The Six Flags' super awesome experience!

Last night, I, or should I say most of all the SUSI participants were very excited for today’s activity – spending the day at Six Flags! Woot! Woot! The Six Flags had become a major topic in all of us, haha! Asking the graduate mentors, specially Drew Seib on what can we expect at Six Flags.

And so the Saturday’s Six Flag adventure came, we left the Boomer Hall at 8 o’clock in the morning, we stopped to a convenient store to fuel up the van’s and our stomach’s, and with that, I bought an almost a liter-sized fountain drink for only ₵79 (Sed bought one also).

After the three and a half hours of travel, we finally arrived at Six Flags St. Loius, Eureka, Missouri. The graduate mentors distributed the electronic tickets and with no further ado, we then proceed to the entrance, haha!

“Okay guys, we’ll meet here at 6 o’clock so everybody should be here by 6 o’clock, if you’re not here, we will leave you, okay?” Drew said. Then everyone responded, “Yes Drew.” Everyone then proceeed to the restrooms to discharge some fluids and get ready for the thriller rides, haha.

And so the SUSI partcipants spreaded out! We took first the Mr. Freeze, a roller coaster ride which was really a breathtaking ride. I failed to get a video of myself riding at Mr. Freeze ‘cause I thought we’ll be in a snowy-feel atmosphere, from the word Mr. Freeze, but I was wrong, haha! Fail! As much as we wanted to ride Mr. Freeze at the same time, others went first, and so Janvic, Nhel, Chris and I had to wait for our turn. Jo-N, Arvin, Drew, John, Fareeza and Joel were the first ones to ride Mr. Freeze. And what’s this thingy that I heard someone’s crying or almost crying while riding Mr. Freeze? Who is he? Ending up saying “Oh my God! Oh my God!” while Mr. Freeze is going? Haha!

Next stop? The Batman ride! As you can see in the video, I, Fareeza and Janvic survived the ride! With all the twists and turns, we’re still alive! Haha! And guys shouldn’t get turn off to Fareeza! She’s still looks good and acts very nice so there’s no reason for you to feel turn off of her. And so brave do I taking the video! Haha! Clap, clap.

After the Batman ride, and it’s almost 1:30, we decided to take our lunch. I wanted to eat burger but it’s kinda expensive, then I saw this hotdog stand, then I said “Go! I will have hotdogs for now!”

“Oh my God! My hotdog is floating on cheeze, chili beef and french fries!” but the lady didn’t give me a pickle dill! Hmpf! Though the whole meal might be good for two persons, I finished the meal with a burp! Haha!

What’s the next ride? Thunder river! Here’s the video of our soaking wet adventure! Haha! Starring Faisal Hassan, Me, Drew Seib, Sedfrey Lacsamana, Fareeza Ilyana, Janvic Mateo and John Patrick Allanegui.

Since we’re all now soaking wet because of that Thunder river, the next ride we took off was the Log Flume.

And to dry up our wet clothes, the last ride for the day? Evel Knievel! The legend ride on with this 2,700 feet long coaster that crosses over itself an amazing 14 times! Our first impression of the ride, “Are we sure we want to ride this one?” Because the ride’s rail was made of wood, that looks like it will broke in a minute, we still pursue the challenge, haha.

Waiting for hours or so for a minute or two of a ride really sucks! But it’s worth the wait. One day isn’t enough to take all the rides, promise! As a souvenir for myself, I bought a Six Flags shirt, orange in color for $9.99 plus tax from the Six Flags Gift Shop. I got it from the kid’s section, haha. I was tempted to buy the red mug (like the one Janvic bought) but I decided not to purchase it since I aleady had the shirt.
And the six in the evening came, I already had my clothes changed. We gather to the entrance, taking up photos for the last time, then poof! We went back home, tired a little bit. It had caused me body pains, but when I think of the whole experience, it relieves the not so-heavily body pains, haha.

The Filipinos had a meeting first before taking up some rest and sleep. The meeting was about the Filipinos’ ideas that we’ll going to contribute for the meeting tomorrow about the 30-minute presentation we need to produce for the Washington D.C program.

It’s already 1:30 in the morning and Kate already went off to sleep. John and Janvic introduced the Hotel 626 and Asylum interactive game. Well, it’s a disturbing/horror/thriller game and it catches my attention (I love things related to horror! I love being thrilled! Haha!). I enjoyed it even if for a short time and for sure, I’m going to play it soon and see if it would really scare me a lot or scare me more, but I don’t think so, haha. Let’s all now go to sleep. =)

PS:

Home Stay with the Wagner Family

Chris and I were very lucky to have the Wagner family as our host family even just for a day. Ronnie, Cindy, Shane and Trenton welcomed us to their humble (but very elegant) home.

Also part of the family is a female dog named Dutchess. The next day, Ronnie Wagner's parents paid a visit for us.

Before we depart from each other, we exchanged our contact information so that I could communicate with them even if I'm already at the Philippines weeks from now.

The Wagner family had been very very good to us, they've been very accommodating, they treated us (with Chris) as their own sons. God bless the Wagner family.

The Right to Practice their Rights

Gender equality has been an issue in some countries for a long time, and has been a major topic of some debates. But as we enter the contemporary era, that issue may somehow, resolved.

Many countries are saying they are already practicing gender equality, but I doubt if they are really implementing it. Because of cultural differences, it would be hard for some countries to practice gender equality. I say cultural differences are one of the major factors in not practicing gender equality because of their loyalty to their traditions. They had their minds locked to their traditions that only men are entitled to have the power in their family and in the community.

In some countries though, poverty urged women to work for the family, not only their husbands. It doesn’t matter now for women if they were not able to give proper attention to their family, so long as they were able to help in their financial needs. In here, cultural differences now are no more big issues. Like in the Philippines, many women now are practicing gender equality. Both genders were entitled to vote and entitled to get jobs, so long as they’re able to perform it well, and women now, can also govern a community.

Somehow, poverty implicates the people that there is really a need to have gender equality. Both men and women should work for to attend the basic needs of the family. If the father is the only one who provides for his family, that wouldn't be enough these days, that's the time women's help are in the forefront of the scene.

When it comes to the education issue, it should not be in question as to who really needs it or who is entitled for it. Education is a natural right for everyone, whether you are rich or poor. But poverty also serves a factor for people not to have what they deserve, that is why some parents opted not to send their children to school.

Let us all open our minds and face what our respective countries are supposed to face - and that’s gender equality. That countries should permit their constituents the equality for all, the right to practice their rights.

Recovery time from yesterday's long journey

A sunny day Sunday here in Carbondale, Illinois is now about to end as I write this blog. I welcomed the day with a smile on my face as I was very excited for the day’s lined up activities, and to formally meet the other participants. Though I was got exhausted from the previous day’s long trip, I was already wide awake by 7:30. I used to wake up that early because back home, I usually come around by 5 o’clock to prepare myself for my 7:30 class.

Early this morning, around 12 or so, my sleep was got agitated when the Indonesian’s came. (But it’s definitely fine with me, not a big problem that I should deal with. Haha!) And so I left my room and greeted the newly arrived participants, I had the chance to have some chats with them, but I decided not to have it so long, ‘cause I know they’re damn tired by then, haha. They reached Carbondale very late because of some problems they’ve encountered at the airport.

Thank God we were given enough time to recover our lost energies!  We spent the morning wandering deeply at the SIU Carbondale campus. I must admit, the campus’s land area was very wide and open by about 4.6 km²! It’s like a mini-village with tall buildings and nice landscaped-grounds. The lawns were properly trimmed, the trees were all looking good – a very nice to describe, and a good school to be in.

Going to the McAndrew stadium, we walked the huge overpass with the train rail below. We run quickly to see the train but the train’s length was about a half kilometer! And so we watched the train to pass until we saw its end. We end up laughing at each other, because we run very quick so we won’t miss to see the train that passed the overpass for around 10 more minutes. 

By 10 am, we were fetched by Drew at the Boomer hall to attend the Catholic mass near the campus. We head off to the St. Francis Xavier church (with Deisha) and spent the next hour there. Two men greeted us upon entering the church. I find there mass more livelier than what we have in the Philippines, the church was more elegant, the flocks were more attentive and they gave appreciation to the children who were present that time. We were greeted by the priest before he started the mass and so the ceremony solemnly went by.

All of us were shake handed by the priest at the exit door, wishing us good luck and God’s guidance for the rest of the program. Then a man approached us, a man named Aldwin Anterola. We were all surprised that he’s also a Filipino and was from Batangas, sharing of stories happened next. He was the Assistant Professor and Head of the Bryotechnology Laboratory of the Plant Biology Department in SIU Carbondale.

After the encounter with Mr. Anterola, we took our lunch at Burger King. It is true that self-service’s implemented  in most fast-food chains. We fetched our own litters after eating such huge hamburgers and took them off to the trash bin. The fastfood chain doesn’t have waiters to serve your orders or to clean up your trashes – a fact that’s very different from ours back home. I find it very nice because customers were tasked to be responsible for their trashes and that the fast food chain won’t need to pay so much service crews. We went back to the SIU Carbondale campus for the afternoon’s introductory tour, welcome and administrative orientation by the institute staffs.

The SUSI participants were guided by the graduate mentors and they allow us explore the beauty of SIU Carbondale campus and the high-technology facilities they have. We then proceed to the Law School Room 204 to meet Dr. John Foster and Dr. John Jackson, alongside with the other graduate mentors.

Every participant had the chance to introduce themselves and Mr. Foster lead the orientation, explaining the program’s background to us. Mr. Photographer took a photo of each of us, that will be posted to the SUSI New Media website. Reference books were also given to us that we’ll be using for our class discussions. Senseless might it seem, but the big notebook they’d given to us was the first thing I noted at the bag that was full of class materials they provided for us. I have decided then, that I won’t use the notebook for this study, instead, I will keep it for myself. The notebook that has this sentimental value – symbolizing the achievement I got.

All in all, the institute’s staffs really amazed me and I do feel proud of/for them – in a sense that they really performed the necessary preparations for this program. I can’t find any floss, everything's perfect (except the very hot water coming out at the men's restroom in Boomer hall, but that wasn't their fault), everything's well prepared – I commend and acknowledge all the staffs behind this wonderful program.

After the orientation, we all went to the International Groceries and Walmart. We did our shopping businesses, our groceries and bought some stuffs for the week. The Filipinos saw some "Lucky Me!" at the noodle stand while we're laughing by surprise.

And that was what happened for this day.

Good night.
(at last, yehey!)