One of the highlights of my family’s recent trip to Manila Ocean Park was the Sea Lion Show. We were at the area 15 minutes before the show, giving us time to choose the best seats. While waiting, we were able to check out the poster outlining the difference between sea lions and seals.
When the show started, I felt like a curious 9-year old Girl Scout trapped in a 39-year old body. Relishing every moment of the show, I almost forgot I was with my mother, my husband and my aunt-in-law. Good thing I remembered to capture moments like this…
When the host looked for a volunteer from the audience to be on stage with the sea lions and their trainers, I seized the opportunity. Out of curiosity, I raised my hand and shouted at the top of my lungs before anyone in the audience can make up his mind. Right after, dozens of spectators were screaming for the spot. I aggressively screamed louder, eagerly wanting the chance to be up close and personal with the adorable sea creatures. I was chosen!
On my way to the stage, I was directed by the staff to carefully follow instructions. I reminded myself not to do anything crazy on stage, aware that it was not my turf. I was shaking when I was introduced to Vincent. I masked my momentary tension with a steady smile.
The the amiable Korean trainer directed me do things with ease and confidence. The scenes that ensued proved how much I enjoyed meeting the sea lion up close and personal.
And the unexpected kiss came!
It was not a smack because Vincent’s thick lips lingered on my cheeks for more than five seconds. The kiss lasted like eternity!
I was so relieved when he finally backed off upon the Korean trainer’s signal! The kiss left me smelling like fish but smiling like crazy.
The enriching experience made me commit to the line that captures National Geographic’s shared spirit: Live Curious.
How about you, dear readers? Have you experienced something exciting out of curiosity? I am eager to know your story, too! Go ahead and share…
General Joana 
that was a wonderful first encounter with a sea lion! buti na lang di ka natransform after the kiss. 🙂
That was one awesome experience with the sea lion. Too bad I wasn’t able to watch that show when I was there last year.
You have quite an experience, ma’am 😉
ANd, sea lion and seal, I actually thought they’re the same 😀 ahahaha. But they aren’t in a way.
hehehehhehe…exciting man kau na experience friendship…ad2 pud ko dinha pag-uli nako.hehehhheehe
Wow! what an opportunity…I really want to experience that kind of kiss..hehehe
–tnx for sharing this Ma’am!God bless
Wow! what an opportunity…I really want to experience that kind of kiss..hehehe
tnx for sharing this Ma’am!God bless
wow..i want to experience that also someday ma’am.god bless!
wow nakaiyak po yun maam what a nice experience ………
it is fantastic……….
wow ! nice experience with the sea lion ma’am. i want to experience it also,maybe soon ..:) and maybe the sea lion got a crush on you .so he kissed you unexpectedly!! 😀 .thank you for sharing ur experience ma’am jo ..godbless!!
–LIVE CURIOUS 🙂
wow……it is a nice experience I wish that I can try that someday,somehow or through imagination …….GOD BLESS MA’AM……………
I don’t want pets. But, I really don’t hate pets, its just that, I don’t want to see them around.
They are always making me turn to a scary auger whenever I saw even one of their kind. Because for me, they were so nauseous (oh! I’m so bad. Sorry pets). But in your case ma’am, were too opposite. What you have shared enlighten me, that pets should be cared, treasured, loved and should be treated well. As a result, I want to have some.(I’m longing for a cute puppy) I wish, someone would give me one.hehehe..
I’d like to try to kiss sea lion and smell like fishy too. Great experience ma’am. Thank you for sharing.:) Like!
What a groovy experience!! I enjoy looking at the pictures and reading it as well.Your smile shows that you had a great time with the Sea Lion . Thank you for sharing it to us.
This is your student LEIZL JANE S. ANAS.
Wow! What a nice and unforgetable experienced, I hope i can go there too.
Oh! It’s so great to see my teacher kissing the cute sea lion. God bless.
wow! What a wonderful experienced, I think it was nice to exprience to take a picture with a sea lion, I hope that I can experience it too.
How i wish i could also experience that in a near future!!! Reading with your story make me curious of how i will be in that situation… hahaha… for sure its totally funny.. thank you Ma’am for that wonderful story… 😉
Hi ma’am! What a nice experience!!! After reading your story, I’m thinking now how would it be in your position in this story! Hehehe.. You make me smile! thanks!
NORMA SABANDAL : )
I am so impressed while i read your blog”kissed by a sea lion” its so nice experience. i hope someday i want to experience it also.god bless ma’am take care always. your student NORAINhttps://generaljoana.wordpress.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php?paged=2#comments-formA D. ALI.
wow!!! I really really liked that kind of animals ma”Am!!
i want to experience it soon maAm…..
i wished that I am the SEA LION who kissed and got a picture of you maam!!hehehe…
GOd BLESS MAAM….
What an experience! Wonderful! and… the kiss that lasted like eternity? Wow! I’m curious too but alas! I know I am not that confident to do what you did ma’am, even just touching or get closer and have some fun with them. If I have an opportunity to visit Manila Ocean Park, I would just stay seated and watch the scene, that would be great. hehe! I love animals by the way. Nice one ma’am, thanks!
that is a great experience with the unexpected kissed by the sea lion>.”smells like fishy but
smiling like crazy” BECAUSE OF CURIOUSITY . !hehehehe!! 😀
helu ma’am,,A MAJOR MAJOR wow experience you shared ma’am hehe.
I wish that i could experience,,,, what you’ve experience ma’am,,,
HABANG binabasa ko your article i feel excitement that someday “”””I EXPERIENCE A KISS FROM LAND LION HEHE,,””'””””
That was an awesome experience!!!!! When I saw the pictures, it really amazed me… I wish I were a child again…… I really love animals specially those who can make me smile all the time….
I will promise that when I got a job and get my first salary, the first thing I will do is I will bring my mother to Manila Ocean Park and I will bring her on stage and she will kiss the sea lion ….: )
Our ability to achieve success depends on the strength of our wings gained through knowledge and experience. I have many experience but i want to try that one.
Im curios of everything,like how to smell fish after sea lion kissed , but still smiling like CRAZY ??
haha, i remember some of my experince, when i kissed the dog because of my curiosity.
GREAT experience ma’am Jo.. i wish i could try 🙂
wOw! what a great experience maam..thank yOu for sharing! 🙂 you are lucky maam because you experienced how it feels wen you are kissed by a sea lion.. amAzing!!
HI MAAM I’M OCHAVO, JOHN CARLO
WHAT AN EXPERIENCE I WANT TO DO THAT MAAM NOT A SEALION BUT THE GIRL THAT I LOVE ….
THANK YOU AND MORE POWER TO YOUR SITE :]
That experience was so unforgettable for sure ma’am. Next time if you will go there again ma’am, tell me. :), so i can also experience being kissed by a very cute sea lion. 🙂
More power! haha. I will be forever curios. 🙂
“KISSED BY A SEA LION”
this would make anyone who can read this satisfy their curiosity about what really sea lions are…
TALENTED
ONE OF A KIND
GENIUS
created by GOD..
thanks to you maam because you let us realize how GOD make impossible things possible..:)
kisses,
petjames
wow….!!!!what a great experience maam…. how i wish i could also experience being kissed by a cute sea lions…. its totally funny… thank you maam…
Hi ma’am Joana! As i was reading your article, my curiosity drawn into a certain conclusion that Sea Lions are weird animals with extraordinary characteristic.
How i wish that i can also be kissed by PET JAMES. No!! By a Sea Lion i mean! haha!
What an experience ma’am! I hope I can brought my family there too at some point of time and experience the same thrill and excitement that you and your family had been cherished… By the way ma’am, was the lips of the sea lion soft? hehehe.
Hi maa’m
I’m Anabelle L. David..
what a great experience maam,i like to experience that too ma’am :))i hope someday I’ll be kissing a sea lion too ..hehe..
for me sea lion is not an ordinary animals most especially in the Philippines,it’s not just like milk fish (bangus) that we can see anywhere. That’s why ma’am your so lucky because your not only saw the sea lion but also experienced how to be kissed by a sea lion.i hope and wish to experience what have you experienced ma’am.
Hi ma’am. Good evening.
Experience can’t be pay by anything or even money,they say that grabbed all the opportunity if possible.Your experience ma’am is so great I wish that someday I can also experience what you have done.It is true that sea lions are like human that can be train?
THANK YOU MA’AM FOR SHARING.MORE POWER AND MAY GOD WILL BLESSED YOU.
REYCAR MORACA
Hi Ma’am good Morning
I want to experience that kind of kiss someday…. hehehehe
THANK YOU MA’AM FOR SHARING YOUR GREAT EXPERIECE
AND GOD BLESS YOU MA’AM AND MORE POWER..
HONEY JAY SAPLAD
Hi Ma’am good Morning
I want to experience that kind of kiss someday…. hehehehe
THANK YOU MA’AM FOR SHARING YOUR GREAT EXPERIECE
AND GOD BLESS YOU MA’AM AND MORE POWER..
HONEY JAY SAPLAD
hi maam…
How nice to see my teacher enjoying with the sea lion and kissing him,hope someday i can see the sea lion and kissed them.
What an experience ma’am . your so lucky ma’am i hope i can saw a sea lion in a personal and i can kiss also .i wish someday i can experience what you have experience .
This is your student Laurence Earl Buhi
Thank you for the lesson !
What a nice experience . i hope i can go there too .kissing by a sea lion is a cute experience ma’am.who can rean this satisfy their curiosity .
Sea lions is one of talented kind created by God .
Thank you ma’am God bless you
Your student Gerald Caagbay
Good day ma’am! wow! what a unique and amazing experience ma’am, in your article i learned new things like, i thought seal and sea lion are just the same but now i know that they are different. Kissed by a sea lion is very much fun and exciting,i think so. I had that experience also but its just a kissed by a puppy…
Thanks ma,am and more power.God bless. . .
,,I love the way you share your experience ma’am. It makes me wonder how it feels to be kissed by a sea lion..=)
I hope i can write something as great as this someday.
..thank you ma’am.. god bless=)
..happy teacher’s day=)
a pleasant day to you mam!
Kissed by a sea lion?.. What a great and unforgettable experience.. I wish i could also experience to be kissed by a sea lion.
take good care of you’re self ma’am and GOD bless 🙂
Good day Maam ! =) I’ve never seen sea lion in my whole life. They are cute and absolutely aggressive. Your experience is such a memorable moment in your life.I do hope that i could experience it too.
Take Care and God Bless in your journey =)
Your Student Arnel Jose Cereño
nice one ma’am… that was fun i hope i can kiss them, not just a sea lion but a real lion hehe.
more bless ma’am jo.