For me, the biggest obstacle to a rookie guide who's offering free tours would be initiating contact to total strangers. I have the best intentions but there's this little cynical voice that gets in the way of doing the right thing. It's makes one doubt his or her capabilities. It doesn't help.
I'm digressing.
Moving along, we finally got our break from a group of foreigners who were willing to be guided. They're here for a conference at AIM (Asian Institute of Management). One's Canadian, the other one's from Mexico, the other is from the US, and I can't recall the other one. We toured them around Fort Santiago.
As rookies, there were times that excitement comes first before doing the actual job. Admittedly, there were lapses in laying out the must-tells to foreigners who were in a hurry and have a broad idea about the Philippines. The challenge would always be to keep them engaged and ultimately, make them ask questions.
The first one question was about the statue made out of cut and welded steel. It's in front of the old US barracks.
We quickly jumped the gun and told them that this was Malakas at Maganda. Philippine folklore's Adam and Eve. Then they asked who made it? That simple question left us dumbfounded for a moment but we were quick to recover our bearings and said that we'll research and email the information.
Thanks to the internet, we got our facts straight. The title of this work is: Youth's Cry of Defiance. This was a creation of one of our best sculptors. He's name is Eduardo Castrillo. Among his famous works are the Martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal in Rizal Park, Raha Sulayman in front of the Malate Church, and the People Power Monument along EDSA. Check out this link to see more of his works.
The challenge would always be to keep them engaged and ultimately, make them ask questions.
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