Running the Nestle MILE: The Not so Usual Way to Spend Your Sembreak

Prefatory Note: Ahemm.. I would like to apologize to my,ugh, blog followers who constantly visit my site (so?) and after refreshing the page for a jillion times, found that there were no new posts. If ever there exist such followers, the reason, my friends, for this deplorable blogging deficiency is because I was off to run for the MILE. 

I shall now entertain questions.

Follower no. 1: You ran a mile? You did not update your blog for a week because you ran a mile?? What are you, a turtle?

JanMell: There, there.Relax.I know that you miss me that bad. I did not say I ran a mile. I said I ran the MILE. It's different. MILE means Management Immersion for Leadership Excellence organized by the number 1 food and beverage company in the world, number 1 health, nutrition and wellness company in the world-- Nestle. You better watch this.

 

Follower #2:  Did you do those things in the video??

JanMell: Not only those, but a whole lot more. Sorry I can't spill the beans and tell you the activities.. I am bound by a commitment to make future MILEES roll in excitement and anticipation of the activities in MILE. (Especially that, ugh,  many followers of my blog qualify for MILE next year.) But the whole thing was such a BLAST! There's this thing we call experience but it's different when it's unforgettable. The MILE experience was not something that can easily drift into the subconscious. If ever it does, it's the easiest to recall. 

Follower #3: Can you describe your MILE journey?

JanMell: Of course. But that's another blog post. Although there's free wifi in the hotel, blogging is virtually impossible to insert into jam packed schedules so I decided to post everything memorable after the four days of the not-your-usual-sembreak.

I never thought this is challenging.

If there's one statement that haunts me in the instructions given by Nestle in preparation for the Management Immersion for Leadership Excellence (MILE) of which I'm lucky enough to be one of the 48 students in the Philippines who were chosen, it would be:

Exercise good judgment in dressing up as you will be meeting up top executives of the company.

Since I am not well off, my clothes literally fall under the category "yagit." Which in English translates to "horrendous". Kidding. What I mean is, untidy-- the common stereotype for engineering students, reaching as far as claiming that we, inhabitants of the engineering building, never wash our jeans for a month. But that's a BIG myth. We do wash our jeans after 29 days of everyday use. 

This could only mean one thing-- use every ounce of resourcefulness to obtain the "good judgment in dressing up." For four days I need 4 casual attires, a strictly formal one and 2 sets of workout apparel. (Never mind the clothing for sleep time. I remember Marilyn Monroe, when asked what she wore in bed, she replied: "Perfume.") That's when I remembered my friends.(Ha ha, play That's what friends are for here) True enough, I was able to confirm that a friend in need is a friend indeed. One casual attire, check. Formal attire, check. (Although I borrowed it to broaden options.) The rest now depends on my uncle's "baul" and my limited funds. My already vanishing bills brought me to the department store, where I spent a jillion years trudging to and fro a fitting room. I just can't find good clothes to fit my build. I'm very skinny (I think I have a reason to be with the No.1 Health and Nutrition Company in the World) and formal clothes are literally too big (and too expensive) for me. After suffering from instantaneous alopecia from scratching my head in indecisiveness, I finally settled for 2 polo shirts, a really big (my aunt says it's psychological) long sleeve, 2 slacks and a tie. (Of all of the items, I was most amused with the tie. It just fits. Ugh!)

 I'm literally excited. I'm like a young sailor about to make his maiden voyage in a large ship in search for a rare, valuable sea creature that will bring him laurels if captured.

And thus with my wardrobe, top execs, prepare to meet me.

Kinatoks: What people do when they just don't understand

Once upon a time in a Kinetics class, when information seems too much and differential equations lull you to an uneasy sleep (knowing that you still have to deal with it when you wake up), when students look at each other in unanimous realization that the ability to understand has left them just when they need it most,

they do one of these things:

Sheila: (Excited and sincere) Karl, can you give me some candy?

(My classmate Karlisle (pronounced Karlayl) is known for hording candies in his pocket. Probably because he's afraid there might be an impending candy shortage. This time, he just ran out of it. So, brilliant as he is, he thought of a solution. Bravo,bravo!)

The topmost scribble is not intellectual doodle. In integral calculus it's called change of variables, to make the expression "easier" (and by easier I don't necessarily mean easy) to integrate. We do a lot of that in Kinatay Kinetics. 

P.S. Note that the word Ondoy doesn't mean that the candy tastes like a supertyphoon.  Believe me, it's just his surname.

Look what Kinetics does to them. 

Kinatay, Kinetics

Of course the alliteration is considerable. However, not so considerable as the meanings itself. Kinatay-- that is-- to slaughter (wailing optional) depicts nothing short of the deplorable condition which I got myself (or any Chemineering student, I suppose) into. It's called Chemical Reaction Engineering. In response to the everyday call of laziness, we call it Kinetics because in my limited knowledge of the subject it concerns reaction rates. Simply put, however, we call it headache.

Headache because of the sleepless nights spent in studying and headache during the exam itself.

Afterwards, everybody would pray that when the moment the results come, the headache wouldnt turn into a heartache. 

Somehow I can understand the sentiments of that guy who jumped from the overpass. To prevent oneself from following his unfortunate demise, one motivation is to always bear in mind the patabaing baboy meant to be roasted when thy graduation comes. The ceremonial killing must not be postponed. It has grown enough and you must graduate.

Aaahh!! Kinetics!! It's a necessary evil, so to speak.

This calls for a celebration

Prefatory Note: The blogger in me cannot resist the urge to recount my wonderful experience with you. Hence, I apologize to you Nestle, for I will have to state here how it is to be summoned by the number one health and wellness company in the world. 

After submitting a 2 page comprehensive resume, interviewed twice by phone, and depleting my English vocabulary, I was finally in for the final screening (I wondered what mesh will they use). The confirmation call was quite brief, but that was only because I've got nothing else to say except two words-- Thank you. By virtue of being here in Mindanao, they would have to fly me in to Makati, to Nestle Philippines Main Office, and then fly me out. That to me, is exciting. For one, I feel important.(Yes, especially when all expenses are paid for you.) Second, I feel rich. (Yes, especially when you know all expenses are paid for you, again.) And third, it was what I wanted. Ideally, nothing beats the feeling of getting what you want.

So I prepared myself for the big day. I did not know then, that the next 24 hours of my life would be life changing. Within 24 hours, I

•  was airborne twice, 

• devoured Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, 

• learned that Manila Centennial Airport is connected to NAIA and hence cabin crews will not announce that you had landed at Manila Centennial Airport but at NAIA, 
• learned how to ask cellphone load from a Nestle executive, be escorted by a uniformed driver (equipped with 2 smartphones for SMART and GLOBE, taray!) from airport to hotel, 
• had exquisite dinner at the luxurious A. Venue Sky Suites hotel (could it be that they thought I am a celebrity?), 
• wondered whether the waiters in the restaurant are waiters or matinee idols disguised as waiters, 
• made friends with 4 other students who speak the same language (Oy Raffy, Annsille, Athena and How-mini), 
• learned how to wear a necktie (by sleeping late enough to learn it on my own, by sheer luck), 
• dressed up in my alleged corporate attire where I could easily have been mistaken as a waiter, 
• ate the most sophisticated and overwhelming breakfast in my life that I thought that would be the last time I'll eat breakfast, 
• met more students from UP Diliman ( Oy Cara, Carla and Arianne) and San Beda (Oy, Mon) and be amazed with their personalities, 
• brushed elbows with senior executives, 
• witnessed how a senior executive got to tears because of a touchy question (it's adorable)
• defended a presentation from these senior executives (it felt like AI or PGT, only classier),
• learned that in the Nestle office MILO, Nestea, Lemonade and Nescafe are available bottomless,
• ate lunch for 15 minutes because a flight was waiting and the traffic is debilitating, and finally 
• had a great time!

When I went back home I was still smelling of the aroma of the fresh experience when I realized it was not yet the end. I am, after all, still vying for the real deal-- the four day live-in training program this October 26-29, 2010.

Just a while ago, they called me up and said I will have continue my journey with Nestle.You're right. They called up to congratulate me because I am officially a MILE Elite. The first reaction was: Huwaaaat?? But then again, I wanted this. That's why I want to extend a jillion gestures of gratitude to all who were kind enough to support me and of course to Nestle, who saw my potential in that 1 and a half hours of group activity.

As I've said, nothing beats the feeling of getting what you want.

It's Ms. Grace de Castro, Nestle's senior executive herself when MILE visited MSU-IIT.  This time, everyone's motivation for success was rekindled.

Evidence of how Ms. Grace de Castro rocked the MSU-IIT Mini Theater. She was really, really entertaining. Hands down.

 Photos courtesy of Nestle M.I.L.E. If your on facebook, you could visit them here.

Mugna is devise, concoct, contrive, fabricate and an amusement park.

In our place  we call it "perya." But ever since I studied in Iligan City and got to know the place through the arduous  years of college education I now call it "mugna." The first time I heard the words I couldn't make out what it means albeit the literal English translation. In  my Bisaya, mugna means devise, concoct or contrive or even fabricate. In Iligan, when jeepney barkers shout at the top of their lungs the controversial yet popular word they mean amusement park.

And to the amusement park we went. It's quite amazing how a vacant lot during most days of the year turns into a place laden with so many make-shift shops and boutiques clad with hundreds of people who seem to remain undecided as to which pirated DVD would they buy, or which henna tattoo design would look good on them. As for us, we were captivated by the hats and bags made from abaca fiber and in our zeal we    took photos wearing them. (Clearly, the consent of the owner is out of the question  when our group is so bent on  having our photograph taken. That rule goes without exception.)

Don't look for me. I'm not there.

And of course, who could forget the rides? They're obviously close to dilapidated compared to the famous (and sometimes infamous) rides of big amusement parks like Enchanted Kingdom or Star City but  still they beget excitement and the occasional shrill of mixed terror and longing to indulge thyself. (Ha, I imagined myself unable to restrain a jump.) There are, in fairness, a considerable  number of rides. Although some are unexciting, and other highlights scientifically uninviting (headless lady, to see is to believe. Gah!), some still stood out from plain eyesight. They name them Galactica and Spider (although we insist to call it Octopus.) Galactica reminds me of the physics problem about uniform circular motion that ends with the statement "riders say that they felt like being pushed to the wall. Is there really such a force?"

Experience with the Galactica told me that it pays thirty pesos to get dizzy. It also works when you want to increase the number of people you see by threefolds. However, the feeling of travelling on a bus traversing a long and winding road did not deter me from trying the ride named after the mollusk with eight tentacles. (The truth is, I've wanted to try it ever since. This time, I succeeded in doing so.)

Whopee-doo. The enjoyment is apparent. Even when subjected to high angular velocity, we still managed to contort ourselves just to pose for the camera and bathe in the photons emitted by the flash.

                                                                                     

Now who would deny Iliganons and non-Iliganons alike to find revelry in the place by forwarded bomb threats from God-knows-where? 

Happy fiesta, Iligan! Viva Sr. San Miguel! I'm deeply indebted to this event. Without it, we wouldn't have no classes for 2 days.

This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you

During the ChE quiz  bowl I was able to answer a question about him at the mere mention of the thickness of his brush strokes. Vincent van Gogh is ubiquitous in quiz shows and it is because of this fact that I came to appreciate his artworks. (Not to mention include Vincent by Don Mclean as one of my favorite songs.)

To honor the artist whose posthumous fame is rivaled only by Rembrandt, NASA features the astronomy picture of the day.

Drumroll please.

Starry Night Over the Rhone
Credit: Vincent van Gogh, Wikipedia; Acknowledgement: B. Schaefer (LSU) 

 

Explanation: How can the majesty of the night sky best be captured in a painting? This was a continual challenge for Vincent van Gogh, a famous painter in the late 1800s who pioneered stirring depictions of star filled skies into several of his works. Pictured above is van Gogh's Starry Night Over the Rhone, where the French town of Arles is depicted complete with gas lights reflecting off the Rhone river. van Gogh's night sky appears alive with turbulent stellar images contrasting with lofty dark blue hues. Above the river, one can discern the stars of the familiar Big Dipper asterism. Following a line connecting the two Big Dipper stars on the right, the North Star Polaris could be easily found, the height of which can then be estimated and actually gives the latitude where the painting was created. 

Credits to:

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

I love astronomy.