Tuesday Thoughts: How Do I End My Hiatus?

I've been in social media hiatus since the last week of 2019. It's was so easy for me to detach because I just didn't want it anymore. Trust me, I have my reasons and I think that's worth sharing in another blog post. Adding to that, I've been very careful with my digital footprints as well. However, COVID-19 happened. This dreaded disease got me thinking these: how can I reach out to those I know and to those I don't know and if I do reach out, what exactly do I say?

For the past couple of weeks, I prayed and thought about it. I want to go back to my accounts and use them to glorify the Lord and to help educators go digital, especially now that the online platform is the only way to reach out to family, friends, colleagues, and in my case, my students.

God will sometimes answer you in the most funny, yet nerve-wracking situations. Nope, I haven't even tried posting anything on my personal accounts as of today. But the Lord gave me ways to "help" in the background. Below are the opportunities that opened for me to slowly get myself back in the digital world.


Webinars on G Suite for Education

Below if the replay of the webinar session I helped to conduct for educators who are curious or want to adopt Google Classroom in their current practice.

Feel free to share to any Filipino educator you know. Hopefully, they pick up a thing or two about the practical uses of Classroom. More of these in the PH COVID-19 Edu Webinars website.

Lockdown Notes Project

This is an on-going series of audio notes of Pastor Alex Marcos about the lockdown and what the Bible can teach us during this situation. It's available on Spotify, Anchor, and Soundcloud.

Links are available in the CCF CMW Viber Community

I will make a separate post on how you can get started with your own podcast soon!

CCF Commonwealth Online Community Building

CCF CMW Viber Community

I've been told a lot of times that the church is the people and not the building. This is very much real, especially now that we cannot go out and meet physically to attend services and have fellowship. Community building is now easier done through Viber. What used to be "public chats" are now revamped to be "community boards." Unlike exclusive group chats, Communities have shareable links. Members share the link on their social media, so other people can join. It's moderated by Admins and Super Admins, plus there are permission options depending on the purpose of the community.

Join CCF Commonwealth Viber Community to get updates on contents and tools you can use to reach out and how you can help others. We post the Lockdown Notes episode in the community early in the morning, so members get first dibs on it before the whole world does. :)

So, what's next?

Since Enhanced Community Quarantine is officially extended up to April 30, I kind of have free spare time some energy to expend. I have a couple more passion projects lined up. I'm so excited for these, but I must first finish my responsibilities at work, so I give my full, undivided attention to make these projects happen.

I'm not sure when I can really get back in my other social media accounts (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, etc). I still don't have God's full go signal to go back. But I am thrilled because the exposure that I get to experience now are more awesome than just merely scrolling through a news feed.

Three Curious Questions

This is not my first blog ever, but my colleagues encouraged me to keep one because I have tons of unpublished musings and they do not see the light of day because I feel they're not perfect. But who's perfect, yeah? So let's start from the very beginning and answer three questions that people ask me most of the time.


WHO ARE YOU? 

Hi, I'm Paola. Some of my students and co-teachers call me Teacher P. I am a teacher in Cornerstone Christian Academy of Quezon City in the Philippines.

I am also a graduate student in the Ateneo. I'm currently finishing my coursework for my masters degree in Education major in IT Integration. My journey in the Ateneo is very wonderful so far because of the people I meet and the friendships and networks I've built. Do know, however, that graduate studies is not for the weak hearted. It takes a lot of effort, perseverance, and prayers to move towards the finish line.

Enough of the serious things! Let me tell you some fun things about me. I love the Asian culture - music, movies, drama, a little bit about history, and of course, FOOD! I make it to a point to travel at least twice a year. My favorite destinations so far are Seoul, Ho Chi Minh, and El Nido. I like to read... a lot. I consume my spare time by reading anything interesting in the Internet and from my pile of unread books. I also write. Hence, this blog. Oh, and I love coffee - warm latte with a few drizzle of caramel syrup, please?

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING?

As of writing, I teach English in junior high school and Earth & Life Science, Physical Science, and Media and Information Literacy in senior high school. Science and ICT are my favorite things. My love for those two open doors to a crazier world of endless learning, teaching, and creating. I'm also a Google Certified Educator. With crossed fingers, I am hoping to be a Google Certified Trainer and Innovator someday.

Aside from the things I mentioned, I am a Christian and I am blessed to be employed in a Christian school where I can integrate the Bible in my lessons. I believe that the only way to Heaven is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and that the things that I do are outpours of my love for the Lord. That's why I am so passionate with learning and teaching.

WHAT IS THIS FOR?

I am developing this blog because of three things:

• I want to teach others what I know;
• it's high time that I get out of my social media hiatus; and
• I want to influence others and stretch my reach in the worldwide web.

I have a lot of mini projects coming up, so stay tuned. For now, you may follow Instagram (@geeklikeoxygen) and my YouTube channel for more contents.