Are We Ready?

Thailand's English as Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) industry is, without doubts, a Filipino-dominated industry as most of the foreign teachers employed to teach English and other content subjects are Filipinos. The ESL/EFL industry in Thailand is not that promising compared to other countries but, nevertheless, it's easier to come to Thailand for a job than in other countries. Most of the teachers here, came to Thailand as tourists who then applied for a working permit after finding an employer.

However, the salary that one could probably earn here is not as high as those who are working in other countries but because of its cheaper cost of living, it is not that difficult to make both ends meet. Many of us here could still send a good amount of money to help our families back home and we could send and save even better if we are hardworking enough to accept additional classes during non-working hours. We could go for private one-on-one tutorials or small class tutorials in learning centers. However, no one is assured of a stable job because most of the foreign workers here are working in contractual basis and usually we work under one-year contract and the thing is, most of the learning centers and even some schools do not provide work permit to their foreign teachers.

No one is assured of a lifetime job here in Thailand. Recently, a huge government project handled by two big universities in Bangkok made unlikely changes in their employment contract causing exodus of foreign teachers for some of them left while others were unfortunately evicted from the project. I don't know if it's another bad news from Thailand's ESL industry but I have read an article that a big English language center in Thailand would be ending its operation this year because it's planning to move to another Asian country where the business could be more promising. Over time, we have seen how the industry dropped that no wonder a time would come that only very few of the foreign teachers would be needed here.

In reality, the future is not ours but we could do something for our future by preparing for it as early as today. We have to face life positively and we could only do that if we know that we are financially secure. The future is not ours yet the present has been given to us so that we would be ready if ever the inevitable moments would struck. Make every moment of today a preparation of tomorrow for no one knows what would happen the following day.

Make Failure Your Best Friend

Oftentimes, we are so afraid to try because we are afraid that we might fail. For most of us,failure is an enemy that we need to avoid. However, the truth is human beings are born imperfect and the only way for us to move toward perfection is to try all the possibilities without having much focus on the failures that we would surely encounter along the way. We need to learn from those failures. We can make failure our best friend.

According to an e-mail forwarded by a friend, we need to maximize our day. Thanks to Sir Rolly, one of my mentors, for forwarding this wonderful message from John C. Maxwell which I believe worthy to be shared to everyone.


MAKE FAILURE YOUR BEST FRIEND

When you are able to learn from any bad experience and thereby turn it into a good experience, you make a major transition in life. For years I've taught something that I think gives useful insight on the subject of life:

People change when they...
Hurt enough that they have to,
Learn enough that they want to, and
Receive enough that they are able to.

I learned the truth of that statement on a whole new level on December 18, 1998. While at my company's Christmas party, I felt an excruciating pain in my chest, and I went down for the count. I suffered from a serious heart attack. My heart attack was a painful and surprising experience, but I feel that God was very good to me at that process. Several excellent physicians rallied around me and made it possible for me not only to survive but also to avoid any permanent hear damage.

My cardiologist, Dr. Marshall, told me that men who survive an early heart attack and learn from it live longer and healthier lives that those who never suffer a heart attack. I am determined to learn from the experience. I changed my diet. I exercise and try to live a more balanced life. I had to admit that it's sometimes a struggle, but I'm persevering. I've taken to heart Jim Rohn's comment: "Don't let your learning lead to knowledge; let your learning lead to action. "

-- Failing Forward

USE PAINFUL EXPERIENCE AS A CATALYST TO NOT ONLY LEARN BUT TO LEAD YOU TO GREATER ACTION.


I hope that this message from John Maxwell will make your day and will lead you bolder actions toward your dreams. Life has never promised us that we will be traversing a smooth road. However, life has always been teaching us that we can make the best out of everything. LIVE LIFE and ACHIEVE your GOALS!

NO SENSE FOR ADSENSE

I have been blogging for quite sometime now and I have been thinking how to turn this hobby into an income-generating chore which would somehow help me in increasing my cash flow to support my future plans. I have been reading plenty of articles on how to earn from blogging and of all the recommendations given, adding Google Adsense tops the lists.

I was very convinced by most of the writers who placed Google Adsense on the top of their list that's why I started to create my Google Adsense account. However, my application has been rejected by the management of Google for various reasons. Several times, my application was not approved because the address which I provided was invalid. I tried my address in Thailand and then in the Philippines -- they were both rejected. I decided not to re-submit my application anymore for I have been rejected for many times until, lately, I re-submitted my application and took extra care not to commit the same mistake again. At last, my address was accepted but still my application for Google Adsense was rejected!

This time, the management found problem on the content of my blog. According to them, they could not approve my application for the contents of my blog do not qualify for Adsense. I have reviewed their policy and I don't know which of the policies I violated. Well, I guess my blog is too personal to be visited by people from different walks of life. I accept, my life is not that interesting as Barack Obama, Leonardo da Vinci, James Bond and other celebrated icons in the industry. However, I am still hopeful that I could still find other ways to earn some pennies through my blog.

Teaching: A Joy or A Challenge?

Teaching should have been the most fulfilling job but why is it that we seldom see teachers who find fulfillment in what they are doing?

Back in the Philippines, most of the teachers were actually regarded as penniless people who do not have time for themselves. Oftentimes, teachers go back home with loads of paperworks to finish -- that is aside from the regular preparations that one has to do for the lessons to be presented. However, it is very sad to say that these paperworks only add burden to the teachers for they are only required for filing purposes and not for the learning of the students which is supposed to be the most essential concern of every learning institution.

A very typical example is the lesson plan. Most of the educational institutions have been adding ambiguity in the preparation of lesson plans without giving emphasis on the lesson itself. Instead of giving the teacher a chance to develop the lesson so that learning among the students could be maximize, much focus have been given on adding redundant parts of the lesson plan that the preparation of the lesson plan would take much longer than the presentation of the lesson and in the end, the lesson plan is much better than the lesson.

If we believe that teaching should be focused on the enhancement of students' learning then we have to change the current system of education wherein too much emphasis is given on documentation as part of the supervision process than on teaching and learning. As we move towards the new era of the human revolution, we need to understand the changes that has been brought to us by the ever-changing landscape of the society. The present generation demands us to become more practical as we don't have to waste any single moment of our life and so of our career. After all, everybody would find fulfillment when the end has been justified and that is, the students have learned something.

In the end, all we need to understand is the joy that teaching could bring to every teacher and not the challenges which only try to build the endurance of the teachers. If we fail to address such problem, then we fail to communicate to our learners that school is not a chamber of torture which would only test how determined they are.

MY BIRTHDAY BLOG

This is something that my spirits could never contain and my wits could never imagine. I never had a big 24th birthday celebration but the greetings I received were more than just what a huge birthday party could offer. Words were very simple but as I started to jot down the names of those who greeted me, I realized how tremendous a word could become especially when you know that it came from the heart of the person who told it to you. I could not bear it that I wanted to share the joy to everyone. It's not all about the businesses that we transacted. It's not all about the works that we did together. It's not all about the laughter that sparkled our hearts. Instead, it's all about the relationship that we shared for a moment or a lifetime.

As what Kuya Banjo said in his birthday greetings, "We need some attention from time to time to ensure to ourselves that we are existing and our existence is needed." Indeed, he is so true and the simple greetings I received were more than just enough to remind me that I am still existing with everyone. A genuine wish from colleagues Mr. Khem and Ate Cecil reminded me of the life that I always wanted to live -- a simple yet challenging life that would never be wasted. Somehow, they reminded me that I am not alone in achieving my dreams for as they wished, I would be more inspired to follow the desires of my heart. Krishna and George's prayer for God's help would truly help me in every decision that I am going to make as I chase my dreams.

Addie's and Diana's simple greetings reminded me the value of friendship -- a kind of relationship that I would always treasure for the rest of my life. I am becoming more confident and inspired to do what I believe is right because of my friends who always see me as winner and inspiration. Little did they know that they are more than just inspirations to me. They are what they are and they are always winners because of what they are.

My family who has always been there and witnessed my life for the past 24 years were more than just ordinary witnesses but molders of dream as well. My life could have never been the same without them. I did not hear greetings from all of them yet I know how happy they are that I reached this age with something that could be proud of. 24 years were not just 24 years with my family for they meant a lot. It means 24 years of learning, 24 years of bond, 24 years of love, 24 years of happiness, 24 years of abundance and the list has no ending. My family has given me more that what I have wished for they showed me abundance in the middle of scarcity.

MY TOP 24 WISHES ON MY 24TH BIRTHDAY
1. Own a Business in the Philippines
2. Travel Around the World
3. Build my Dream Rest House in my Dream Farm Before I Reach 30
4. Own a Condo/Apartment in Tagbilaran City
5. Finish my Master's Degree
6. Avail Australian Government Aid for my 2nd Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree
7. Teach in Another Country (most likely in America)
8. Achieve Financial Freedom at the Age of 28
9. Write a Self-Help Book
10. Write a Mathematics Textbook
11. Publish a Book on Professional Studies
12. Build my Own Foundation for Needy Children and Families
13. Retire at the Age of 40.
14. Island Getaway in the Philippines with my Family
15. Maintain a Popular Blog
16. Family Reunion with the Saraspes
17. Family Reunion with the Cerbitos
18. High School Batch Reunion by 2012
19. Meet and Connect with my relatives as I can
20. Teach Professional Subject/s in a Popular University in the Philippines
21. Travel to Phuket, Changmai and Krabi
22. Travel to Singapore, Malaysia and Hongkong
23. Climb one of the peaks in Thailand
24. Conquer Mt. Apo


THANKS TO THESE PEOPLE WHO EXTENDED THEIR BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

1. Kuya Banjo Cleofe
2. Ate Cecil Lacson
3. Ate Maejoy Sinsuan
4. Sam Barrete
5. Raziel Felix
6. Master Khemapat
7. Zhen Marcojos
8. Donna Ucang
9. Ate Rosie Arcillas
10. Diana Salivad
11. Addie Paredes
12. Krishna Reyes
13. George Terrenal
14. Donna Rebugio
15. Ivy Salarza
16. Fely Padilla
17. Dolly Grace Nanit
18. Levi Saraspe
19. Franco Tatad
20. Adelaida Cabahug
21. Lorna Coral
22. Ivy Sarabosing
23. Angelita Lumor
24. Fritzie Galleos
25. Lilibeth Jeminos
26. Azel

Sorry for the names which were not mentioned. What is important is you made my day more special and you know that. Thank you so much and may God will bless you all!

CYBER-REUNION

With all the scandals, copyright infringement and cyber-bullying issues lurking in the internet nowadays, it's still good to know that there are still people whose kindness and passion for serving others help billions of internet users from around the globe. It's so uplifting to hear people's testimonies on how the internet helped them earn additional income, meet long lost friends and relatives, make communication faster and even prevent an accident which was about to happen. What makes it more genuine is when you personally experience all these things like what just happened lately.

How about meeting a very close relative you've never met in your entire life? It sounds impossible but FACEBOOK has just shown me the possibility when a person of the same last name as mine added me as a friend. I did not spend even a single minute looking at this person's info because I think he's just another unknown individual whose last name just happened to be the same as mine. Good that I gave a try in opening looking over his info and leaving him some words. He is just a very close relative I never met before. He's a grandchild of my uncle who died many years ago without even giving me a chance to see him in person. What happened was a reunion of an uncle who has never met his nephew before. It was, indeed, a cyber-reunion.

BLOGGING PROBLEM

I got a feedback yesterday from a fellow blogger that it took time for her to view the contents of my blog and, unfortunately, I experienced the same thing about two weeks ago. I encountered similar problem for a couple of times but since I was too busy to wait for it to upload, I closed my blog and did other chores instead thinking that it was brought by poor internet connection.

However, as a tried to scroll down my blog few days ago, I discovered that the problem was not just an internet connection failure. It was a blog malfunction brought by the generated blog banner. As I logged in, I found out that the script went wrong and so to fix the problem I did not hesitate to erase the script and I immediately made a new banner which is so simple. I felt bad at first because I invested time just to generate that blog banner and only to find out that it would only cause trouble in my blog.

So right now, you could see a very simple blog banner which I instantly created days ago to make sure that my blog would go back to its normal running condition (like a utility vehicle). It might be very simple but still I saw to it that its simplicity would not fail to communicate the expressions and information I posted and will be posting in here.

My apology to everyone for such problem and I hope everything will be back to normal although I have been so busy these days for the second semester has just started and I just came back from my three weeks vacation in the Philippines.