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.

Living on the Margin – A 1st Quarter to Remember!

This article is taken from the Philippine Daily Inquirer http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/125073/how-i-learned-to-live-on-the-margin

THE AUTHOR’S collection of “surreal”moments during the first quarter DAVID ONGCHOCO

The first quarter of my senior year has just ended, and up to now, I still can’t believe that so much has happened in less than three months.

Quite honestly, I never expected to be able to go through these novel and unique experiences. From traveling to Singapore and Thailand to attending the Philippine Model Congress and my first-ever press conference on Kobe Bryant, the first quarter was filled with wonderful surprises that turned into memories I will forever cherish.

The two international experiences I had were definitely the highlights of my first quarter. Not only was I able to learn about bonds and mutual funds in the Investment Management Program in Singapore and the art of debate and proper discourse in the 1st Asia World Schools Debating Championship in Thailand, but I also got to meet unique and talented individuals from different parts of the world.

I was also able to learn more about the different cultures and practices that really widened my perspective and understanding of the world. To top it all off, I made new friends, some of whom I still communicate with, thanks to the power of technology and social media.

It’s amazing how I was able to experience all that, and so much more. It’s simply too difficult to put in words everything I went through in the last quarter.

However, I’d be lying if I told you that I was able to experience all that without  drawbacks. Everything has a cost, and being able to experience all this had a cost, too.

My Senior Year “Hero’s Journey” So Far!

This blogpost is inspired by my English lesson on mythology and the Hero’s Journey.

We all have our own “Hero’s Journey.” It may not be evident but everyday is part of our journey. In fact, we might even have several different micro-journeys and mini adventures in different parts of our lives. What I’d like to focus on today is the journey I’ve had so far in my Senior Year. The first two months of Senior Year have been one of the most mind blowing but at the same time, one of the most challenging times I’ve ever faced in my life.

I’d like to analyze the two months I’ve had so far using the Hero’s Journey template that is seen in almost in all the stories, movies and myths we see in our everyday life.

Call to Adventure – The challenge to make the most out of my Senior Year. The call to step out of my comfort zone and try out new things and grow as a student, learner and person!

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.

Ready, Set, Go! Thailand, Here I Come!

It’s been a few days since I last blogged and even if there are several topics that I want to blog about, I haven’t been able to find the time due to my super hectic schedule. The previous weekend of mine was eaten up by the Philippine Model Congress event I attended and during the last few days, I’ve also been really busy preparing to leave for Thailand for the 1^st ever Asian World Schools Debating Championship.

Right now, I feel really languid and ambivalent. I’m honestly not sure anymore of what I’m doing and whether or not I’m making the right choices. Everything is starting to pile up and I’ve been bombarded with a to-do list that never seems to end.

I’m blogging right now to just clear my head and try to regain the zeal and passion I had at the start of the school year. I’m honestly feeling really drained right now but I can’t give in for there is still a long journey ahead of me. Things haven’t been going my way and I’ve been feeling really sleepy and tired during class time. I’ve also been really grumpy and easily irritated the past few days.

On the bright side though, I’m really excited for today as I leave for Thailand. This is my first time to go to Thailand. Throughout the years, I ‘ve heard how wonderful Bangkok is and how cheap and good the food is. Aside from that, I’m also excited to meet the other delegates and participants of the tournament. From what I heard from my coach, the schools participating in this tournament come from 14 different countries so it will without a doubt be a very diverse and unique experience.

Going to this tournament is also a chance for me to sit back a little and get away from all the other things I’ve been worrying about. I have my ticket with me and there’s no looking back. I can’t think about all the lessons and assessments I’ll be missing because of this trip. What I should focus on is doing my best in every round of the tournament.

The least I can do right now is make the most out of this experience. Not everyone gets the chance to represent his school in an international competition like this. This is also my first time to go abroad without my parents so it’s a novel and at the same time very exciting experience for me!

I’m really thankful to God for this opportunity and I will definitely make every day in Thailand count! And off-course, you can be part of my journey for I will make sure that I blog about the experience and all the lessons that I will surely learn in this experience like no other!

As  I end this post, I’m glad that I was able to slow down a bit and reflect upon what has transpired the past few days before I leave for Thailand. Blogging truly is a beautiful way to set your mind and emotions free from everything that has happened. I feel a lot better now and reassured that I made the right choice to be part of the team going to the first ever Asian World Schools Debating Championship! My mind is now clear of distractions and I’m good and ready to go!

-DOitChoco