Day 0: ISTE19 Conference

I'm in the city of Rocky Balboa!

I was wondering why my hostel kept on playing this particular song in the lobby, and it turns out it was the theme song of Rocky Balboa's movie where he trained in this flight of stairs which is now called "Rocky Steps" before his big win.

Who would have thought that Philly has so much history? I came to Philly knowing only that it was famous for Philly Cheesesteaks but I'm about to know so much more.

Here are random photos for my Day 0 at the ISTE19 Conference. I literally had no time to rest coming from a 13-14hr flight from Manila and an overnight stay in LAX and then off to the east coast, straight to the conference as soon as I arrived in Philly! I did not thoroughly think through about how the time differences would mean literally no sleep for me.

But I'm here in Philadelphia and ISTE! Sleep is for the WEAK!

Volunteering at the ISTE Central Store

My first workshop

There's a separate category for Filipinos in Los Angeles

The map for the expo of vendors! 

Strolling along Philly with my scavenger teammates

two of my scavenger team mates, new friends!

Benjamin Franklin Institute

May 2019 (WISDOM 2019)

Of course our annual culminating event for our teachers is the WISDOM Activity.

We look like Real Estate Agents! XD

February Speaking Engagement in Cebu

I had a quick trip to Cebu City last February for Design Thinking in Education. 

And then took a photo op at the Tutoring Club Cebu branch. 

I had so many memories in Tutoring Club;

as a tutor in Alabang Branch and as a director in the Pasong Tamo branch. 

Tutoring Club has contributed much of my experiences and learnings in the Education Industry. 

A life update #ISTE2019 #EdTech

Is this serious?

My last blog post was in January 2019 and I was talking about how I'm trying to control my emotions? Wow. Where did the time go?

I've done a bunch of things over the past months, I'm probably going to just create a separate blog post about that to summarise

February - went to Cebu for a speaking engagement
March - went to Boracay island for a short vacation
March - sponsored the Singles Encounter 27 Retreat (this kept me busy for the month of Feb)
April - attended the TED 2019 Conference Live Stream at Marriott Manila.
May - registered to ISTE 2019 Conference which will be held in Philadelphia, PA USA.

At the moment - planning my trip to USA & Canada!

Basically I just wanted to make a blog post to update my non-existent readers that:

"Hey world, I'm attending ISTE2019!" 

By invitation special event for international participants.

Monitoring twitter ISTE19 activities and I got to grab a free Philly Cheesesteak!

Excited for the Global Scavenger hunt! 

Received the hard copies of the newsletters

A taste of Philly food tour experience!

I AM SO EXCITED ON SO MANY LEVELS.

1) International Conference
2) Philadelphia
3) Travelling
4) Potential new friends

God keep me safe in my travels!

I've Got Mail! #RoadToISTE2019

I just received this from the International Society for Technology in Education!

I love receiving mail from overseas and I am so excited to be part of this year's international conference in Philadelphia! Woohoo!!!!!!!!

Who's super excited to take things to an international level? 

Me!

I am a Deputy of our Movie & Television Review Board

Excited to do my duties as an appointed deputy this year!

On attending conferences...

I haven't been posting in a while, probably because I'm just lazy to post every interesting update that's happening lately... or maybe there's not much interesting going on?

My "professional" blog has turned much into a personal one and I gotta kept back on track so I can keep my focus on thoughts related to my career advancement and field.

After the last PEMEA international conference, I realized I haven't attended any other conferences this year. My company didn't join this year's CEAP convention and I haven't been active in PEMEA as of late. I did renew my professional psychometrician license after paying fees that are probably a waste of money and therefore I have charged as "donation". I processed my certificates only to shell out more money for processing them. ::Rolling Eyes::

Made me think if all these conferences were actually worth it or was I wasting most of my time?

I joined and become active in conference primarily because I had an initial goal of building a network and making contacts. But really, in the end, I don't think the network I built or the contacts I have had any contribution to any of the goals I wanted to achieve in life. I was thinking, man did I waste a lot of time and money...

But recently, I got my eye on attending a conference that made me realize I actually miss these activities. They may sound boring or not really conducive for learning but I miss the activities, the happening and the socializing. I actually miss attending conferences. But maybe I should carefully choose the events this time.

I have plans to attend my first international conference that is actually on international grounds. ISTE2019. I am so excited for this! A specific conference for Education Technology enthusiasts like me.

ISTE is the International Society for Technology in Education and they will be having their annual conference next year in Philadelphia.

That's the only update I have for now. It's still far down the calendar but I am stoked!

University Teaching

I have been in the education industry since the beginning of my college life. But for some reason or another, I have not committed to any classroom teaching, although I have had a lot of experiences in handling students.

Lately, I have been reading Joyce Meyer's "I DARE YOU" and it talked about pursuing your dreams and chasing bigger dreams. It ended up daring me the one thing that I have been constantly avoiding and been secretly afraid of: the commitment to classroom teaching.

I want to teach (in a classroom) one day, and I haven't completely figured out what has been stopping me. The commitment that I can't spontaneously travel once I begin a school year or a school term? The fear of embarrassing myself? The fear of failure? The fear of rejection?

There is a new program in my university and it's Masters in Educational Technology.

This proposal has been announced since 2016 and I remember telling the college dean how I wish the program existed when I was starting with my masters. Educational Technology was my thing that I actually had a crazy idea of wanting to "enroll" in graduate school again and get another master's degree which was crazy because back then I was already finishing my current masters program.

The college dean planted an idea that why not teach in the program instead???

The question is: Why didn't I actually frame this in my bedroom to serve as a reminder that I want to teach EdTech students???

So that was 2 years ago and the graduate program just started recently and now I regret not taking the invite to teach the program, seriously. I want to. I would love to.

I guess it's not yet too late to express interest, am I right? I know I can do it, even the former OIC-president of the university encouraged me that I can teach in the program.

What encouragement do I still seek?

Or more importantly, who's validation am I trying to seek approval of?

I'm making this blog post because I'm trying to figure out where this fear is coming from. I want to know the source of this constant seeking of validation. WHOSE validation am I waiting for?

I have been delaying and delaying and delaying to become an actual fully pledged "teacher" and have a "class" I can call my own. I'm scared but deep inside I want it.

I'm starting to believe these are just devil's lies. The devil telling me that I am not good enough or that I don't deserve it or that I am not yet "ready". This is the devil trying to stop me to fulfill what God's purpose for my life is.

May this blogpost remind me of this day that I promise not to let rejection and failure stop me from keeping on chasing bigger things. It's been a year since I sank down in depression mourning for the simultaneous loss of my grandparents, a year of pacifying myself for the multiple rejections I've had trying to look for a bigger break, a year dealing with my pre-30 and post-30 crisis and eventually giving up on my ultimate desire for international experiences.

But a year is enough to waste on being stuck in a dead end. I must not settle. I must not allow myself to remain comfortable. I must constantly push myself of accomplishing bigger things, one after the other, despite multiple failures and rejection.

Because I'm only 30...

As my cousin said, we are still very young.

We just have to keep trying despite the many times we've been rejected.

God's denial doesn't always mean "NEVER".. it could also mean "NOT YET".

I will not be afraid because I know that the Lord is always with me.

PEMEA International Conference 2018

Fueling Future Innovators

I have to say, I was very surprised to see my face posted in Letran IT Society's facebook. The first reaction I had was, "Where did they get my graduation photo??"

Turns out its the first photo that will pop-up if you google my name. Of course, thanks to this blog post I made when I was studying for my board exam. 

https://tonirosepinero.blogspot.com/2015/05/quick-update.html

Lol.. I hope they didn't really believe that I topped the board examinations. This was just some image I made in a Microsoft Word Document. I self-proclaimed that I topped the boards even before the exam even begun. It's what you call, "claiming it!" ... Well, I really didn't top the board exams but I did pass it! ... Aim for the moon, so that even if you miss... you will land on the stars. Right?!

They could have at least just asked for a photo. But no worries, they picked a good one anyway. I mean I do have a much more recent graduation photo. But it's okay. They made me look younger in social media. XD 

FUELLING FUTURE INNOVATORS 

Photos from the actual event:

I used to really have a bit of stage fright every time I get so much attention. I'm not really an attention seeker and I like to work in the background. But this recent speaking engagement gave me confidence and the push that I should continue to share my knowledge and inspire more students with what I have learned through out the years.

Lasallian Scholars Society : TRANSCEND 2018

Lasallian Scholars Society: TRANSCEND 2018

I thank God for giving me the opportunity to help students get access to free education. It was a part of my life that I will never truly forget. The mission of providing quality education continues as I stay in the education industry and help in different ways possible. Indeed, I know that this is part of my life's purpose! I have nothing but praises and gratitude for our Lord!

Thank you Lord for blessing me with Lasallian Scholars that I consider very important people in my life. I may not have had the opportunity to be personally close with all of them but I hope that somehow I left a positive mark in their lives. 

From the students I handled, only a few students are left. A lot of them are working professionals now!

Tasked to do an impromptu inspirational talk.

I DARE YOU: Embrace Life with Passion by Joyce Meyer

This book has really sparked the dying passion in me. I used to really be passionate and goal-oriented when it comes to chasing my dreams. But, ever since I lost my grandparents a year ago, I have never expected the impact of losing them would make in my life. For the past year I have completely stopped chasing anything.

I used to always read about passion. How prestigious leaders tell you to pursue your passion. How self-help and career books tell about pursuing your passion so you won’t have to work every day in your life. However, this book by Joyce Meyers tells a different kind of perspective when it comes to embracing your life with passion. It incorporates the role of God in our lives.

WHAT DOES GOD WANT ME TO DO?

 As I have mentioned, I have stopped chasing anything for the past 12 months. I have literally gone tired of rejections and tired of things not going the way as I would have wanted and imagined it to be. That was the time I got really really tired of making any plans in my life. Everything was just a disappointment and contributed to my anxiety, depression and life frustrations. So what’s the point of planning? The only plan I generally make for the past year is what I was going to do 2-3 days from now.

But thanks to Joyce Meyer, she had reminded me to include God in the process of making plans in my life. It’s about time that I listen to what God really wants to say. That maybe, my previous plans never really pushed through because it isn’t what God wanted me to do. I have to learn to surrender and remind myself that it’s always His will thy will be done.

“We need to be able to celebrate each day of our lives no matter the circumstances.” - This is what Joyce Meyer tells us.

CELEBRATE EACH DAY because we are here to enjoy God and to do his will.

God has a plan and it is different from each of us. So for us to know if we are on the right track of doing His will we should learn to pray before making plans and NOT plan first and then pray that God will fulfill everything according to OUR plan. That’s not how things work. And if we keep on insisting on pushing through with our own plan, He will just keep on correcting it because HIS PLAN is always BETTER than ours.

Though it doesn’t mean we have to stop chasing our dreams. We just need to acknowledge the role of God while we chase our dreams - involve God every step of the way.

“We often get caught up in trying to work out the meaning of things and never quite accepted the fact that trusting God means we will always have unanswered questions.”

I think this is what happened to me when I came back home last year from Canada. I thought of it as God telling me to stay in the Philippines and keeping me from planning anything that involves going out of the country. But looking forward to traveling and going on a hiatus has always been my motivation in anything I plan for the long term. And not planning anything long term feels like a dead end to me. What should motivate me now? On another note, I was able to do a lot of things here in the Philippines and take on commitments since I don’t have “anything better to do” anymore.

Joyce Meyer’s motto “Ask God for anything what you want, but be content with what He gives you.”

Joyce Meyer tells us that we need to trust that God’s choice is always the best and that we won‘t always understand everything that God does. It’s like a relationship between a toddler and a parent. A toddler doesn’t understand everything that the parent does and there will be times where the parent cannot explain to their toddler why they need to do things that they do. The toddler just learns to trust the parent.

Trust that His plans are always the best. God will turn your pain into gain and your mess into a miracle.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11-13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Lord, I consult to you my hopes and dreams.

"Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.” (Luke 24: 38 ).

"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but what is still possible for you to do." 

Daily Bible Verse from: http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2018/04/4-15.html

I want to contemplate on the reflection of the daily bible verse and chop it down line by line. This afternoon has been a stressful one for me because of the tedious and daunting process of renewing my Philippine Psychometrician license. I know that a lot of professionals has been complaining about the new process that the government has implemented when it comes to renewing the professional licenses. But there's really nothing that we can do but accept that this is how it goes in the Philippines. Time and Money is being wasted but there's really nothing that we can do but comply. 

If I frustrate myself and stress myself out, then the only person who is losing in this situation is ME. Thus, I want to seek the help of the Lord to help me deal with the stress. 

"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams." - I consult my hopes and dreams with the Lord. My hopes and dreams to continue to be a licensed psychometrician and hope that one day I will thank myself for taking the board exam and continuing to renew my license. I am not practicing the profession of the psychometrician but I am hoping that one day maybe this will come helpful and handy. I consult my dreams to the Lord that my career will prosper furthermore. I also consult with the Lord my dreams that maybe one day renewing my license won't be so much of a big deal because maybe one day I will have new personal goals of maybe settling down and focusing on sharing a different life goal with my future partner.

"Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential." - I have been frustrating myself this morning because I missed the opportunity of renewing my license last week when I was in PRC with my mom. I dwelled for it while I was preparing my documents today and realized that I was getting stressed out. I had to stop what I was doing and lay down in bed to analyze the situation. I should not focus on the past and my frustrations. I am only wasting my time dwelling on my frustrations and missing out on working on my unfulfilled potential. But what is my unfulfilled potential? Maybe I should focus more on the event that I am organizing for my work. 

"Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but what is still possible for you to do." - I should stop blaming myself of what I have failed to do last week and focus on maximizing my Sunday. I need to reflect on my homework for my Life in the Spirit Seminar. There is so much more I need to do to work on my personal development and strengthening my faith with the Lord. 

I also need to finish reading my books and studying my Spanish. There's actually a lot of things I need to do. I guess I am a busy person myself and maybe I am getting back on the track now I am realizing that there are a lot of things I should be doing by myself. 

I should also read more about practicing MINDFULNESS.

Take a step back and be mindful of the situation. Why am I feeling the way that I am feeling?
Identify the things that I can control and cannot control.

Things I can control: Prepare my documents, Photocopy my documents, Make an appointment, Pay for the appointment, go to PRC.

Things I cannot control: The number of CPD points that will be assessed based on my professional accomplishments the past 3 years.

Other things I should be doing: 
Organize the Culminating Activity at work.
1) mechanics for the centerpiece, 2) event venue, & 3) performance 

Evaluation report for Davao and Paranaque Schools.
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Part of the daily bible verse mentioned that if I keep a journal, I have to recognize the different experiences I have had in life. My journal (i.e. my blog) will help me observe how God has been faithful to me over the years. My journal is showing me me the various blessings that God has provided me throughout the years.

God, I thank you for giving me the wisdom and strength for me to pass the psychometrician board exam last 2015. I am now going to extend my patience in renewing this license. I do not want to take your blessings for granted. I am grateful for the blessing of passing the board exam. 

Davao ITCUP

My cousin and I arrived in Davao yesterday, February 26, 2018 and we realized that we booked our AirBnB a month later (March 26-28, 2018). What a surprising adventure!

All is well that ends well. Congratulations to our Davao Team for a successful event!

Congratulations Davao Team!

Congratulations to the Winners! 

Visited the President's House 

Salamat Kaayo Davao! 

Until we meet again!