How To Be Alone

This video is pure joy to watch. 

It really made my heart smile. And well, miss conceptualizing, shooting, and editing videos. Watching awesome work reminds me of how great a tool multimedia is. 

Anyway. I love spending time alone. There's something about the breathing space that allows for clarity to grow and doors of possibility to open.

Taking Cue From Miley Cyrus

Like I said, I was never the mountain climber. Last Saturday's forest-building activity was another reminder of how much I hated am not into mountain climbing. Nothing against mountain climbing itself; I have just learned to decipher what battles to lace my gloves for.

This treeplanting activity is the culminating event of The Cordillera Challenge. I was really excited to join and even woke ahead of our party to get ready. At 3:30am, I was up and about getting my gear on. The venue is an estimated 2-hour rough drive from Baguio. Upon arriving, a great number of sleepyheads gathered together to have a quick cup of coffee before having the orientation.

Antok Gang Member 001

Antok Gang Members 002, 003, 004...

Benguet Coffee

Message from Cordillera Conservation Trust
JP Alipio (left) saying that before, there were just 25 of them who were moving to reforest the mountains and how at this event, there are now about 300 who are helping out.
Ben (right) guided our group all throughout. He patiently listened and answered the countless "Are we there yet?" cries.

Yihee. My husband saying thanks, in behalf of BridgeComm, to everyone who came to help out.
Volunteers consisted of employees of Globe (specifically their photography and adventure groups), employees of Holcim La Union and Bulacan, and students from JP's class

That, you are :)

Beautiful children by the entry point

We were told that we will be divided into 3 groups: the creek area (lowest point), mid-level, and the peak. Knowing my lack of skills and fear of descent, I decided to stay by the creek area. My companions, however, chose to conquer the peak which was supposedly a 40-minute trek. 40 minutes? I could do that. So off to the peak we went armed with a sack of 20 seedlings each.

Seedlings

Spell unprepared: J-E-A-N-S

Meeting Manang on the way

An hour later, we still weren't halfway through. My shoes were slipping. My bag was feeling heavier. My sweat was creating its own pool. And the sun was generously burrowing itself into our napes. This was no 40-minute climb and there was no turning back.

Taking a break

Pagod na. 

Tempted to plant seedlings on the way up to lighten our load, haha

"Papunta ka pa lang, pabalik na ako."
- Kalabaw, 2010

I could list a million rants but I'll take what I learned from the hike instead:

Reconcile with haphazards. Sometimes, we get stuck in a rather challenging situation that we did not sign up/ prepare for. Deal with it.

There are no shortcuts.

Keep going. Because you can even when you think you can't.

Find rest in your breath. We will all eventually get through.

In the end, the experience embedded lessons to grow in me and 15,000 trees to grow on Cordillera grounds.

:)

A attempt to capture the view from where I dumped my exhausted self after reaching the top

Checking out the scenery/ praying for trail food

"Dear Ate Charo, Itago niyo na lang po ako sa pangalang Frank."

The brave challengers prepare for a group photo. Congrats, everyone! 

Such a feelin's comin' over me.. Sing it!

A matter of perspective and all is well.

WDYDWYD #003

Char Tan (left), activist and social entrepreneur with Good Food Co. teammate, Crystal

"I am most happy when of service."

Crystal is soon leaving for Ghana to be a VSO volunteer.

Reminder #7261582

Rules by Corita Kent

Lifted this off the blog of one of my favorite artists, Keri Smith.

"Rule 7: The only rule is to work. If you work, it will lead to something. It's the people who do all of the work all the time who eventually catch on to things."

Aye, aye, Sister.

Corita Kent is a nun, artist, and activist rolled into one. Her serigraphs during 1960s and 1970s were considered a 'joyful revolution' amongst her followers. Her infamous watercolor Love Stamp reportedly sold 700 million pieces making it the top-selling stamp in American history.

And The Award Goes To --

I didn't get to stay for the entire day of presentation and awarding of I Am a Changemaker, sadly. I had to haul bum to Benguet for the following day's forest-building activity with Cordillera Conservation Trust.

Youth movers and shakers of today rock, man. The energy in the auditorium was surprisingly calm for a venue of competing groups. I think the peace came from the fact that countless possibilities lay in the hands of these people.

NCR contender Belly Happy proposes homecooked meal delivery for workers of Ayala Techno Hub. Women from a nearby Gawad Kalinga village will be employed to prepare the orders.

Rotaract Club of Cebu's Cool Center project proposes to train out of school youth who are technically qualified to work in call center agencies but lack soft skills

Really good speaker presenting their project entitled SUGA - a livelihood project that empowers women and promotes environmentally sound business principles

And the winners are --

• NCR: Good Food Co. - Community Shared Agriculture system where farmers and shareholders are mutually empowered
• Luzon: Isla Cullion Souvenirs - a souvenir items business out of sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of Tagbanuas, an indigenous group living in Calamianes Group of Islands
• Visayas: Team 3G - a youth cooperative engaged in seaweed farming that addresses the need of Pangan-an Island for help in livelihood, education, and employment
• Mindanao: ERSS (Entrepreneurs Responding through Social Service) - a bag-out-of-tarp enterprise employing women of Balulang, Cagayan de Oro
• Starbucks Shared Planet Award: Team 3G again! 

Congratulations! 

WDYDWYD #002

Nana Buxani, Photographer/ Cinematographer

"I want to change things. I want to create a better society, where their [children in her exhibited photos] dreams can come true."

The exhibit WORKING CLASS: A REPORTAGE by Nana Buxani runs until August 21, 2010 at the Manila Collective, Cubao X, Quezon City. 

Bun in the Oven

Nope, I'm not pregnant.

Although I suppose that that is how I feel like. A dream has long been planted and growing in me and now I feel I'm ready to make it happen. Ready to pop.

See the vision through.

Artwork by Richard Stine

By Your grace. For Your glory.

Here's one of my inspirational knock-me-out-of-my-hole pillars written by Alex Beauchamps. I have copies of this neatly tucked in my journals so that I could see it all the time.

Please go out there and do. Live. Don’t be the same as yesterday. Don’t live vicariously online. Don’t use language that has no meaning or talk ideas you don’t really live. Don’t hide. Don’t copy others or live their ideas or life. Don’t fear doing your thing. Don’t fear doing. Instead of reading a decorating magazine, paint that room. Instead of thinking of baking, do up a cake. Run, walk, bike. Put that self help book down and pick up yourself.

Let go of the snark, your worries, your anger and fear and give into possibility, action, joy and life. Do. Do some more. Stop thinking about you. Stop blogging about just you and your kid and your pet. There’s a world out there to connect to, really connect to and email doesn’t count. Being of use is more important than being popular. Think about the lady down the street, the person at the drive through, the man fallen in the street, about politics, the environment, healthcare, another country and then do something about it. Never stop at thinking.

Dream big, work harder. Have lots of fun, lift a finger, do something for someone else. Cheer your friends on. Cheer yourself up. Celebrate as much as possible. Enjoy everything. Right now. It’s OK to want more and do more but be present with where you are or who you are with. Don’t rush the situation – even if it’s bad. Move on when you can. Don’t settle. Try everything you can and get over everything holding you back.

Go outside. Go outside yourself. Make a difference, make some change. Don’t complain about someone unless you’re talking to that someone. Don’t complain about a situation you’re not willing to make better. They don’t have it better and you don’t have it worse. Don’t make excuses. You’ll never see possibility if you do. And you’re smart and worth more than settling for a life of complaining and limitation.

Hope. Hope more. Give someone else hope. Get healthy and contribute to a healthy environment. Think about everything you do, you buy, you say. Only be lazy on Sunday and even then, be conscious. Rest is useful, giving up is not.

Live with a light heart. Play more. Remember what it’s like to be seven. Remember to listen to a seven year old because you just have more words and life experience, not necessarily more wisdom. Have more questions than answers and don’t put everything into words. Sometimes just feel things and be. Be quiet more often, listen harder, talk exactly as you mean to.

Strive for your best and not what you think someone elses’ best is. Follow through. Don’t let others’ down. Don’t let yourself down. You are better than your circumstances. Ask for what you’re worth. Make magic happen don’t wish for it. Don’t envy others’ lives, envy yours. Live it fully. Teach by example how to live well, how to be treated, how to be kind, how to be alive.

Do. I can’t stress that one enough. Take action on your life. Make the change. No more sulking, waiting, thinking, reading, talking about. It’s time. You’re ready.

Whenever I would read this, the last line wouldn't really resonate with how I feel. That's not the case this time around. I know that my dream has reached its deadline.

Now is the perfect time.
Yep. This is it. I'm ready.

:)

WDYDWYD #001

I started getting hooked on the internet at an early age. Browsing sites upon sites became a daily necessity. I remember being grounded for accumulating Olympic bills for our internet connection.

One of the online pages that made a great impression on me is Why Do You Do What You Do. It's not so much the outcome of the project but the gravity of the question itself.

Think about it. Why do you do what you do? 

Some can give their answers quickly. As if they wake up each day with a signage on their ceiling with the reason behind what they do.

Some take their time in answering. A lot of time. Perhaps they are on the defense, knowing the reason behind what they are doing but not being too proud of it. 

And some, well. Some have no answers. Maybe they haven't figured it out yet.

Listening to one's response to the question always paints a clearer picture of who a person is. What drives him. What matters to him. It's always refreshing to find out why people choose to do what they do. Like a peek into one's soul. In the end, I think, our lives are written by our choices and the fuel that drives us to choose. 

And so I thought of posting here the answers of some of the people I am blessed to meet and be inspired by.

WDYDWYD #001:

Chuck Palmer, Musician

"Somewhere in the Bible is a Scripture that goes somehow like, it would be a sin not to use my talent," he says. He recounted his story -- how he began playing music at a young age, how instead of playing music he began to do 'legitimate' work instead but then there's that nagging feeling that he's taking his talent for granted, how sometimes, listening to music drives him to tears. In the end, he chose to play music.
His father often advises him, "follow your bliss." And so he does.

This Country's Kitchen

Have you heard of the term localvore/ locavores?

It's a label recently coined to represent those who opt to consume food produced locally. While "local" is a flexible term depending on who uses it, it's safe to say that locavores have chosen this route as an alternative to supporting products that come from global corporate producers. "Going local does not mean walling off the outside world. It means nurturing locally-owned businesses which use local resources sustainably, employ local workers at decent wages, and serve primarily local consumers," says Michael Shuman of the book Going Local. 

Once upon a time, the socially impressive route was to purchase whatever was imported. Now, more than ever, there is great sense in supporting the local industry. Give it a shot. Check out what the neighborhood has to offer. You'll immediately figure out that eating local isn't mere umbilical cord-patronage. 

For me, one place I'm sure to find an array of great local treats is Salcedo Market in Salcedo Village, Makati. Held every Saturday morning for some years now, it has steadily gained loyal following. What to expect on a typical Salcedo Market morning? Neighborhood folks leisurely walking around with moods good enough to fool you that it's not a Saturday morning, a time when people would presumably choose to sleep in instead. Stalls upon stalls of gastronomic indulgence. Sunny skies with just enough clouds for shade. Trees swaying softly to the meandering wind. These and more make for an inescapable vibrance in the air that keeps people coming back.

And so this morning, we trooped over for a dose of local goodness.

 My son, Adi, mesmerized by the cotton candy

Going around, there were the familiar offerings and then there were the newer ones. 

Tommy's Coffee

Turon (deep fried banana fritters) with caramel or chocolate filling for P18 a pop.
Check out the poster by the lower left: Pansit Siopao. I didn't try it cos I'm  a wuss like that.

Mouthwatering spreads. Also available at Echo Store.

Novel polvoron flavors: Kiwi, Cranberry, Rose, Lime Lavender, Jasmine, etc.

Freshly squeezed Dalandan juice

Whole grain breads

What I'd be happy with a lifetime supply of

Fresh catch from the sea

Non-food products

Foreign cuisine offered by expats who have
chosen to live in the Philippines.

I would have wanted to take more pictures of what was there. Wagyu shawarma. Paella Negra. Lechon baka. Sugarcane juice. Adobong Kamaru (crickets). Papaya lumpia. Vodka tinapa. Flavored mantequilla. The list of food finds border endless. My stomach slightly grumble as I go through the roster.

Most, if not all, of the products are supplied for business by their owners out of love for what they offer. Have a chat with the concessionaires and common storylines are bound to come up. "This is my mother's recipe and we wanted to share it." "We have an abundance in supply of quality -- insert product here -- so we thought of utilizing them for market consumption." "I love cooking and I want to share this with other people." "The resources were readily available so we thought, why not?" You'd be awed by the subtle twinkle in their eyes when you hear them talk about how and why they do what they do. 

Here are more reasons to eat local and support small, local businesses: 

1. Local business owners have the local community in mind. I sure would want to buy from someone who thinks of my needs, my taste. 

2.  Local businesses create a great number of jobs. Difficult as it is to fathom, small businesses are the biggest employers in most countries.

3. Local businesses increase the local economy. Local entrepreneurs often prefer to obtain their resources locally as well. Choosing to buy local means positively affecting the business of other local businesses. Ripple effect.

4. There are ongoing debates on whether it truly is more environmentally sound to purchase local. Figures aren't definite, what with the difficulty in computing food's carbon footprint. (Here is an essay that confused me more) Putting the transportation of food aside, my thoughts on this are: If I choose to buy coffee produced by local farmers, this gives them money to sustain their business. Sustaining their business means they continue growing coffee in our land. To grow coffee in our land and ensure the productivity of their business, they need to take care of their surrounding environment. So, if this vague example bears any sense, I therefore conclude with my amateur capacity that buying local makes for a happy Mother Earth. 

5. Supporting local eats boosts tourism. These unique gastronomic pleasures paint a unique color to the community's culture. Consequently, this entices people to come to the community to take a bite of what's in store.

6. Lastly, though I'm sure there are more reasons that could be added to this list, I am awed by how much local pride successful local businesses instill in communities. Haven't you found yourself bragging about a bag of dried mango to foreigners? Or taking foreign visitors to the nearest restaurant boasting of home-cooked local food? I don't know about you but it sure makes me proud how folks from within my reach are capable of making great businesses out of our local resources. 

My Country, My Business

Define regret.

For me, it means not having found a way to at least send an entry to British Council's I Am a Changemaker Social Enterprise Business Plan competition. Not that I'm confident I'd win; I just wanted to at least try. I have a million and one social enterprise plans (see About for a concrete example) and all things social entrepreneurship secure a firm spot on the list of things I passionately believe in. But alas, the competition duration fell on my last month of pregnancy and my first month of being a mom so I had to prioritize. Excuses, excuses, I know.

Social enterprise is loosely defined as 'a business whose mission is vested in improving lives'. That said, wouldn't you want for every business to be a social enterprise? When the way we earn is integrated with the resolve of upgrading our nation, we all inevitably win. 

Next Friday, July 20, 2010, British Council will be awarding the winners of this competition. Competing entries come from all over the country. Winners will get a seed funding of P100,000 to implement their ideas. Reading through the project summaries of the finalists, I buckle with a surge of hope for our nation. Various community problems were tackled with a proposed resolution. And yep, all the proposals were thought of and planned (and of course, to be implemented) by members of the Filipino youth. Can't say youth is wasted on the young, huh.

If you'd like to attend the presentation of the business ideas that made it to the finals, troop over to Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Hall, Ateneo de Manila University. Presentations and awarding will take place from 9:00am to 6:00pm. Viewing via webstream is also an option for those of you who can't make it. Just RSVP here and send them an email for the link of the webstream.

Lastly, I'd like to recommend this book: Banker To The Poor by Muhammad Yunus. It paints a clear and vivid picture of how social entrepreneurship can catapult a nation's progress.

Tuning in to Conversations and Coffee

I'm a huge fan of music and even more of inspired conversation. Seeing this poster on friends' walls in Facebook, my Monday evening suddenly owned a plan.

Starbucks Dialogues is a 3y/o project of Starbucks Philippines, organized and if I'm not mistaken, initiated by Zarah Perez, their Global Responsibility Manager. It's one of those events where you're bound to find yourself embraced by the power of inspired ideas. True to its name, Dialogues allow an interaction between the audience and the guest speakers. Topics range from anything under the sun long as its backbone falls within the list of the values that Starbucks espouses.

For this particular Dialogues, they had invited internationally acclaimed musical prodigies Dave Eggar and Coke Bolipata. Admittedly, I don't even need to read the specific topic of Dialogues to get me to go. So for this one, I came with a rather vague expectation of getting to listen to the thoughts of amazing musicians. And what do you know, I left the event beyond floored. 

This is the famous Coke Bolipata, founder, president, and artistic director of Casa San Miguel, a learning center for arts and culture in San Antonio, Zambales. At Casa San Miguel, people from all walks of life have access to the privilege of learning how to master classical music. Coke says that it would be best for one to start learning how to play an instrument at the earliest age possible. He himself started playing at the young age of 8 -- a fact that had the audience teasing him for as a "late bloomer" -- because in Japan, kids start their practice at the age of 2. On getting the locals to be interested and determined in mastering music, he says that in the beggining, it was an uphill struggle. In our country, music doesn't really place priority. However, with the surge of all these local talent shows, parents have been more agreeable and keen in honing their children's musical talent.

This is Dave Eggar who, like Coke, is a graduate of prestigious conservatory The Juilliard School in New York. He has recorded music with the likes of Coldplay, Josh Groban, and Evanescence. He started playing piano at the age of 3 before proceeding to play the cello for which he is more known. His talent scored him a scholarship at Harvard University where he finished Biochemistry. At the moment, he's here in the Philippines for his Brooklyn-Manila project -- a musical collaboration between him and his band Deoro and local independent artist like Drip, SinoSikat, Radioactive Sago Project, and Nyko Maca. One of Brooklyn-Manila project's events is a fundraising concert for CASA San Miguel. Yep, we are basking in the presence of superman. Asked why he likes doing collaborations, he says rebellion is one of the major reasons. As a young musician, his family did not really allow him to explore other areas of music. Now that he has the option to do so, he allows himself to be awed by hearing the voice of cello swim with other kinds of music. "You see how your little voice shines as well as blend with others."

There were very interesting insights randomly thrown out. Differences in the music industry were discussed. Dave says it's enabling to be a musician now than 50 years ago because then, there was no structure for business. Now, with creative resourcefulness, your music can be your small business. Coke, on the other hand, states that in the Philippines, there really is no music industry to speak of. He says there isn't enough funding, technical skills, or corporate structure for Filipino musicians. He also cites the cultural predicament which is the DECS curriculum; there is no real subject serving as an ambassador for learning music and other performing arts.

It was nice to hear their views on music and empowerment. Dave mentioned how for some, music is their first language, medium of expression. "Art gives people a sense that their story is meaningful, that their emotions have value. It affords one to dream." Though some would consider this statement to be a load of jack, I'd be quick to agree with Dave. Art has the capacity to embody how we feel without the need to verbalize. Art sort of just lets beauty hang on air, letting you claim for yourself what it is to you. Coke stressed how in learning art, it's not necessarily art per se that you learn but the values that learning art teaches.

Government subsidy was a pancake-hot issue. Someone from the audience asked what they think about Venezuela's Bolivar Orchestra. I was not aware of what wonder this orchestra holds. Thankfully, Dave shared the background of this orchestra to those of us who weren't so in-the-know. Bolivar Orchestra is a product of the Venezuelan government's efforts to keep children off their violent streets by immersing them in music education. And so Coke proceeds to tell the difficulty in getting sponsorship for from the government because children, who are the main recipients of music education in Casa San Miguel, can't vote. Asked how the public can help in Casa San Miguel's advocacy, Coke says that if you've an expertise to share, they would appreciate a workshop conducted for their students.

If you're free tonight, head over to The Establishment at The Fort Entertainment Complex in Taguig for a free fundraising gig by Brooklyn-Manila Project where Dave Eggar & Deoro, Coke Bolipata, Pundaquit Virtuosi, and SinoSikat will be playing to feed your senses.

Defying Social Not-Working Sites

Admittedly, there are days when I'm on Facebook waaaay too much. So much so that I find myself asking how much of my life is spent watching other people live (through their Facebook status and uploaded photos) compared to actually living mine. See, I love the internet but I don't want it to be the cause of a fat, unproductive bum. Lately, though, I've added a new networking site, Crowdrise, to the list of my daily online destinations and I have to say, I don't feel guilty about it at all. 

Crowdrise takes Facebook to the philanthropic level. It's a site that allows us all to post our own projects and raise funds for it and as well, donate to those projects of those on our friends list. Its tagline is: If you don't give back, no one will like you. Haha. The writing on the entire site uses a whole lot of sarcasm for its humor. It makes you feel like you're in the presence of great friends -- friends who have the capacity to mock you funny if you go all stupid on them. 

Here's Will Ferrel promising to give his a bottle of his sexy sunscreen in exchange of your donation. He's raising funds for Cancer for College, scholarships for cancer survivors. Kirsten Bell is on it, too, with a couple of projects she's raising funds for. Edward Norton is the man responsible for the initiation of this groundbreaker. Angelina Jolie can rest now. Okay, so maybe not yet.

Another site worth your time (or if you're whiling away hours at the office and waiting for the clock to hit work's-over o'clock) is Taking It Global.

Taking It Global is such a fun way to keep aware on global issues as seen by the youth. Young people all over the world go out of their way to post their advocacies on this site. TIG also always has amazing opportunities that are up for grabs. Last year, I got a scholarship to their Sprout E-course program which they did in partnership with Oxfam. Over Skype and our online hub, I got to meet amazing members of the youth who are creating remarkable progress in their respective countries. Believe me, just seeing that someone from Athens (one of my classmates) was sending me a message and asking me about my day was a thrill in itself. I felt like the world was my playground and its citizens were my playmates.

Do check these sites out. Getting hooked on caring? Not a bad addiction at all.

LCF's CSR Expo (Part 2)

As I was saying, I got to chat with a few people who have cool stories to share.

This is Chris (right) from Tan Yan Kee Foundation. He was sharing that prior to his present work, his occupation had him dealing with a lot of corruption. Working with the various development projects at Tan Yan Kee Foundation has been refreshing for him. He has been involved with the Foundation for 4 years now.

Jaimee of Hands On Manila (left) and their volunteer from Museo Pambata. Jaimee is new to HOM and will be handling their marketing work. She came from the advertising world and was more than happy to leap into development.

This is Nonoy (left), Fundraising Consultant of World Vision. I met him two years ago, also at the CSR Expo. Since then, the small world of NGOs had us bumping into each other several times. He would always delightfully share his knowledge and ideas. Have you seen the kiosks of World Vision in malls? He recounts that it was his task back in 1987 to start their direct marketing campaign. Nonoy says that internationally, individual giving accounts for their biggest percentage of funding. I personally find this statistic exciting. People worldwide caring enough to give? Gotta love that fact. And of course, the man to his right, is no other than my loving husband who intently listened to what Nonoy had to share . Hee.

Haha, this is me trying to stalk Maria Goolsby of Unionbank as she sat with . She muy cool. I got the opportunity to meet her some years back and really, she's brimming with enthusiasm, positivity, and all things shiny yellow. She makes me feel like getting off my bum and throwing myself out there. Unionbank uses this book for their education project called, if I am not mistaken, "As a Filipino." I'll try to get more information on their project and will post more about it. It's the kind of thing that instills national pride in children. Rock much, yea?

This is Dr. Milwida Guevarra, CEO of Synergeia Foundation. My husband speaks highly of her and Synergeia's strategies. Listening to her made me understand why. Asked how she would want the private sector to contribute to Synergeia, she answers, "We don't need your money. We need you to help   communities understand their own problem." O ha. She had me at 'not needing my money', haha. Seriously speaking, this foundation's strategies are founded on awesome.  Focused on education, Synergeia builds communities that help themselves build their own schools. They help communities identify and understand the nature and gravity of their problems. "Once identified, our partnership begins." This point then progresses into having the community define their own dream.

She tells the story of how Synergeia was working in this area where the need was toilets. As much as they would want to increase the students' knowledge on Math, English, Science, and all other subjects that exist -- the need was well, toilets. Perhaps for other areas, this wasn't the problem. But as this was the problem  that arose from trying to work with this particular community, they then made sure that the schools in their partner communities had a toilet each in their schools. "There is no formula for solving community problems. One size does not fit all." 

And for my favorite encounter in this year's expo, meet Vicky Talon, a returned international volunteer of VSO Bahaginan. Having been a youth volunteer of VSO and having worked in VSO Bahaginan's marketing team, I got to listen to a lot of outstanding stories of Filipino professionals who opted to go out of their comfort zone to voluntarily share their skills abroad.

Vicky, 51, worked in DepEd for 27 years before choosing to retire early and taking on the challenge to be an international volunteer. She served as a Circuit Supervisor in Bolga Tanga, Ghana where she handled about a hundred schools. Her job called for her to train supervisors and teach school management. Providing support to a hundred schools was more than a ten-fold leap from her experience here in our country where the most she needed to give aid to was eight schools at a time.

Asked why she opted to volunteer abroad, she spoke of feeling her self-relevance more outside of the country. "Dito sa Pilipinas, mas gusto nila mag-hire ng fresh graduates para magturo. Lower pay for more energy. Gusto ko pa maibahagi yung kaalaman at kakayahan ko. Kaya kung saan ako mas kailangan, doon na lang ako pupunta." Given the chance, she would love to also help out in the Philippines. In fact, she just recently volunteered for one of VSO Bahaginan's activities here. Her passion to teach is unstoppable. She has signed up for another volunteering opportunity in Angkor Chey, Cambodia as an Effective Learning Adviser.

There are interesting topics lined up for today's conference but I'm not able to make it. Oh well. Looking forward to next year's expo!