Ultrasound shows a girl!

Thank you God for the favor.

Lessons learned from a book project

This is the fifth book project that I was involved in. The first one, we had a really good mentor, and his wit and talent in writing did it, we only had to start writing our own chapters. In the second, third and fourth, I was really not involved much in the editing, as we just had to make sure our assignments were written good.

The above compendium-cum-coffee table book was so far the most stressful, and one where I think I received the most demeaning remarks of all. (Thank you baby for hanging in there despite the stress from it all, and thank you hubby and kids for the kind understanding and love. And thank you partner Alima for bearing with me the whole time.) I hope and pray that the printing press who got the contract would double time and be able to print it in time for the book launching. Anyway, whether it comes out on time or not, we finally pulled it through. I definitely will not try and look inside it when it comes out, at least not as soon yet, as I am sure just like theses and dissertations, after you have looked at it for the nth time, there will still be mistakes. My only hope is that the errors will be minor.

The following are lessons I learned from it:

1) Any book project has to have a lead who is "elected" to that post by his or her colleagues, and at the same time 'determined'. We had marching orders to produce a coffee table book. But it seemed people were not open to submitting their technology write-ups for reasons I didn't understand. There was too much 'opposition' and 'comments' before it even started. It helped that the one in-charge was kind of determined 'against all odds' and we had but to obey. I obeyed grudgingly at first, was not cooperative and half-hearted with the assignment.

2) For such kind of 'institutional' books, it always pays to have a committee/team formed, which decides as a group. It's much easier that way and there'll be lesser resistance. 

3) You cannot please everybody, and you will meet people who have so many comments, but who would not help; and people who comment, and will go out of their way to help. 

4) There will always be conflicts of definitions, and no one way to do it. We were told to do it one way, and then told to do it the other way. Opinions will differ and you can be caught in between. In the end, you either have to go with the majority and be flexible, or everything will stand still and not move forward.

5) At some point in a project, you will feel like quitting (my very patient partner even felt like resigning). But we just thought about the time and effort we have already spent, and that kept us motivated. 

6) Self-importance, self-significance, or worst, self-aggrandizement is a sinful human nature. Like it or not, we are all guilty of it.

7) Finally, and most important of all, my learning on the importance of "relevance" and "applicability" of technology has been reinforced again. My "socioeconomics" mindset sees some of these technologies and products, and I sigh because however, technically feasible and useful they appear, they probably will end up on the coffee table book, because they may not be economically feasible. Also, am just wondering, how private companies can work with universities in the Philippines. A university or research institution face the same dilemma - how to ensure commercialization?

[8) From the husbandry, "without a husband like me, you would not be able to do what you do and still keep your family intact.(LOL)"]

If I have a choice (which usually an employee doesn't have), I will never agree to an assignment like this ever again, at least not at BSU. I'd rather write a research journal article and be rejected or lambasted by reviewers in writing.

I know it is not the end of it. We'll probably hear more comments after it is launched. But at least it is almost over. There will only be one BSU Centennial celebration in my lifetime, and I think we did our best for this output given the circumstances, resources and time we were given. The mistakes on this book will be charged to experience. Let those who will do it for the next centennial do it better. 

My one wish is that Dr. Rodolfo Abastilla was still alive. I suddenly terribly miss him.

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Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

-Thomas Ken, 1674

International Relations101

Today, I will be sending off a US Peace Corp Response Volunteer which I hosted for 7 months at BSU. He, I would say, is the last of my many experiments in my on-the-job course on international relations, a job I sort of got myself into initially when I came to BSU after I was ditched from the original job I applied for and thought I was hired for (oops, am i sounding piqued still when it is almost 3 years past).

Anyway, here are accounts of my experiments and my lessons learned:

Case study 1. USAID-STRIDE Visiting Professor Application - Case of BAPTC and Policy Advocacy

Program: USAID-STRIDE Visiting Professor Program

Original intention: Get some professor who could help in the operationalization of BAPTC; I was passionate about not allowing the BAPTC to become a white elephant, first because it has good intentions; second, because BSU stands to lose big time if it will not operate soon.

Method: Checked the internet and communicated with potential professors that would meet the criteria of USAID-STRIDE visiting professor program.

Result: I ended up being able to convince a non-PhD environmental communication expert connected with the Duke University. Since his field was more of advocacy/environmental communication, I communicated with the Dept. of Development Communication and tried to pass this engagement to them, as I thought they might be able to maximize better his engagement since they were on the same field.

Lessons Learned: 1) Even while I did ask one faculty of the DevComm if there is a need for an expert on environmental communication, and she replied positively (so I went on with the preparations, invite, coordination), in this kind of engagements, it is important that the Department owns the initiative as you cannot just pass the hosting just like that; 2) I cannot maximize his engagement since he was not on the same field as mine, although I have some idea about his field; 3) PhD title and position in the university matters -- this visiting professor was not a PhD graduate so while he may good at his field of specialization, not many of the faculty/administrators think he is good enough or let us just say, the respect and confidence is less; 4) Hosting is expensive and entails funds and time.

Resolved No. 1: Not to invite somebody without making sure some Department is willing and have funds to host; and is really in need of the expertise;
Resolved No. 2: Not to invite a nonPhD as visiting professor;
Resolved No. 3: Learn about what "international linkage" is expected or useful in the university setting.

Benefits to BSU: 1) Knowledge gained by students, faculty and BAPTC stakeholders from the workshops; 2) Network: the faculty is editor-in-chief of an international journal on development communication and applied communication and is willing to look at potential research articles; is willing to match expertise needs and faculty in US universities.

Sustainability of linkage: poor since I found that Duke University is a private university and the visiting professor is kind of adjunct faculty in that university, not really organic; and not much further interest from BSU faculty and staff. I tried to submit a proposal for CARWIN grant related to Agribusiness, still with BAPTC operationalization as the main objective, and with the visiting professor as collaborator along with some professor from Cornell university, who agreed to cooperate and collaborate. The proposal submitted to USAID-STRIDE was not granted, since it was less of science and technology, and we had no collaborator from their priority CDI provinces.

Case study 2. Mobility Program/Visiting Professor from Spain

Program: SAT Mobility Exchange Program funded by Erasmus
see separate account in a separate post
https://gracefaithwalk.blogspot.com/2015/10/adventuras-en-espana.html

Original intention: To get some real linkage and memorandum of agreement and not end up just having a memorandum of understanding. The professor originally was willing to invite a professor from BSU to teach course at Oviedo for 1-2 months. He was the only professor I met in Spain who continued to communicate so I pursued the invitation for him to visit BSU. Since it is Huelva, Spain which had the largest area of strawberries, I also invited a professor from University of Huelva.

Result: I coordinated with IRO, and connected IRO to him since I was not already a part of IRO, and then eventually became a part again as focal person. IRO efficiently got all the invites ready, etc. and eventually two visiting professors from Spain came to BSU at their own airfare expense. I know from the BSU strategic planning I participated in that there is a target of the VPAA for one (1) visiting professor in 2017. I would say that was met.
Unfortunately, I only had a few minutes - 30 minutes meeting him in Spain, and at that time, he seemed to be communicating well in English. I assumed he had a good handle of English. Apparently, his English was not enough to communicate effectively with faculty and students.

Lessons Learned: 1) When there is interest from the College and Department, and they really own the hosting, things are much easier and engagement is better maximized; plus the program is vying for level IV accreditation so international linkage is the much needed motivation; 2) A good connect with the administration would help in negotiating for funds for hosting; 3) Pinpointing counterparts from the start and communicating the expectations is important; 4) Going to international higher education forum/expos has its benefits, one never knows what one can get; 5) linking with smaller universities in developed countries may be more feasible as you get more interest. 

Resolved No. 1: Make sure the one you are inviting speaks good English;
Resolved No. 2: Coordinate with IRO and detach yourself.

Benefit to BSU: 1) Exposure/new experience of students and faculty to strawberry farming in Spain; 2) Network : better chances for BSU to be included in Erasmus programs being applied for by Spain universities since there is point of contact already/exchange somehow since I visited there and a professor visited BSU. I am still praying that University of Huelva's inclusion of BSU in the K107 program will prosper and get approved. It is a small university, not really more advanced, but Huelva is where the strawberries are in Spain. Just the exposure for faculty and staff in their strawberry fields will provide new horizons; 3) Greater BSU visibility: Better chances for inclusion of Benguet State University in EU programs, currently Erasmus programs, BSU now included in the participant portal with participant identification code (PIC) number
924936420. 

Sustainability of linkage: there is good potential since the University of Huelva, while it is not a big university, it is located in the strawberry region of Spain.

Case study 3. US Peace Corps Response Volunteer
to be continued

Visit to Mr. Ching's farm with some Spanish nationals

Spanish Fatima in Spain - newly planted strawberry

Strawberry farm - Spain

Raspberry farm - Spain

Mankayan/Bauko - Gawad Saka Farmer Ching's farm
(pwede na diba, parang nasa Spain ka na rin?)

Mankayan/Bauko - John and Kenny Strawberry Farm
(lifted from http://www.wowcordillera.com/2017/04/da-secretary-manny-pinol-visits-john.html?m=1
hindi kasi ganyang angle pagkakakuha ko eh hehe kaya yan nlng ha; when we visited, their current variety planted is Festival with planting materials coming from California -  not so sweet but accordingly, firmness is perfect hence it is not easily damaged when transported to other places/Manila; Mr. Ching's farm uses drip irrigation.)

With the father and son (Mr. John and Kenny) Ching, and Dr. Fatima Ruiz and Dr. Pedro Palencia from Spain (Ma'am Nagpala and Kuya Tony on the extreme ends) - April 12, 2017

(This is a viewdeck for this agritourism farm in the making)

Thank you Mr. Ching for bringing hope and encouragement to the strawberry industry, and to agriculture in general;  and for demonstrating that farmers can be innovative and tech-savvy if only they have passion (and enough funds.).

Satisfaction

All the way my Savior leads me,
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my guide?
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell
For I know whate'er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well...
- Frances Jane Van Alstyne

US Peace Corps Response Volunteer Swearing-In Ceremony with Outgoing US Ambassador to the Philippine Philip Goldberg

These pictures were taken during the Peace Corps Response Volunteer (PCRV) Orientation in Manila. US Ambassador Philip Goldberg swore-in 11 US Peace Corps Response Volunteers assigned to the Philippines for seven (7 mos.). Mr. Michael Guerci  (in blue barong) is assigned at BSU. Some 2 more are assigned to Bohol Island State University (BISU). The rest are assigned to local government units in Luzon and Visayas.

“Gracefaithwalk.blogspot.com” blog turns 10

Blogs (originating from the term “web log” according to Raab, 2016) are kind of modern-day journals more public and less personal than the more traditional diaries, and may not necessarily be regular as daily, weekly or monthly. Ours started 10 years ago, mostly as our way to update friends and family as I was to embark on graduate school in another country. It has now evolved to be more of a memoir our kids may be interested to read in the future; thanksgiving accounts of some sort; a collage of events with some personal analysis; some scribbling on topics we feel passionately about; some merely a way of thinking out loud or de-stressing; really, whatever goes. Ten years at it and I could say, it can be downright therapeutic.

The blog name started as http://daijoubu_desu.blogspot.com but we changed it to gracefaithwalk.blogspot.com. This is to acknowledge that our journey on this earth is all a product of God’s plan and sovereignty, and tons and tons of unmerited favors from our creator God. At the same time, being a sinner – forgiven but not immune to sin, and living in a fallen world where challenges, problems and struggles are part of reality, it is mostly a walk of faith in the person and works of our Redeemer Jesus Christ through the guidance and indwelling of the Holy Ghost.

As we try to kunwari remember how time flies as it is now the 10^th year since the first post in this blog, we (I and my husband) thank our family, closest friends, friends, churchmates, past churchmates, FB friends, acquaintances who continue to journey with us. Our wish at this point is that this blog may serve to encourage readers to be more reflective and grateful of the daily occurrences in their lives, and see how blessed one can be even in the most trivial of all events, in the loneliest of all moments, or in the grandest of all accomplishments. We hope this blog will remind us continually of the perspective that life is transient on this earth, but there is also the great hope of a life eternal.