Travel Hacks

Of Traveling and Writing: A Night out with Meet Manila & Friends

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to share what Budget Biyahera did over the weekend, as Ms. Ysobel, Aix and the rest of the Meet Manila team invited me once again to another awesome event. It was actually a collaboration of Writing Manila with 4 university organizations -- and I was oh-so humbled to be asked to share about traveling and blogging (eventhough I really sucked in public speaking!) with a very fun crowd. =P The venue was set at Conspiracy Garden Cafe.


Now before anything else, let me share to you a little bit more about Writing Manila and Buklod Zine...

"Writing Manila is a new initiative of MeetManila.com, wherein we are tapping university organizations in encouraging fellow students to foster big ambitions for the Philippine tourism scene through the written word. WritingManila.org will serve as their portal through which they can have their writings about Philippine places, people, and culture featured. As this writing collective for the bright and young grows in the future, student initiative and leadership will be instilled in its members, as partial ownership of Writing Manila online assets will be granted to them. This non-profit avenue for aspiring writers will be perfect to give our students the platform they need for further development and to gain confidence in their beliefs through writing. 

For our first ever visit, we are joining four university organizations, UP Writers Club, Heights (Ateneo), Malate Literary Folio (DLSU), and Thomasian Writers Guild in their upcoming event this Saturday, Buklod Zine. Besides joining them in their event, MeetManila.com will also be provided stage time to officially engage with them and their audience for Writing Manila."

This what was emailed to me by Aix. She also requested if we (Meet Manila's friends) could engage with the young students for a 2-minute (each) chit chat -- ideally about our experiences in traveling around the Philippines and in blogging them. 


I honestly loved the idea and started feeling all giddy about sharing my experiences. But then my nervousness got the best of me, as it dawned that I was never a good public speaker. Whenever I would speak in front of a large group (both in college and in previous corporate functions), I would always have my cue cards in tow. But for some reason, when Winston of Batangyagit.com started talking to the crowd without reading anything, I felt intimidated. "ok, fine.. I'm going without my codego!". And the next thing you know, I was up on the stage and blabbering like a lost kid! Having no cue cards was a bad idea. I just hope I brought my message out despite my frazzled thoughts. :P *sorry guys!*


Those 2 minutes felt like forever for someone like me. Then again, my jitters left my body almost immediately as soon as the rest of our friends started sharing their experiences on stage. Winston, Nyel and Froilan really did awesome up there! :)



Explore & Be Free!
Mai

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34 comments

  1. I always feel giddy going up on stage to give a speech. But it has always been an exciting for me everytime I get a chance to do so. For some reason, I feel alive and like a different person. :) 

    I'm sure you did a great job despite not having a codego. People would appreciate it more too if you don't really prepare a script for it and just say whatever you think they should know. (^_^)

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  2. Hey Grysh! I would have to agree with everything that you've pointed out. I've never been good with public speaking, so it has always been a hard thing for me to do whenever I'm tasked to do a certain function. But when push comes to shove, everything just simply pours from my mouth - unfiltered but wholesome. Here's to hoping that I've touched at least one person in thinking about pursuing their passion. Cheers sis! :)

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  3. Yay for this! Congrats to your new baby! For sure it will grow and be successful  like your sites too! It's good to know that we mingle with bloggers too! :)

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  4. Oh, it's not my creation.. I'm just a 'friend' who helps disseminate their awesome work! And yes, it's really great to mingle with other bloggers. :) 

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  5. Followed both. Writing Manila is lucky to have you as a resource with your vast experience in traveling and writing.

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  6. i salute you for doing a speech with "codego". I have a stage-fright and would not last a minute on the stage with all eyes staring at me. congrats!

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  7. Thanks for following both initiatives, Franc!! :) I'm actually lucky as well because they've trusted me enough to take part in their event. :)

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  8. Hey Les-Joey! Actually, I didn't use my codego anymore.. :)

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  9. Congrats to all. This is my first time to hear about WRITING MANILA . Thanks for sharing.

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  10. to be invited to such is an honour... :) because food and traveling are areas i wouldn't write about... i will definitely run out of 'adjectives' :))

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  11. Congrats for delivering a great speech. Way to go Ms. Mai!

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  12. oh wow seems like a great event but i think you did really well congratulations!

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  13. like you,i can't speak in front of many people.i rather make it in writing. stage freight is normal to most of us I guess. but at least you did it even without your cue card. congrats!

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  14. Maria Gemma Defeo-HilotinAugust 23, 2012 at 9:58 AM

    Wow, what a fun event! I'd love to join next time! lol!
    ... mmmm, I then suggest you find a Toastmaster's Club near your place and join!!!
    I'm a member here in the States but was a member of Tambuli Toastmasters in Makati before.. it really helped in public speaking!!! Good luck!

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  15. Like! It's nice to be in good company and share similar experiences with them. Super cool!

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  16. I can relate to the stage-fright @_@ I was never a good public speaker myself, even if I have a lot of ideas to share, and can express myself more through writing. Good luck to this project! :)

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  17. We know what they say, practice makes perfect. With a little more actual experience in public speaking, I'm sure you'll be breezing through your speeches in no time.

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  18. its okay to have cue cards as guide to your speech... i like that better than something memorized... but impromptu, thumbs up... Yahweh bless.

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  19. i am never good in public speaking as well but once you're there you just can't stop talking like hours! its cool too! xx

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  20. Thanks for sharing about this. Sounds like a really nice org. Is this only opened for university students, or anyone?

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  21. It takes a lot of guts for many to speak in front of a public, large or small. kudos to you

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  22. Writing Manila is actually an awesome initiative, especially for students who like to write. :)

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  23. Hehehe.. I doubt it! I'm sure you won't run out of words.. there's always Google to help you with those adjectives. :)

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  24. Oh my! I didn't think it was a great speech.. hehe! But thanks still Ron. :)

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  25. Thank you Leira! :)

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  26. Me too! I would rather write than speak in public.. hehe! And I think the cue cards would've helped... I really messed up my words back then. :p

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  27. Oh Toastmaster? Haven't heard about that. :) MA-search nga po. :)

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  28. Oh, most certainly! Really enjoyed this gathering despite the series of unfortunate events that night.. hehe

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  29. Same here Demi! :) I'd rather write my thoughts than say it out loud! :P

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  30. I believe so too. :)

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  31. Hehe.. thanks Ralph! :)

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  32. Actually, I wanted to stop talking then because I felt like I wasn't making sense anymore.. hehe!

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  33. I think it's exclusive to those 4 mentioned universities -- so exclusive for college students only. But I do hope they open this initiative to other colleges. :)

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