One time in April I could not understand why I felt so groggy and grumpy. Then I later realized that my body was yearning for the heat of the sun and the coolness of the sea. It was summer in PH while there was constant rain in SG. My classmate told me maybe I had Seasonal Affective Disorder/Depression (SAD). That, and many other causes of sadness and loneliness, brought me to a very dark place, but thank God I survived it.
It was also difficult that I did not have my family and friends around whom I could immediately turn to when I had problems (academic, emotional, and financial). I will say this again - studying in Singapore is very difficult considering the cost of living here. Every time I think about my my monthly expenses, which could amount up to 30,000-40,000 pesos monthly (food and apartment rental), I get so stressed out. So I just tell myself, "God will provide hope. Hang in there." And voilah! I survived the first 6 months.
Thank God there was a semester break or I'd go crazy. Many thanks also to those who helped and those who until now are constantly supporting me. You always remind me that quitting should not be an option because the knowledge and skills I am acquiring from the school will not only benefit myself but also my community back in the Philippines. I believe my coming to Singapore is not a mere accident but God's will. I take this not just an opportunity to be a better artist but also a responsibility to be a better servant of God and His creation and people. So, I will continue to fight, and please don't stop supporting me.
Anyway, especially for those who are following my blog but could not follow me in facebook, here are the some of the highlights of my first 6 months in ITI.
Aside from the skills I learned like voice, body, and acting techniques, what I learned in ITI so far is how to appreciate one's own local culture and how to be inspired by it in order to create a culture-inspired contemporary performance. I have also learned the importance of learning one's responsibility as an artist in uplifting, promoting, and protecting culture and cultural rights. Our experience in learning Noh Theater, for example, has made me appreciate more the richness and uniqueness of the Asian culture.
It was also difficult that I did not have my family and friends around whom I could immediately turn to when I had problems (academic, emotional, and financial). I will say this again - studying in Singapore is very difficult considering the cost of living here. Every time I think about my my monthly expenses, which could amount up to 30,000-40,000 pesos monthly (food and apartment rental), I get so stressed out. So I just tell myself, "God will provide hope. Hang in there." And voilah! I survived the first 6 months.
Thank God there was a semester break or I'd go crazy. Many thanks also to those who helped and those who until now are constantly supporting me. You always remind me that quitting should not be an option because the knowledge and skills I am acquiring from the school will not only benefit myself but also my community back in the Philippines. I believe my coming to Singapore is not a mere accident but God's will. I take this not just an opportunity to be a better artist but also a responsibility to be a better servant of God and His creation and people. So, I will continue to fight, and please don't stop supporting me.
Anyway, especially for those who are following my blog but could not follow me in facebook, here are the some of the highlights of my first 6 months in ITI.
Aside from the skills I learned like voice, body, and acting techniques, what I learned in ITI so far is how to appreciate one's own local culture and how to be inspired by it in order to create a culture-inspired contemporary performance. I have also learned the importance of learning one's responsibility as an artist in uplifting, promoting, and protecting culture and cultural rights. Our experience in learning Noh Theater, for example, has made me appreciate more the richness and uniqueness of the Asian culture.
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| Noh rehearsals. |
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| That is me in blue, playing one of the demons in the Noh play Momijigari. |
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| With the other demons for the final dance. |
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| It looks easy, but Noh dances are one of the most difficult that I have done. They require so much body and mind preparations. |
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| Class photo with our 2 Sensei (masters) in the middle. I miss them already. Such beautiful human beings and great artists. |
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| One of my favorite moments. Photo after watching the open rehearsal of Tapestry Playback Theater. It was during April fools, hence the red clown nose. |
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| Me during breaks. Classic. #TugTaTug (photo by Tysha Khan. I think. lol) |
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| Our cohort tradition - an obligatory group photo outside the white house during end of sem. We are complete in this photo, and hopefully until graduation. |
I wish I could post action photos during our other classes and performances, but there was no chance for me to take photos (and some of my classmates are not very comfortable about it). I will try to keep this blog more alive this term especially now that I have already somehow adjusted. Highlight on the word TRY. hahaha! Bye for now! Thank you! I love you all!
