Feeding Our Friendships and Common Interests

Events bring people together... familiar... closer. But events end and we say goodbye and go home. Nope, we rather say, "see you again soon."

Going back to events, they come in myriad forms - conferences and fora, musicals and dances, trainings and yes, camps. I can and will never forget one camp - Asia Source II.

Asia Source II is a camp of love and freedom. People came from different nations - of different cultures, of different beliefs and yet, people are united with one common interest - Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) - and a multitude of plans for a more progressive world.

"Veni, vidi, vici", exclaimed by Julius Ceasar in 47 BC for his victory. I came, I saw, I conquered was what I felt exactly. I was given this great opportunity to attend and I came. I saw for myself the individuals who now are my tutors and my friends. I was able to conquer my own fears and apprehensions to be part of a greater truth and make a big difference in the lives of everyone within my reach. Geographical borders will not put a stop to my reaching out to others. My involvement has narrowed my personal digital divide and has become a growing crusade to do it for others, too. Empowerment at its best!

I have gone home but not alone. I now have a world of friends. And what does food have to do with this? Well, good food nourishes our bodies. We meet our friends in food places. We enjoy each other's company with food around.

So, what's my point then? Yes, food like knowledge can be enjoyed at its fullest only if it is shared among friends. Then, it totally nourishes not only the body but also the spirit.

Have food, anyone?

If the Shoe Fits Not - My "Dream Mischief"

The Imelda Marcos* Shoe Collection:

Asia Source II Style

*Historical trivia: Imelda Marcos is the former Philippine First Lady who is well-known for her extensive and extravagant shoe collection, which were discovered in the presidential palace when the family was forced into exile duirng the 1986 People Power (EDSA) Revolution. This "bloodless" revolution installed the country's first woman president, Corazon "Cory" C. Aquino.

One of the sights that fascinated me during the camp is this parade of shoes, sandals, slippers, flip-flops, and what-have-yous at the footsteps of the camp hall where we had our daily morning circles, track presentations, speed-geeking, and all those dynamic social activities.

I once asked myself, "what would happen if I mix these all up while everybody's inside?" It was a "dream mischief" that haunted me - almost to the point of compulsion - everytime I see this footwear line-up.

What could have been the reactions if confronted with the situation of not able to locate his/her footwear because of the crazy mix-up? An how I would have enjoyed looking at them from afar. Well, it remained as a dream, as I have said. If not, I could have been labelled as the "camp footwear GILA", if not worse. Note: GILA is the Indonesian word for crazy.

Let's play a game: Count the number of footwear pairs that you see in the picture and post your answers in the blog. So, how many can you see and count? The winner gets... a pair.

Names Before, Faces Later... Friends Forever

The FOSS-Empowered PINOY Group

Shown in this wacky shot are (from left, front row); Cheekay Cinco, Nelia Victolero, Bangge Lopez, Dianne Gonzales, Ela Bona, Joanna Mariazeta, Latreia Estabillo, Evelyn Villaflor, Yolynne Medina, Magie Antonio. Second row, from left: Pretchie Obja-an, Myra Siazon, Dr. Francis Sarmiento II, Bobby Soriano, Marvin Pascual, Joyce Sulit, Dirk Slater??? Hey, Fabulous!!!, Jerome Gotangco, Trixie Concepcion and Dr. Alvin Marcelo.

When the call for applications for Asia Source II was posted in the IOSN website last November 2006, I was confronted with a lingering question on what a source camp is all about. I didn't even recall encountering the combined words "source camp" in my past readings. Little did I know when I e-mailed my application on November 25, I was set for a journey of colorful discoveries.

The month-long wait for an invitation to attend the event was never without suspense each time I opened my mailbox - only to be interrupted by the rush of the Christmas holidays made worse by the internet disruption brought about by that strong earthquake off the coast of Taiwan towards the end of 2006. And then it finally came... I'M DEFINITELY IN AND GOING!

Of the more than 230 applications received by the organizers, 120 plus got accepted - 18 of whom are from the Philippines. I learned later that we are the 2nd largest group next to Indonesia, the host country. A name or two were familiar to me, either I've met them in recent FOSS events or I've heard or read about them. But the rest of the people in the Filipino list was totally unknown to me. I started to send them e-mails off the asiasource2 participants mailing list. I told myself that I need to know them and organize something for us all even before leaving for Asia Source II. And I felt this would be a strong group.

I flew to Indonesia a week before Asia Source II opened as I needed to attend to tasks for the camp at the ICTWatch office in Jakarta and proceeded to Sukabumi on a bus at the stroke of midnight of 20 February together with the first batch of delegates. Bobby was my bus seatmate and Cheekay, seated with Fran Boon on the opposite side. It was "getting-to-know-you" time. Days later, the rest rolled into the camp. The names have become faces and we have been a FOSS-Empowered Pinoy Group since then.

Oh yes, we have prepared for this photo-op complete with a custom-made banner, Philippine flags and loads of souvenirs the Bazaar crazed over. It was really fun!

You, what can you say about it?

The Gift of Freedom, The Keys of Change

Photo courtesy of ICTWatch.

My ASIA SOURCE II Family
Yawitra Asri, Sukabumi, Indonesia
22 to 30 January 2007

It's almost a month now that ASIA SOURCE II has opened its doors to more than a hundred eager participants. ASIA SOURCE II truly changed my life. The event was the Gift. The participants, facilitators, organizers, and the volunteers - the Keys who have opened the doors of learning, sharing, empowerment, and opportunities for me. We all are the agents of change... for the better.

It was 9 wonderful days of camaraderie and friendship that have fueled the flames of unity. The aftermath then, heralded the spread of freedom - Free/Open Source Software (FOSS).

FOSS was purely an abstraction for me years before this but the event has made it tangible, practical and comprehensible.

How I miss you all. But the digital divide between us have substantially narrowed by the universality of our common advocacy. It is indeed the Software of Love!

One month after and still kicking. One event, many changes.

Let us continue to connect, connect, and connect!