Flores De Mayo

I mentioned it already in one of my previous blog entries: filipinos love fiestas and festivals. They are celebrated all-year  round. Fiestas are celebrated all over the country, in particular during summer months. May is the merriest among the months of a year. May is the month in which many fiestas are celebrated like the Flores De Mayo or the Flowers of May. During this event, people harvest their beautifully blooming flowers  and use them decorate the altars of their Parish Church. All towns celebrated this festival. In my place, children were gathered every afternoon of the whole month of May in Church to pray the Holy Rosary, with beautiful arranged flowers with them which are to be offered to Mother Mary. After the rosary, children marched down the aisle to the altar of Mother Mary. This festival is celebrated to commemorate the goodness and purity of the Blessed Virgin  Mary.

During my childhood, I also experienced this kind of doings every summer. This event is what most of the children awaited. I did all my chore assignment in the morning so I could attend this activity. Sometimes, my parents teased me that they wouldn't allow me to go to this event, and I cried since I didn't want to be absent. I was always excited as I walked with my friends on our way to church. It was one of the memorable moments I had during my childhood. I always wanted my flowers to be arranged beautifully since during at the end of the session, there are awards for the best flowers. During also the activity, children were guarded by big sisters, and the children who behaved best also got awards. I wanted that award that I never moved even turned my head to my side from the start up to the end of the session. Hehehe! I found it hard but I did it just for that small piece of paper where "Best Behaved" was written. I got the two awards (flowers and behaving), not each time, but at least a couple of times, I got it. I was so happy that time as if I got one bag of candies! Yehey!

It was really a funny experience. I never forget that. Today, I miss doing that. I used to have the small piece of award paper with me but unfortunately, my sister threw it away since she didn't know that I keep it as a remembrance. I felt sad but we never found it again. I just think that it was just a piece of paper. What's important is that the event is still on my mind. God bless us all! Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us!

Fe say goodbye to VSU

Being in VSU for about two months, it is one of the greatest experiences I should save in my memory box. It couldn't be erased from my mind unless I will get amnesia. Hahahaha! I had so much fun there not because of the place but because of the people there. If you want to picture out about this school, just imagine a mountain with buildings that are apart from each other. Students and staff there were so kind that your tiredness would fade when you will see all their smiling faces. I can say that studying there could be tiring in a way that the rooms are far from each other and lots of mountaing climbing is needed to reach the rooms. But, if you were in the class, you wouldn't regret that you enter this school since professors there are highly competent. This is just my opinion. It was based on what I have observed during my stay there. People there were simple in a way that they enter to class wearing slippers. It was my first time to experience it. I amazed me since I was not used into it from SJC. The school, where I came  from, Saint Joseph College, prohibited wearing slippers and shorts when we enter into the school. There in VSU, you can wear any types of clothes you want. But, there are some who wear their uniforms.

You know what? Now, I miss VSU. I miss going to the market to buy foods every night. I also miss going to Baybay proper with my roommates just to eat halo-halo in a food chain there. I miss the bell ringing to wake us up for cleaning. I miss climbing a long way up to attend classes. I miss the big dormitory where I lived. I miss my roommates whom accompanied me throughout my living there. I also miss my classmates especially my classmate named Alyssa who was always there with me to guide me, who gave me orientation about the way people in VSU lived and about the school and who is now one of my best friends. She is the one who was always my partner in every activity we had. She helped me in every difficulty I encountered during my stay there. I missed everything about that school. Goodbye VSU! I thank this school very much! More power to the school! May you continue being good in feeding knowledge to your students more like what you have nourished to me! GBU!

Experiences at VSU

While studying at VSU (Visaya State University) for the summer class, I experienced many things that I want to share with you. Experiences that I will never forget! Some of these are memorable to me since I've done it for the first time. And also, there are experiences that molds me into good. I was able to share experiences with different lives of people that I just met or people that accompanied me throughout the summer class.

The first experience was to wake up early, everyday in the early morning, around 5am, just to clean the area which was assigned to us. Every room got an area to clean. As far as I remember, I've done this for the first time. Honestly, I hate to wake up early, but I had no choice but to follow it. It was part of the dormitory's rules and regulations so I was oblige to do it. If someone violated it, fines were expected. These kinds of routine helped the students to follow rules, and in addition it trained students for some household chores. Doing it for about two months, it helped me to changed a little bit since as of now, I was able to clean our house which I never did before. Before, I gave all the responsibilities to my elder sister. This doesn't mean that I didn't do any chores in our home, it's just that I don't like cleaning that is why I didn't care much to do it. But now, I already consider cleaning as part of the weekly routine.

Another experience was that I was able to study and live alone and away from my place. I had to budget my allowance every week which I've never done before. I made sure that it would be enough for the whole week without experiencing money shortage. It was also my first time to enter into a school without someone that I knew already, someone that could be my company when looking for a rooms. Unlike my previous school where I have many friends already, in VSU, I didn't know even a single person. But I was able to cope with it since people there were so friendly and accommodating. Thanks to them!

Also, it was at VSU that I saw some animals that always wanted to see: sheep, ostrich and deer. I saw them for the first time. Hopefully I will see more other animals one day. My roommates toured me to some area of VSU which I haven't seen before. One day is not enough to roam around all over the school, as they said, since it was a big school. In fact, when I was there, I haven't gone to all places of it, maybe only half of it.

Being with different people, it's like sharing our life story. I found it interesting since we were talking about our pasts, good or bad. And there is one story which touched my heart. It was about the past of one of my roommate. She have gone many difficulties. She experienced to be one of those street children who beg from people they met. She was able to sleep in the street. She went through many difficulties. If I was in her situation that time, I don't think I would have survived from all of that. I praise her courage and strengths in striving those trials she met. Knowing her past, I can say that I'm so lucky where I am now. Even if we are poor, I know that some dreamed to be in my situation. Now, the roommate I talked about took a nursing course. I think she lived in one of bahay-ampunan (orphanage) in Tacloban city. An Australian supported her studies. I wish her all the best and lots of success! God Bless all!

Report in Health Education Subject (part 2)

I focused on making the report that I canceled all my appointments with my friends on that day. I was the one who planned the activity my friends and I wanted to do but I'm the one who couldn't make it. I just send them a message to their phone explaining. It is good that I have understanding friends. In fact, they encouraged me to do it on my best. During that weekend, my aunt came to our house and asked me to join her to go to a fiesta in her friend's place but I refused. Same to my sister. I just stayed at the house making the report. I laugh now that I remember being very busy, even when my sister asked me to stop for a while and talk to her, I didn't find the time to talk to her. I didn't join her in watching television even though the movie was one of my favorite. I never stopped what I was doing. Perhaps, you think what I did was over the limit or not normal but I just wanted to not waste any second that I have for my task. I only stopped for eating. I know my sister understood my situation. I was supposed to be back in Baybay on Monday but because of the activity for that day, I went back on Sunday afternoon. I finished my report there. I wrote it in a sheets of paper before I put it in a powerpoint. Good that there is an internet cafe in the dormitory I lived in. I consumed hours in front of the computer. I was done encoding my handouts (that I must give to our instructor and classmates) and after this, I made the powerpoint slides. I started doing these at 3pm and finished it at around 12 midnight. Before going to bed, I studied it again so that I would know what to do during the demonstration.

When Monday came, I woke up early and got ready for school since I'd still have to go to an internet cafe for the printing of my handouts. Afterwards, I went immediately to our classroom and prepared myself for the presentation. I studied and studied until the reporting started. Each group got only 15 minutes to present what we did. When the first group presented, I just listened and observed the way they present their work. And when it was my turn, just before standing in front of my classmates and teacher, I told to myself that I can do it, that I am better than the first one. This was my way to boost confidence to myself.

Then, the reporting started. I just let myself be the way it should be. I explained our topics and explained further and further. Seeing smiles from my classmates raided my confidence. I reported as if I am a real educator that time. When our teacher mentioned that there's only one minute left, I rattled but still managed to continue the presentation. I spoke fast competing to the running time. Just in time! Yipee! That was a perfect timing. As I looked at my classmates, they smiled and congratulated me. They said words that meant they were impressed with my presentation. It's overwhelming. After I reported, I went back to my seat and listened to the last two group reporters for that day since the remaining four group would just present on the next day. While listening to the other group, I felt very excited that they would finish their reports so that the result would be announced.

When the result was being announced, our teacher first commented about the reporters. He said that our group was the only group who was well prepared. Hearing this, my hope rose to win, that means to be exempted from the exam, but still, I'm not expecting 100% so that I wouldn't be disappointed. Time for the result! And the result was ...

... you won't believe it ...

... the result was that our group got exempted for the final exam. Yehey. Big hand for me! Congratulations to me and to my groupmates! My groupmates thank and thank me for what I did for them.I felt very proud of myself. I was so excited to tell it to my parents. I wanted to tell them personally that couldn't wait to go home. Hehehehe! I know, they would be proud of me. For the other group, they were given a second chance to be exempted. Our teacher gave then another requirement for them to be exempted. Aside from the reporting, our teacher required worksheets to be passed. Our group leader told me that there's no need for me to help with it. They owe me one thing as they say that they would wanted to pay me that way. I grabbed the opportunity. Hehehehe. I agreed with her idea. Hehehe! I also thank her for giving importance to my effort during the demonstration.

With the result, I proved to myself that we can do whatever we want if we will do it on our best. If we will try hard, we can make it successfully no matter how hard it is as long as you trust yourself. We should always be optimistic. Good luck to me for the next challenge! God bless!

Reporting in Health Education Subject (part 1)

At the beginning of summer class of 2011, we were divided into eight groups. For every meeting, one group should report its assigned topics. All members should have topics to be reported. Then after the report, our teacher would explain further about the topics that have discussed by the members of the group. On the next meeting, before the next report, there would be a short quiz for about 10-15 items. That was our routine for every meeting in this subject. The reporting went on until May 12. On May 13, Friday, our instructor required each group to report. Actually, this was not really a report. It was like a demonstration on how to be an health educator since being an educator to the client is one of the role of a nurse.

The topics of the reports were about developmental change of human such as infant, toddler, preschooler, school-aged, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood and older adulthood. The leader of each group picked a roll of paper from a glass of bowl provided by our teacher, like in a lottery. This paper contained the topic that should be discussed during the demonstration. Our group got the toddler topic. The sequence in reporting was according to developmental stages which is from infant until older adulthood, so our group was the 2nd group to present. After this, we were given a time to meet with our group mates and talked about this activity. Upon talking about the activity, my group mates chose me to be the representative to discuss the whole topic that had assigned to our group. I felt happy that they choose me, because this meant that they liked the way how I reported. On the other hand, I felt pressured since our teacher said that if he would be satisfied with the demonstration, our group will be exempted for the final examination. The chance to get exempted was in my hands. I never promised them that we would be exempted. I just told them that I would do the best I can to make our presentation good.

I had two days (Saturday and Sunday) to prepare for the activity which would be on Monday. Actually, on the day, on my way home, I thought of quitting and would just pass the task to our leader. This was what the half of my mind said. The other side told me to go with it, that I can do it. My group mates chose me so it meant they trusted me. They have trusted my ability. And if I could do it, I can make myself proud, especially my family and relatives. With this thought, I didn't quit.

What would happen next? Would I ever finish my report even if I'm alone in making it? Would my group be exempted for the examination? These questions will be answered on the blog entry next to this. Check it out!

Informatics (Nursing Informatics)

This is not my own computer. I am writing the
blog still in internet cafe. Does anyone have a
spare computer as gift for me? ;-)

Informatics is one of the subjects required in my nursing course. Here, we learn about computers and application such as the internet, programs (e.g., Microsoft Word, Powerpoint) and so on. We are taught about this since in the hospital nowadays, technology is being used in giving services to the clients. Our teacher gave us three projects as a requirement to pass this course. One is to make a note in facebook that should be passed to her through a tag. The note should be entitled "NURSING INFORMATICS FOR ME". In composing this note, there are some guidance questions to be answered: What is nursing informatics for me? What are its advantages and its disadvantages? Is it amenable for me to adapt nursing informatics? Below is the note that I made:

Nursing informatics is a specialty that integrates nursing science, computer science, and information science to manage and communicate data, information, and knowledge in nursing practice, nursing administration, nursing education, and nursing research. For me, it is about rendering health care services to the patients with the help of modern technology. Technology is dramatically altering the ways in which health care professionals diagnose, treat, care for and manage patients. It is our past and it is our present. Nursing informatics facilitates the integration of data, information and knowledge to support patients, nurses, and other providers in their decision-making in all roles and settings.

Nursing informatics does a great help in us nowadays. One of the advantages that nursing informatics gives is it shares data. It improves the access to medical records through what we call EMR (Electronic Medical record) in which the medical record of the patients can be accessed from several different locations simultaneously, as well as by different levels of providers. It improves data reliability. It helps to decrease data redundancy. For example, allergies and vital signs need to be entered once. Nursing informatics minimizes the time spent in documentation. It increases the time in patient care because less time is required for the documentation and transcription of physician orders. It also facilitates data collection for research. Electronically stored patient records provide quick access to clinical data for a large number of clients. It promotes flexibility in conceptual design. It also improves legibility of clinic documentation and helps to keep order with a computerized information system. Lifetime clinical record is promoted in here.

When there are advantages, there must be disadvantages. One of this is the complexity of the conceptual design process. Nursing informatics also needs multiple external databases. It needs hiring of database-related employees. A database acquires high cost. It could result into a more complex programmer environment. There is also a possibility that catastrophic program failures occur. And lastly, health care professionals can be dependent to technology in doing their tasks.

For me, I can say that if nursing informatics ensures the positive outcome for patient care, I am amenable to adopt into it. Since, nowadays, technology are being introduced to us, I am willing to yield nursing informatics. As it is used abroad and I'm planning to go abroad, it could do a great help to me in my nursing job someday.

That's what I wrote for this course. Through nursing informatics subject, nursing students were able to view about what it will be in their future job. It makes the nursing students aware about the modernization that happened in their fields. Me, I already had knowledge about computer and its application since I had computer subjects when I was in highschool, and of course through writing this blog, and now, after taking this subject, my knowledge was broadened.

Activities in speech 11

At the beginning of our speech class, our professor gave us set of schedules which should be done during our class. This schedule helped us to prepare for the activities in the coming days. It made us to be ready and not experience cramming. Upon having this schedule, still, we experienced cramming. Honestly, it is because of our habit that, when we have time, we won't work for school until last minute. Because of this, we always had cramming on our activities. One of the activities is the interpretative dance. We ought to sing a song and interpret it. We already chose a song to be sang but we never practiced on it. My partner knew the song and me, I knew only the chorus. We practiced our interpretative dance the day it should be presented. We only had one hour left to practice. I just saved the song to my MP3 and listened and listened into it with a printed copy of it in my hand. We divided the part of the lyrics so it would be easy for me to memorize my part. We just sang it together if it is in its chorus. For our interpretation also, we only used our hands. We practiced and practiced until it was time to present. Upon witnessing the performance of my classmates before us, I can say that me and my partner were better than them. And when it's our turn, we performed on our best. We didn't do any mistake on our part and we pronounced the words correctly. It was just that we were out of tune sometimes since we are not that good singers. Hehehe!

Next activity was to present a commercial. Like the last activity, we experienced cramming. The good thing was we didn't have anything to memorize. We just had to say what we wanted to say, but of course we should use English and it should be related to the product we advertise. I found it funny and interesting. Some of my classmates did their part seriously while some made their commercial into a little bit of comedy.

For the last three remaining days of our summer class, we had three consecutive activities. One activity for each day. The first activity, it was word drill. We ought to read words correctly, correct pronunciation. I got only 52 points out of 60. I found it difficult since there were some words that I never had heard before. I was confused how to read it. I just guessed their right pronunciations. For the second activity, it was a sentence drill.We should read the sentence in correct pronunciation of its words and right intonation. That was even more difficult, and I got only 49 out of 60. For the last activity, it was tongue twister. Honestly, I'm not good at it that I practiced very hard. I got 45 out of 50. Even if I didn't get the perfect score, I'm satisfied with what I got because I passed. And compared to my classmates, I got high scores.

God bless us all!

Speech Communication(Speech 11)

Speech communication is one of the three subjects I took this summer class. Through some of my friends who already finish taking this subject, I already had an expectation of what will gonna happen during this subject, I mean, the activities in this subject. From the word SPEECH itself, I viewed this subject as more on speaking up using English language. We will be taught the correct pronunciation of the word, stressed word, intonation and the proper way in speaking. Honestly, I hate this subject a little bit since I have the fear in speaking up in front of many. It's not actually fear. Let's just say, I hate to stand and speak before people. If it's dancing, I am in the game. But speech? I doubt I could make it well. Upon entering this class, we already had an speak up activity. In this activity, we were given a text. We have to memorize it and deliver it before the class. And we were graded. We were given one day to practice it. For that day, we were required to wear a business or formal attire as needed for an official speaker. We were graded this way: Mastery= 25%, Delivery= 60%, Audience Rapport and Proper Attire= 15% for a total of 100%. During the activity, waiting for my turn, I felt nervous. When I touch my hand, it was cold until the time for me to come up on stage and speak. I looked at my classmates, also our professor first before I open my mouth to start my speech. Below is the text that given into us which is to be delivered during the activity but the greetings are excluded:

"My respect to our speech instructor, Dr. Zenaida C. Dumaguing. Ma'am! (Vowed slightly). And to you, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon!

Are you nervous? I suppose you are. But why? Communication is the best thing that can ever happen to two people - to many people. When asked to speak, you are likely to exclaim: a speech? But what will I say? An invitation to a cocktail party? But how will I react when I am confronted by all those strangers? They want me to say a few words to the guests. I know I shall be terrible. What on earth will I say.

Many things! And you can do them. Listen to a confident man speak. He is, at once, convincing and brilliant, charming and entertaining. People say he is a born orator, a glib conversationalist. But nothing could be farther from the truth. He has been getting practice. He increased his speech power and learned the secret on how to speak.

You too can share the secret of his success!

This is the time - the good time!"

During my speech, I could feel that I was shaking. To calm down, I just pinched my hand which was placed at my back. This helped me to ease or lessen my nervousness. I did that until I finished. When I finished, before I came down from the stage, I saw our teacher smiled and turn her head up and down, meaning that I delivered the activity well. Yahoo! We weren't able to see or know our grades for that activity but I am confident enough to say that I passed. I was happy not just because I passed but because I was able to conquer my nervousness. I congratulate myself for a job well done! Hehehe!

Mother's Day

Who fed me from her gentle breast
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
My Mother.

Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or kiss the place to make it well?
My mother.


Mother's day is annually celebrated by all countries in the world to honor our mother. But, here in the Philippines, it was celebrated during second Sunday of the month of May. It is an important occasion to pay tributes to the person who unlimitedly takes good care of us, the person who knows no boundaries in showing her love and a person who always does everything just to keep her children safe and happy. And I'm talking about no other than our mother.

Families have different ways in celebrating this important event in their lives. Some families treat their mother to a dinner out or shopping in the mall, spend time together in the park or have swimming in the beach. Some also treat their mother to a make-over like retouch, spa and body massage. some also just stayed at their home doing mother's daily routine like cleaning the house, wash the dishes and other things that is done by our mothers. They treat their mother as a Queen on that day.

Me,I didn't do all of that. I had my simple way of celebrating or thanking my mother for all the things she did to me. Being kind to her everyday and didn't give any problems to her is my way of showing my gratitude to her for taking good care of from the time I was still in her womb until now. I may not have have money to treat her anywhere or to buy her anything. All I can do is to be a good daughter to her as I can. She has no day off. She has no pay in taking good care for her family. But, we never heard any protest from her. I love my mother. What I am now, I owe it all to her. I can never be who I am now without her. There's nothing I can do to equate the things, the sacrifices you have done for us but to be a good child to you. This is all I can do. I can say that, even if we are not that rich, I am the luckiest for having a mother like mine.

Mother's day is our chance to show our love back to our mother. We should never miss this opportunity for us. One day is much enough for them since they never ask anything from us in caring and loving us. But the best way to show that we love them is to tell them every day that you love them. Be a good child to them. Let's not wait for a mother's day to come to show our love and care for our mother. Every day for me is a mother's day. and most importantly, let's pay tribute to the mother of all, The Blessed Virgin Mary. Happy mother's day Mama Mary! Happy mother's day to all mothers out there especially to my mother, Fe Alico! I love you, Mama!

Easter Sunday (Easter Party)

Now let the heavens be joyful,
Let earth her song begin:
Let the round world keep triumph,
And all that is therein;
Invisible and visible,
Their notes let all things blend,
For Christ the Lord is risen
Our joy that hath no end.

Easter is one of the most festive events in Catholic Calendar. It was totally the reversal of the image of Good Friday. During Good Friday, death of Jesus in the cross was being commemorated whereas during Easter Sunday, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death was being celebrated. Before it happened, people gathered at the church for Easter Vigil. It takes place late Holy Saturday. There, they reenacted the waiting for Jesus’ return. When it came, Jesus’ reunion with His Blessed Mother Mary was reenacted. There were also angels. After this reunion held outside the church, people marched, lead by the two people who played as Jesus and Mary, inside. Men and women joined the marching separately. Women followed the image of Mary and men to the image of Jesus.

People have different ways in celebrating Easter Sunday. Some have family gathering and have colorful Easter Eggs hunting for their kids. Some just decorate their surroundings with a motif of white and gold. Some churches also decorated the cross with flowers. Some also held Easter party in their house while others went to beach to celebrate it.

Me and my friends had an advance Easter party. We held it on Black Saturday. It’s just that we reserved the Easter Sunday for our family. We planned this kind of party a month before. We were very excited of it. The day before this day, me and my friends were texting each other about the things we were going to do for our plan. Only to know that we had to cancel it since we didn’t have enough budget for the party. We were very disappointed. What else we can do but to just cancel our planned party. We couldn’t ask money from our parents. We just accepted it and thought that there were still many time to do it. On our dismay, Jesus sent an Angel to us which was our German friend. He knew that we didn’t have the budget, so he gave us as his Easter present for us. I can’t explain my feeling that time. From disappointment to unexplainable happiness! We really thought that we couldn’t make our party but through our friend, we made it. The day before, I slept early because I was very excited. When I got in Maasin City, we bought foods and drinks for the party. We held it in Aloha Resort in Brgy. Mantahan, Maasin City. There, we met with friends, chatted, ate and swam. That was unlimited fun on that day for me. We really enjoyed it. Yipee!

That was a great Easter Sunday for me. It was my first time to experience that kind of party during Easter. I really can’t forget it. That memory was being tattooed to my heart and mind. Thanks to my friends who are the most important during the party. Without their presence, it could never be that enjoyable and memorable. Thanks also to our German friend. We owe a lot to you. Unlimited thanks for you. And most especially, thanks to Lord Jesus Christ for saving us from our sins and for giving this colorful life. Without you, we’re nothing. Eternal thanks to you. Even if we had different ways in celebrating it, the importance is Jesus is always in our hearts. God bless all! We love you Jesus.