MAI-Asia Train the Trainer Conference

"On this site in 1897 nothing happened." Thus reads the sign at Kusina ni Salud, the oriental-themed restaurant of Patis Tesoro hidden in a town in San Pablo, Laguna. This was where we had our Friday dinner. "We" are 27 publishing professionals from countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Cambodia and the US of A.


In the cool and candlelit night (the electricity was out when we arrived; Muriel, of Hong Kong, thought that the candles were part of the dinner package), we feasted on Filipino fares such as Ubod roll, Pinakbet, Tilapia, Lechon Kawali, Turon and Buko juice. Yummy! (May ilaw man o wala, masarap talaga pagkain natin!)




Who can resist the charm of our jeepney? To travel to the resto, we rented a jeepney so many of the foreign delegates could ride our unique mode of transport for the first time.



But we did more than eat and have fun. It was five days of intensive training--learning styles, understanding codes, tuning our listening skills, preparing workshops, delivering presentations. Dr. Richard Crespo, a specialist in adult education, coached us into flexing our teaching muscles (and literal muscles too!He led early morning Pilates session. Shame on me, though, for not participating in it when others twice my age gamely joined the sessions.)

Rizal Re-Creation center, with its landscape dotted with coconut trees, was the perfect place for us to learn. I enjoyed walking in the grass, feeling the cool breeze, and inhaling the fresh air! (Here is the official class picture. Being the youngest, I volunteered to be the whiteboard cleaner and errand-runner. But it's okay. After twenty years, it's going to be somebody else's turn!)

"Help us, Lord, to continue to publish words that will lead people to turn to The Word."