SCUBA!

I am now a certified SCUBA diver! I wanted to try SCUBA diving for a long time especially because the Philippines has a lot of really good dive sites. But the thought of breathing through an air tank and what if something breaks, and what if there are sharks... anyway my friend and I decided to sign up for a course. There was actually a lot of studying that is involved in SCUBA certification. Our instructor was really experienced and helped us understand the complicated stuff like how many atmospheres of pressure per how many feet. It didn't feel like I was doing much ACTION then, but when we got in the swimming pool, (the first part of the SCUBA class is in the water so we can get used to the equipment), then I started to understand how regulating your breathing and your buoyancy is a very physical skill that divers are constantly trying to improve. Etc. etc. etc...

  Peace Diver by Nemo's great uncle

Primary School Workshop Leader

As part of their holiday celebrations, the teachers at De la Voliere School organized workshops for their children. They . They needed many volunteers to lead the workshops. When I arrived, the organizers explained the program for the afternoon and what was expected of me. Throughout the afternoon, the children and their teachers moved from one room to another, where different activities were taking place.

My activity did not last as long as expected. I therefore had to think of new games in order to fill up the time allotted for my workshop. Over all, the games went well, but some classes were unruly. I tried to maintain order and calm, but not always successfully. Before this project, I had never worked with children, and I had never considered how hard it would be. I have always been a fairly impatient person and I realized that working with children, especially such young ones, requires a huge amount of patience. I saw really turbulent and troublesome children, and I saw both patient and exasperated teachers. I came to understand the very important role of teachers not just in academic education, but also in the socialization of children.

 Photo by Scott Ableman, Flickr

Honestly, I didn't really enjoy this activity. I realized that I probably don't have the right personality to work with school children. Nonetheless, I was able to develop my patience and my workshop leader skills. I also learned how to interact with children, how to capture their attention, and how to achieve order and calm in the classroom.

Work-out Program

At the beginning of September this year, I very enthusiastically started an exercise program at the college gym. All my life, I have always been physically active and I have always been involved in a number of sports. This time, I undertook a more intensive workout program. My main objective was to incorporate physical activity into my daily routine. At first, I found it difficult to juggle a Monday-to-Thursday schedule of homework and working out. I was really exhausted by the end of the week. With time, though, I got used to it and really started to notice the results. Not only did I gain in strength and endurance, I also noticed that my stress levels dropped. All my life, I have been told that physical activity is good for the brain, but it was only this fall that I realized how true that is. My daily 90-minutes workout became a sacred moment for me, even the night before an exam. Through my workouts, I really came to understand the value of physical activity, not just for the body, but for the mind as well. Since this was a very personal project, I don't really think other people gained from it. For me, though, I realized that I am quite a determined person when it comes to an activity that I enjoy. I can say that I accomplished my main objective , which was to get accustomed to a rigorous routine that I plan to continue. We hear all the time that it's important to eat well and exercise. Now I know just how true that is. This is now integrated into my routine and I hope it will remain so for a very long time.

Latin American Dance Course

 Image by raunov

At first, I decided to choose this activity because it was something that was completely new for me and that allowed me to meet new people who I now consider close friends. First of all, it's important to know that I dance like a lumberjack. I have very upright posture and my body tends to be quite stiff. I'm not even remotely loose.

I remember the first course in particular. What a disaster! I arrived barely five minutes late and the teacher had already started the class. I had a hard time catching up to the others who were already working on their dance steps. Even worse, these were just the basic steps! The other participants laughed at the way I was trying to swing my hips. It was no big deal though because it was the types of activity where shyness has no place and new groups of friends form. The fact that I was laughed at made me want to persist even more. I practiced my new moves every day, in front of the mirror, in class, and sometimes just before going to bed. In the end, these dance courses increased not only my determination and patience, but also my ability to dance!

Really, I only have good things to say about this activity. Thanks to my dance classes, I met new people who have become my friends. I had a great time doing an activity that I could never have imagined myself doing. I even managed to provide a source of entertainment for many people, including myself. I think it's one of the best things to do to meet new people and to help build self-esteem. Since taking the Latin American dance course, I feel more comfortable dancing in public and I feel a lot less shy in front of other people. ever I could, even though I felt a little silly.

Working with Developpmentally Disabled

I had always wanted to work with the developmentally disabled. However, I had always feared contact with such people. As soon as I started working with them, I realized that they were funny, friendly, and pleasant. I became quite close to a couple of them and now consider them as friends. One guy always talks to me about sports, in particular hockey. Even though I'm not really very interested in hockey, I found it interesting to talk to him about it.

Spending time with these people really helped lift my spirits. They make you laugh and teach you many important life lessons. I really enjoyed myself working with them, whether it was playing badminton, swimming, doing crafts, drawing or special events (apple picking, Christmas party). They made me feel more at east with myself and more comfortable in the college. I always try to find the time to speak with them.

I think what I appreciated the most about this project was the human aspect. I loved spending time with them, because I accomplished something fundamentally good. Whether it was talking about sports with Chris or about women with Johnny, or teasing Michael and Darryl, or even catching up with Santos (the one who talks non-stop), I really had a great time. I'm totally envious of the coordinators (Rosie, James and Sylvain) who are amazing people working with other amazing people.