Ruined for Life

It's been almost four since I first came to Cagayan de Oro, the City of Golden Friendship.

I'm came here, as a volunteer for the Jesuit Volunteers Philippines. Assigned as a program assistant to the office of student affairs of xavier university-ateneo de cagayan.

This wasn't my original assignment, i was initially assigned to the archdiocese of davao as a youth formator. But as the fates would have it, some volunteers backed out, so some volunteers were reshuffled.

I remember during our pre-orientation seminar, before I was reaasigned, some volunteers thought that this would have been a boring assignment. Though they didn't say it directly, it was more of "ano gagawin dyan?". So far, I've been enjoying my stint as a volunteer here.

I would have to say, that when I arrived here, I hit the ground running. Thank God I didn't stumble. My first day at work, while I was being given by my supervisor an orientation, I learned that the next day would be the freshman orientation of the university and our office was the organizer of that event. Tough luck, I had some heavy work to do right after the first day. Well, thursday came, and I was late reporting for work(somehow, the orientation failed to include how i was supposed to get here). The day passed by like a whirlwind. I had to coordinate with the other offices of the university, while I haven't had the time to learn bisay yet, asking them to speak in filipino or english as I was talking to the university officials was quite funny. The next week, we had to prepare for a 3 day seminar for the heads of the various student organizations. Good thing, thing the seminar was out in bukidnon, yipee I get to travel immediately. I have to admit, my first assignment as a youth formator for the archdiocese of davao entailed a lot of traveling, I love to travel. The excitement was dampened by the fact that I had to give a talk during that seminar and my topic was a national situationer and how youth leaders can help. Imagine, ako... magbibigay ng national situation na talk... Napapaniwala ko naman yata sila sa pambobola ko... The whole seminar was fun, got to meet most of my clients for the whole year.

The succeeding weeks until the end of july saw more seminars. There was at least one every week, buti na lang half day na lang yung mga seminars na yun. The following months, though saw me monitoring activities and filing the activity reports of the organizations. Ako, nagffile... After all the scolding I received about my various notes(more of photocopies of my classmates' notes), papers and books scattered around our house. Oh well, if God wants me to learn how to organize files, so be it. I must admit, my filing here needs improvement.

The past 2 months, proved to be more of a challenge. As i now had more free time. This gave me more time to think and reflect about my JVP year(naks... i'll probably write about what i thought up during my free hours next time). There were also times when I found myself bored, though I could count it in my one hand, when there really was nothing for me to do in the office. Boredom didn't become much of a problem because I had great officemates, the students were fun to be with and the SUPER local committee of JVP here.

Though, I'm not yet halfway through my JVP year, I can safely say that I've changed. I never thought that the changes would be this great in such a short time, but it's there. As someone once told us going through a year as a JVP volunteer, leaves one ruined for life, in a good way =).

The life of a volunteer does have its ups and downs, makes one think of a roller coaster ride. The same faith that we give whoever designed a roller coaster to give us a great time and at the same time keep us safe, I know God would do the same and more for me and my batchmates.

Alam ko din, na matatapos ko to ng buong buo ang loob at ng walang panghihinayang.

@%$#$%#!@

GREAT!

I was writing what would have been my longest post so far, when the computer decides to hang... Great...

Labas nga muna ako para magyosi...

Broken Hearts(2)

I have just realized that I am broken hearted.

Not because of another failed romance, but because of the things that are happening to our world.

I was probably affected by all the rallies going on around UP, so I decided to do something much more concrete than complain. I signed up to be a volunteer.

I joined JVP, because I felt there is something I can contribute for the betterment of the lives of others.

I am now four months into my JVP year, although there are times when I find it difficult, I have never been happier in my life. Knowing that I am contributing in my own little way to building a better country.

Broken Hearts(1)

Here's something i read which struck me, why it struck me would be for another day. for the mean time, here's what i read:

Only A Broken Heart is Whole

Education is not a process that continues for some years and then ends. Education has only one sovereign purpose: to prepare one for more education. All else is subsidiary to this. Education should create hungers – spiritual, moral, and aesthetic hungers for value.

There is a beautiful saying that comes to us from Hasidic lore: “There is only one thing that is whole in the entire world, and that is a broken heart.”

Reflect for a moment: Here is a world that has not yet been redeemed, a world in which there is tragedy at the root of things. How could a moral and sensitive man walk about with a heart that is not broken?

The broken-hearted—paradoxically and profoundly are the whole hearted. And the task of education… should be to break your heart. Unless it breaks your heart it is a false education, a pseudo-education. The gift of education will be a heart that is whole..

-Israel Knox-

Red Horse Rider

Isang pagbibigay pugay sa aking paboritong inumin...

Ang red horse.

Walang tatalo sa isang baso ng napakalamig na red horse.

I have gone on a personal crusade to convert beer drinkers into red horse drinkers, and I am quite proud to have won so many. From my friends' yuppie friends to some of my JVP batchmates, a lot have switched to red horse after drinking it with me.

Red horse' distinct taste and certified tama gives beer drinkers the right kind of kick.

So ano pa hinihintay mo? Sakay na!

And as the red horse ad goes... ITO ANG TAMA!!!

P.S.
I have a confession... galit ako sa beer... sa sobrang galit ko sa beer, ayokong nakakakita ng beer... kaya inuubos ko kaagad ito.

First Time...

Oo.

First time ko to...

This would be my first attempt at writing in an online journal.

A day after my river rafting experience, where i missed jumping off the bridge due to my fear of water, I made a decision to try and face my fears one at a time.

This is one of my fears, writing...

For someone who is much more comfortable playing with numbers than with words, I am bit afraid how my writing in an online journal would turn out.

I grew up with a mother who is a mathematician and a dad who is an engineer, naturally, i had numbers as my playmates when i was a kid. My fear for writing was further reinforced when i was a sophomore in high school, I flunked english. So while our classmates went off to a class outing I was left in school taking a removal exam, thankfully I had some company. I eventually passed english 2 and I now count Ma'am Oblepias one of my most unforgettable teachers.

Anyway, I was able to get by my other english classes during high school and during my 7 year stay in college.

Now, here I am writing my own blog.