What's your preferred FTS model? Why?

              In this modern era, technologies evolve so fast that every now and then there will be another invention or new innovation that comes up. Nowadays, most people, in all ages, know how to use, or even just having a little bit of knowledge about using, the technologies around us, that even most, if not all, of the grader students know how to manipulate the little stuffs like gadgets. As the need for knowledge and spreading of relevant information becomes too significant to resist; the idea of creating something new out of nothing, or innovating the current technologies and making it a device/application providing a better service, as a form of expressing the depth of human’s intellectual capabilities and capacities; and emotional contingencies, driven by a miraculously spiritual motivation, we, as human, naturally
want to go with the flow of global technological modernization. Even in the ancient times, technology was already there: when war of nations against other nations started, and the need to broadcast to a secured line the important information was the necessary thing to do without having a persona to carry it, the information.

              As the technologies we are using today vastly advanced each and every hour of the day, as an IT student, or even ‘US’ as human beings, has to know the current trends in technology. Not only knowing what is trendy, but also doing something to help our community where we belong.

              To provide, familiarize and equip the students of our school, specifically the IT and CS students, the all possible human implanted knowledge about information communication technology and its usefulness, our college implemented the Field Trip and Seminars course. Not only for us to see things beyond our knowledge, but also for us to learn and apply the new things we haven’t known in our community, and in other way around, we might compare what will be the best ‘things’ to apply, to make our community better, if not best.

             Field Trip and Seminars (FTS) course has three models that the students can choose from; (1) the Model A, where we will be having 1 major field trip outside Mindanao, 1 minor field trip within Mindanao, 1 national seminar, and a 2 hours interpersonal skills; (2) the Model B, where we will be having 1 major field trip outside Mindanao, 2 minor field trip within Mindanao, 2 seminars within Mindanao, and a 2 hours interpersonal skills within Mindanao area only; (3) the Model C, where we will be having 3 minor field trips, 4 seminars which is equivalent to 16 hours of sitting, and a 2 hours of interpersonal skills, this will all be catered within Mindanao vicinity only. To tell the truth, this one’s tough. I mean, this course is, as what our facilitator said, ‘not expensive, but a very, very expensive subject’.

             So the question is, what’s my preferred FTS model? Why?

             Deep in my heart, God knows my answer to that question, and that is Model C. Because at first, I considered the situation of my family, the monetary income my family gets every month, knowing that our subject has to pull every penny in our pockets just to supply ‘ONE’ of the requirements needed. I haven’t yet considered the fact that we will only be having the field trip and seminars within Mindanao area of responsibility only. What’s all in my mind was the monetary value it requires, the distance that I will be travelling, which means being so far away from my family IN FIVE CONSECUTIVE DAYS, the incident that had happened to the students who also had field trip, the ‘big’ earthquake that is being watched out for in Manila, and even in the other areas of the Philippines including Mindanao except Davao City because they haven’t found yet a fault line under the floating ‘land of the promise’, and the hassle it will cause because of so many things to do. I’ve prayed to God that my desired model be approved so that there will be lesser amount of monetary value needed, and I even hoped that CHED will announce that there will be no more field trips and seminars in the curricula. Well, unfortunately, my heart’s desire, that my preferred model be approved knowing that it is not that risky unlike the 2 other models, hasn’t been chosen by the majority of the class. My spirit was broken to pieces, because I thought at that moment my preferred model is still the same of the others that we will still go to company visits, seminars and apply what we know, even when it will only be catered here in Mindanao. I’ve never considered the possibility that maybe, though the 2 other models are riskier than what my heart’s desired model, we will learn new things beyond what we already know there is in our beloved Mindanao, that we can compare the things what Mindanao has to the things what Mindanao has not, and apply what is best to the land where we belong. My classmates chose the model A, and for now, the process of submitting our requirements is still ongoing. I bet God heard my prayer but He didn’t gave it to me because He knew I deserve better. And I know I really do, I may not be His good daughter, but I know God made the best things for me. And I believe that God love what He is doing to me: my life, and I also love it because I love God.

             I realized that the phrase “Lamang ang May Alam” is relevant to what is happening to me right now. I’ve got so many questions in my mind, so many opposing spirits which tells me to contradict the majority decision, but this phrase tells me that I can acquire or gather more knowledge beyond my comfort zone. Yes, it’s risky, but how will I learn when there is no difficulty, right? And I also realized that this FTS is not for us to just enjoy going to the places where we want to go, instead gather information and learn to apply it in our lives for the better future.

            God really made a way to make me realize I don’t have to worry about everything. God loves me, He loves us. To God be the Greatest Glory! :)