Inclusive Growth and All That Jazz

One of the frequently recurring topics during the FSOE regardless of the tyoe of test is that of Philippine Development.  I remember being asked about inclusive growth and about new ways of computing Gross Domestic Product during the exam on top of questions on poverty and unemployment.  Considering that one of our possible sources of growth are foreign direct investments, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that diplomats will have a crucial role in making things happen.

Here is a Talk of the Town article from the Philippine Daily Inquirer which I recently came across with.  It talks about concrete and tangible means in bringing about inclusive growth--the kind of ecoomic growth that doesn't get stuck at the upper echelons of society.  I'm tempted to jump the gun and rattle on but I'll let you read the article for yourself.

STRATEGIES FOR INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT
by Robert Evangelista
Philippine Daily Inquirer


Here is the complete article by Robert Evangelista on The Strategies for Inclusive Growth.  Oh, and if you do get asked about any of the startegies he propsed, don't forget to cite him :)

The Philippines successfully concluded hosting the 23rd World Economic Forum on East Asia which highlighted the impressive economic gains under President Aquino’s administration.

Just last year, despite Supertyphoon “Yolanda’s” widespread devastation, the country chalked up a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 7.2 percent, the second highest in Asia, next only to China, although GDP growth slowed to 5.7 percent in the first quarter of this year. The World Bank revised its growth projection for the Philippine economy downward from 6.7 percent to 6.6 percent for 2014.

It scored investment grade ratings from all three major global credit rating agencies, the first time in its history and stood out as the fastest-growing economy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). From being labeled the “sick man of Asia,” the Philippines is poised for a long-term growth trajectory and real economic takeoff.

Virtually unchanged

And yet, despite this stellar performance, poverty incidence has remained virtually unchanged from 25.2 percent in 2012 to 24.9 percent in the first semester of 2013 (Philippine Development Plan Midterm Update; Annual Poverty Indicator Survey). In poverty reduction, the Philippines has lagged far behind its Southeast Asian neighbors, namely, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam (Diagnosing the Philippine Economy—Toward Inclusive Growth, Asian Development  Bank [ADB] book, 2011).

The unemployment rate even worsened, as it rose to 7.5 percent in January 2014 from 7.3 percent in 2013 and the underemployment rate hovered at a high 19.5 percent for a total of 27.0 percent of the entire labor force (ADB Outlook, 2014). We already have 10 million Filipinos working overseas.

The Philippines had the highest unemployment rate for 2013 among all the 10 Asean countries (International Labor Organization [ILO] 2014 Report). See Table.

In fact, the increase in wealth of the top 40 richest Filipinos in 2011 was equivalent to 76.5 percent of the Philippine GDP growth for that year (Habito, Inquirer, June 26, 2012), manifestly showing that economic progress has disproportionately favored the economic elite.

The once vaunted “Filipino First” policy has morphed into a “Rich Filipino First” policy, as much of the country’s resources and wealth have been gobbled up by economic oligarchs. Simply stated, the remarkable economic growth has not been inclusive, bypassing the poor and the unemployed.

Inclusive development

While it is true that our chronic twin problems of poverty and unemployment may not be solved overnight, their alleviation and mitigation can be considerably hastened with  innovative, stimulating and productive transformational strategies that  will significantly uplift the lives  of all Filipinos, including the poorest of the poor.

Our people cannot afford to  wait for remedies that are agonizingly slow in coming. They need  solutions with immediate and powerful impact. The following are compelling proposals and programs that will help bring this about.

INFORMAL settlers occupy one side of a waterway in Pasay City. In the background is the skyline of Makati City. EDWIN BACASMAS

Charter amendments

The first commandment of the 10 commandments of the amendatory process, according to Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe, in his book “American Constitutional Law” (2000), is that the Constitution should not embody economic policy. The constitutions of other countries are wisely silent on economic issues and, thus, they retain great flexibility in enacting economic laws responsive to the demands of the rapidly changing times.

But not the Philippines, where we have disregarded or overlooked this principle on constitution-making, for our fundamental law expressly embodies ultranationalistic economic provisions limiting foreign ownership and investments in vital sectors of the economy.

As a consequence, the Philippines has harvested the bitter fruits of this monumental constitutional blunder. Because of these misguided economic policies deeply embedded in our Constitution, for decades the Philippines has lagged far behind its Asean-5 neighbors in  economic growth, foreign investments, job generation and poverty alleviation.

Lowest FDI

In the matter of foreign direct investments (FDIs), data from the UN Conference on Trade and Development show that for  2010-2012, the Philippines received only $6.8 billion in FDIs, while its Asean-5 neighbors received more than triple or quadruple: Vietnam—$23.8 billion, Thailand—$25.5 billion, Malaysia—$31.4 billion and Indonesia—$53  billion.

Our current level of FDIs remains at the bottom of the pack among these countries,  according to the Foundation for Economic Freedom. See bar chart.

But now, we have before us the golden opportunity to dismantle these impediments to progress once and for all. Ongoing proceedings in Congress seek to amend the Constitution by simply adding the crucial phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” to those provisions which limit or restrict foreign ownership and investments in certain significant sectors of the economy, notably in natural resources, land, public utilities, educational institutions and mass media.

These amendments are designed to attract massive investments into the economy because it is mainly through investments, especially foreign direct investments that jobs are created and poverty is reduced, resulting in inclusive development.

Philippine economic growth has been primarily consumption-driven, not investment-led and employment-oriented. We urgently need enormous investments in infrastructure, factories, natural resources, utilities, industry, agriculture and tourism.

The Philippines is in the process of adopting a comprehensive competition law as part of its commitment to the economic integration of Asean by end-2015. The integration will herald a “new era for borderless competition” across industries, as it is expected to transform the Asean countries into a single production base and market of over 600 million people, where there will be free movement of goods, services, skilled labor, investments and capital.

Fragmented competition laws

While the Philippines has more than 30 laws relating to competition, they are fragmented and not fully compliant with Asean guidelines, according to the Asia-Pacific Antitrust Review 2014.

The essence of a truly democratic free-enterprise system is competition. This proposed competition framework aims to unify all laws, regulations and policies that promote competition, innovation and productivity, rather than dishonesty, corruption and rent-seeking. The framework also aims to eliminate monopolies, cartels and unfair competition.

Antidynasty law

Political dynasties are expressly forbidden by the Constitution (Art. II, Sec. 26), but this prohibition is not self-executory as it is qualified by the phrase “as may be defined by law.”

Despite numerous valiant attempts, the proposed ban has been doomed, as Congress is regarded as the principal playground of political dynasties, which cannot be expected to embrace a law that would bring about their own political demise.

According to the Movement Against Dynasties (MAD), 80 percent of the Philippines is controlled by political dynasties. Even now, new dynasties are mushrooming all over the country. Political dynasties are “the source of corruption, massive cheating, violence, poverty, poor education and the stranglehold over business, the police and even the military where dynasties rule,” said MAD cochair Danilo Olivares (Inquirer, May 29, 2014).

A law banning political dynasties, now again pending approval in Congress, would democratize political power in the country by guaranteeing equal access and opportunity to public office, especially to poor but competent and deserving candidates.

Perhaps, in time, transforming leaders not belonging to entrenched political families, will ultimately be able to take over the reins of government and bring about accelerated inclusive development.

Good governance

Corruption is the top problem faced by developing countries, according to World Bank President Jim Yong Kim. The persistence of rampant corruption is one of the principal reasons for Philippine poverty and underdevelopment. The cost of corruption in government is stupendous, about P250 billion a year, according to the Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project.

Corruption is one of the most critical constraints to foreign investments and, hence, to sustained and equitable growth. It also weakens investor confidence, undermines tax collection, causes poor conditions of infrastructure, hinders the pace of poverty reduction, reduces productive employment opportunities, and is a major contributing factor to inequalities in access to education, health and other productive assets (Diagnosing the Philippine Economy).

Agrarian reform

Hence, the merits of the invisible hand of the market—first asserted more than two centuries ago by Adam Smith, the father of modern economics, in his classic tome “The Wealth of Nations”—must be balanced by the virtues of good governance. There must be transparency and accountability in governance, and corruption must be exposed to the light of day for, as Justice Brandeis sagaciously declared, sunlight is the best disinfectant.

A major key to inclusive development is higher agricultural productivity. Two-thirds of poor Filipinos reside in rural areas and depend predominantly on agricultural employment and incomes (Diagnosing the Philippine Economy).

According to the World Bank, developing the agricultural sector in a sustainable manner represents the only viable way out of poverty. It further asserts that land reform significantly improves the well-being of farmer beneficiaries, as they accumulate capital and assets at a faster rate than nonfarmer beneficiaries and their farms are more productive.

Many of the flourishing economies in Asia, notably China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, have utilized their successful agrarian reform programs as a springboard to effectively transition to  rapid industrialization.

The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), together with its extension (Carper), is set to expire on June 30, without having completely achieved its objectives. According to an Asia-Pacific Policy Center study, under CARP poverty incidence decreased  and landowner incomes increased. It is, therefore, advisable that CARP be continued and allowed to be fully implemented.

To make agrarian reform truly effective, however, these critical constraints must be remedied: lack of farm-to-market roads, irrigation systems, postharvest facilities, financial support, training and agricultural extension services.

‘Arangkada’

The Arangkada (“Move Fast”) program is a 10-year roadmap launched in 2010 by the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC), whose main message is that the Philippine economy has grown so slow for so long a time that it has to double its growth rate and move twice as fast to create jobs, eliminate poverty and catch up with its faster-growing neighbors to enable the economy to compete in an increasingly interlinked world.

According to Arangkada, the three biggest challenges facing the Philippine economy are to move up to a higher level of sustained growth, create more and better jobs, and make growth inclusive. It further asserts that existing massive unemployment and poverty can best be solved by investments made by both locals and foreigners, and that competitiveness is the key to attracting those investments.

Industrialization

Industrialization is crucially important to rapid economic prosperity of developing countries. Sustained economic growth, as the foundation for reducing poverty and converging to high income, is the result of incessant structural change through industrial upgrading and diversification (Lin, “The Quest for Prosperity—How Developing Economies Can Take Off,” 2012).

The most important component of the industrial sector is manufacturing, a major driver of growth, which in the Philippines constitutes around 70 percent of total industrial output. But there are major constraints to be overcome, mainly high power costs, poor infrastructure, difficulty of doing business and protectionist measures.

After World War II, the Philippines was next only to Japan in economic progress. But it  has been left behind by its Asean neighbors in attaining economic growth and eradicating poverty because of its erroneous industrial strategy. It adopted and lingered too long on import-substitution and protectionist industrialization, and failed to timely shift to the promotion of export-oriented and labor-intensive industries.

The Philippines has embarked on a reindustrialization program to recoup its lost industrialization. Manufacturing last year posted a 10.5-percent growth, nearly double the 2012 growth of 5.4 percent, although its growth moderated to 6.8 percent in the first quarter of this year.

But this revival is driven predominantly by robust domestic demand, while manufactured exports have still to diversify and intensify from over-reliance on semiconductors and electronic products.

Not etched in stone

Our economic principles and beliefs are not etched in stone or memorialized in solid granite. As Charles Darwin aptly reminds us: “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, rather it is those most responsive to change.”

Economic dynamics constantly change and we cannot just remain mired in the past or have our perspectives frozen in time. We cannot remain stubborn and unreasoning in our feudalistic, antiquated, insular, and corrupt ways and practices, and continue to lag behind our Asian neighbors in the march toward inclusive progress.

Be bold

We must adapt and keep attuned to the revolutionary and fast-evolving international developments, especially to the new highly globalized, integrated and interdependent world, governed by modern state-of-the-art information and communication technology systems.

Now is the time to boldly confront and decisively challenge these intractable critical barriers and formidable structural bottlenecks to inclusive development. We have it within our powers to jump-start and redouble our efforts to radically change for the better the lives of our poor and marginalized countrymen; achieve a more just, humane and egalitarian  society; and engender prosperity shared by all, through equal opportunity to avail ourselves of the abundant resources and blessings of genuine democracy.

(Robert Evangelista was chief legal counsel of the Philippine Center for Immigrant Rights based in New York. He pursued postgraduate studies in law and economics at the University of the Philippines [as UP Law Center scholar], constitutional law at Harvard and international economics at Oxford. He can be reached at evangelista.robert@gmail.com.)

Read more: http://opinion.inquirer.net/76044/strategies-for-inclusive-development#ixzz36ByOJZt6
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The Test that We Should've Had

This entry is in no way related to one's prepaprations for the Foreign Service Officers Exam (FSOE) but this is a little thought that I have been toying around for quite some time now as far as foreign service is concerned.

I love the fact that compared to the FSOE exams of some other countries, the Philippine FSOE has made it a point to include Foreign Language as one of the subjects in the Written Test.  This highlights the importance that we place in making sure our career diplomats are able to communicate effectively with more people from around the world.  Yes, English is still one of the most widely used languages the world over but English is not the only language that millions of people are using every day to talk to each other, to connect with each other.

There are severel hundred million people out there who do not understand a word of English because they only understand other major languages like Mandarin, Spanish, German, Arabic, French, or Japanese.  As career diplomats, it is very important for us to take great strides in learning the mother tongue of our host country.  Of any country we will ultimately be posted in.

But more than being able to forge relationships and build connnections with other countries through embracing their language, it is even more important for Filipino career diplomats to truly be able to forge strong relationships with our Overseas Filipino Workers.  After all, apart from protecting our national territory and promoting economic growth, upholding the rights of our OFWs is at the heart of our duties and responsibilities as career diplomats.

If I were to add one more subject in the FSOE, I would definitely push for a written and oral exam for Mother Tongue/Local Languages simply because if we are expected to truly uphold the rights of our OFWs, we must also take it upon ourselves to help them adjust well, to help them feel at home in a country that is foreign and strange to them.  Having transferred residences several times becuase of my work in a multinational company, I know how it feels to be alone in a place where everyone speaks a different language.  It can get tremendously lonely such that I find myself getting all excited whenever I would hear some random stranger talk in Cebuano only because it's a much-awaited glimpse of home.

Language is that powerful because it is one of the simplest indicators that make you feel and know that you are not an outcast.  That you belong to the group and this has a profound impact in helping people adjust to a new environment.  Language helps people settle in and be comfortable.  When you are in a foreign land, talking to someone in your mother tongue can make the loneliness and the homesickness a little bit more bearable because somehow, you know that even if you are far away are not on a solo flight.

I was told that several OFWs don't only pay a visit to the Philippine Embassy wherever they may be to simply process their passports or other documents.  Many of them visit the embassies/consulates to talk about other important concerns especially about their work and about settling in.  We all know that not all of these OFWs come from the Greater Manila Area or the Tagalog-speaking regions in the Philippines which means that many of them, although they can communicate in our national language, Filipino, are more comfortable talking about these concerns using their mother tongue.  We have so many OFWs who understand and who are more conversant in Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, and other major Philippine languages more than Tagalog.   Wouldn't it be a greater service to these OFWs if their career diplomats are able to converse with them in a language that they are comfortable to converse in?  Wouldn't that enable them to truly voice out and explain their concerns?  Wouldn't that small action make a big difference in their hopes to adjust and feel at home in a foreign land?

Here is how I see this happening.  Aspiring Foreign Service Officers will be asked to pick out one local language from a list of predominantly spoken regional lamguages in the Philippines in the same way that we were asked to choose a foreign language from a roster of choices.  The examinees will then be tested for their proficiency in this chosen language both through written and oral exams.  The most important test for this would be the oral exams where the examinees will be tested on how conversant they are in this chosen language.

Later on, an FSO's mother tongue can become one of the bases in his or her future assignments.  Data from the different embassies will be gathered to list down the most widely-spoken regional/local languages/mother tongue of the OFWs in a particular country.  In Spain, for example, particularly in Barcelona, there is a community of Ilocano OFWs who I ak sure would be delighted to talk to someone in the consulate who speaks in Ilocano.  The list goes on.

We shouldn't just stop there.  Using this data, FSOs who will soon be assigned in a particular country must be given an intensive course on the top 3 regional/local languages/mother tongue being spoken by OFWs in that country.  This improves communication and feedback and more importantly, it helps  big time in making the OFWs feel the presence of their diplomats and the efforts of their diplomats in helping them settle in.

This is one way I think career diplomats can truly live out our commitment in upholding the three pillars of Philippine Foreign Policy.

The Weird Comments People Say About Being in Foreign Service

When people knew I was a Key Accounts Executive and ergo into sales, they would trivialize my work as that of selling shampoo, soap, cheese, of chocolates.  Later, when they learned that I had passed the Foreign Service Officers Exam, they think the bulk of my job is about stamping passports. I don't know whether to be amused, annoyed, or both.  But let me share with you some of the common misconceptions that people have about this new chapter in my life.  If ever you decide to take the FSOE someday, take heart.  People can make weird, sometimes insensitive comments and I suggest it is better to laugh these things off than to make them feel your wrath.  Not worth thee ffort, I swear.

Weird Comment #1: Foreign service!  That's my dream job!  I've always wanted to stamp people's passports all day!

This is probably one of the most common comments my batch mates and I keep on receiving from time to time.  Really now, people, I believe it's not a career in Foreign Service that you want.  It's a career in Immigration.  FSOs will not be stamping passports.  Hang on a little bit more and I'll get to the part on what an FSOs job is really about.  Suffice to say, FSOs will be taking care of stuff like high level negotiations and making sure that everything we do is aligned to the 3 pillars of Philippine Foreign Service/Policy.  This includes making sure our national territory is protected and secure, the rights of our OFWs are upheld, and that we forge partnerships with other countries to inspire economic growth.

Weird Comment #2: Great that you are in Foreign Service and that we know each other!  I can finally get my passport processed fast!  Hope you can prioritize me.

*dry, sarcastic laughter here* isn't it funny that we complain so much about nepotism, red tape, and favoritism in the system when in fact some of us are patronizing and perpetuating this kind of culture? Please do me, yourself, and the country a favor.  Please fall in line and wait for your turn.  We can't expect others to be disciplined if we can't discipline ourselves now, can we?  Good that we have an understanding.

Weird Comment #3: Can you help me get my US/Canadian/whateverelse Visa approved?

My batch mates and I work for the PHILIPPINE Foreign Service.  This means that we only get to issue PHILIPPINE VISAS.  For US/EU/Canadian visas, kindly check with the embassies and consulates of the country you wish to enter.  Apologies, but our job has its inherent limitations.

Weird Comment #4: You're gonna be rich!

Rich with travel experience, I'm sure.

Weird Comment #5: Can I send some stuff I'm going to sell in the Philippines under your name?  It'll help me lower down the costs since you get to send things for free and thus increase my profit margins.

Oooohh...I smell smuggling.  Check out House Bill 1694.

How Not to Go Broke Over Your Filipiniana

This is a special post for the ladies, especially to those of you who will make it all the way to the Oral Exams.  I really hate to break it to you, girls, but taking the Foreign Service Officers Exam isn't just about investing your time into something that could possibly change your life forever.  Honestly, taking the FSOE also means investing your hard-earned cash into the uncertain.  Allow me to highlight this if you're not from Manila because apart from the Qualifying Exams, you need to psyche yourself for the inevitable truth that the rest of the other stages will take place in (*drum roll*)--yes, the capital city.  The only exception might be if there is a substantial number of examinees from any of the next wave cities in the Philippines like Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, or Davao.

I'm not just talking about spending for plane tickets, though--which is already a given.  And mind you, the flights don't come cheap since the changes in test schedules can be both abrupt and unexpected.  I've had batch mates working abroad who needed to rebook flights just to accommodate the exam schedules and everyone knows that those elusive promo fares pop up months before your desired travel date.

It wasn't until the Orals when I realized that the other item that requires you to dig deep into your pockets is your outfit for the Formal Dinner.  The Formal Dinner is the finale of the entire FSOE.  This happens on the third day of the Orals and is coupled with the Public Speaking Exam.  I swear I've never felt more nervous in my entire life.  I was so nervous my knees were shaking involuntarily and I could feel a cough trying to crawl up my throat.

Anyway, the Formal Dinner has a particular dress code.  The gents are required to wear either a coat and tie or the classic barong tagalog.  The women, on the other hand, can either choose between an evening gown or a Filipiniana.

Almost all of the ladies in our batch donned resplendent Filipinianas.  I chose an evening gown though for the reason that I was pressed for time and I was seriously scrimping.  In fact, I opted to take care of my own make-up, and I opted for a hairdresser who can help me whip up a classic chignon for only Php 300--quite a steal, considering I was staying in Makati at that time.

This post is for the ladies who have all plans of scrimping their budget for the Formal Dinner getup without having to sacrifice quality.  A few designers here and there might get iffy about this little cheat sheet but what the hey?  Every girl needs to know how to dress to impress without busting her bank account--especially if it's only a one time event.

If you're the type who wants to wear a classic Filipiniana without borrowing one from a friend or spending more than Php 5000 to buy a new one, the secret is no secret at all.  I realized this little cheat when I was placed in a situation that required me to come in a Filipiniana for an event that was about to take place roughly a week after I had received the invite.

What I basically did was to pick out one of my read-made long gowns (something I purchased on a discount at a mall in Cebu) and had my designer friend, Josip, transform it into a Filipiniana by simply adding Filipiniana sleeves that perfectly matched the original evening gown.  This only cost me less than a thousand pesos for everything from the materials to the labor.  The great thing about this was that I wasn't only able to save big bucks from having a brand new Filipiniana sewn for a one-time event, I was also able to recycle a gown I had only really worn twice since the day I bought it.

So if you really want to don a Filipiniana for the Formal Dinner without breaking the piggy bank, you can simply grab a nice RTW gown (make sure it looks decent and respectable enough) from your favorite boutique or department store and simply have the classic Filipiniana sleeves sewn on them.  The best type of gown for this transformation are the spaghetti-strapped or the strapless gowns.  This gives your designer or seamstress enough room to give your gown a new lease on life.  There are several gowns that cost less than Php 3000.  I even tried picking up a very elegant one for only Php 800.  Sleeves can cost you anywhere between Php 300-600.  Just make sure you pick someone who knows how to make and attach those beautiful sleeves.

The moral of the story is that a little creativity can go a long way.

A Little Tip on World History

Just moments before our pens touched the paper for the World History test during the Foreign Service Officers Exam, one of our proctors cleared his throat and said, "Our batch back then used to fear the World History test because it is the most difficult subject among all other subjects of the Written test."  Nothing like a nice, reassuring note, really.  I gripped my pen tightly when I heard those worlds and I could feel my stomach make a slight somersault.

There is a grain of truth when past batches would say that the World History test is one of the hardest--if not the hardest--and that is because the test can, at times, get a little bit too objective for anyone's taste.  Yes, there is a chance that you might be asked about people whose small actions made a big difference in the pages of history and it doesn't stop there.  You might be asked to enumerate their contributions, the explain the significance of a tiny event, maybe even at some point to discuss how the dawn of farming gave birth to the wars of the 21st century.

The bigger challenge here is that not all history books will have you at the edge of your seat.  Believe me, I've come across so many history books that can pass off as willing substitutes to sleeping pills.

Like all other subjects covered in the FSOE, the trick to preparing isn't just about working hard.  It's also about working smart--of covering as much ground as you can given the limited number of months you have to prepare for a test with a high level of uncertainty in tow.

As far as World History is concerned, I ditched nearly 80% of the books I hoarded at the beginning and instead resorted to what was then my new found best friend--History Channel.

History Channel is a treasure trove of documentaries on countless milestones in World History.  The beauty about the History Channel documentaries is that they don't just give you a presentation of what happened.  Each documentary is carefully crafted to explain how slight ripples of actions were more than enough to create waves in the story of humankind.  I like how History Channel's documentaries are able to humanize the stories that we have heard time and time again in our History classes.  These documentaries are able to give depth to issues and to people we have long ago passed our judgment on.  Sometimes, I find it quite fascinating that in certain events, the villain and the hero are one and the same person.

Here are five documentary series I highly recommend any reviewing examinee to watch.  These stories will not only help you gear up for the exam.  It will change the way you look at the story of all of us.

Mankind: The Story of All of Us

Mankind is my all-time favorite documentary on World History simply because the storytelling is unbeatable.  If schools used this documentary series to teach kids about World History, I'm pretty certain no one will doze off.  Mankind is a 12-part documentary series that manages to capture the most important milestones of World History in a nutshell.  I'm tempted to spill the spoilers but I guess I'll have to zip my mouth or I'll run the risk of ruining your entire viewing experience.  Mankind's strength is its ability to bring to the forefront profound lessons from real experiences not just of history's greatest leaders but even lessons drawn from the experiences of people, places, and events many of us have overlooked.  This documentary will serve as a great supplement to any history book you are currently reading.

Declassified

Mao Zedong, Joseph Stalin, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban, and Fidel Castro are among the few people deemed as some of the world's greatest 'villains'.  At least that is how some people would like us to think.  But as they say, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.  At the end of the day, it may be just a game of perception.  It may depend on who the storyteller is and from whose eyes one is viewing history.  Declassified is a documentary series that tackles the rise and fall of many of history's most striking dictators and 'terrorists'.  It also sheds light on some of the greatest conspiracy theories of all time so that everyone may get a glimpse of who the puppet master and the puppets truly are.  I find this documentary essential to watch because it will help you understand the roots of some of history's greatest conflicts and why some men resort to the dark side to realize what they believe are noble intentions.

Engineering an Empire

Empires are yesterday's superpowers.  These are the powerful civilizations, on the shoulders of which today's superpowers are standing on.  This documentary tells the story of World History from the paradigm of technological development.  It's a tour through Egypt, Rome, Russia, and China to name a few in an attempt to show us that no civilization, no empire has the monopoly of all knowledge and technology.  The main point of this series is that technology is the heritage of all mankind.  The development of technology is a constant flow of one idea being built on top of another in an attempt to foster continuous development for the benefit of humanity.

America: The Story of Us

One's study of World History will never be complete without digging deep in the history of today's most prominent and most influential superpower--The United States of America.  Created in the amazing storytelling tradition of Mankind , America relives the story of how the United States, a former colony of Great Britain, came to rise and surpass the glory of its mother nation.  It's the classic story of zero to hero--a common theme one finds in many American stories.  This documentary takes you through the American psyche.  After watching this series, you will come to understand why the North Americans are some of world's greatest risk takers and innovators.

Innovators: The Men Who Built America

How exactly did America reach superpower status and when did it all begin?  Not a lot of people realize that the USA's status as one of the most technologically-advanced, and one of the most influential nations in the world started from the dreams of five men who pushed the boundaries and the limitations of technology and commerce during their day.  From the creation of massive railways (Vanderbilt) to the development of automobiles (Ford), business, industry, commerce, and innovation form the foundation of America's success.  The best part is that these five men don't even realize the impact their competition would have not only on the USA but on the entire world as well.

On a final note, when you study for World History, don't just stop at the usual overview.  Go full-circle by studying the history of today's most influential nations and international organizations.  Include the history of the USA, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the ASEAN in your study list and try to find how each of their histories overlap.  The secret to World History is about finding the threads that tie all of mankind together.

Serendipity and The Great Migration: How Social Psychology Saved My Soul in the FSOE

When people prepare for the Foreign Service Officers Exam, they either turn to a degree in law in order to prepare for the International Law subject in the test, or they opt to pursue a Master's degree in International Relations.  

Personally, it was a different path for me and the best part was that it was never intentional.

It was 2011 and the FSOE was the last thing I could think of.  I was in the midst of the flurry of my job in a multinational company busy trying to hit each month's targets (which kept getting higher every month!) while balancing it with my part time job as a travel and lifestyle correspondent for one of Cebu's major dailies.  In between all that, I'd usually hang out at the mall until it hit me:  there's a better way for me to use whatever remained of my spare time instead of simply spending it to go window shopping every day.

That's when I decided to pursue a Master's degree.  I did not have any particular course in mind at that time because honestly, I just really wanted to do something more productive after work.  I browsed through the website of the University of San Carlos and the first thing that caught my eye was the Master's degree in Psychology.  After giving it a good, hard though for the next ten minutes, I made my decision.  I am going to take up the program that people would least expect me to take.

The first choice was Industrial/Organizational Psychology but halfway through the first semester, I had made good friends with the Social Psychology people that I opted to make a great migration to Social Psychology instead.  That's where the real fun started.

It wasn't until October 2012 when I decided to take my chances in the FSOE that I realized what a huge blessing that was.  

Social Psychology doesn't exactly ring a bell to most people which is ironic because everything that happens in our world from the way we choose the products that we want in the supermarket to how we think about an issue to how we make our close relationships work is the concern of this field in psychology.

What is great about social psychology is that it provides you with a meta theory which deepens your level of analyses just when you thought that it was enough to talk about the territorial disputes from a political or economic paradigm.  Through evolutionary psychology, social relations, cultural psychology and other sub-fields, you get to dig deeper into the issue where you get to start talking about motivations and tipping points in human emotion.  That's only a start as far as social psychology is concerned.

One of our required readings in class

 This book is a treasure trove of ideas.  Pick out the topics that are of great

interest to you if you don't have time to read everything.

I'd like to give credit to two of my professors from the University of San Carlos who have crucial in preparing me for the Written Exams--without them realizing it.

It was Sir Glenn Glarino who introduced me into the world of Social Relations, a subject that's very useful when one studies International Relations.  Broadly, Social Relations talks about how a person constructs his identity in relation to his or her various interactions and ties with other people and groups.  One of the theories that we talked about was Relative Deprivation. Loosely, relative deprivation is when a person feels that he or she is unable to get something or experiencing something that he or she believes he or she is entitled to.  This theory is able to explain why groups like al Qaeda are able to attract an ever increasing number of followers and this theory basically forms the framework of the NPA's strategy as far as wining the sentiments of the rural poor go.

This is Sir Glenn.  I love his class to bits!

More than this, Sir Glenn emphasized almost every meeting that it wasn't just important for social psychologists like us to be aware of what's happening in the social and political scene in our country and in the world.  Our role goes beyond that because our responsibility lies in making sense out of these events.  Like journalists, social psychologists need to help people understand why these events are taking place, why certain people resort to terrorism, or why some world leaders opt to take what would seem like the irrational route.  

One practice that I will forever be grateful for was when Sir Glenn would ask us to explain and process certain issues highlighted by the national and international media using particular theories in Social Relations and Social Psychology in general.  I can't thank him enough for this particular discipline especially when I look back to the International Relations part of the exam where we were asked to explain the implications of certain issues.

Another teacher I'm grateful to is Ma'am Delia Belleza.  Ma'am Dels, as we fondly call her, was my professor in Social Cognition, Applied Social Psychology, Filipino Psychology, and Cultural Psychology.  These four subjects were far more important than studying the theories of international relations because the moment I shifted my attention to international relations and economics, I realized that the analyses offered by both subjects were a little bit wanting.  In economics, for example, one can never simply disregard human motivations as mere animal spirits because as far as making decisions go, it all takes root from deep-seated emotions that fuel these motivations.

This is Ma'am Dels and Mallows.  I love the way she handles

her classes.

Social Cognition is basically the love child of psychology and cognitive neuroscience and it explains how people make sense of the world around them.  This was very useful when I took a second look at China's alleged Middle Kingdom mentality.  Applied Social Psychology explained the psychology behind International Relations and International Law--from the study of dictators and terrorists to the conflict between Isreal and Palestine to territorial disputes and even as far as how the justices in international tribunals reach particular decisions.  Filipino Psychology was very important in the Filipino culture part of the exam because the subject specifically tackled the roots of utang na loob, hiya, nepotism, political dynasties, and patronage politics--topics that definitely came out during the exam.  Finally, cultural psychology was the last piece that helped me understand prejudice, stereotyping, and the role of culture in negotiation and the like.  Being a diplomat is playing the game of perception and playing that game well which is why one must never underestimate the role of being able to create strategy from a cultural dimension since diplomats are expected to interact in a very multicultural playing field.

I'd say that if you don't have a lot of time to review, run to Social Psychology as you read up the news.   Don't ever forget that states, nations, and international organizations may be super organisms but these groups are still made up of people.  You'll realize that when you strip down the issues in our world to their bare essentials, almost all issues boil down to very basic, very common psychological issues and motivations.

If I were given a chance to choose a Master's program again before taking the FSOE, you can bet your bottom I'm going to make the same decision.

Our Best Shot at Change

To those who asked me for a copy of the June 12, 2014 Independence Day Speech, I apologize I wasn't able to get your contact information immediately after the ceremony.  Anyway, here's a copy of that speech.

" Hon. Manuel Sagarbarria, our City Mayor, Hon. Woodrow Maquiling, our City Vice Mayor, Hon. George Arnaize, Congressman of the 2^nd District, Hon. Roel Degamo, our Provincial Governor, Hon. Mark Macias, our Vice Governor, City Council Members, Provincial Board members, the Most Rev. Julito Cortes, Bishop of the Diocese of Dumaguete, Rev. Elmer L. Saa of Silliman University Church, Imam Sadic Amboloto, of the Muslim Community of Taclobo, Dumaguete City, distinguished guests, friends, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

Today we have come together not just to celebrate 116 years of being free to chart our own destinies.  Today we have come together in the spirit of hoping again, of dreaming again, and in becoming one people once more united in our desire to live in an era where the dreams of the great Filipinos before us will become tangible realities.

This is not a tall order but because of the glass walls and the glass ceilings that many of us have built over and around ourselves, this kind of change has seemed so elusive and at times, impossible.  Today I tell you that we are the only ones depriving ourselves of this change because if there is one thing that is for certain, unlike the great Filipinos before us, many people today are afraid to take great risks, to dream, and to hope. 

We dream of a better future for our children, a country fueled by inclusive growth, world class social services, and that no parent, no sibling, no relative has to leave the country in order to stay alive—but many of us are not willing to go beyond our call of duty as citizens that we may finally live that dream.  Today, many of us are willing to accept with resignation that we cannot change our destiny when deep inside you and I know that we are only too scared to step out from our comfort zones, to make big, probably unpopular decisions because in reality we would rather make the safe and practical choice even if it comes at the cost of settling for what is mediocre.

This freedom was earned with the expectation that the next generation, that our generation will give this country our best even if circumstances are bound to give us the worst.

It is indeed ironic that although centuries have passed since our freedom as a nation has been bought by blood, my friends, we are still not truly free for the reason that lasting change still seems to elusive to us is because we continue to be prisoners of our own minds.  But because this is an issue of mindset and personal belief, the good news is that we hold the key to this prison all along.  We are the only ones placing a limit on what we individually and as one team can truly accomplish.

We don’t have be a third world country if we don’t want to.  The world’s greatest powers engineered their empires from scratch but it is with grit, determination, and confidence that they could create something big out of the most adverse conditions that they are today’s titans.

Our battle today is different from those whose shoulders we now stand on.  But our task is crucial nonetheless because with this freedom that we are given is the expectation that all of us will pay this gift forward and this begins by changing the way we think about the bounds and limits of what we can do.  Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot change a nation if we its citizens are not willing to change their hearts.

How exactly do we do this?

To our leaders in school, in the government, and at work, today’s great societies are built on the foundation of great innovators, imagineers, thinkers, inventors, and creators.  Let’s work together to create an environment that will allow these great minds to flourish and to change our world.  Let us be open to change and to creative destruction by making sure that the people who are building tomorrow will leave free to create, to innovate, and to engineer the things that will redefine our future.  It’s about time for us to honor and support those whose contributions will truly matter.  The celebration of true freedom in the most doable sense is about building on each other’s ideas.  I am a social psychologist and I know that so many good ideas, policies, initiatives, and laws are shot down simply because of the irrational reason that these ideas come from someone of a different party, a different religion, an outgroup if you must.  Change cannot take place under these circumstances because change can never thrive where there is hate, insecurity, and division.  Let’s crystallize the change that we want to enjoy by creating public policies that will enable us give way to the right things. It is about time for us to lead from the head and from the heart. 

If we are to dance to the tune of lasting change, we need to move as one, to play our part in the best way that we could.  If we want to be one of Asia’s tigers, we need to stop stooping down to cat fights.

To our teachers, professors, and mentors in school and in the academe, your role is crucial because you hold the honor of shaping the minds of the next generation of leaders who will in turn shape the world.  It’s about time for us to change the way our students and parents think about excellence.  True excellence does not stop with straight line of the 9s, latin honors, or a few awards.  Five years after graduation and it’s only then that I have truly realized that the real measure of success is when you are able to dedicate your time and your talent to empower other people without calling too much attention on yourself.  Excellence and accolades can be blinding and they are a double-edged sword.  While it encourages our students to continue shooting for the stars, without the proper mentoring, these very same enablers can make these young achievers resist change.  Let’s recreate our classrooms to make them laboratories where we do not only shape tomorrow’s innovators and inventors but let us recreate it in such a way that we produce leaders who inspire trust.  After all, what you do does not matter as much as how you felt while doing it.   At the end of the day, schools and universities have this tremendous responsibility of imbedding this value in the hearts and minds of its students: that real success in life is not limited to being materially rich but it is measured by how many lives your have changed for the better.    

To the parents who are here, you have made your life’s decisions, now allow your children to make theirs.  Like our teachers, your  role is that of an enabler.  Pass on that gift of freedom by encouraging your children to make responsible decisions and to pursue their life’s goals no matter if at the moment it seems impractical to you.  Seek to understand the motivation behind these choices and continue to encourage them make bold moves.  At the end of the day, pushing for change means going beyond what is practical and comfortable to ourselves and to our families.  Let us be reminded always and everyday that our children do not just belong to our family but they belong to the greater family of humankind.  So let’s not force our children to be doctors, engineers, accountants, nurses, or whatever ‘practical’ profession we think there is if they do not want to.  People never excel in something they find no joy and meaning in.  We already have too many miserable and frustrated people around.  Let’s not add to the list.

To my fellow journalists, let’s be reminded of our role in shaping responsible opinions and telling society what is and what is not important.  We are not here to merely educate.  We need to go beyond that by helping society become more analytic thinkers.  It all starts by choosing what kind of news we want our target audience to read and to listen to.  True, there is no way of doing away with bad news but may we report these kinds of articles in such a way that we are able to synthesize it, to process it well, and accompany it with a message of hope that things will get better. Never underestimate the power of following up reports.  May journalism always be a public service rather than a business model.

To the businessmen and entrepreneurs who are here, your world is not so new to me because I have dedicated my entire life after graduation in the world of business and negotiations and I know very well the struggle to keep one’s business alive for yet another day or another year.  Today, let us change the way we do business by making giving back to the communities where we operate in part of our agenda.  I am not talking about dole-outs and stop-gap measures.  Let’s look at the long term and work with the government by training social entrepreneurs from the grassroots.  These initiatives can range from sourcing out one’s materials from local farmers and paying them exactly what they deserve for their goods, to providing stabl, meaningful, and secure employment to people in the community while at the same time helping them develop the skills that they need to work.  Consider this an investment into the greater future because when you give people a chance to make their lives better, they ultimately earn enough money to become your next consumers.

To the women who are here present, I need you to listen good and listen hard.  Our heroes did not just fight for the men but they fought for you that you may be here today to listen, some of your to go back to work tomorrow, that you may be given equal opportunities to make it good in life.  Savor that freedom by not allowing your families, your husbands, and society to limit what you can or cannot pursue in life.   In the Philippines, poverty has a woman’s face due in large part because plenty of women still believe they cannot do it.  That they cannot be mothers and leaders in their fields of specialization at the same time.  Women, your parents did not send you to school only to go back home and wash dishes for the rest of your life.  I hope you will find joy in making your mark in fields now currently dominated by men by not competing with men but by being partners in the quest for success.  This freedom was fought for you so don’t throw it away by saying that you will not sit at the board room or by saying that you will not lean in to your career of choice.  You owe it to yourself to define your own success, to contribute to the formal economy, to look back and to say, yes I did it.

Finally, to all of us who are here this morning, let us not be afraid to give this country our best shot at change.  Just because we live in hard and difficult times does not mean that we have to live this way forever.  We all have a choice and if we say that we are willing to change our destiny then by all means we most definitely can.  That change may not happen overnight but it surely shouldn’t take centuries for that to take place—at least only if we want it so badly.  "

Dress to Impress

The Oral Exams is the make or break stage of the entire FSOE process.  Here, you don't just need to sound like a diplomat but you need to look the part, too.

Believe me, dressing for the part will do a lot for your self-esteem just as much as matter-loading will.  Here is a quick visual illustration of what to wear during the crucial parts of the exam.  For a start, you don't need to bust your bank account for this.  You just need to be resourceful enough.  Invest in good suits and formal outfits only when you've already gotten in.

Personally, dressing up was my favorite part of the exam :)

*ALL PHOTOS ARE FROM THE WIRE

Oral Exam

If you loved the flow of the Preliminary Interview, the Oral Exams will be a tad different.  The Oral Exams is a more challenging version of the Preliminary Interview because it won't only test how much you know, it'll test how fast you can think and how well you can say it.

The Orals is divided into three parts spread out across three days.

The first part is the panel interview where you will be grilled by career diplomats, ambassadors, heads of departments, experts, professors, academics, and even artists.  You will not only be asked about the things you wrote in the CV you were asked to submit (this is a different CV from the one you were asked to submit during the PI).  You will be asked about anything and everything your panelists can and will think of.  This could range from explaining your take on what the Philippines is doing about China to how you can make tangible improvements in say, Tourism.

Once you enter the room, greet your panelists and shake their hands.  Sit down only when you are asked to.  Answer all their questions in English.  Do not stutter.

The second part of the exam is the debate.  The format is reminiscent of the British Parliamentary format but it could also pass for an All Asians format.  Your panelists are your adjudicators.  They will choose your side and your topic.  If in the morning you were given the Government side, you take the Opposition side in the afternoon.  Whatever you do, do not speak for less than a minute.  Develop your arguments well.  It's best to explain at most two arguments so that you will be able to talk about them at length.

If you do not have any debating background, contact your school's debate society and take your chances on a crash course.  You might also want to check out videos of debating championships in Youtube to get the feel of what a debate is really like.

The last and final round if the Pubic Speaking round which also doubles as the social graces exam.  Brush up on your fine dining etiquette and dine with utmost class.  You will be judged by how well you know your social graces and how natural it will seem to you.  You will be judged by your choice of clothes and how you are able to easily chat up the persons right next to you.  This will require a lot of practice so get some while there is time.

The Public Speaking round is a bit more challenging.  You will be asked to pick a roll of paper from a fish bowl which will contain the question or situation you need to answer.  You will be given a minute to prepare and three minutes to speak in front of everyone.  The catch here is that you won't exactly know when it's your turn to speak until the time someone taps your shoulder and tells you that you are up next.

Questions will mostly revolve around Philippine Foreign Policy and current events.  The trick here really is to sound confident without being too overbearing.  Personally, the first time I read my question, my mind just went blank.  Figure out a work around if you get a bad case of stage fright.  Otherwise, just think that there is no wrong or right answer.  You just need to talk with a lot of sense.

It'll take quite a while before the results of the orals will come out.  Until then, take a break or a nice vacation because after you've gone through the last part of the test, you just really have to clink champagne flutes with some pals simply at the thought that you survived one of the most challenging tests there is.

The Psychological Exam

The good news is that you do not need to study for this test.  The bad news is that there is no way of studying for this test.

The Psychological Exam is special and scary all at the same time because there is a certain air of mystery and uncertainty that comes with it.

So what is the goal of this exam?  It's too extreme to say that the goal is to find out if you're cray-cray or not but hey, there is some grain of truth into it.  Seriously, the goal is to find out if your personality is a perfect fit for the post that you will be occupying.

It is important for the DFA to get some sort of assurance that you are mentally and psychologically healthy.  That is, you are the type of person who will not go bonkers when exposed to high levels of stress because believe me, there is an abundance of stress as far as the job is concerned.

From dealing with OFW concerns to keeping your composure when you feel like jumping in a fit of rage at the negotiator in front of you, this word has 'stress' written all over it.  BUT it will be fun.

You will be given a battery of tests during the Psychological Exam and this will range from personality tests to ingenuity tests.  The best way to tackle this test is to be honest.  After all, it's better to save yourself from what you might not really be able to handle later on.

There is a particular profile of a diplomat that the DFA is looking for so the test is about whether or not you are a perfect fit.

Prepare for this exam by having a good rest and bathing in positive vibes all over.  It really helps to be in a good mood.

One thing to note here is that Psychological Exams only show tendencies.  It does not have your destiny carved in stone.  Experiences can and might change or highlight some of these tendencies.  The point here is that DFA is trying to nip the problem in the bud just in case some of us really turn out to have a high tendency to go cuckoo but we just don't know it yet.

The Written Test

Ah, the Written Test (WT).  It's the great beluga of all the stages in the FSOE.  It's the Dark One.  The Darth Vader.  Everyone, well, almost everyone, quivers at the sight of those two words simply because apart from the Qualifying Test, the WT will cull more examinees from the total bunch than any other stage of the FSOE.

When you hear people talking about preparing their whole lives for the FSOE, they are actually preparing for the Written Test.  I mean, how can you not prepare for this exam when you are asked questions that have something to do with people like Otto von Bismarck and Camilo di Cavore?!

Let's take this stage piece by piece, shall we?

English (20%)

The English Test is made up of two parts: Grammar and Essay.  The Grammar part will be similar to the one you took during the Qualifying Exam.  This time, it's a bit shorter.  The Essay part is the meat of this test so finish up the Grammar part quickly then make sure 70% of your time for the English exam is allocated to the Essay part.  You will be given a list of more than 20 questions, of which you need to pick out around 10.  Choose wisely but don't waste your time choosing the question.

Questions usually cover anything and everything so it's plus points if you're a wild reader--er, wide reader, I mean.

Filipino (5%)

Yes, it's the revenge of your Filipino teacher if you did not pay attention in his or her class before.  Remember that infamous talasalitaan list with words like 'piging'?  Well, you'll meet a lot of those words along the way, that I'm sure of!  Like the English test, the Filipino test comes in two parts: Grammar and Essay.  You will also be asked to explain why some grammar rules are so, so for the love of God, go out there and borrow your teen-age brother's Filipino textbook and start reviewing it from cover to cover.  Bring back words like 'sapagkat', 'nang', 'panay' into your system or you will seriously regret it.

People fall in the essay part when they try too hard to use complicated words.  Keep your sentences simple if Filipino isn't your cup of tea.  Memorize some nice, vocabulary words and to use them intermittently to give your composition some flair.

Philippine Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Conditions - Philippine   history, culture, foreign policy, geography, government, development issues and goals (30%)

Do you know why so much weight is placed in this part of the exam?  It's simple.  Every diplomat has to be well-versed of the country that he or she is representing.  This is where the real part begins.  You will be given a list of 20-30 questions and you're asked to choose around 15 questions from the list.  It's entirely in essay form but the questions can get really specific so you can bet your bottom that you will be judged not just by manner but more importantly by matter.

The website of the Department of Foreign Affairs and our government's website will come in very handy.  Review the Philippine Constitution and know it by heart.  Revisit books on Philippine History and try to drill yourself using an objective type of exam just to make sure you are well-versed when you are required to drop dates, names, and places.  The DFA website has everything you need to know about our foreign policy but supplement it by reading up columns and essays in other sources, especially those that will show conflicting opinions.  Study the NCCA website to brush up on Philippine Culture.

Read the paper every day and try to give your two cents on the day's most pressing issue.  Talk about it with a study buddy or a friend who is also interested in current events.  Talk to experts, teachers, ask to sit in on classes.  Create your own reviewer.  Personally, I put together a simple reviewer on the different departments and offices of our government and outlined at least 3 important achievements and programs of each office just to make sure I'm in the know.

International Affairs (30%)

If you have no background in International Relations, start with the basics.  There are a lot of introductory books on International Relations.  Get to know the different theories and schools of thought.  Go beyond realism and liberalism and study critical theory and the English school of thought as well.  The more angles you study the subject from, the better your chances of explaining your answers will be.

Read the opinion page of CNN.com.  This is my go-to source apart from magazines like Foreign Affairs, Time, and the Economist.

Find a study buddy to talk about current events on the international scene.  Personally, my boyfriend and I would talk about these things 50% of the time we were on skypedates.  It also pays to have a relationship with someone who loves international relations and economics.

Study both macro and microeconomics to fully understand the world economy and how it ticks.

Finally, as far as International Law goes, if you're not a lawyer, read the basics first and then study each item of international law thoroughly by allotting some time to make case digests.  You can do this on weekends or before going to bed.

World History (10%)

A lot of people fear World History because this part of the exam can get really objective.  You will be asked to enumerate stuff and you will be asked the significance of a particular date.  Studying for World History should be fun so apart from hitting the books, watch documentaries.  There's something about the visual impact of documentaries and how the data is processed that will give you that eureka moment as you review.  That yes, all events do make sense.

It's not the sequence of what happened that makes World History matter.  It's how these events become important tipping points to the next big one.

Take note of the lessons from wars, dictators, and the rise of civilizations.  Know the turning points of history.  Link those events to today.

History Channel and BBC Documentaries will be your best friends here.

Foreign Language (5%)

You will be asked to choose a foreign language but the choices are not infinite.  So if you're fluent in Urdu, don't expect it to come out because your choices will only revolve around Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Japanese, Bahasa Indonesia, and Chinese.

All the instructions will be stated in your foreign language of choice and all your answers should be written in your foreign language of choice.

The test comes in two parts: Grammar/Basic Sentence Construction and Essay.

I chose Spanish because it was a college major so what I did was to listen to news in Spanish every day.  On weekends, I'd review for grammar and composition.  I did a little bit of translation by translating fairy tales into Spanish.  It's really up to you on how you plan to review for the Foreign Language part of the test.

You will never really know what's going to come out so it's best to cover as much ground as you can while you have the time.  Cramming will never help you out in the Written Exam.  In fact, cramming will only make you freak out more.

Two to three days before the exam, chill out, go to the beach, watch a movie, relax.  Give yourself a break.  On the day of the exam, leave the reviewers at home.  They will not help you anymore.  Pray hard, trust God harder.  

The Written Test will be anyone's ballgame.