PBOX: The SEE Program

When you’re 20 (and single), your world would most likely revolve around school, family, friends, clothes, movies, partying, the opposite sex –among other things. It’s during this time when you start thinking about your future, you’re slowly preparing yourself as you map out your world. It can be pretty exciting. But for one 20 year old I know, things unraveled quite hastily, leaving her thoughts with priorities unfamiliar to most her age. It has been 4 months since her world view was challenged and her boundaries broken.

And let me tell you, my life hasn’t been the same since April.

I have always been sheltered, nothing was asked of me except decent grades and I was stuck in that rut thinking there wasn’t anything I could do. Although I was always encouraged and was well aware of what has become of our world, I confined myself to dwell on the trivial things I was accustomed to – and seeing everyone else doing the same didn’t help any better. But despite the nugatory things I was busy tending to, I had a dream. A dream to touch lives, spawn change and forge impact. It never dawned on me that I would be realizing that dream so early in my life but that, I did.

Since its conception on April 18, (yes I took note of it) on that fateful Wednesday night at Starbucks in Podium (every little detail of the memory), the SEE Program has undoubtedly turned my life around. True to AIESEC fashion, my team and I took on the challenge of welcoming 14 international volunteers to become stewards of the Social Entrepreneurship Experience (SEE) Foundation. Apart from recognizing the relevance of the program, the fact that this would be the first PBOX of AIESEC Philippines, added a whole lot of purpose for the project. While the thought of bringing 14 foreign souls to our shores was a cause of excitement, it was the nature of the project that kept me up at night wishing it was already morning (so that I can work on it again). The PBOX otherwise known as the SEE Program, "commits to harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit of the Filipino people, fuel their potentials and provide channels of opportunities while compelling them to become better stewards of the society”. The trainees immersed themselves in total Filipino living as well as giving probable aid to the growing problem of unemployment and poverty as they mentored micro entrepreneurs either to develop their business plans or run their already established businesses. We believe that this was a fitting gift to the country and to its people. We engineered the project in a way for the foreign volunteers to have a full-on view of the Philippines’ condition and hoped that despite what they see, they’d fall in love with the country nonetheless.

Wanting to expose the trainees to everything Filipino, we went all out – food, music, language, habits, sites, culture and its reality as a country. They dug through crap, built and painted walls at Gawad Kalinga and to our surprise, they kept going back. They held art therapy sessions with Hearing Impaired and Autistic kids, home stayed with poor families, visited a cooperative, attended countless business expos and seminars, visited museums, saw down town Manila, went on exposure trips to Bohol, Banaue, Tagaytay, Palawan, Pangasinan, showcased their countries with the weekly international nights we held for them, saw government offices and officials, met the president and along all these things, they mentored, helped and inspired the micro entrepreneurs they met. They were here for only 2 months but the impact of their everyday commitment to help and be one with the project made all the difference anyone could ever imagine.

Yes, it was tough. It has been tough. Draining. Exhuasting and it came to a point when it seemed all too impossible. There were nights when I'd cry myself to sleep from sheer exhaustion and knowing that tomorrow was going to be just as exhausting, if not even more. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the roughness I was crying over. It was more of the constant problems that caused all the stress that really made me give. And while traipsing around town (trainee-sitting as I liked calling it), tending over 14 foreign people bearing different cultures, traditions and opinions, losing sleep (and money) wasn’t really my idea of a weekly itinerary but nevertheless I took the plunge. I never knew what tired really meant until after the PBOX but what I was fortunate to witness daily made all the long nights and back pains of no consequence. It was so humbling to see foreigners opening their hearts to the people they’ve met and imparting whatever they had. I remember seeing them working so hard in Baseco while volunteering for Gawad Kalinga and thinking that despite all the problems our country seem to never get enough of , we’re lucky have people from well-off families and nations willing to dig through crap only to help build someone a home. I felt that if they took the time out to sweat and get dirty, then who are we to sit around and memorize every possible show there is on TV?! It was a reawakening for me and if only everyone had the chance to see what I did, then maybe something good may turn up soon.

This project, inasmuch as this was for the trainees, was a curved blade that pierced through my heart. I put so much into it that 90% of my days were spent working for the project and the other 10% was spent thinking about it. What I went through for this was just as funny as they were mind-boggling. I don’t think I have put up so much impossible hours before, slept so little, worked so hard, visited the airport that many times. I never ever thought I would be spending so much time (or anytime at all) in the Immigration or in a police station (don’t get any ideas) and I never dreamed it possible to hike 8 hours but all that, I did and boy was it all worth it.

I knew at some point that I would be moved by this experience but little did I know that my life would be enriched a hundred thousand folds. My life has definitely been changed, impermeably and forever.

From the experiences came the lessons that I’ve gathered. From understanding cultural differences, to patience, time management (ehem), resourcefulness and even forgiveness. I have learned the value of humility and discovered what genuine service really meant. I have learned to control my emotions, took responsibility more seriously, gracefully owned up to mistakes and relearned what optimism was all about. I bore witness to the impossible heights one can climb to get to the highest peak, be it conquering a real mountain (in Banaue) or the challenge of delivering excellence in everything we do. I was again impassioned by the people I have been blessed to work with. I have written here quite a number of times how hard I was being to my team and I now know that it was just stress talking and often times, screaming. I think I’ve been through all kinds of emotions in the last 2-3 months. It has been a real test for me, my patience (haha) and my team. I think I've said it once here that, I don't think I've grown up more in the past 20 years than than I did this past 3 months. I'm still a crybaby and I still get crazy mood swings but I'd like to believe that although there's still such a long way to go, I've certainly grown up. Halmen keeps telling me how lucky I am and even though I know that by heart, that fact sometimes escapes me every time I wander into the useless stage of self-pity. I've had my high points and my alarmingly low, low points and I think it goes without saying that I am indeed in regret of the moments that passed by that I spent sulking and feeling bad. But then again that is a lesson I have to keep learning over and over again being the drama queen that I am. They remain the pillars ever so steadily holding me firm enough to stand tall. This project wouldn’t have made it through if not for them… I am the leader that I am because of the team that I have. I have made great friends from across the world while deepening those I already have. Great memories were sealed and people were brought closer. I don’t think anyone can be more blessed.

To top it off, I traveled and saw the Philippines in a new light, with new awakened eyes. I never really took much notice (as I’m sure most of you as well) but looking at the expressions of wonder written across their faces, I slid a tear or two, not only because I know they’ve truly fallen in love with our country but because, thanks to them, I too have fallen all over again, if not more. Every time they’d stop to bask in a view or express thanks for someone’s generosity, I stand back and smile. It was a long time coming but I can’t stress any further how proud I am to be Filipino.

The past months has been a 2 way track, I gave just as much as I have given. I can never pick out one favorite moment from the whole experience primarily because each carved its own niche in my heart. I will forever hold dear the goofy antics each of the trainees had, the stories, opinions we shared, the hugs we exchanged, from the arguments we had to the problems we overcame. But the true gift that this experience gave me was how much I have grown as a person and how much I have gotten to know myself more.

The SEE Program has drawn to a close. The curtains have been dropped and behind it were the people who gave it their all despite the many challenges. There were slip ups but for those who saw the program for what it truly was about and recognized its contribution, the mistakes are but interesting surprises that popped out every now and then. It wasn’t perfect but I can most certainly say that it still deserves an encore.

"It all started with a dream.. A dream of creating impact and sparking a difference. From a vision of 20 participants, fate brought us 14 people who were bound to change our lives forever. . .

Cem Bagdatli from TURKEY. Charlotte from Martin. Kim Dam Hee from Korea. Nynke Smit from the Netherlands. Betul Albayrak from the Netherlands. Marleen Stavenuiter from the Netherlands. Adnan Kabir from Bangladesh. Julia Chen from China. Janet Wang from China. Jessica Cao from China. Sydney Shi from China. Martyna Okoneiwska from Poland. Regula Seewer from Switzerland. Jitender Kumar from India.

AIESEC in the Entrepreneurs School of Asia PBOX: Social Entrepreneurship Experience season 01.

The past two months has been tough but a journey that was well worth it. And it wouldn't be the great experience that it was if not for...

Marleen's trousers, Martyna's soulful voice, Adnan's photography skills, JK's dance moves, Charlotte's brownies, Julia's internet phone calls, Nynke's licorice, Betul's shoes, Tam's shopping sprees, Regula's laugh, Janet's glasses, Sydney's shy smile, Jessica's lost camera and Cem's curly hair.

We hope you know what and how much you've done... You inspired. You helped. You made a difference and you changed lives. You came here as trainees, you became a real part of the school, you became stewards of the SEE Foudation, you became part of our family.. You came, you stayed and you conquered our hearts.

We thought we were lucky organizing the first PBOX of the Philippines but now we realized that we're just as lucky as we're blessed to have met each of you. Thank you for letting us in your lives. We hope you enjoyed your stay the same way we enjoyed having you here. For the commitment, dedication and patience you've shown.. The laughs, the good times, even the not so good ones, the unforgettable memories.. MARAMING, MARAMING SALAMAT. Let us not say goodbye... instead let's say Until Next Time.

The Entrepreneurs School of Asia, the SEE Foundation and AIESEC bids you good luck on your journeys and we will miss you."

This is the text from the farewell video we made as we said goodbye to our 14 friends. I never thought that day would come… I crossed days off my calendar. Counted hours, minutes and seconds and now that it's finally over, I'm sorry it is because it means closing a chapter with people who have inspired me, people who have changed my life, perennially and forever.

I also regret one thing, that I neglected my blog which caused a lot of undocumented memories. Memories that would have produced the funniest, craziest, mushiest and even most controversial entries. I'm trying to recall everything that happened and I guess no matter how I try to offer information about the past, it's never going to provide the same emotions should I have written them after the experiences.. But anyway, no use crying over spilled milk.

I have yet to write another litany in honor of my team but since my eyes are starting to sting, i'm gonna leave that for another day.. To my team: MAGHINTAY KAYO! PAIIYAKIN KO ULET KAYO! (Lagot ka Max!)