Top 10 Things I Won't Forget About ATS

I recently had the time of my life at the Asian Theological Seminary in Quezon City learning "Crisis Intervention". This two-week, summer course is memorable to me in a lot of different ways, but most of all because it signalled my first real step to study counseling.

By some twist of fate, I will not be pursuing my full-time study at ATS. And high authorities have made this quite clear to me. (sob sob sob!)

In the two sweet weeks I spent there, there are simply some things (and people) that I will never forget. Because of them, I grew up a few inches taller on the inside. Here they are:

10. Groping in darkness to find the canteen

9. Walking home from ATS to Timog with Glenda, Carol and my favorite buddy (next to Lou), Pastora Nelia

8. One of the pastors, giving us girls a ride until EDSA

7. "Manong", the sago and squidballs vendor outside ATS

* For giving in to my request for him to sell "Chippy"
* For the sago refills he would grant me for only P5.00/plastic cup

6. Miss Bona of the ATS Counseling Center for being such a big help from Day 1 to last day

5. The friendships that were formed in two short weeks of bonding

* Alex (Da Pogi Chan. 7 reporter) Tinsay and wife Judy, for treating me, Carol and Glenda to Seattle's Best on our last day in class
* Mark and Ogie for walking me home, one time I was left alone
* The DSWD social workers for the rich experiences and tears they've shared with us and which we learned from

4. Judy Tinsay

* For being a good example of a desirable woman, despite being a pastor's wife with five kids and various church activities
* For being a strong and godly woman in the face of emotional losses and spiritual battles

3. Lou

* For being my food-trip buddy, despite her size
* For accompanying me to breakfast and lunch during Saturdays
* For understanding me and empathizing w/ me in my predicament w/ Mr. Frog
* For the "counseling session" we nearly had, had Sir Sotto not swat me w/ his sheafs of paper
* For upholding confidentiality in the matter of Mr. Frog, even though she's close to him
* For being my laughing buddy in class
* For eating whatever junk food I would pass around in class, and for taking them home, 'pag ayaw ko na
* For getting Ligaya's book for me from Mr. Frog's secretary

2. My beloved zany, wacko, learned, passionate & compassionate professor Dr. JOSE ANDRES SOTTO

* For having playfully pinched my ear for being talkative in class
* For making me hampas with some sheafs of paper (I was laughing so hard at a classmate during simulation exercise; turned my back to hide it that resulted in a hilarious uproar of the entire class) ha ha ha...!
* For providing challenging answers to the questions I would raise during class discussion
* For encouraging childlike-curiosity in me
* For remaining down-to-earth, humble and compassionate despite the PhD's he's earned (manahin sana ng iba jan!)
* For recommending REALLY OLD and not-so-old movies to watch that are counseling-related
* For the really big laughs you stirred in all of us, helping us endure three hours of weekday lectures with you and five hours during Saturdays. Thank you. It made classroom hours light, lively yet still meaningful!

1. The lessons (both real-life and theoretical) that I will get to apply for a long, long time--lessons that opened both my heart and my mind, humbling me as I learn more.

I love you, ATS. Thank you and Goodbye!