What It Means to be a Girl in Green

USJ-R GSP Batch 2013-2014

 Being a Girl Scout is not just about girls in green wearing scarves and camp outs, the name itself is the purest form of one global organization aiming to be the change this world wants to see.

Independence Day 2011

It is a community of girls making a radical movement in their own little ways, and I am proud to be part of this community--the Girl Scouts of the Philippines. I've been with the Girl Scouts for four years (and counting), and in that four years, I've witnessed how life-changing being a Girl Scout is. 

Two-years-and-a-half ago

Being a freshman in the University of San Jose-Recoletos sans a knowledge of the school's organizations, I was recruited into the world of scouting. The moment I passed through the series of Oral Defenses and skills training prepared by senior Girl Scout Leaders is the moment I became the girl who does things extraordinarily well.

Ground-To-Air

Tree planting in Guiwanon, Argao

More than the summer trainings, the sun-kissed skin of summer extending for 4 consecutive years,  the outdoor cooking with matching Nagaraya-stylized rice, the visit to the student disciplinarian resulting either from Friday formation escape-ades or  in campus stays beyond curfew, the uncleared clearance in GSP triggering a game of  hide-and-seek looking for Mrs. Mauring-Recto's or the resident Finance Officer's (S4's) signature, the Saturday nights spent encoding and revising letters signed by the Principal and Father Director themselves, the cancelling of month-planned activities, the academic pressure steaming from an overload of extra-curricular activities, is a passion so strong that no matter what obstacles are thrown your way, you will always find another way.

Tatak Josenian GSP ka if you can read this

The many roles Girl Scout has given me: friend, sister, confidant, truth-seeker, role-model, and inspiration made me experience so much in High School that made me mature and live in reality. It gave me the confidence that gave rise to the many faces I owned: campus journalist, public speaker, debater, campus ambassador, RAYer, peer facilitator, squirette, and COP volunteer.

Meeting Brgy. Capt. Lorna Damalerio

Ambitious I was, and still am, and an overachiever too, I would always challenge myself to never settle for mediocrity--this was what High School taught me, the Josenian core value of Excellence. Despite being in the graduating class, despite the hectic schedule of irregular after school extracurricular meetings, and despite the doubts of maintaining my academics, it was in challenging myself that I joined the Chief Girl Scout Medal Scheme.

Construction of my work station

Giving solicitations at City Hall

Surveying my community

It was never an easy road, honestly. From the very first step, you have to brace yourself and be prepared for anything. It was like walking on water, much like how Jesus Walks on the Water . It was a feat that could only be achieved with complete faith and trust in God. You will fall in the middle if you get frightened and hesitate, yet your strength to persevere will grow once you overcome your anxiety. With every step you take and every turn you make, there's always a choice and a decision to make. I chose the field Livelihood over Environment, Dressmaking over a Water Reservoir. I chose a community I haven't been to and people I've never met. I chose to be different, I chose to be the risk-taker, the overachiever that is me. And did I regret? No Sir, I did not, and never will.

Sunday training on dressmaking

From my experience, I learned the importance of trust. You can not accomplish anything without trusting your beneficiaries, advisers, work group, and most especially yourself. Learn to trust others if your want others to trust you. Learn to be flexible in your encounters with people (be polite when asking for something, and if rejected, remain courteous and patient) and in your management of time (do paper works little by little, not altogether, and always make a back-up plan).

Turnover Ceremony

 After a year of hard work, my efforts finally paid off. The journey finally reached its end, yet the greatest reward is not the medal, nor the title, but the smiling, happy faces of the people who benefited from the hard work and effort done to make the project a success. It is their priceless faces, their hard work of sewing clothes and rags to earn an income and sustain the project that no amount of recognition can ever compare, and the even bigger reward would be seeing the same workstation 20-30 years from now fully-operating and buzzing with people.

CGSMS Awarding Ceremony, Visayas Region

L-R: Me, Kristien, Gilian, Apple, Danielle, and Jealyn

It was an achievement of a lifetime. It was a milestone that I could not have accomplished without my solicitors and donors whose solicitations and donations were used to construct the workstation of my project and to buy the sewing machines and materials, my advisers, most especially my parents who, even with a lot of arguments and a 'little' discouragement, were the pillar of strength that pushed me one, Tita Grace who inspired me to take up the challenge and taught me the meaning of service, my work group (Jhanica, Joann, Sandra, Kim, Jeciel, Karen, Inna) who despite the busy 4th year life,  helped me in their little (turned big) ways, my beneficiaries who remained with me throughout the year, and my Josenian and Girl Scout families. Where would I be without these people? :)

I am a Girl Scout and always will be for, hopefully, for as long as the fire in me remains fueled by the desire to serve others. Medical school may grow be too toxic for me to join activities and encampments, but wait a few years at balalik rin ako! And if I can not, then I'll make sure my kids will (in 15-20 year's time or more, haha). Even if my registration expires, in my actions I will always be Girl Scout...in my thoughts, and in my heart.

Signing off (for now),

Cadet Scout Angela Marie S. Magsucang

18th Ain't About Parties

The day you officially graduate from your teenage days and turn into an adult is, well, kind of a normal experience. No big bangs or ta-tas, but just the normal any other celebration of any other year. Just the way I like it. 

Rather than spend much (say 50K +) for a one-night event, why not be practical and use the money wisely, hmm? Isn't that what adulthood is about? Or maybe for me, that is. Attending mass, having an outreach somewhere in Cebu, and lunching out with family, relatives, and close friends, my day being a day of giving, that's my ideal way of spending the 18th. 

And so I did.

Road trip going to Sitio Napo

 When I told my mother I wanted to have a community outreach on my birthday, I already had a community I wanted to go to in mind, the same community I had my CGSMS Project, but she suggested otherwise...and look where it took me.

Kids from Napo Elementary School

The trip to Sitio Napo wasn't quite that long, being about 10 minutes away from home, and when I did reach the venue, how surprised I was! I wasn't used to being sang a birthday song, so I kind of became a bit shy. Plus, they also prepared birthday cards.  "No card, no food." My mother even jokingly said. How sweet of the kids.

Simple gifts that mean so, so much

Their thank you's and big smiles were too heartwarming that I swear I could've flown if I had wings. I almost cried, not because of the presents, but because (to be honest), I know I made God proud of this good turn.

A lot of the kids out of a class of 37, haven't tried eating Jollibee, and being able to give them this simple joy is enough for me. It brings justice to the reality that people who have less appreciate more the little things given to them than the rich who are given more, yet appreciate less.

The trip to Napo Elementary School served as an inspiration to make every birthday of every year a day of giving.  

Photo courtesy from: http://jaredramos.files.wordpress.com

True to my list, the second one to cross off would be the lunch out in Patio Isabel.

R-L: Ate Mimi, Kuya Francis and Kuya Ton-ton

I truly appreciate the people with me celebrating one of life's events. Them lending me their time and effort (jima moment here, awee).

Feeling blessed and thankful

I want to thank everyone who've been with me for the past 18 years: my family who has always given me love and inspiration to do my best and make 'em proud, my relatives who have been great supporters full of love and care, and my precious friends who I wish would still be there for the rest of my lifetime.

Most of all, I'd like to thank God for the gift of life. For helping me make it through life's trials, and granting me success. I know life's going to get a lot tougher after this, but I believe anything's possible, and that any trouble brewed will all come to pass.

Post-celebration!

Your downtown lassie,

Keroppi in 3D

 (Ranidaphobics, be WARNED.  This is not for the weak-hearted.)

                                                 

If you thought Keroppi was cute, wait until you meet him in 3D! 

copyright: disneyspot

Hello Freddo!

Just another average exercise in Zoology 11 deemed a froggy encounter. 

YES--that hopping, croaking, slippery, insect-eating, living creature we are all familiar with. Although a dead frog isn't what most people call 'lovable',  I'll be honest to say that you haven't truly lived your school life without ever encountering this species.

What's the difference between the two?

Meet Fredda (left) and Freddo (right)!

A typical physical characteristic that differentiates a female frog from a male frog is that colored spot found on a frog's lower jaw. Females are bigger than males (though in the female looks bigger in the picture above).

Is the thumb bigger or smaller than the digits?

 A male's thumb is said to be bigger than its digits.

Freddo the frog

It's amazing how the combination of carbon, hydrogen gas, and 1/2 oxygen gas can help preserve these little critters (sorry, too much Chemistry class). 

C(s) + H2(g) + 1/2O2(g) ---> CH2O(l) 

 Formalin dear Watson! Lo and behold, the beauty and the 4-inched beast, erm, frog.

Strip a frog off it's skin, and you still get a frog. FROG BONES. BONES.

Skeleton gone all wrong

Yeah, yeah. I know, I know. The suprascapula, ilium and vertebral column's gone all wrong...and I'm not pretty sure what happened to this frog's pelvic girdle. 

Vertebral Column

 This is how the vertebral column supposed to look like, I think, but I'm sure I got the urostyle (tail-like bone) right.

 

Frog Skull, dorsal view

The most favorite during our practical exam. Ahh, memories, froggy memories.

Soooo...

What's your verdict?

I like 'em both, but I like cute 'ol Keroppi more. :)

Yours ever,

Bubble Bee Tea House

The Bubble Bee Tea House, a hidden food spot for your eyes and sweet teeth to feast upon. 

Sweet-toothers, lo and behold! I've discovered supplementary vitamins to satisfy our cravings. Sweets, sweets, SWEETS. Oh, the sweetness of sweets that I crave. What's more? It's the perfect hideout for you and your barkada.

Ground floor of the tea house

 Located at TSI Building, Ouano Avenue, Mandaue City (across McDonald's Manadaue), the tea house serves milk teas, sundaes, and meals. Prices of milk teas range from Php 60 - Php 120 while the rest are up to Php 100+.

Waiting in the line. Hi Orland! :)

Though the place seems excluded and well-hidden behind a couple of cars (not sure whether the cars were for sale or parked) outside the tea house, it's gloominess suddenly evaporates once you see the color and vibrancy inside.

Wooden stairs going to the second floor

Second floor

The second floor is just a vibrant as the floor below, minus the air conditioning problem. You can also play board games and cards or take a snooze among the pillows.

Homey, hmmm. Perfect for some shut-eye.

With the gang. CW, L-R: Mike, Orland, Marie Joyce, Vanessa, Bea, Yours truly, and Krystelle

I wanted a taste of the bubble house's mud pie, so I ordered one while  the rest ordered milk tea. I loved my treat, although it was a blow on my allowance (yet again). Ahh, the struggles of owning a sweet tooth.

. 

My mud pie, nom!

Over-all, I'll rate Bubble Bee Tea House as worth dining in. For a first-timer, it's also withing the budget, yet I'm still craving for sundae, and I hope the next one would satisfy me enough.

Love comes in the most Unexpected Ways

To the birthday girl who’s my greatest inspiration to never give up on love.

 Unexpectedly

There was once a blind little girl who dreamed of working in the air force. As impossible as her dream might be, she still hoped and prayed that it would come true. The girl worked as an assistant to the village’s local shoemaker who treated her as his own. She was hardworking, patient, and most of all, she put all her heart in doing her job as her way of thanking the shoemaker. She was a friendly lass, and the shop’s high-paying customers would always ask her to shine their shoes or to fetch their necessities.

One winter morning, the mayor and his family visited the shop to purchase leather boots. They visited the shop every month. They were a nice family except for the son. Now, the mayor’s kid was a naughty boy. He’d cause trouble all the time, and would put the blame on the blind girl. The poor girl could do nothing but get punished or shouted at for something she didn’t do every time the mayor's family visits. The blind girl was cleaning white leather shoes when the mayor’s son took a piece of clean rag, poured permanent black ink on the rag, and handed it back to the girl. Unknowingly, the girl, after taking the now-dirtied rag, cleaned the rest of the pairs of white shoes with it.

When the shoemaker saw what the little girl had done, he scolded her and had almost relieved her of her job had she not begged, pleaded, and kneeled. The damage’s worth was equivalent to a month’s worth of food. Hiding in one corner by the shoe racks, the naughty son snickered. The poor girl was fuming mad. She hated the naughty boy who had been causing her trouble ever since they met. The naughty boy then thought of another prank: stealing a pair of the most expensive heels in the store. As he was about to do his deed, his father caught him, shouted curses, and started hitting the boy. The blind girl heard the commotion and went on to stop the father. The son, cheeks red and crying, stared at the girl as a single tear fell from his cheeks.

After the incident, the boy was never seen again. Life continued for the blind girl, still full of hopes and dreams. Years passed. The young girl was now a lady, and the generous shoemaker was now a good ‘ol man. Because the shoemaker had hit the mark past his prime, he couldn't keep the store open the whole day and night anymore, so he trusted the young girl with keeping the shop open during the times he’d doze off to dreamland. Even though they’ve been having fewer customers, a particular client had been keeping their sales up and going.

This client was a doctor, an ophthalmologist. Whenever the doctor would visit, the shoemaker noticed that the doctor would be all smiles the moment he sets his eyes on the young lady. At times, the doctor would even forget what he was talking about because of the young lady. Thinking of the doctor and his adopted daughter, the ‘ol shoemaker felt everything had been set, and he could already leave without regrets. He knew his time was almost up.

A few months later, the shoemaker died peacefully in his sleep with a smile on his face. The burial was a simple one having guests who either had been close friends, patrons or clients of the deceased. The year after the old man’s death, the doctor offered to take the girl to his clinic and replace her eyes with seeing ones. With nothing to hold her back, the young lady agreed. The procedure took a year to complete, and another half to fully heal.

The long wait was over, and the lady was now finally able to see, and what she did see, oh, was truly a surprise, a gift from her beloved doctor—a red, velvet box. She opened the box, and on that very day, the doctor proposed to the young girl. The couple got married and lived a happy life full of contentment and love.

The wife went to college, graduated, and became an air force pilot while her husband became chief surgeon in the force’s medical team. They had kids who grew up to be successful people, and when time came that God had finally claimed the lives of those who had lived, a little note was found safely kept in an old, red, velvet box the doctor had kept in his pocket.

A little girl, six or seven maybe, I see every day by the shoe shop smiles so beautifully. Sad fate was that she had no eyes. How cruel the world is to this girl…yet she still smiles, and I hate her smile. I hurt her, I make her sad…yet she still smiles…

I try to do everything to wipe that smile off her face, but nothing works.

My work backfired on me, yet she still protected me…what’s in this poor girl that makes her so unforgettable? I’m going to go somewhere far, and when I get back, I want to see her beautiful smile once again…

Her face, her contagious laugh, the way she moves with grace…I will make her happy. I will make her dreams comes true…someday…someday. 

Things that seem so impossible, are not impossible at all if one hopes for possibility. Whenever life treats me hardest, I'll always remember how much you've kept me going on. Thanks for the support, love, and memories. :*

Happy birthday again, I hope you liked my story. 

Dedicated to Maria Sheipearl Ann Tragico.

8/21/1996



Yours ever truly,

 

 

Let Go and Let Music

Music speaks when you just listen, when you pause for a minute and enjoy the rhythm.

Hear the pulse of your heart, the soft serenade of the birds, and the whistle of the wind; these are simple things we often forget to notice. The beauty that is around us is what we call nature’s music. We do not need to plug in our iPods and jam to the latest hits, and we do not need to learn a new beat, transpose and play it on a gazillion instruments because all we need is to listen and appreciate nature’s song.

Life, at times, gets so busy—busy trying to earn money. We keep looking down, afraid of tripping, falling over, and losing a few coins, and so we fail to see how beautiful every day is. We constantly worry about money. We assume that anything without monetary value is useless. The assumption turns into regret that bites at end of the day saying, ‘beauty is unattainable’ when in fact it is us who refuses to recognize it. 

Happiness is not measured by the vast amount of wealth you possess nor the infinite wisdom you earned from a multitude of books. It’s the simple joys in life that brings up your happiness meter. 

Be like a nightingale that sings sweet lullabies. Lull yourself from the dull, chaotic world. 

Let the melody drive your life, not riches, not wealth, nor possessions. 

Live simply, live happily.

Happy to be,

 

Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est

"Knowledge itself is power"

It's the mid-term examinations, and the week could only get better as students enroll themselves in this semester's latest cram school. Piles of books and papers slowly clutter my desk as judgment week approaches. Le zombified look with bloodshot red and raccoon eyes, and  messy, unkempt hair--ah, yes, this is definitely my kolehiyala life.

Cebu Doctors' University is no different from the rest of the other schools. Everyone anticipates the end of the week even before it has started, the typical mindset of every struggling student (including me, haha). Even High Schoolers and Grade Schoolers are also awaiting the results from examination days.

I'm pretty sure no one wants to fail a 'major' exam, and so let's all together put our thinking caps on (groans), and brace ourselves for one helluva week. Hoping cram school would definitely pay off (crosses fingers). 

Godspeed, God bless, and good luck to us!

 Your kolehiyala,

A Million Dreams in One

Of the million things that could hurt most,
It’s your silence that haunts me like a ghost.
Like lightning that strikes in a thunderstorm
You left my heart for me to mend and reform.

You’re that gleam from the dark, that supernova star
The one I see as I watch from somewhere far.
Something unreachable, one that’s untouchable
By someone like me, weak and feeble.

You’re just a dream, not a reality
Yet why is it hard to accept this inevitability?
How unfair life is to deceit someone like me
I am a blind man chasing that which I cannot see

Though my hands can never reach you,
Never hold you, never touch you
Knowing you’re out there somewhere will be enough
I’ll still be waiting, I won’t be gruff

Then when I look up the sky and ask truthfully,

“Why dreams spread wider than reality?”

I’ll look back down and secretly smile,

“Because you’re the greatest dream I’ll make a reality.”

Your city gal,

inspired by the video :

photo credits to: tumblr.com