My Prometheus Cup Adventure and A little bit of Hide and Seek :)

As I sit here, a week after Prometheus Cup, I can’t help but look back and poignantly remember how I excited I was as we flew to Singapore, yet in a blink of an eye, it’s already one week since Prometheus Cup ended and here I am back to the everyday grind of school work, projects, review classes and what not. I miss the experience so much that I guess it’s just right that I take a walk down memory lane and relive the wonderful adventure I had in Prometheus Cup!

Just right before we flew to Singapore 😀

It’s these trips abroad that make high school such an adventure. It’s not everyday you get a chance to be able to represent your school in international competitions. Yet, the excitement, pressure and anxiety can be so overwhelming that you get out of character at some points in time.

They say that your true character is tested when you’re in your hardest moments. For us Xaverian, Prometheus Cup was a character building experience that really humbled a lot of us and taught us the importance of teamwork, patience, hard work, and most importantly, appreciation and gratefulness.

Family, Faith, Culture and Community – A Reflection on my 2nd Face to Faith VC

Last Thursday, I was able to experience my second Face to Faith Video Conference. I was suppose to blog about it right after but because of the fact that I was really tired when I got home last Thursday and the past Friday, Saturday and Sunday were very hectic days, it’s only now that I get to write about the experience and my reflections.

Before the conference started, I was really excited to start because of the fact that I was really curious about what Indonesians thought about faith and what their high school experience is like.

We started the video conference of by introducing ourselves and talking about the things we like to do. It was really cool how a couple of the Indonesians also enjoyed reading and writing just like me. After a few introductions, the first topic we dwelled upon was the importance of family for us. It was nice to see how similar the role of their families were to us. We were easily able to relate to each other for most of us came from strict familial backgrounds.

They were also very interested in our school activities, most especially activities that involved the community. We were more than proud to talk about all the different committees and clubs Xavier has. It’s amazing how interested they were about our community and service programs. You could see that they really took service and relief operations seriously when they started talking about their service programs. Their desire to involve themselves in programs that make a difference in the community was laudable.

AWSDC 2013 – Countless Experiences, One Description – PHANTASMAGORICAL! :D

It’s been a few days since I left Thailand yet I still can’t get over everything that happened. Honestly, everything is just starting to sink in and I still vividly remember every single thing that happened.

A blend of excitement, scorching heat, pad thai, fried crickets, free ice cream, cute stuff toys, heated debates, disappointment, late nights, bi-polar emotions, sentimental songs, unique stories and sad goodbyes made up the first international tournament experience of mine, the Asian World Schools Debating Championship.

With my “Movie Marathon” group!! Really enjoyed rolling around the pool and eating fried crickets! =))

Who would’ve thought that I could learn so much about debate, life, and the world in a span of one week. This one week flew by so quickly that as I got back to my home in Manila, I was still in disbelief that my Thailand adventure was over. 

Although I wasn’t able to visit the Thailand safari and ride the renowned elephants of Thailand, simply eating authentic Thai food already showed me the beauty of Thai culture. I was overjoyed as I got to pig out on Pad Thai, my favorite Thai food, on several occasions. The atmosphere in Bangkok was also very different. Day or night, the city seemed to always be very vibrant and busy. The numerous number of spas in the street was also quite shocking.

This experience also helped me get to know my teammates A LOT better. It truly is during these types of tournaments and experiences abroad that you really get to know people better. Even if we didn’t meet our expectations and even if we know we could’ve done a lot better, I’m sure that all of us learned myriad of things through this experience. Lessons that I’m sure will stick with us for the rest of our lives! 😉

With the Xavier Team! We definitely all learned a lot from this experience!

Greatness Doesn’t Come In An Instant

One of the most important things I realized in this tournament is that debate is just like everything in life. You have to work hard in order to get good at something. Going into the tournament, my teammates and I didn’t really work as hard as we were suppose to and it showed.

Fleeting Moments, Eternal Memories – A Summer to Remember :)

Looking back, Summer 2013 was such a surreal and amazing journey in itself. It was the best summer I ever had and definitely one of the most memorable 3 months in my life.

It a was a summer full of first times and new experiences. It was a summer full of smiles, laughter and tears. It was a summer that brought out the best in me. I truly learned so much about myself and all the high and low experiences I went through this past summer helped me see life in so many different perspectives.

These are just a few of the many experiences I had this summer but these were definitely the highlights that stood out. These are moments that I will never want to forget. These are moments if I had an opportunity, I’d like to experience once more. These are moments that changed my life in so many different ways.

My summer just wouldn’t have been as surreal and as phantasmagorical if it weren’t for these moments. Moments that I want to eternalize, and moments I’ll forever look back to when summer 2013 is mentioned. So without further ado, here are the 8 highlights of my summer.

1. Anvaya Bonding withthe Backyardigans – March 10-11

There’s nothing like going with your friends to a beautiful resort to relax, have fun, try out new things, and off-course enjoy each other’s company!

2. Europe Trip – March 24 – April 8 

Every country has its own unique culture and exploring these countries and immersing yourself in these cultures is simply a breathtaking experience. When in another country, don’t be afraid to explore, to try out new things, to take pictures, to buy souvenirs, to eat exotic food and off-course to enjoy the culture!

3. HKUST campus visit – April 10

This was honestly the first time I visited a University and really explored it and man, I was amazed and blown away. HKUST had such a beautiful campus that I actually wanted to stay right there and start studying. No joke, the atmosphere was just that fervent and inspiring. I honestly can’t wait for college!

4.  Ateneo Chem Camp – April 15 – May 3

This was arguably the most memorable experience of this summer. I learned so many new things not only about Chemistry but about life. Chem Camp made me realize that learning can be fun and that knowledge truly is power. The importance of learning, curiosity, perspective and the way we see things are things that I will forever carry with me for the rest of my life.

I also met so many amazing, vibrant and talented individuals that in a span of 3 weeks became friends that made Chem Camp such a surreal and unbelievable experience. They were friends I shared so many smiles, laughter, joy, and in the end, tears with. Chem campers whom I will never ever forget for the memories we shared will always be one of the most transcending and surreal moments of my life! Once a Chem Camper, always a Chem Camper!

5. Xavier Basketball Summer Varsity Training – April 15 – May 8

My senior year stint with the team may have been a short lived but without a doubt, Xavier Basketball will always have a special place in my heart. All the grueling practices, bonding moments, tough losses and fulfilling wins are things that I will forever remember.

I’m really thankful that I got to be part of the team one last time and it was really one hell of a journey. It was also such a honor and blessing to be part of a team of such amazing individuals who strived each day for one goal. My basketball career not have turned out the way I expected but the values I learned, the memories I gained and the bonds I formed will be things that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

6. Tearing my ACL – May 8 

One of the lowest and at the same time highest moments of my life. Tearing my ACL was really an eye opening experience that truly changed my perspective in life. At first I was really devastated, but then I realized that things could be worse and that I am still very lucky. I really learned how to appreciate the little things and be thankful for my blessings.

Everything happens for a reason and tearing my ACL may just have been and blessing in disguise from God and a chance to start a new and try out new things.

7. Hands On Manila Orientation and Kindness Revolution 

Joining Hands On Manila was definitely one of the best choices I’ve made this summer. Hands On Manila opened the door for me in so many ways and is an outlet for me to share my blessings with the less fortunate through volunteerism. I also realized that we are all gifted individuals and the best way to use these gifts and talents of ours is to pass it on by volunteering.

8. Reviewing and taking the SAT – April – June 1 

Reviewing for the SAT was a completely different journey in itself. I’ll admit it, reviewing for the SAT was a really arduous and tedious process but looking back, it was definitely a memorable experience. It truly was a test of hard work, perseverance, critical thinking and discipline. It was the hardest I ever studied for a test and I really dedicated a lot of my time and effort in preparing myself.

Towards the end, I was actually enjoying reviewing and answering practice tests and seeing my score improve each time. Reviewing for the SAT at one point became a habit of mine. You’d see me bring around my vocabulary notebook everywhere I went. Those truly were fun times and no matter what score I got in that test, the build up to the testing day and all those hardcore review sessions will always be fond memories of mine.

My summer just wouldn’t have been the same if it weren’t for these 8 highlights. As summer 2013 comes to a close, I’m glad to say that I made the most out of this summer. It truly has been a summer filled with fleeting moments turned into eternal memories, a summer to remember indeed!

-DOitChoco

Exploring the World, Learning New Cultures and Making Lasting Memories

It has become a yearly routine of my family to go abroad during vacations, usually during summer break. These trips abroad have a lot of meaning and bring about a lot of memorable experiences.

My dad always stressed how these trips abroad should be a learning experience of us kids and really broaden our world. He plans trips to different places and always makes it a point that we visit the marked and known spots in each country we visit. Aside from this, he also encourages to try out something new in every trip and really immerse ourselves in the country’s culture. From taking us to Hockey games, Basketball games, Baseball games (based on the country’s national sport) to brining us to shows like Broadway, Cirque Du Soliel and other prestigious cultural events, he really makes it a point to give us the best possible experience.

Sadly, the previous me, believe it or not, hated going abroad and despised being taken to cultural events and going to tourist spots.  Two years ago, I turned down his offer to watch a Broadway show. And just last year, I actually turned down the offer of my father to go to Universal Studious with him and my siblings.

I obviously regret turning down my father’s offers and wasting those opportunities that do not come very often. I can’t go back to the past though, so all I can do is learn from my mistakes and make the most out of the future trips we have. Right now, I am ready to take up every offer of my dad, make the most out of the trip and create experiences and memories that will last forever.

I am truly lucky that I am blessed with a well to do family and we have the means to afford going on trips like these. Not everyone has this opportunity and I am really thankful to God that I am able to venture to new lands and explore places on the other side of the globe.

Oops looks like it’s boarding time, I got to get going for I wouldn’t want to miss the plane ride to a vast land that I’ve heard numerous stories about from history class but never been to before, Europe! Don’t worry, now that I have this blog, I will definitely blog about every surreal moment that I experience in this eurotrip!

-DOitChoco