Mission 5: Objective 3

Objective 3: Imagine

The “Dark Age” for me was during my childhood days. Globalization then, was not yet that evident. I remember when I used to play patintero, Chinese garter, hide and seek, lukosong tinik and many other games during that time. Compared to other kids today, I am grateful that I was not like them because I was able to experience these great things. Kids now, even at a very early age own Ipads, laptops and cellphone, which I think is not appropriate. They should be enjoying their childhood and should not be ruining their precious 20/20 vision.  

Modern day Globalization really made our lives a lot easier. It made travel from one country to another faster and cheaper, made communication easier, and a lot more things.  Through Globalization, things we thought that were impossible to happen happened. It indeed, changed the world drastically and really influenced who I am this moment. Now, I can’t even imagine myself surviving without the products of Globalization. Life will be so hard. Though people in the past survived without these gadgets, the world then was very different from the world today.

Like everything else, Globalization cause negative effects too. But if I were to choose either to go back to the “Dark Age” or not, I think I’d choose not to because of the huge role Globalization played in the world.  Like what I have said earlier, maybe what we just need to do is to find ways to alleviate or solve the negative costs of it. We should try it and might get great results.    

I was able to gain more knowledge and became more critical, with all these missions. These made me realize that even if I am just a mere Filipino college student; I can do something relevant with my own simple and little ways. Indeed, mission accomplished!

Mission 5: Objective 2

Objective 2: Act

One tiring day after school, I went straight home and as soon as I arrived, I opened my laptop and grabbed something to eat. Suddenly, while I’m back reading tweets, a dark skinned boy entered inside my room.

After staring at him briefly, the boy asked me what I love. I said that I love chocolates then I asked him if he has one. He smiled and said, “I only have cocoa beans”. I replied irritably and said “I want chocolates not cocoa beans”. “But chocolates were made from cocoa beans. My mom and dad harvest those to buy food for me and my eight other siblings. But even how much they work hard every day, the money they’re earning aren’t even enough for us to eat decent meal”, he said while crying. I was shocked and didn’t know how to react. He continued talking and said, “Since my youngest sister died and my other four siblings got sick, I started harvesting cocoa beans too. By this job, I have learned that the beans we harvest were made to chocolates and sold in a high price. And you know what’s ironic? My family and I never knew what a chocolate tastes like.”

                                                          Photo credits: deviantart.com

I opened my eyes and realized that it was just a dream. I slept in front of my laptop while holding my favorite chocolate. To refresh my perplexed mind, I opened the television, which is currently showing MTV cribs. I decided to watch it then suddenly remembered the boy in my dream and thought that his state is very different from the individuals featured in this show. These individuals maybe one of the owners of the chocolate factories where the cocoa beans the boy harvested were brought. Indeed, they give jobs while earning so much but the people who really worked hard for it can’t even afford a decent meal or even taste their own product. Chocolates feed the cravings of individuals like me but can’t even nourish the people who made those. It made me sad while thinking these because it is just unfair. I want to help the boy but I can’t do much. It is like a never ending nightmare. 

Mission 5: Objective 1

Objective 1 : Learn

I have been living in a globalized world throughout my 18 years of existence. But how globalized am I?

          

        As a child, I grew up wearing either imported or local clothes, eating variety of foods, watching the television and playing toys made from different countries. When I grew older, specifically when I was in my early teen years, internet was introduced along with different technological innovations. Since then, I have felt the rapid growth of globalization.

At this moment, I think that if not 90 percent, I am most likely 75 percent globalized. I have been so much influenced by globalization. From satisfying my hunger to having my own social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter; truly, I am globalized.  However, I am not sure if I’ll be proud of being globalized or not because I don’t even know how not to be totally globalized (as far as I know).

Nevertheless, what’s certain is that globalization really made drastic changes not only in my life but also everybody’s lives. It seems like there’s no escape from this even globalizing world. Maybe what we just need to do is to find ways to alleviate or solve the negative costs of globalization. Everything is possible, so why not try?  

Mission 4: Objective 3

Objective 3: Imagine

            

    What happened to Egypt reminds me of what happened to the Philippines decades ago, during the Marcos Era. Mubarak reminds me of Marcos. In other words, Egypt is like the Philippines then. I can imagine that like what occurred during the post-Marcos era, Egypt will have a democratic government. A new leader will emerge, which will be a total opposite of Mubarak because of the trauma experienced by the people. Later on, Egypt will also experience the problems of bad governance. Corruption will be apparent that will afterwards cause the emergence of a new wave of revolution.  

Mission 4: Objective 1

Mission 4: Learn

   1.      States fail to provide the basic needs of the people

People need satisfaction.  Until it isn’t achieved, they will find someone or something to blame.  

2. .      Nothing is Permanent

 “There is nothing permanent except change.” This saying might be really dramatic but is certainly true. Everything changes and the only one that doesn’t is change. People change so as their beliefs, preference and other more aspects.

  3.   It’s just Normal!

       Acceptance is the key. States should accept that in a certain point, there will be revolutions against them. All they need to do is to find solutions to those revolutions. 

Mission 3: Objective 3

Mission 3: Imagine

             

          If NGOs dominated the world instead of states, I can imagine a world without borders. Each country is ruled by not only a single NGO but several of them.  These NGOs helps each other to solve different issues and problems concerning the world. For example, there will be no trouble even there are various NGOs in a certain country helping the victims of typhoon. Each of them is there just to do what they are needed to do. I am not saying that the world is absolutely peaceful now because of the presence and power of these NGOs. There were also conflicts arising between groups of NGOs regarding the acquisition of power or control in a certain region or country, but eventually these conflicts are or will be solved because of the initiative of other NGOs. Essentially, these NGOs help each other even about conflicts between them.

Mission 3: Objective 2

Mission 3: Act

Our advocacy is to help people think or discover a cause that they believe in and encourage them to take action.  

Together with my co-EUROCIR classmates; Leeanne, Mikee, Marion, Janet and Viktor, we made a video and uploaded it online for others to know our advocacy. Here’s the video : 

Mission 3 : Objective 1

Mission 3: Learn 

          With all the numerous medical/nursing schools here in the country, it is so ironic that we still lack nurses and doctors especially in the provinces. Having a decent health service here in the Philippines is certainly one of the biggest problems that the poor face. As a part of the Global South, there are many people living here who can’t afford or reach medical assistance. Being sick and less fortunate in this part of the world is really though, not mentioning those who are stuck in war torn areas down south. The painful truth is that, if you are poor and sick you have no choice but to endure the pain and in the long run die. This really bothers me. It is so depressing especially whenever I watch documentaries or videos about it.

With all these thoughts, I have realized that my advocacy is about improving and providing health services for the poor. Though I haven’t participated in any medical immersions, I think I did something to help. Just last August, I donated blood for the second time. Even though it is not directly helping the sick less fortunate, I think somehow the blood I donated will be used by the needy.

Of all the NGOS I checked out, the Doctors without Borders, was the one I chose, which has a similar advocacy as mine. This NGO was established by the doctors and journalists in France. They provide medical assistance not only to the poor but also to the ones in need like those who were struck by natural disasters or epidemics.