FIRST SEMESTER HEADACHES

I didn't know that senior year means a lot of reading and paperworks. We were more focused on our practicum and we didn't expect that our last academic semester would be like this. We are expected by our professors to read and be prepared about the topics to be discussed. Of course, from the very start every student is expected to do this. It is already our choice whether we buy the books used for the course (thank God it's not required), have the readings photocopied, or google it. However, it seems that we're finding a hard time coping up with all the tasks and lessons.

Aside from the tourism research with the defense required from every senior, we also have the Cultural Tourism paper with the theme "400 Years of Cultural Heritage", relating culture with tourism, which must be published. We have to find a co-author (CTHM professors; thank God we found one, and she is one of the only 3 professors who have published works) that will help us in doing the paper. The winning group will be given the opportunity to talk about their paper in the conference, to be hosted by UST, and UNFORTUNATELY, I was chosen one of the organizers in our block. There's a pressure with this activity because this is a requirement from the office, in line with the accreditation of our college for the upcoming years. So, one of the criteria is our college must have conducted a conference and have published works and so on. Yes, we will be the ones who will suffer but I just think of it as an advantage for my part because I can include in my resume that I have a published work and have organized a conference, lol.

Some other projects include monthly papers from our Professional Deontology course, marketing sales blitz and marketing plan in Marketing, marriage and family scrapbook, and a documentary film in our Rizal Course.

Despite the many things to do this semester, I still enjoy it when we are told to read about Aristotle, Plato, Aquinas, Kant, and the rest of the gang, or brainstorm about our final topic for our thesis, or simply study the whole unit 1 in humanities. I love studying and I accept the reality that with all of these, procrastination is my best friend. BUT, BUT, BUT, I want to end this now. I promise to use my time wisely. I guess the solution here is simply TIME MANAGEMENT. 

So, here, awhile ago, I planned to start my June paper and my Rizal paper tonight, but, I just ended up sharing my thoughts, and now, I'm sleepy. *sigh.

Tomorrow is a holiday. Come on, move Ms. Cortes.

GREAT OPPORTUNITY BUT THIS TIME, IT'S A NO

Yesterday, our Marketing professor was checking our attendance when our last semester's Galileo professor butted in. She announced the requirements needed for the Singapore practicum. Singapore practicum? Not again. The last time I've heard of it and DISCUSSED it with my parents and blockmates was last February, I guess. Our section is scheduled for practicum second semester this year BUT for those who would like to experience the out-of-the-country practicum, they may either take it first semester and become an irregular when they came back (just like what four of my blockmates did) or take it second semester but will not be able to attend the graduation ceremony on March 2011. Actually, just taking the practicum in Singapore would mean not being able to graduate on time or not being able to march during graduation because it would last about six to twelve months, depending on the hotel.


Hotel? Yes. For us tourism majors, airlines and travel agencies and offices would be the perfect place for OJT but in there, hotels are waiting for us, and what's the job? Either we'd be assigned in food and beverage or front desk. I've had my experience in food and beverage last semester when accreditors came to our college. So, the CTHM office encouraged, and even required us students to memorize our college's mission,vision, goals, and objectives because those accreditors might ask anyone from the CTHM students. I was one of the servers that time, so I was very, very nervous because I wasn't able to memorize it. I hated it, aside from thinking of our events management class, I'd still have to know those mission vision stuff, while preparing and serving them their meals. BUT, I loved the food. There were leftovers so we ate all of it, while chatting with Chef Sam who looks like Hitler, lol. 


Anyway, enough of the accreditation experience. I and my friends decided not to pursue our practicum in Singapore simply because of the following reasons:

• We want to finish college on time..Btw, we're the Quadricentennial Batch, there's a news that our names would be engraved in the time capsule (but not the one that's buried, lol)
• We want to march on our graduation, lol, because we believe of it to be a special day NOT ONLY for us, but especially for our parents.. especially to my mother.. I want to see her reactions when I come up the stage..
• We would definitely miss the moment IF we graduate with honors.
• The job in Singapore is not easy at all. It's a training, but in the hotel industry. And, they're work there is very exhausting, as what we're heard from others. Some cry during their first night. 

Lastly, we value having our practicum in airlines and other travel offices (most are located in Makati) for us to be familiar and engaged in the airline industry which is our target instead of working in the FandB (although it's also a job opportunity for tourism majors). I've discussed this to my mother many times already and she agreed with me that it's better that I graduate on time and work at once instead of flying out of the country. Now, I'm just hoping and praying that I would be assigned in a good airline and hopefully, they would like me and have me work with them. :)

BRINGS BACK CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

Just got home from Antonella's birthday splash (pool party). Although I didn't get to swim because of my period (almost over), I enjoyed watching the pretty, healthy, and jolly birthday girl who kept on saying, "Ate Maw-rin, Ate At-chi (that's me), Ate Jenny, come na, LET'S SWIMMING na!" I kept on repeating what she said in my mind, let's swimming. :) Uh-oh. Cute.

While we we're still on the resort, I was asking my sister what time does she want to go home. We were tired already because of the rehearsal. I wanted to sleep, too. And, we were excited to use the internet again, even though our mother gets mad at us for using it until 12 midnight. I am too addicted to blogging in Tumblr and Blogger now and of course, who could forget, Facebook. My sisters consumes most of their time just uploading photos and giving people comments, either they're laughing on someone funny in a photo or just talking about anything, which they can do over the telephone. I don't get to use Facebook often. I just open it and see if there are updates. I use tumblr most of the time. Anyway, back to me and my sister. We played rock-paper-scissors and whoever wins will be the first to use the internet. So, I won! haha. She's just outside listening to the 90s music in the radio. 

And, let's now go to the real topic for this post. We were at the church having our rehearsal, and my friend Jenny saw Kuya Bong's bicycle.  I was shocked when she said that she don't know how to ride the bike. We (Maureen) laughed and told her that we don't know how to use it, too. I suggested that there must be a bicycle lesson FOR US, lol. Biking 101. Jenny kept on trying and practicing how to do it until the dry-run ended. My father, Kuya Bong and Pastor Papa also taught her and told her to look not on the grounds, rather look straight to where you're heading. They even told us that if you get a bruise, then you'll learn it or you've already learned. 

Those were the same old lines people have said to me before when I was learning to ride the bike. Until now, I don't know how. The tres marias (I and my two sisters) grew up without learning some Pinoy games. I even got jealous over my classmates who knows how to play Chinese garter, tumbang preso, etc. I also don't know how to play volleyball 'cause my arms got irritated the first time I played. I remember when I was in grade school, I just watch my classmates play 10-20. Then when I arrive from school, I would ask for a garter from my grandmother, ask my sisters to play with me but it seems that they're not interested at all, so, I would just tie the garter on a chair, and play 10-20 all by myself! LOL! During sportsfest in our school, I ignore the sports volleyball, table tennis, and badminton (this one I love) and our team would have me to compete on mind games rather, like Scrabble, Word Factory, etc. Our parents also would just make us stay inside the house and play with our dolls and toys and read books rather than let us play outside with those dirty and naughty kids, lol. Well, at least I'm good at playing jumping rope. :)

So, this is the result, we still don't know how to ride the bike. BUT, it's never too late to learn it, right?

RANDOM THOUGHTS

I'm craving for a carioca. I miss the time when our church used to have two worship services and during the break, I buy the carioca from Sis. Mayet.  :) (*yum) Too bad the kakanin vendor didn't come.
The rain scares me. I think I had a trauma over that Ondoy incident. However, I love the cool breeze and I like the feeling of having no sweat on my forehead and my back every time I go out. Still, thanks to God for bringing in the rain, especially after experiencing almost 40 degrees of pure heat. Whoo! 
 
I don't know how to cook and now we don't have something to eat for snack. I always tell my sister Kaycee to cook food for us since she's an "hrm" student but I guess she still doesn't know how to do it, or was it just because we don't have enough cooking stuff in here? Well, aside from the usual ingredients needed for a recipe, we really don't have enough cooking materials, lol. I myself kept on trying to cook but it seems that I'm not born to do it. I know the process of cooking some simple meals but I DON'T do it or I've never tried it. Oh, I remember I used to cook before just because it's required for school, but I have someone to teach and guide me. I just do the chopping and cutting and the like. haha. I think I'm more comfortable with eating. Haha :) But, uhm, I'm really starving, so is my sister Maureen (now everyone calls her Mau, but I'm still used to calling her Maureen, but I pronounce it mo-rin, lol). I guess it's really time to cook. Pancakes! *yum. Or noodles because it's cold? Pancakes? Noodles? 


Uhhh. Pancakes! As requested by Mo-rin! :)

DEAR JOHN

Is Dear John a good movie? I want to watch it before the school starts. Urgh, hello thesis and marketing. Be nice to me. Let's be friends. :)