A Response from a Participant: Genetics Camp 2008

Written by Mico Galang*

GenCamp Participant, Don Bosco College

Last January 26-27 I, together with my classmate Paul, batch mate Nikko and our Biology teacher Ma’am Mary Anne, went to the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) for the Genetics Camp 2008. My days stay at the University was a very good experience for me.

January 25, the day before going to the University, we had a meeting of what we are going to bring and how are going to get there. We had to bring clothes that are good for two days. I and my two companions went at Don Bosco to meet there. After that we went to Crossing and ride a jeep going to Robinson’s mall, the place where we met our teacher. We first went to a church to pray.  Then we went to a store and buy the necessary things. After that we went to the University.

We were the first to arrive at the University. There was a registration area. They gave us breakfast there. Our first activity was to know the people by a game which we have to group ourselves with the same characteristics with other people from other schools. We were surprised that we that we are going to be separated with our schoolmates and to be group with other students. We had seminars and symposiums about an introduction to Genetics a brief explanation of the central dogma of Biology the genes and many others. The thing that really gives me interest in is the symposium about dysmorphisms - the physical, mental (or both) disability of a child from birth. It is really sad that some parents abort their child. It is sad that there are only few doctors in the country who specializes on these conditions. We were lucky to meet one of them. After the first set of lectures and symposiums, we had lunch, followed by a workshop and made an origami of the DNA. Then we had dinner and the Social’s Night. It is a party where we played some parlor game. The King and Queen of the social’s night were also named. After the social’s night we took a bath, dress up and before we slept, we read our handouts and spent some time to review for the quiz bee for tomorrow.

The following day, the first thing we did was to take a shower, dress up and eat our breakfast. Then, there were more lectures for that day. We also made a diorama about genetics. After lunch, we had the Quiz Bee and Essay Writing Contest. We also explained the diorama we made. We lost all in the contest but we did what we are suppose to do, our best. But in the quiz bee we were the 5^th place. After that we packed our things and said goodbye to our new friends from other schools. Some gave their cell phone number, e-mail address, Friendster account and their Multiply account to each other. Before we left the University we had a little tour. First is we went to the field at the back of the University. We also went to the to the library. But unfortunately it was closed, so we stayed outside and ate our snacks. We also went to the famous “Oblation”. It was beautiful.

I had a very good experience at UPLB. I was able to go to one of the best schools in the country. And the most important thing is to try to apply what I have learned during the Genetics Camp 2008.

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*Appropriate permission and modifications were made for the publication of this article. Mico Galang  mentioned that he submitted this essay as his English Project. The essay was originally posted in his Multiply site.