Mabuhay means "welcome" in Filipino language/Tagalog. Yeah, I just have this mood to blog about my experience in a country I never imagined to visit before, PHILIPPINE !
So at the end of November I got this precious opportunity to represent my university by joining Asean Medical Students Exchange Program (AMSEP) in Manila, for 8 days. The host is University of Santo Thomas(UST) a Catholic university which mentioned to be the oldest university in Asia. I might have mention a thing about this program before, if you remember AMSEP is one of AMSA program that allows medical students from different country to learn about different cultures moreover objects in medical field. My university hosted AMSEP delegates twice, so now this is my turn to become a delegate! Yeeeyy.
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| Being a delegate and being a host is much different in some aspects. When you become a host of a program, you have to arrange everything in order the purpose will be accomplished; but when you act as the delegate, you just go with things and schedule that has been prepared for you, and I must admit that is a better feeling :D hahaha. |
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| this is Anvanya Beach and Resort where they took us on our first day, it is a very LOVEABLE place with pools and white-sandy beach, which is located around 3 hours from Manila. It is not crowded at all and clean as well. We never expected that we're going to a beach, so unfortunately most of us didn't bring any swimsuit :)) But, ah.. A very-prepared host they are, Angela, one of the committee lend me her extra swimsuit. |
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| still in Anvanya... we also experienced the outdoor activity (I forgot the name) which is very exciting and a lil bit scary at the same time, because we have to swing across the sky with forest underneath. Nagih! |
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| Art Gallery in National Museum, which reminds me of American's National Museum that I saw in Night At The Museum's movie :D |
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| Full team, standing in front of The Mind Museum.The Mind Museum is the first world-class science museum in the Philippine. It features five equally interesting galleries, and they depict stories of Universe, Life, Atom, Earth, and Technology. |
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| left to right, above: Randi (UNHAS), Fajar (UMI), Farid(UNHAS) left to right, down : Kadek (Maranatha), Ivan (Brawijaya), Aco(UNHAS), Woke(Maranatha), and me! |
Tour De Campus
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| UNHAS fantastic four :p |
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| Aco, busy with the rodeo bull |
Farewell Party
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| I wore South Sulawesi traditional accessories. And stand beside me, are my old pals Jana and Aveline, our dear delegates when we(AMSA Unhas) hosted AMSEP Indonesia for Philippines, October 2011. We've been very good friends ever since, so reunite with them also become my intention to apply for this program. So happy to meet them again! |
The farewell was a blast. We're up 'till 01.00 and took thousand pictures, karaoke all night-long, dancing around the room, did Gangnam style (yes we did), ate lots of food, exchange gifts, and of course full of laugh. The Filipinos are very much the same with Indonesians in some crazy level.. Most of them are "unique" and I can explain each personality briefly... :))
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| from one party to the other party :D |
- Manila is a central area for government and entertainment, and it is surrounded by many little cities like Quezon City, where UST is placed- Filipinos like sweet foods, and they seem to put coconut element in every traditional dishes
- Manila has same initial trouble with Jakarta... traffic jam!
- Charles love to be considered as gay. It makes the fact even odder when I found out that he's actually straight...(sorry if you read this, Charles)
- I usually being mistaken as Filipinos and always had that experiences when local people talk in Tagalog with me...
- Alena just had a molar surgery before she spent the whole night sing(or yell) the hell microphone out
- Philippines served the best pork. The best.
- I am kind of missing Kaiziel (my sexy host), Angela, Pearl, Nicole, Frances, Clare, Ryan, Charles, Alena, Deneb, Arvin, Carlo, Precious, Dylan...every AMSA UST members, right now. I am kinda missing my fellow delegates even worse. Someday we'll reunite again, there's no doubt about that.
Until next time, my dear friend. Nakikita mo sa hinaharap!
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| made by Frances, a gifted-and sweet-artist, fellow AMSA member from UST :) |
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