Page 11 : This is how it all ended... in Manila, we're still going to continue our story back in Indonesia, and beyooooond!

The beauty of a journey isn’t in the destination, but in the people you meet and the memories you create along the way.

After the final demo finished, we still had 3 days left to make memories here in the Philippines before going back to Indonesia on November 8th. With a ton of help from our PNU friends—Aly, Mona, Jaira, and Yella—we made the most unforgettable memories in our last days! We did karaoke, explored Intramuros more, tasted halal street food, had a photoshoot, and strolled together to buy some pasalubong. I will cherish these moments forever in my heart...<3

Page 10 : My final demo!

Teaching is not just about imparting knowledge; it's about sharing moments, learning from each other, and leaving a piece of your heart with your students.

On November 4th, 2024, I finally had my final demo. After preparing my review puzzle two days before our tour in Tagaytay, the day before my demo, I only had to focus on mastering the material. I was super nervous, but I knew I could do my best! No matter how challenging it felt, I reminded myself, "You can always carry the world with you!"

Page 9 : Swinging in Tagaytay!

The world is full of wonders—take the leap with friends by your side and make every trip an adventure.

As planned, the six of us were invited on a tour to Tagaytay with PNU lecturers; Ma'am Vicky and Ma'am Dhana. After preparing for the final demo the day before, my shoulders felt a little lighter, and I was ready for this exciting tour!

Page 8 : Preparing for final demo, so that we can enjoy our Tagaytay tour!

The more prepared you are, the more confident you become.

On October 31st, the schedule for this day's classes was moved forward and also ended early because the next day, November 1st, would be All Saints' Day, which is a public holiday in the Philippines. It was said that many students would like to go to their hometowns with their families. So, I only got to handle one section in the morning class, 10-Newton. I took this no-study opportunity to brief the students about my final demo and take pictures with the students since I hadn’t had the chance to do so before. 10-Newton, what a sweet section...<3

Page 7 : My second demo!

Teaching is a journey of small steps and steady growth, where each lesson builds a stronger, more confident teacher.

On October 30th, 2024, I had my second demo. My feelings were just like they were before my first demo, scared and nervous. However, since I had received feedback from my cooperating teacher, Mr. Banigon, after my first demo, I knew I just needed to focus on improving the areas he had mentioned and, of course, on mastering the material I was going to teach. Here’s to an even better demo, hehe!

Page 6 : A day when I bought a cute hairclip.

There’s a unique joy in seeing students shine outside the classroom — their passions and creativity on full display.

On October 29th, 2024, there was a big event at Araullo High School. It was a booth fair prepared by the students. There were booths for entertainment as well as for food and drinks. Since there was an event, the schedule for classes was slightly rearranged. In the morning, I only handled one class, 10-Descartes, and the afternoon classes were moved forward. It was so exciting to see the students' passion in running their booths. I also got to taste some of the food and bought items from a few booths. What an exciting day it was!

Page 5 : My first demo!

Growth isn’t found in perfection; it’s in the moments we step forward, ready to improve.

On October 28th, 2024... guess what finally happened?! Yeah, it is clearly written in the title, haha. I finally had my first demo! The schedule was moved back a little bit since there was a lot class suspensions due to Typhoon last week. I was so scared and nervous that I thought I wouldn't do well, but it turns out my mentor said that I did well! I am so proud of myself, as this was the first time I'm teaching mathematics in English with my mentor observing me. I believe this first experience will help me become a better teacher in the future. Keep it up, Lala!

Page 4 : A week of Typhoon... literally.

You may not always end up where you thought you were going, but you will always end up where you were meant to be.

I thought this week I would be focusing on continuing my observation activity and finally starting my demos. However, this week's main activities only lasted for two days, Monday and Tuesday, because all of the classes from Wednesday until Friday are suspended due to bad weather caused by Typhoon Kristine in Manila. However, I see no problem with it! We still managed to make it fun... with a little bit of fear since it’s our first time experiencing a typhoon, hehe.

Page 3 : First week at the Manuel G. Araullo High School.

Before we move, we must first understand where we stand.

On October 16th, 2024, we were finally deployed to Manuel G. Araullo High School, a public secondary school in Manila. I was assigned with Mr. Ricardo B. Banigon, Jr. as my mentor teacher. He teaches both mathematics and statistics, and is responsible for two sections: 10-Newton and 10-Descartes. I’ll be teaching statistics to these two classes. Before starting my practice teaching, I spent the first week observing, which has given me a good understanding of the classroom dynamics and teaching methods. I'm looking forward to starting my teaching experience here!

Page 2 : First things in the Philippines.

Every time you step outside your comfort zone, you welcome new friendships and exciting experiences.

On October 8th, 2024, we finally had our flight to the Philippines. The flight had a transit in Hong Kong. So, the route we took was Palembang - Jakarta, Jakarta - Hong Kong, Hong Kong - Manila. The flight was fun because I got to experience it with everyone—the six of us. Of course, it was also tiring, but that didn’t really matter as long as we had fun, right?

Page 1 : This is how it all started.

Life is too short to be scared about what might be. Just go for it.

Hi, everyone! I am Faiza Nabila, a 7th semester student in Mathematics Education, Sriwijaya University. I am going to tell you the backstory of how I applied to SEA Teacher Program 2024 to Philippines Normal University, as well as the entire preparation process that I had gone through. It is going to be a long story. So, I hope you'll enjoy the story! <3