Manila Internship: 1st Official Day

Kamusta Readers,

So my 1st day wasn't so bad.  I arrived early so I could walk around campus.  I found the bookstore ( with University souvenirs ) and a cafe next to it; outside students were practicing dance moves.  I found the cafeteria ( started planning my food budget ), and I ambled through the University's art gallery ( the flower vendor oil painting included a tasteful pun, quite enjoyable ) and inquired at the Students Activity Office.

My temporary ID won't arrive until Friday, and I can't really wander as much because most building entry requires an ID.  And since I'll be a pseudo staff spending most of my time in the office, I have to wear pants ( thank goodness the rooms are air-conditioned ).

The Center's Director N and I reviewed the agreement: volunteer only ( no monetary compensation ), confidentiality important, work minimum of 20 hours per week, and project supervision from Director N and Assistant V.  The perks include: access to the library ( w/ temporary ID ), auditing privilege ( discretion of individual professors ), networking, and an insider's perspective of Center's daily operations.

The activity I've done so far: library data entry ( title/author/year/ISBN number; a good way to preview titles dealing with teaching/tutoring/composition ), mini wiki library research ( the MARC system [MAchine Readable Cataloguing] versus the Dewey Decimal System ), and copy-editing of 2 articles for the Center's magazine.  My main project is the organization of the Center's library ( rearranging books should be easier than coming up with call numbers for unmarked books ).

Director N also teaches developmental English for 1st year students, and I can observe her classes ( and maybe be a semi-TA and discuss pedagogy ).  She's encouraging me to submit an article for the Center's magazine ( most likely I'll try as long as I understand the theme: Understanding by Design [UbD] ).  Hopefully, I'll learn more about the Center's founder, Father G, and his emphasis in SHE ( Significant Human Experience ), and Let it Be philosophy.