I always make it a ritual that at the last day of the year, I would briefly highlight important experiences and events in my life that defined 2010. In a nutshell, 2010 was a year of “Service” and “influence” primarily drawn from the missions I have in my campus and community. This was a generous year.
Concluding the first year of ASUL. This year saw the conclusion of the first year of the Ateneo School for Upcoming Leaders. From a core of 7 to a community of 60 (including this year’s batch), this group has been trying to define its role in the mission of leadership formation in and outside campus. We hope that its first year planted the seeds that would eventually bear good fruits.
My Last NSTP Class. Teaching is one of my passions and I bid farewell to my last NSTP Leadership Class this year. It was a good and fruitful 3 years of NSTP teaching. This mission in the program primarily taught me the importance of experience and reflection in changing mind sets.
Serving as your CSG President. From the campaign to actual student governance, my mission as CSG President is primarily the highlight of my engagements this year. It is a privilege serving the student body. This mission has allowed me to appreciate the truth about governance and its relationship to building a just and humane community. More importantly, this experience showed me that development is all about PEOPLE. It is the students that the student government was able to help one way or another that ultimately animates its purpose and drives me to work more.
Brother’s move to Canada and return for the Holidays. This can be considered both a sad and happy event this year. After years of waiting, my brother finally got the approval to travel to Canada as an immigrant. I am happy for the opportunities that immediately opened for him but on the other hand, there will always be a sense of longing for him. On the brighter side, I am excited to finally have some place to stay for free when I visit Canada. J
Travels to Thailand, Manila, Davao, Hong Kong and Macau. Being President has its perks and one of it is travel both local and foreign. The Thailand trip in particular was a big highlight. The country and its people are fascinating. Their reverence to their King was something I envy. Amidst all the political turbulence plaguing the country, they still have a figure head that unites them as a people. This is something which I see we lack as a people. We also travelled to Hong Kong for our educational trip in International Economics.
Family soar eyes. This was one funny incident. My father got soar eyes first followed by my mother and finally me. It even reached some officers in the CSG. This was funny and meaningful at the same time because we had this infection together which made us eat together and stayed at home for 2 straight days together. This bonded us.
Malcolm Gladwell Book Craze. My love for books resurfaced this year with my Malcolm Gladwell collection and other books (Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler, Lost Symbol, Audacity of Hope, Good Company etc) A particularly like his books because he creatively sees simple things and events in everyday life and weave it in a larger scheme of patterns and science.
Completed the 9 dawn masses . For the second time, I have completed the dawn masses with my brother and mother. This Filipino practice of waking up before the sun rises and celebrating the Eucharist has a deep spiritual and nationalistic effect in me. May this sort of little sacrifice lead me more to grater sacrifices for God.
Feasibility Study on Urban Gardening to Sweet brownies. This was also the year where I got my first F. However, this is what we called a voluntary “F”. Our group decided to change our FS entirely because we realized how much its going to rob us with our time and energy. The only way to do that was to fail it. Do not follow our lead! From a visionary social enterprise, we are now cooking brownies which is not that bad anyway.
Victory of the People through P-Noy and my Inauguration trip. This started last year but it culminated in the victory of the idea we campaigned for embodied in our present president. I had the honor of being part of the people’s campaign and even went as far as attending the inaugural wearing a barong and watching P-Noy’s speech just meters away. This showed me what an engaged citizenry can do.
Forging great new friendships. Above all, it is the priceless friendships that was formed and nurtured this year that defined the year. The new best friends I gained with all the sleepovers, monopoly nights, and videoke spelled a very wonderful year. I would like to thank Van, Kevin, and EJ for being frequent visitors during our game nights at home! More to come!
This year was full of grace and no post can truly capture it. With no drama, what I can only say is a thank you so much God and YOU who made this year a great year.
My previous last year posts:
2009: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=230581705895
2007: http://republikaneri.blogspot.com/2007/12/bias-year-end-review-2007-my-life-year.html
2006: http://republikaneri.blogspot.com/2006/12/happy-new-year.html
