Thesis Acknowledgments

Four months in the making. 10-month hiatus in the Land of Kimchi. I never thought that I would still have the courage and the skill to accomplish this feat. This is my crown. And the crown is only as beautiful as its gems. The gems are those people who helped me push through. I want to thank them even in this very little space, though I know this will never be enough.

I thank the Department of Social Sciences, which has helped hone my sociological imagination. It’s one very abstract concept I thought I wouldn’t realize until now. There were good and bad memories, being a part of DSS, but they’re my gems all the same. After four years, I can say that it was a joy to have been under its auspices. I thank Sir Arlegue, who appreciated my ability even as a freshperson (he taught me this politically correct term too); Ma’am Winnie Medina, for her untiring encouragements and for giving me my first “uno” in SocSci 1; Ma’am V of ACCI reading room who accommodates me every time I need an air-conditioned room to study in; Sir Ben, Sir Oliver, Ma’am Chrys, Ma’am YB, Ma’am Janice, and Ma’am Jinky—the instructors I respect so much for believing in me. All of you are brilliant. To my other teachers, thank you for passionately sharing your knowledge. Your lessons might be forgotten but your names are etched in my heart.

I thank S.A.R.S. Bloc, my first family in UPLB. Thanks to Khai who gave S.A.R.S. its meaning: Students’ Association Representing Sociology. Eunica, your sweet singing voice will forever resonate inside my head. Thanks to Claire, Nina, Leah and Jabez for giving me the best friendship I could ever wish for. Your rooms are more than just places where I stay at night writing group papers and all that jazz—they’re my home in LB. Thanks to Ej and Jaja who shared with me things that are beyond words to describe. You are the reason why I survived in the course, the reason why I excelled in papers; you are my treasures, the reason for my singlehood. You two always make me feel valued in times when detractors are there to catch me. You are my refuge in times of depression. You two are the source of happiness and strength. Thank you for sailing with me all these years. To the S.A.R.S. members, our bloc meetings, our Indio’s dinners, our Christmas exchange gifts, the classes we attend together—they have a special place in my memory. It will take all the powers of amnesia to rid them off my brain.

I thank the UPLB Sociology Society for the “challenge” during the application process. You made me realize that the “process” is not a meaningless tradition. Being a part of the organization is one of my laurels. All the projects that we did were conceived with passion and excellence. I take pride in our name and in our preamble. Brods and sises, thank you for sending me off to Korea, and thank you for welcoming me back. You are one heck of a bunch! Love sociosoc tudu-tudu!

I thank UPLB Campus Crusade for Christ for bringing me closer to God. I thank my batchmates TJ, Anna, Dong, Pam, Aina, Kaye-anne, Aaron, Jaren, Ilia, and Al. Thank you bros and sises for the encouragements and for the welcome party for me. I thank my Kuyas and Ates in the movement, and my disciplers kuya Adam, kuya Moi, and kuya Reggie for mentoring me to become more Christ-like.

I thank ASEAN University Network, Daejeon University, Daejeon City, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Korea, and KONICOF for an experience of a lifetime. The Exchange Student Program 2007 has taught me lessons that I could never have learned had I not been in Korea. It has given me the most wonderful opportunity for friendship, enjoyment, learning, and living. Thank you for caring for me when I was there. Because of your genuine love for the exchange students, we have never experienced even a single problem during our stay. Who could have thought that life can be so worry-free? I thank the Chinese students for the distinctly Chinese friendship; Christian and Jiahua, and all the Chinese girls, I miss your cute voices. I will treasure our group picture youngwonhi. Xie-xie. I thank the Japanese students for bringing me nearer to the anime and manga I love. Thank you Kasumi, Mami and Yuki for coming with me to Bubi-bubi Hip hop club. That very cold night, that all-nighter, won’t be forgotten. Domo arigato gozaimasu. I thank Jinhyoung, my 1st semester Korean buddy, who taught me a lot of things about independence and hard work. Thank you, buddy, for going with me to a lot of places. You have given more than enough to me—driving for 6 hours without shift to Mt. Sorak, occasional food treats, the unforgettable home stay in Seoul and touring us there… I miss those days. I thank Seung-bo, my 2nd semester buddy, for introducing me to his wonderful family in Taean. Thanks for sharing with me Chuseok celebration. Thanks for bringing me to the West Sea, for the bowling games, for the soju and mekju, for the tears you shed when I said farewell. I thank Hyun Gyu for inviting me to his house for samgyeopsal and fooling me to taste the dried pepper. I won’t forget how it burnt my tongue. Your ability to appreciate even the smallest things I admire. For all the help and friendship, cheers. I thank Nate Cooke for his just being there. I admire you as a brother in Christ. Thank you for the gift of friendship. I hope you enjoyed the “Nate Cake” Tanya and I baked. Thanks to Bong-kyu for helping me out learning Korean, for lending a hand in times of need, for giving me fashion advice. Thanks to Hyun-il for his unparalleled generosity. Thanks for bringing me to your place to witness traditional Korea ancestral worship, for dragging me along to the most famous fortune-teller in Daejeon city , for the extravagant food treats, for the noraebang. Thanks to Kevin, Chaehun, Jaehun and Noel for the kindness and thoughtfulness. Our friendship means to me a lot. Thanks to Tae-jin, who helped us prepare Baked Mussels during the International Food Festival. It was there where we first met but you unreservedly helped us out. I remember our lunch together with Hye-jin and Seung-bo. I thank Eun-jin nuna, Mr. Pyo, the International Office and AUN staff, and all my professors. You are 최고! I thank my students in Korea: The Bae family who always prepares snack and dinner whenever Tanya and I teach at their place. Thank you for your love. You are our family there; thanks Lee family, Andy and Harry, for appreciating me as your teacher. Thanks to Sajangnim and Samonim for their hospitality. I miss walking the long walk to your house; thanks Prof. Lee for taking interest in learning Tagalog; thanks to Yongun-dong Church, my Christian community in Korea; thanks to Techmoa, Inc. employees for making me feel a part of the company during my internship. Special thanks to sonsaengnim Kim for taking good care of me at work, Kim Ae nuna for the chitchats and driving me to the bank, and sonsaengnim Seol for giving me a 1 gigabyte pen drive where I store my thesis files.

I thank my fellow ASEAN scholars: Siti, Hazizah, Lyn, Kine and Ken (Malaysia), Nadine and Jelyn (Thailand), Nana and Icha (Indonesia), Ngan and Len (Vietnam), Joe (Laos), Izza (Brunei), Nary (Cambodia), Freda (Singapore), Dave (New Zealand), and Tanya (Philippines). Special thanks to my fellow Filipino Tanya Quijano. You are a beautiful person inside out. I’ve learned so much from you, we’ve shared so many trips together, and writing all of them demands another book to be written. You know that you’re special to me now as a fellow scholar and as a sister in Christ. Thanks to Lia and Ana for the Pizza Hut, Natur, and for touring us in Hannam University.
Yorobun, there are things that, try as you may, remain as a distant ember that even the slightest touch of wind can extinguish. To all my friends all over the world, this is my tribute to you. I promise that the memories we’ve had I’ll always try to remember. Kamsahamnida. Bogoshipoyo.

I thank Dr. Corazon B. Lamug for accepting me as her advisee. It’s a great honor to have been guided by her able mind. Thanks for the patience and the valuable comments that have shaped my thesis to something that I could be proud of. Thank you for appreciating my trivial contribution to sociological knowledge; I will try harder in my future endeavors.

I thank my FAMILY. Papa Nilo, Mama Aidyn, Zarah, and Julia. Thank you for being so patient with me for the last few months that I rarely go out of my room except to eat. Thank you the emotional and financial support. I wouldn’t wish that I was born to a different family. I can’t thank you enough. I love you. I thank my grandparents, my aunts and my uncles who are always there to say “ang galing mo”. It means much to me. Also, thanks to my dogs Kris, Gunther, Heart, and Blue who know they have to keep silent when I’m concentrating doing the write-up.

Lastly, I give back all the glory and power to GOD ALMIGHTY. He gave me all the things that I cherish now. Thank you for keeping me in Your palm all these years. I pray that you continue to guide me in my decisions, and that I’ll become a better Christian, a kind of person that you want me to be.

Consummatum Est!