Ambassador of the Philippines

Yesterday was another big bet of my future. My company did not officially approve yet my participation for the Group Study Exchange (GSE) program bound for Australia. However, last night was the first meeting. So I decided to take the risk / opportunity to attend without the official approval yet. It seems that I already have unofficial “level 1 and 2” company approval. I hope that I will be granted with official “level 3” approval:). We will be visiting Adelaide, Bendigo and Alice Springs areas of Australia.

If we want, we can have an extended travel to New Zealand at our own expense. The meeting was a soft introduction about to dos and issues in preparation for the exchange travel itself.

Our initial assignments are:

•  Get to know more sponsoring Rotary Club o Flagship projects and key officers 
•  Bannerettes to represent the club
• Revise narrative to fit expectation (if place to visit will match profession, hobbies or interests)
• Search information about the Philippines
• Fiestas o Global Bank o Cuisine
• Sites of Interest
• Schools
• Others
•  Prepare Country Study (Australia, RI D9500)
•  Australian Embassy o Bendigo, Alice Springs and Adelaide
• Take a shot of place of work 
• Check if passport will not expire by 2013

Last night was our first meeting as a group. We finally met our Team Leader. The unofficial get to know each of one of us was better after the welcome / introduction proper. We walked from Club Filipino to EDSA with heels and formal dress! We shared common insights and knew a bit about each other. I feel that whether I will push through or not with this Group Study Exchange (GSE), I am blessed not only to be given an opportunity to be an Ambassadress of my country but to expand my list of friends outside of my usual circle. How lucky I am! :)


Below is my initial analysis of joining GSE:

Pros:

• Free full board in Australia
• New friends
• Expand learning horizon
• Achieve 1 of my page dream lists of traveling in another continent

Cons:

• Uncertainty beyond our hands like being denied by the consul
• It is not disclosed yet if who are the principals and alternates
• Personal:
• My company did not officially approve yet my participation
• I will miss my husband, family and friends for 1 month or more
• Spend for incidental costs

We had also set the next series of orientation meetings.

• November 9, 2012 – 1st Orientation
• November 22, 2012 – 2nd Orientation
• January 11, 2013 – 3rd Orientation

Rotary International's Group Study Exchange

Loveless and Dominant

Yesterday was my first Rotaract meeting for 2010. It was funny how to work out again with familiar faces with different strong personalities. There were five (5) out seven (7) District MDIO members present.

Some positive observations:
1. Issues are still objectively resolved
(In fact, many items were resolved!)
2. Tolerance to dominant and awkward personalities is still applied
3. Fellowship is worth just P5.00
(Videoke)
4. Concerns about unity still persist
5. You can never be loveless during Valentines if you are a Rotaractor
(A Hot Air Balloon group date in Subic is planned this Feb 12-14, 2010)

Some negative observations:
1. There are facial and oral expressions not befitting in conducting a meeting
2. There are behaviors that’s fine with current setup but I can see are not healthy especially when you are not dealing with your own district only
3. Unprepared items needed for the meeting like previous copy of amendments and minutes of the meeting
4. Late snacks

Now, I’m thinking of drafting a guide on how to conduct an MDIO meeting. This guide will be both for the organizers and participants. Things are manageable and tolerable for now, but I can imagine how about for the next years. As I reiterate, MDIO should unite and not divide the ten districts!

Continuing the Rotaract Legacy...

The Pilipinas Multi-District Information Organization (MDIO) has been very busy the last three (3) months and so I was too. We are now on our 4th series of meetings for Manual of Procedure.

The aim of coming out with standardized (but still always subject for respective DRRs’ discretion) is to provide a tool for DRRs in decision-making over common but needed district functions and concerns.

It’s been addressed that the existing districts have their own ‘version’ of policies which are sometimes chaotic. Remarks such as bias and unfair or no basis at all are the roots for standardization of these procedures.

Done manual of procedures are for District Rotaract Representative Election, MDIO Chair Election and DRRs’ Aide to MDIO. Targeted to be finished on 4th meeting are Sister Club / Twinning Guidelines, and Award Pointing System covering the four (4) avenues of service, finance and public image.

I’m happy that I’m healthy enough to continuously guide the growth of Pilipinas MDIO. It’s an exhilarating feeling to witness and contribute to what I thought as my legacy to Rotaract – the establishment of Pilipinas MDIO. For two years, we’ve been helping DRRs but now we are now also ‘creating’ future DRRs and MDIO Chair. I guess, along the process of trainings, seminars, discussions and fellowships, involved Rotaractors gain the awareness and enlighten them to aspire the positions. This in turn means continued leadership or life of the organization per se. This leads me through John C. Maxwell’s Law of Legacy states that a leader's lasting value is measured by succession.

And now is even easier as I have also fellow PDRRs who dedicate their time and expertise to our most cherished organization – Rotaract Club.