I remember reading an article a while ago on Newsweek and according to it, the race is on between universities around the globe in getting the most number of foreign students - around the globe. That means now it’s not just between US institutions like Harvard, Yale, Cambridge and Oxford. According to London’s Times Higher Education Supplement (THES), although the Western universities are still the clear winner with the US taking all the top 8 slots, the rankings are more diverse. No less than 30 countries are represented in the top 200. Unless US colleges keep reinventing themselves, they will lose their lead in the global game. Beijing University, the National University of Singapore and the University of Tokyo are all in the top 20.

A friend of mine from high school, is now studying in Japan. I think she is a scholar there. She’s very lucky to get a higher education in one of the most competitive countries in the world. You see, it’s not hard to envy her. Sometimes I wonder how it’s like to study in a global university, where facilities are the most modern, faculty is top notch, and the environment is most conducive to learning. Sadly, we don’t and I doubt if we will have - even in the next 100 years - universities like Harvard or Yale. Even in Asia alone, we are lagging behind our counterparts. And unless the government wakes up and makes education its number one priority, we’ll keep lagging behind. Today, other Asian countries are pouring resources to homegrown schools in a bid to prevent brain drain. China is planning to spend a portion of its annual GDP (that is higher than Europe’s or US’) on higher education. Earlier last year, Malaysia announced that by 2010, they will become an international education hub with 100,000 foreign students. India plans to create Vedanta University which they claim will raise standards throughout Asia with 100,000 students and 40,000 faculty.

If you remember, last year’s THES rankings showed that 4 institutions from the Philippines (University of the Philippines, La Salle, Ateneo and UST) made it to the top 300. Yes, it’s something to be proud of but it’s not something to be complacent with. While other Asian countries strive to have a cutting-edge global educational system, the Philippines is still yet to make education a top concern.

I am so back from Naga and the world of the employed is beckoning. I had an interview with a printing company this morning and I guess I will be starting on October 11 (yes, it’s a Saturday, yawn). I said “guess” coz right after that interview another company texted me saying that I’m scheduled for an interview this coming October 4 (what’s up with these companies and Saturdays?). And I know that when I left for Naga I also left TRS, where a friend of mine referred me to. I think to a certain extent they were willing to wait for my return and I was seriously considering going back. But then the other companies started calling, too. No one would disagree that it’s better to have several options. Coz I am not even in a hurry.

I am going to Asiatype tomorrow to get my Philhealth card, which took a year to process. Can you believe that? One freakin year. This country is unbelievable.

This is the real deal.

My mom’s gonna leave soon for Florida. I don’t know when we’d be able to see each other again, and this is I guess one of life’s ways to fuck me up. I used to have a hard time separating from anyone I’m close with. Every single time. It sucks the energy out of me. It feels to empty and that void inside you is just unbearable. Suddenly you’re the loneliest person on earth.

And speaking of feeling down.

Now that I’m older, I know better than to sulk everytime sad things happen. I can choose to feel lonely and miserable but I can also choose to do something about it. Life is really too short to be spent on worrying and feeling lonely. If I worry about every single problem then I’d end up wasting my time, because it brings about nothing positive. It doesn’t solve my problems, it just stresses me out more. Besides, there’s so many things to be happy about and be thankful for: my family who’s (literally) always there, my friends, good health, I always have food on my table, I can travel to fabulous places, I finished college, I can have the liberty to watch TV all day, I have a house I can sleep in soundly, etc., etc. You know what I mean. Some people don’t even have the money to buy instant noodles for dinner. Most of the time my “problems” are incomparable to the weight of other people’s problems that I don’t even have the right to complain about anything, really.

So everytime I feel like I am the saddest person on earth, I think about what I have and how other people would be so willing to trade places with me for the life that I’m living.

Been absent for a while. Naga was a blast. I have never seen so many people all at the same place, at the same time. Emo people were always walking around the plaza, wearing black and donning that unmistakable emo hairstyle. (What’s so cool about it, I could never fathom). They were there of course to join the annual Peñafracia fiesta. Street parades for three straight days maintained the festive atmosphere.

After so many years I was again able to witness the fluvial parade of the Nuestra Señora de Peñafracia. Again, lots of people. We were lucky that the hotel was just in front of the river where the fluvial parade takes place. Before that was the traslasyon which is comparable to the Nazarene parade in Quiapo. This picture  below wasn’t from my camera (lol).

My mom had so many things to take care of, and when I wasn’t with her I went around and found places to chill at. The hotel got wifi but only at the lobby area (kinda sucks). LOL. Or I would read Murakami’s book.

Super nice to see my cousins again. Sadly though, it wasn’t really what I could call a vacation. I look forward to going back soon and really just to relax and enjoy everyone’s company. For the meantime, I guess I’ll be stuck in Manila for a while.

So late already, but if any of you saw the 2008 UAAP cheering competition, you would agree that the UP pep squad owned it. After their performance, I forgot all the other teams that performed before and after UP. Especially after this:

I am so tiiirrreeed. Just came home from Alabang where I first saw my mother after 2 years. It was worth the exhaustion, though. Hehe. They’re coming over here in QC on Tuesday, then we’re off to Naga by Wednesday (I think). It was like I saw half of my (exteeeended) relatives this afternoon - my cousins and aunts, they’re countless.

Tomorrow, I will work on that PPT presentation that I have to finish for Tuason Racing School. (Right now I’m appalled by what I have produced so far). My stint there was cut short coz I have to leave for Naga. I worked there for just 4 days. Quite a record, huh? LOL. I’m not gonna ask for payment or anything coz that would be horrible. LOL.

Omg, I’m really tired.

I lost count of the number of times I changed the theme this week. I’m back with a black theme and I promise to stick with it (i just don’t know for how long exactly). LOL.

My Mom is coming next week! It’s been 2 years since we last saw her. I have a problem, though. I just got a new job but they (my relatives) want to go to Naga this 3rd week of September. We’d probably stay there for at least 2 weeks. Hmmm… do I quit the job? LOL. I haven’t even started, yet! My new employer’s gonna kill me.

It’s not my fault! Mother didn’t tell me that we’re supposed to go there. Now I’m on the verge of quitting something I haven’t even tried, yet. LOL. What the fuck am I gonna do.

Think, think, think.

I am going to start on a new job on Monday (not with the company I mentioned in my previous post, though). LOL.

I hope I don’t embarrass myself and actually last for at least a month. LOL. It’s obviously a more demanding job than my previous one. It’s not gonna be a walk in the park.

I look forward to the challenge.

I tried applying for a job this week just for the heck of it. I wanted to see how fast companies would actually respond, especially through email. Well, this particular company I applied in didn’t just call and set up an interview, but also wanted to me start immediately this coming week. Whew, that was fast. I’d probably say no to their offer. hehe. I don’t think I want to work full time, yet.