Day 10

The tenth day of our trip is spent for visiting academic  institutions in Kortrijk.

We interact with 2nd Year high school students. We share to them about our culture and how the educational structure in the Philippines is different from theirs. We also share our quirky experiences in Belgium.

Janica, Danica and Jedde interacting with 2nd year high school students.

After our brief encounter with the 2nd years, we go attend a religion class of the seniors. Their teacher, a priest asks us to form small groups. In each group, we discuss about our religious views and practices and our perceptions of controversial issues like abortion, divorce and importance of marriage, gay people and euthanasia or mercy killing. I think the questions were quite sensitive and delicate, but we have a nice and open sharing.

My small group consist of Ate Faith, Martin, Julla and two students.

Most Belgians are baptized Catholic but not everyone practices their faith. Usually, they only attend ceremonies to witness the baptism or wedding of a friend or relative. Most of the students I've interacted with are agnostics. They don't believe in a systematized religion, but they believe that there is a higher being out there. But despite our differences, most of us share the same stands on social issues: Most of us are not entirely in favor of abortion, or we respect gay people and believe that they should be given rights like the others or that we hold marriage as a very important bond of two people in love.

Being raised in a devout Catholic family and growing up in a Catholic environment at school, I was overwhelmed by my sharing with them. I realize that I should be open-minded about people's different beliefs. I realize that I'm not so open about that yet.



After two sessions of Religion classes, we go to PTI, a technical school. We had lunch there first. After that, we tour around the campus. They show us their green houses, farm and gardens.

PTI

Inside the greenhouse, they grew tropical plants.

We present to Johanne's class the AVP of YMX's mission in Belgium and Netherlands and he as well presents the structure of the school. We don't have time for more interaction with his students, but we do have time for flower arranging tutorial.

Jedde and Russel explains the AVP

I have a little experience with flower arranging before. I only use three flowers but I follow the Ikebana principle. Many are actually impressed by my work.

The YMX delegates with their masterpieces and Johanne's students.