Mabuhay! As I write this article, it’s exactly 2 months before my first flight out of the country- DESTINATION: IATSS Forum, SUZUKA, Japan. Mixed emotions starts creeping on me as I read on the 2nd pre-travel information kit, I said to myself, the forum hasn’t formerly started yet but I already feel that I belong . It makes me think these pretravel activities were not just given to prepare us but as early as now discipline and train us to look forward on thinking and learning even while still apart. Imagine each participant as well as all the staffs and volunteers doing their part already, making the forum successful even from the start. Preparing, anticipating, envisioning are few things that wells up within me right now,
but what excites me most are the people I will meet that will make the experience worth keeping. People coming from different cultures, expertise, backgrounds and language and uniting them in this beautiful place of Japan would really be an amazing experience for us. All the things that I will learn, share and enjoy will surely have an impact on my life and prayerfully will be able to transcend it to my (Kababayan) country men as well. Looking forward to seeing you all!
My IATSS Forum experience will be forever treasured in my heart. I will never forget how God answered my heart’s desire to experience the beauty of Japan. What has been said in 1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” can summarize the greatest learning experience I had in Japan. My faith in God and other people was seen as I learned to trust my co-participants in all our activities together, especially our work for our Cultural Exchange Day presentation. I’ve discovered that there is really so much to learn if I just open myself up to taking such challenges and opportunities. Hope was learned in observing the discipline of the Japanese people, in spite all that they have been through in the past they manage to get back up. The forum has helped me broaden my perspective regarding different issues and concerns in our own country as well as those in other countries. And Love is expressed in all the joy and laughter we had but it was tested and best expressed in the way I/we have learned to embrace the differences of each individual. Though there are culture and language barriers, still learning to communicate and love others gives harmony in diversity.
My IATSS Forum experience will be forever treasured in my heart. I will never forget how God answered my heart’s desire to experience the beauty of Japan. What has been said in 1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” can summarize the greatest learning experience I had in Japan. My faith in God and other people was seen as I learned to trust my co-participants in all our activities together, especially our work for our Cultural Exchange Day presentation. I’ve discovered that there is really so much to learn if I just open myself up to taking such challenges and opportunities. Hope was learned in observing the discipline of the Japanese people, in spite all that they have been through in the past they manage to get back up. The forum has helped me broaden my perspective regarding different issues and concerns in our own country as well as those in other countries. And Love is expressed in all the joy and laughter we had but it was tested and best expressed in the way I/we have learned to embrace the differences of each individual. Though there are culture and language barriers, still learning to communicate and love others gives harmony in diversity.