In Pursuit of Fairy Tales, etc.

Photo by Drei dela Cruz. And yes, that picture is my entry.

The International Labour Organization - Decent Work Across Boarders (ILO-DWAB) Photo Competition, in partnership with the Alliance of Young Nurse Leaders and Advocates International, was held last year. I joined this contest as last-minute entry and was rather surprised when I was selected as part of the Top 21. I did not win, but seeing as it is an international competition and my entry was a grab-'em-and-shoot-'em kind of picture, I was still pretty happy about the results. Along with fellow bloggers Drei dela Cruz and Erick Bernardo, we visited RCBC Yuchengco Tower in Makati last Tuesday to check out our photos.

My enrollment to the Nursing course was prompted by my desire to migrate abroad, either to the land of sexy English accents and Harry Potter so I could imbibe the culture and write something magical like J.K. Rowling did, or to the United States where, after a couple of years of being a nurse, I can work my way to med school and eventually follow in the foodsteps on one of my ultimate girl crushes, forensic pathologist. We grew up in a society that is apparently proud of our Filipino heritage, but would rather work outside the country because everything beyond the Philippines is better. That's rather ironic, although understandable. The money you will earn in abroad, the benefits, and the simple fact that you are on an adventure (new place, new culture) are things that you may not necessarily earn here, unless you are a business mogul or Henry Sy's relative. 

This ideology is the inspiration for my photo: the pursuit of better life - of fairy tales for our children - climaxes outside the borders of our country.

My entry to the DWAB-ILO Photo Contest

Like I said, this ideology is both understandable and ironic. Having had the experience of being a lecturer for an English exam that is required so one can work, study, or migrate in an English-speaking country, I know a thing or two about going abroad, about how difficult it is to pursue fairy tales. We either forget or fail to realize that having achieved the fairy tale is not all fun and games and sparkle. 

The journey to achieving a better life abroad is difficult, so here is a little something for everyone who needs a bit of help on one aspect of their application - English proficiency exam. Scribbles on the Clipboard is a non-profit instructional blog. I'll be posting tidbits on Grammar, tips on writing well and achieving confidence in speaking, and other stuff in between. I will miss teaching, and I guess you can say that this is my way to reconnect with students. This is dedicated to all my students as well, those who inspired me to strive to be a better instructor. 

For more information on the ILO-DWAB Competition as well as the winners, please check out AYNLA's website.