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| July 2006 | Volume 2 | Issue 3 | |||||
| This Issue VFV News Site VFV Home Page |
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Judgment Day
As an international visitor, I've been fortunate enough to attend several cultural events and locations in the Philippines. One of the most memorable moments of my visit occurred June 27, when two other VFV volunteers and I acted as judges for the Miss Pintados 2006 pageant at the Tacloban Convention Center. Canadian volunteer Chantale Tetreault and I initially attended the pageant as guests – we had no idea we'd be serving in an official capacity. Shortly before the pageant, however, Tanauan Mayor Roque Tiu (whom we'd met previously through VFV) approached us to say two judges were unexpectedly absent and that pageant officials needed replacements. Were we interested in filling in? Of course we were! 
Joining us was fellow volunteer Domenik Pockberger from Austria, who had been asked in advance to judge the pageant. I enjoyed the pageant's Filipiniana portion the most, since I loved to see the different variations of traditional Philippine formal gowns. Another highlight was meeting former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, in attendance with her brother, Tacloban Mayor Alfredo “Bejo” Romualdez. Choosing Miss Pintados 2006 was not easy. All 14 candidates were beautiful and demonstrated poise and style. The winner emerged as Sheina Marie Cubillo, a nursing student at Southwestern University, who also won the titles of Best Professionalism, Best Speaker, and Best in Pintados Costume. Now, when I return to the United States in August, I will have an extra benefit from my stay in the Philippines. I can add “Pageant Judge” to my resume! |
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Volunteer for the Visayans News 
It was not until I was 46 years old that I first traveled outside of my home country, the United States of America. As Director of the Community Service-Learning Center at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida, I went with a group of university students to Costa Rica, for a spring break service trip in 2003. That trip gave me a glimpse of the world outside of the United States.
