 10 in the morning of August 25, 1896. Because of their inferior weapons, which consisted mainly of bolos and a few guns, the rebels decided to retreat. On the other hand, the Spaniard, finding themselves greatly outnumbered, also decided to retreat. So both camps retreated and thus prevented a bloody encounter.

..."IT WAS COURAGE WHICH MADE FILIPINOS MARCHED FOR FREEDOM!"

WEEKENDS

WEEK 13:

This week did not turn to be busy as I expect, so I am not going to tell anything about academics rather, I am going to narrate my experiences in this academy during weekends.

Honestly, I am excited when Saturday and Sunday is fast approaching to the fact that I can do whatever I want, but not actually violating the school’s policies. During weekends, I always play billiards and watch movies together with the other cadets. We used the swimming pool for fun and enjoyed the whole day as if it’s our only free days. Aside from this, I see to it that I am already done with all the requirements, whether it is academics or non-academics. I used to secure my things and arranged everything, so that when Monday comes, there’s nothing to worry about knowing that all things were already secured and put on their proper places.

When night comes, we watched movies in the AVR, and most of the times, horror movies dominate. We shout because of fear to the extent of losing our own voices, but we enjoyed a lot. Through this, our brotherhood is being strengthened making all of us more solid and firm.

There are words which I want to write, but I can put all of them in just few words which go like this, “Temple is build not by one, but by many.”

THE THREE VITAL SPIRITS

WEEK 12:

This week was very hectic for me and also with the other cadets. There were lots of preparations for the Sci-Math Week and for the TDG’s 32nd Foundation Anniversary. I and the other TDG supported cadets were having practice everynight till 1 o’clock in the morning on this week. We arranged our actions, choreographed our piece, and organized the group for the said event. Mrs. Josephine J. Francisco and her two assistants helped us to make our show more colorful. We rehearsed for about eight (8) hours with so many repetitions since Mrs. Francisco wanted it to be a perfect show.

We rehearsed again for three (3) hours with our costumes on. When March 8 came, we were exited to perform since this was the first time we were invited to perform a number in front of TDG top executives. Before our show, I noticed that most of us were tensed due to the thought of committing mistakes. When it was our time, all of us did our best, and it was after the show when we heard somebody speaking that it was good. We saw everybody smiling during and after the show, and I think, our constant and long practice was the reason for this.

From this activity, I learned the significance of trust, confidence, and unity. These three are vital in doing anything. Although this is not required, I am sure that whatever we do, if we put these three on the way, the results are all best.

PREPARATIONS FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL

WEEK 11:
This week is not a week of academics for me rather, a week of preparation. I will not talk about how the lessons went through, or what scholastic knowledge I have gained but how the days affected me and the other cadets in improving our ways and manners.

We have undergone trainings in each day even in simple things like proper standing and sitting especially if we are eating. We were taught on basic commands that are very essential during our formation. We were trained how to salute properly and when to salute. We received punishments, but we take it seriously though, it was hard.

When the day came for us to go in the PICC (Philippine International Convention Center), we have the feelings that we are already ready to show to everyone what an NTMA cadets are. We acted properly and normally up to the time when our instructors decided to leave.

It’s important for me because this was the first time for us to join a certain forum together with all other maritime schools, and we proved to them that even if our academy is not implementing a military training, still, we can be like them, or even better than them.

KNOWLEDGE IS NOT ENOUGH

WEEK 10:
“Knowing things is good, but recognizing how these things function is better.”

I considered this week as a week of practicality and application. Our Machine Shop (MaShop) instructor, 1AE Renee Cabatan, gave us the first group project which is about the application of different bench tools. We grouped ourselves randomly and assigned a leader for each group. My groupmates had chosen me to be their leader, so I take the responsibility. Our project made us apply our knowledge about the different bench tools, and it enhanced our skills while we were having our hands on. It developed our own techniques on how to finish our project in a safe and comfortable way, but with much accuracy.

As a leader, I assigned each of my members to do a certain work. I see to it that all of us are taking part from our project. While working, I found out that more hands are better than one—that there’s satisfaction if everybody contributed his own sweat for the accomplishment of something. There is actually joy in work only if one knows how to find that joy on it, and I and the rest of my groupmates found it while we are working.

Thus, it is not necessary for someone to know everything. What matter most is that he knows why and how a certain thing happened for this could be appreciated more.

PUNCTUATION: A GRAMMAR TO BE KNOWN

WEEK 9:
Grammar is like math and science. It is widely used, usually spoken or written, but commonly forgotten. Every word that comes out from our mouth is grammar, and each statement or expression we write is grammar. But have we asked ourselves why grammar is being studied?

Proper grammar is important because it is an indication of proper education and an understanding of the matter of which you speak. It is also important because people are judged by the way they speak or write. In this week, I learned a lot about this grammar especially the different punctuations that are very crucial in writing. The punctuations I learned include commas, periods, colons, semi-colons, dashes, hyphens, and brackets.

The punctuations mentioned play a vital role in making one’s idea clearer and thus, understandable. Improper use of these punctuations may lead to other meanings, hence making the readers confused. With this, I learned that writing and speaking are just of the same level; that both of them require grammar mastery and familiarization.

As a seafarer, proper knowledge about grammar helps a lot since there are lots of papers and documents to be worked on. If I want myself to be understood, then, I should be accustomed on using grammar, and this will start at this very moment.