Farewell

        So many things has happened during this semester that I was not even expecting some of it. I knew for one that English has been one of my favorite subjects since I was in High School but I did not expect it to continue till College. Before our first meeting with Professor Mabuan, I thought that English would be one of the boring subjects that I was having this semester. But Mr. Mabuan proved me wrong.

        I did not know what was in him but every time he enters the room he got me listening to everything that he has to say. I learned a lot from him considering that he is a great teacher who never fails to amuse and educate us at the same time. There was never a dull moment with him. Even though I know that our attitude is not at its best, he still has a lot of patience left enough to joke around. I gained a lot more confidence in myself than before and I learned how to communicate better using the English language. During this semester, I also gained friends whom I never thought I would have and built a strong relationship with them.

        I was able to improve myself in every different ways and one of it was through listening to my Professors. I know that this semester is coming to an end but for me it is just the start of a new chapter in my College life that will lead me to a bright tomorrow.

Too Late to Regret

       During our discussion about a new topic, our professor asked us to narrate one of the touching moments that happened in our lives. I was about to do what is asked but I thought twice. It came to me that what I had in my mind was not so touching; rather, it was a moment that I dreadfully regret.

       About six years ago, my Father suddenly got ill. We later found out that it was Lung Cancer and it was already on its later stages. I thought that maybe it was really bound to happen since he often drank alcohol and smoked regularly. The Doctor said that he would probably last year or just a couple of months. But I was just at the tender age of ten and was not ready to lose any of my parents yet. So every time I was in front of them I pretended that it was just like the normal days. Seeing him at home with a dextrose stuck on one of his arm while trying to hide his pained expression hurt me the most but I did not let them see through me. I did everything I could to forget that he might leave us so soon and told myself that if I pray enough and ask God nicely then maybe he would prolong my Father’s life.

       It was that day when I woke up seeing my Mom and Dad cuddling each other that I started feeling a bit nervous. I knew for one thing that my parents were not the type of couple who often expresses their affection towards each other. They were always the casual type of couple. After doing some of our daily tasks I decided to take an afternoon nap. Later that day, I was awoken by the noises that came from the first floor of our house. Feeling a lot more stable, I forced myself out of bed and went downstairs only to find everyone in a mess. I asked them why they were were all panicking and looked for my parents but they were nowhere to be found. My grandparents told me that my Dad was taken to the hospital because he cannot take the pain anymore and was vomiting nonstop. I felt myself getting cold as I went back to my room denying myself of the possibility that my Father might not make it back home anymore.

        My grandparents tried to convince me to come to the hospital and see my Dad but I was so stubborn. Too afraid of what I might witness, I rejected all of their offers. Until that time of the night when I suddenly felt the urge to go and visit him. I started getting nervous again when we arrived at the hospital. It felt like my heart will come out my chest with every step that I take. I was ready to see him and tell him how much he means to me. I was ready to say the things I was not able to tell him before. But I guess I was too late because as I opened the door to his room, I saw my Father lying in the the hospital bed, lifeless. My heart began to shatter into pieces as tears began to roll down my cheeks like a waterfall.  It was a price I knew I had to pay for being so stubborn, and for being such a selfish little brat who only thinks about herself. I felt so awful because I was not there for him when he needed me most. I was so scared of what could happen that I did not even think of my Father’s feelings anymore.

        From that moment, I knew I could not take back what has been done. He was gone. I told myself that he was never coming back. He was not able to see or talk to me even in his last breath. I denied my Father of his right to see his daughter before he left this world and I hate myself for that. Up until now I could not help but cry whenever I remember that day. But it’s too late for everything, too late to regret.

English Week Events

        Last Friday, we were asked to watch an impromptu speech competition that was held at Lyceum's Mini Theater. The topic given was mainly about the relevance of using correct and proper grammar specially in this modern technological era. Although I felt that the participants were somehow a bit nervous, I still think that they all did well. There are just some people who really caught my attention because of their oozing confidence and their mastery with regards to the task given.
        After the contest, my friends and I went to see the Literary Exhibit that was being held at the second floor of the school's building. There were a lot of booths that were subject to every country's literature. Some of the country were Korea, Japan, Netherlands, Italy, and many more.
        All in all, I was impressed to see how my fellow Lyceans carry out all their given tasks well. And I was glad to witness that kind of event.

What Would Happen Next?

        Let's just say that my friends and I waited for a long time to see this drama version of EXO's music video titled "WOLF". And after watching the video I can say that it was fairly good. I didn't expect the actors to act in such a way that you wouldn't even think that they were actually singers. I am not saying this to sound biased but I think they did a great job in editing the video, specially the song remix. It got me curious as to what will happen next because the video was yet tot be continued. I just wish that they could focus even in the simplest details so that they could make a perfect and much realistic music video.

It was About A Mermaid's Tale After All

        This year, the Korean Boy band named EXO released their comeback album titled "XOXO". One of the songs that were included in it was a song called "Baby Don't Cry". The song caught my attention since the time they used a part of it as an accompaniment for their teaser videos before their debut. I really liked the song even if I know that it was just a portion and still incomplete, I didn't even have any idea of what it was about.

        When EXO's album was released, "Baby Don't Cry" was the first song I listened to. And to my utter surprise, it became much more better than before. I was so curious as to what the song was about so I surfed the Internet till I found what I was looking for. I also found the English lyrics for the song.

        It turns out that the concept of the song came from Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid". Then it all came out to me, that was why the song held such a strong feeling of regret and sorrow. It was like a point of view of the Prince after he realized that the Mermaid was the person he was looking for. But it was too late for him to change his mistakes because the Mermaid already turned into foam. I think that the boys of EXO did a really good job of showing the Prince's feelings using their voices. The strong and powerful voices of each vocalist formed a perfect harmony and did justice to the song that a tear began to fall from my eye after knowing the story behind a mermaid's tale.

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE_OghBImxA

Improved Discipline

        The Million People March took place last August 26, 2013 at the Luneta Park. It has been witnessed by many that a lot of concerned citizens attended the event. But the big surprise was that the venue was almost though not entirely litter-free. Unlike the past outcome of the venue of other events, Luneta was not that trashed after the march. It was even seen that most people brought their own plastic bags to throw their trash to. And that was a positive thing for me to see my fellow citizens show their improved discipline.

A Fight Against Corruption

        Our country has long been invaded by corrupt politicians ever since then but people were afraid to take actions. But I was surprised to see how many people attended the Million People March last August 26, 2013. I guess the society can’t take the negative effects that it brings after all. In my opinion it was really a great start to show the government that we citizens are concern about our country too. Someday we will be able to live better.

Has His Dream Finally Come True?

        It has been a total of fifty long years since Martin Luther King, Jr. made his speech in Lincoln Memorial at Washington D.C. He was an activist, and the leader of the African-American Civil Rights Movement who was known for using non-violent actions for the advancement of civil rights.

        

        On August 28, 1963 MLK was able to deliver an unforgettable speech about freedom and inequality. He bravely voiced his dreams of having equality between the black and white people, hoping that all the racism and discrimination would stop. King, together with his followers called for freedom without any delays. However, he still wished to obtain his goals without violent actions.

        It is true that the act he made fifty years ago made a lot of Americans see some sense but has his dream of having a unified country finally come true? If you try to ask me, I would probably say no.

        

        The degree of disparity in their country may have declined since the day King delivered his speech though as far as I can see, they are still far from being a racist-free society. His dream up until now may have not entirely come true but I believe that in time people will change for the better in order to reach the dream he once dreamt.

My Typhoon Experience

       When I first felt the presence of typhoon Maring, I thought that it was just an ordinary weak storm. Unexpectedly, the rain poured harder. By the time I was about to sleep that Sunday night, I texted a friend of mine to ask for some updates. He answered my message as fast as lightning telling me that classes were suspended until further notice. Although there were no classes, things didn’t go that well. It’s like the typhoon grew stronger. And because of the heavy downpour, there wasn’t any single area in our City that was not covered with flood. Much to my dismay, the electricity kept on turning on and off for four consecutive days. The first day it is off, then the next day the power would be back and so on. Trapped, I did not have the chance to do anything at home except for taking care of my niece and nephew. Unfortunately, I was not able to review for the exams left. It was hard for us because transportation wasn’t available. By then, people had to walk to the market themselves to get food. We stayed like that for days until the flood had gone down. It was indeed a challenge for us but I know that there are more people out there who suffered more than we did. Hopefully, they can stand up on their feet again with the help of those people who are full of love and concern.

Types and Methods of Communication

               Before taking the midterm exams the last lesson that we discussed was about the types and methods of communication.

       

        Communication is defined as the sharing or exchanging of information from one person to another by the means of speaking, writing, or using signals. It is divided into three main parts. These are the Body language (55%), Style (38%), and Words (7%).

       There are different types and methods in terms of communicating. One of which is the verbal type that involves speaking and is considered the most common type of communication. Non-verbal is the type that does not involve speech. Written communication is done by writing down the statements and details by the use of a paper and something like a pen or pencil. The visual type of it is done by presenting figures, illustrations and photographs in order to carry out the meaning of what is being expressed. Last is the multimedia which involves a combination of all sorts of things like audio, visual, graphics and many more.

       Communication is an important factor in our daily lives because without it, we won’t be able to express our feelings and there would be no understanding that’s why we should learn how to improve and cherish it.

Making Inferences, Predictions and Assumptions

               At first we might think that inferences, predictions and assumptions are the same as one another. But after learning a couple of things about it, I discovered that it each has its own distinction.

        An inference is some kind of a conclusion or judgement that something occurred without being able to witness it but it made sense that it occurred. In making inferences we have to choose a presumable explanation from the facts at hand. It is done by using hints or clues to help us read between the lines.

      On the other hand, prediction is figuring out what will happen next. It is made by using previous knowledge based on experience, together with the clues from the story.

       In difference with the first two topics, an assumption believes that something is true even without proof. When one makes an assumption, he sees and hears only what he wants to see and hear. Things are not as apparent as they are because clarifications are not made. Assumptions are often defended and believed as correct though it has been proven false in most cases. 

Recognizing Facts and Opinions

       There are many ways to enhance our reading comprehension skills, one of which is by learning how to properly recognize a fact from an opinion. During last week’s discussion we were taught that facts are statements that can be proven by reliable authority whilst opinions are just judgments of a person based on his or her beliefs that can change through time.

     

       Through the discussion it was mentioned that history books, measurements, statistics, proven scientific law and observations are some examples of possible reliable resources of facts. It was then further discussed that an opinion is often considered valid if it can be supported by facts, it could be faulty if it turns out to be irrelevant to the topic discussed, and an informed one if it has basis or grounds. There are five types of opinion given. One is the hypothesis statement which is an assumption made in an attempt to explain an observation. Second is the theory statement that is defined as opinions that are widely believed and explained for a group of observations. Third is the assumptive statement which is an opinion that has improvable prediction. Fourth is the value statement that is defined as any claim based on someone’s beliefs. The last type opinion is the exaggeration statement which is one that embellishes the facts, often to sway the readers.

      

       We might think that it is still a bit hard to distinguish a fact from an opinion; well we just have to remember this one tip. There are certain words to look for in order to determine if a statement is an opinion. Some of these words are maybe, perhaps, best, worst, experts agree, successful, necessary, apparently, and probably.

     

       After having to know all of this information, I think that it will be easier for me now to distinguish a fact from an opinion.

Open and Closed Conversation

      Last week we were introduced to another topic of discussion titled “Open and Closed Conversations”. Within the discussion it was explained that closed questions are used in a closed conversation, these are the questions that are answerable by short words and phrases or a simple yes or no; on the other hand, an open conversation uses open questions that tend to ask or get more information than necessary. It was further mentioned that this type of question uses signals or some sort of response that tells us that a person is paying attention. These signals are often referred to as “rejoinders”.

      Aside from the earlier information, we were also given seven ways on how to keep a conversation going. One of which is by giving a little more information than is asked for. Second is by making some related comments. Third is repeating keywords. Fourth is reacting in creative ways. Fifth is giving additional comments. Second to the last is asking related comments. And lastly is by using question tags.

      After the discussion, we came to realize that open questions allow conversations to flow. It is much more preferable to use in terms of communicating, especially with people whom we just met because it lets us gather information for further understanding rather than closed questions which most likely kills a potential conversation.

Me, Myself & KPOP

       My name is Kamille, I was born in June 30, 1997 which means I am officially sixteen years old as of today. I am the only child in our family. The people around me were very protective and that meant that there had been too many restrictions regarding the things I do as they always keep a close eye on me. I used to be a cautious and quiet little girl because of that. I seldom engage in activities that involve a big number of people because I suck at socializing. Staying inside the shelter of our home watching television was probably all I ever did. That was until I started going to school of course.

       I studied in Ladislao Diwa in grade school and since I was their only child, my Mother made sure that I did well in school. She taught me everything in advance so eventually I got into the so-called “FL” class. I was glad to be a part of it because I was able to bring out some confidence and through this new-found confidence I gained a lot of friends and got the chance to improve myself and my skills. I was living a fairly peaceful and ordinary life until my Father got ill. As far as I can remember, I was still a fifth-grader when I found out that he had lung cancer. The Doctors told us that he only had several months to live. I was not ready to lose him yet so I did not make any move to spend more time with him and thought that things were still normal. A week later, he was suddenly admitted to the Hospital for severe stomach pain. I did not think it would be a life-changing situation. I felt so worried about him but I refused to go with them afraid to see him hurting. After several hours my Mom talked me in to coming with her saying that my Father might not make it any longer. I finally agreed to go but as I set foot at my Father’s Hospital room, my tears began to flow like waterfalls. Seeing him lying there in bed, lifeless and not breathing made my heart shatter into pieces.  It pained me so much to know that I was not there with him when he needed us the most. I was so selfish that I only thought of my own feelings and forgot to consider his. As a daughter, I failed to make my Father feel how important he is and that is the biggest regret that I have in my life. I was tormented because of what happened but as time pass by and with the help of people around me, I have grown to accept the fact that he is gone and that I needed to move on.

     Not long after, I finished grade school and resumed my secondary education at Cavite National High School. There, I met new friends whom I later on considered as my sisters from another Mother. It was in the beginning of the school year when we first came across a Korean music video, and since we all love music, curiosity got the best of us. We started to do a research about Korea and the Korean music industry. We found out so much about it that later on we found ourselves so in to it as we became "Fangirls". Apart from reading novels and conducting group studies, my friends and I loved to dance as well so we started practicing the choreography of some Kpop groups, we've tried to cover Girl's Generation and SHINee but was not able to be active because of the schedules. I can say that some parts of me changed when I became a Fangirl. Some may think that it is a bad influence, but for me, it is more of an inspiration to get me going. Even my Mother is a Fangirl. We both think of Kpop as a stress reliever. I listen to Korean songs when I'm depressed. I dance to the tune of their songs or even spazz about my bias when I feel stressed and I will immediately feel better. 

        Though I was not given the opportunity, I always wanted to travel and discover new things. I'd like to meet new people and learn about other culture that is why I decided to carry on my College life in Lycuem of the Phillippines University as a Tourism student. I believe that through this school's credibility I will learn everything that I need to know in order to graduate and finish my studies with ease so that I could reach up for my dreams and make them come true.

       If somebody asks what my future goals are or what my dreams are. . . . I would probably answer him like this. . . ."My goal is to finish my studies and find a decent job so that after I pay my parents some gratitude I can someday go to Korea and see my bias perform in front of my eyes." Some may be curious as to why I like Kpop so much and all can say is that. . . This is where I found happiness and contentment, this is what made me complete when all else started to fail and it is what made me, my friends and my family one.