Happy Birthday Ruksii Baby! :)

Wow Cubao!

Spent some time in Cubao going around SM Cubao, Gateway Mall and Ali Mall with Ruksii and Pareng MJ. After more or less six (6) hours, we ended up with the items pictured above. That's what we call Shopping Galore! Hahaha. Excited to do that again soon! :)))

Proud Bueño!

That proud moment when your university - Bicol University College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, is being given recognition by the Professional Regulations Commission and the Board for Social Workers as the Top Performing Social Work School in the Philippines. :)

#2013RegisteredSocialWorkers

Some of the newly registered social workers from Bicol University College of Social Sciences and Philosophy!

MnT, RSWs

Reaching a life achievement is waaaaaaaayyyy merrier with friends who happen to be true friends! I'll miss my MnT friends! :)

#OneProudBueñoHere

The Placers from Bicol University College of Social Sciences and Philosophy together with Professor Tania Lana, Professor Annelyn Mendoza and Board for Social Workers Member Mr. Jesus Far.

Russ, RSW

 Am now a truly Registered Social Worker! Hooray! :)

FIELD INSTRUCTION 2 DIARIES: 2

A day after (January 16, 2013) I wrote my first entry in my FI 2 Diaries, I wrote the second and the last entry and here is it:

All the while, I thought things will eventually fall in it's proper places. Something like a bad start with a happy ending. But i was wrong. Expectations have been broken. Positivity is winding down and every passing day becomes a struggle to hold on and survive. I thought this journey is something exciting, something genuine, something worth while and something worth remembering. But reality tells me otherwise. I don't and I won't stop the fight but will you blame me if I say that the only reasons why I hold on to this ill-fated journey of mine are my peers, friends, family and my need to get my diploma?

:'(

Field Instruction 2 Diaries: 1

During one of the most trying times that I experienced during Field Instruction (or OJT for other degrees), I tried to pour my emotions out through writing. I entitled it Field Instruction 2 Diaries. Sadly, I only came up with two (2) entries due largely to the never ending requirements that I need to accomplish and comply. Nonetheless, i decided to put the two entries here and so here is my first catharsis dated January 15, 2013.

It's the third week of the year and pretty much, it's my eight week here in the area as a community organizer. Akala ko things would change along the with the change of the year. But since things are not getting any better especially with my community organizing experience (CO), I decided to start writing a series of write-ups. At least, I can devote my free time before going to dreamland in writing something that I can share to my fellow students and would-be FI 2 students and at the same time, in order for me to maintain my sanity. However, this is something I would call as a bitter experience.

Well, my seventh FI week started not good and things and turning to worse and from our supposed transition to CO related work and tasks, we are back as data gatherers or surveyors or interviewers. Akalain mo, pinagalitan kami ng minamahal naming supervisor dahil sa tingin niya ay hindi kami flexible and we lack sense of urgency. Should we be informed earlier na nandito kami sa area as data gatherers or surveyors or interviewers and not as CO workers, eh mas matatanggap ko sana ang mga pangyayari. But last time I checked, we should be here because we need to organize the community. Ano ba talaga?

I never imagined my CO experience to be this worse. Sayang ng opportunity to learn. Wala naman akong magawa dahil nakagapos ako sa isang sistemang pagnagreklamo ka, ikaw ang masama. Napadpad ako sa sitwasyong wala akong magawa kundi lulunin at lumulon.

At the end of the day, I just realized how 'doing what you love' differs from 'doing what you need/forced to do.' Iba talaga kapag gusto mo ang ginagawa mo. Mas masaya ka! Mas productive ka at mas magian ang pakiramdam mo. But things are different if you only do something because you just need to do it. Dun na ako sa puntong ginagawa ko nalang ang mga bagay-bagay dahil kinakailangan at hindi dahil gusto ko. Haaay! I remember dreaming of my CO experience as something worth remembering. Something more real, something good, something funfilled and something which can be called as a lifetime experience. :(

Ang aking kalokalike. Bow.

A former classmate who is fond of calling me JL which is short for John Lloyd made this and she uploaded and shared it in facebook with my permission. HAHA. She calls me JL because during our sophomore years, i would always claim that I look like John Lloyd. Ayun, nasanay na ata siya kaya yun na ang tawag niya sakin. hoho.

Hmm. Regarding the pic, nag-expect pa naman ako dahil sabi niya sa text katulad daw ng picture ko. Yun pala, kakulay ng damit ko. hohoho. anyway, sayang lang at lamang pa rin sakin ng kalahating paligo ang totoong JL. I was that close pero ang layo pa rin! HAHAHAHA. Salamat nalang kay Argelyn na nag-abala. :)

BucketList 1

I just thought of starting listing down some things that i would love to accomplish before I die of whatever causes here in my blog so that it can be kept here and will always be available for me to see.

Well, earlier today, i watched a video about kissing in the rain and poof! I said to myself that i would want to experience that with her. Thus, kissing in the rain is my first entry in my bucket list. Of course, her would refer to someone i love. I find it really romantic and intimate. HAHA. Madali ko ata magagawa 'to and let's just see. :)))))

Original Picture was taken from: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lm65crWGwr1qfq8ubo1_500.jpg

Testi

I had been lucky to be a part of the organizing team of the 3 out of 4 testimonial rites that was conducted by the Social Work Department since 2009. In fact, I acted as the head of the organizing team twice. As always, tasks were arduous and things were being given attention and being checked to the last and smallest details. Yung tipong dapat ay no stones are left unturned. Organizing such activity (which was simultaneously being conducted with the Acquaintance Party of the department) is very much stressful and tiring. And I can say that it's the biggest activity of the department with the end goal of making your guests and honorees feel special.

As years go on, the simple joy of being a part of the organizing team and attending the said event as regular attendee ignited a dream in me and to my classmates as well. That is, to attend the said event not as a student, nor an organizer but as an honoree. I would like to admit that I even dreamed of speaking in front of the department sharing my experiences and my journey towards passing the board exam. Of course, just like how we did it, at first I dreamed of a Testimonial Rite in a comfortable venue with an atmosphere of joy, gladness and appreciation with all the students in the department together. Feeling ko, kaparehas ng ilan (kung hindi man lahat), eto yung isa sa dalawang mga pangyayari na matagal kong (or naming) inantay at inabangan.

Pero siyempre, I know for a fact that dreams do not come true most of the time and as early as March 2013, I laid down my expectations regarding the testimonial in order for me to avoid being disappointed in the end. Okay na ang simple basta masaya at basta sincere ang atmosphere - that's what I said to myself. But as time progresses and the date for the activity is nearing, the information I got regarding the activity made me realized that this dream is now dead. In fact, when my classmates would ask me if I would attend, i would either keep quiet or answer a straight NO. But in the end, I still attended the activity. Not because I really would love and I really want to attend. I attended because of the respect and courtesy that I still have for the department. Come to think of it, last naman na ito. After that, sabihin na nating, I'm through with the department. Tapos na and I'm thankful for that!

Marami pa akong gustong sabihin pero I guess I have to end here to avoid saying things that may put me again in the spotlight. I just hope that the organizers and the department itself will hold an honest-to-goodness evaluation of an activity once fit for professionals and would be professionals (except ata kung barrio meeting or gathering ang theme ng activity). But before others react negatively to my statement, let me validate it. What I am trying to say is that I hope they (the organizing team) will give more effort on the next testimonial rites to come. Simplicity is fine or simplicity is even beauty but simplicity is not the avoidance of things that we think are grandiose, it's about making things comfortably easy for everybody without sacrificing the basics (eg. a truck for passers with simple designs made of recycled materials, proper coordination and information dissemination, a humane venue for all attendees, a nice and better program perhaps and such other things).

Well, yun lang naman ang sa akin. Simple na yan para maintindihan mo/niyo! >.<

Motorcade Truck

Lo and behold, ang pinakamagandang motorcade truck that I've seen in years with matching 'College of Social Services and Philosophy' streamer hanging on the front. This is epic. Just epic!