January 22, 2023 was the first day of the Lunar New Year. After three years of living in closed quarantine, this year we finally welcomed the first Chinese New Year after the opening of our doors, and we held a Life Skills and Motivational Seminar for our students entitled, “Experience is the Best Teacher". The seminar emphasized that a new year entails new opportunities and hopes, and that the best way to learn is to succeed through experience. A total of 96 students and Alumni Association members attended the seminar. The leaders of the Association were: President Stephen Sia, Executive Vice Chairman Samuel Lee Uy, Vice Chairman Paul Yeung, Executive Director Linda Lao, and Director Benson Yang.

This month's lecture was given by Jennifer T. Onrejas, a graduate of the Philippine Normal University in 2013 with a major in mathematics. After graduating from the university, she continued her education at Philippine Christian University, where she received her Master's degree in Mathematics Education and now works as a math teacher in a private high school. In the beginning of her lecture, she shared her life story, from her childhood to her schooling, and as one of our former scholars, she talked about her romantic life, challenges, and her years in teaching. The students were encouraged to learn from their experience inside the academic institution and to enrich their knowledge and skills in advance for their future career and contribution to society.

Onrejas explained that this activity is like our lives, as we move forward. things will become more difficult. But if you know how to plan your decisions in life and choose the right circle of acquaintances, you will be able to overcome the challenges and pass every trial. After the event, we moved on to an open forum where Onrejas asked each participant to stand up and tell their understanding of the event and share some of their life experiences, whether they were successes or failures, turning the exchange into a storytelling session.

Onrejas concluded the day's lecture by advising the students to “keep their dreams alive and achieve their goals". Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all become confused and uncertain about our future. This lecture taught the students to have dreams, to keep their dreams alive, and to aim for their dreams to come true. Not having a goal means you don't have a plan and vision for the future. This will cause you to suffer from the hardships of life and forever struggle at the bottom.

After the seminar, the leaders of CFBCI also took the stage to encourage the recipients to improve themselves in all aspects in the new year, just like the theme of today's seminar: all the things we experience in life are our best teachers. Don't be afraid of suffering, life is first bitter and then sweet; the suffering you have to endure at the present is actually the blessing you will enjoy in the future.

After the inspiring morning session, the students were excited to participate in the Chinese New Year Parade in the afternoon, organized by the Manila City Hall. The members of CFBCI Chorale also started practicing for the Chinese song “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky" for the evening's Chinese Star Night where they would showcase their musical talents and beautiful voices in front of a huge audience. After the day's activities, the students not only gained spiritually, but also received red envelopes and Chinese New Year cakes for the holidays and went home in a joyful mood.

菲華工商總會訊：二零二三年一月廿二日正好是農曆正月初一，所謂一元復始，萬象更新。在經過三年的閉封式防疫生活，今年終於迎來開放後的第一個新春年節，本會為受助生們舉辦了一場名為《閱歷是學習最好的老師》生活技能交流培育講座。強調新的一年意味著新的機遇和希望，而學習最好的方法是通過歷練收獲成功。當天共有九十六名受助生和學友會成員出席。當天本會出席的領導有：理事長謝國萬，執行副理事長黃書瑋，副理事長楊良田，常務理事留牡丹和理事楊錦程。

本月講座是由二零一三年畢業於菲律濱師範大學(Philippine Normal University)，主修數學專科的受助生Jennifer T. Onrejas擔任講員。她在大學畢業後進入Philippine  Christian大學繼續進修，並取得數學教育碩士學位，現在一所私立中學擔任數學老師。她在講座開始時分享了自己的生活點滴，從童年生活到求學過程，以同為本會栽培出來的受助生過來人的身份，陳述其熱愛生活，經歷艱辛的處境，再到多年的教學經驗，本著十年樹木，百年樹人的教育精神，諄諄善誘，鼓勵受助生在其求學歷程中，要吸取經驗，為將來踏入職場與社會提前充實相關知識和技能，以達事半功倍的效果。

接著進行了一項與現實生活相關，稱為「縮小圈子」(Shrinking Circle)的集體活動，每當一個小組進入另一個層次時，他們的圈子就會縮小。Onrejas老師解釋，這項活動就像我們的生活一樣，當我們前進並進入生活另一層次時，情況會變得更加艱難，但如果你懂得分層制定規劃，選擇正確的圈子，你就能克服困難，通過每個階層的考驗。活動結束後，隨即進入開放式論壇，Onrejas老師讓每個學員站起來講述他們對活動的理解和分享一些人生經驗，無論是成功或失敗，使交流會變故事會，每位學員都聽得津津有味，並在故事中思考及學習其中的得失，討論聲此起彼伏，現場充滿活力和熱忱。

 最後Onrejas老師總結當天的講座，她勸勉受助生們要「保持夢想，實現目標」。自從新冠疫情爆發後，我們都開始對未來充滿迷茫和不確定。這次的講座教會了受助生們要擁有夢想，並保持對夢想的熱忱，以實現夢想為目標。沒有目標意味著你對未來沒有規劃和遠見。這將會使你遭受生活的苦楚，永遠在底層掙扎。

本會出席領導亦在講座會結束後上台鼓勵受助生在新的一年要從各方面提升自己，就像今天的講座主題：生活中經歷的種種都是我們最好的老師。不要怕吃苦，人生先苦後甘；你現在吃的苦，其實是以後享的福。

在結束了上午這場鼓舞人心的交流會之後，受助生們懷著興奮雀躍的心情，準備參加下午由岷市府主辦的農曆新年唐人街巡遊慶祝活動。受助生合唱團成員亦開始為晚上要參加「華星之夜」演唱中文歌曲《夜空中最亮的星》做練習，以便在晚會上展現他們的音樂才華和美妙歌聲。經過一天的活動，受助生們不只精神上的收獲，並收到過節的紅包及年糕，帶著豐足歡樂的心情回家。

圖片說明：

上左圖：本會領導向主講人頒發感謝狀（前排左起）學友會成員Nazareth Galindez，留牡丹，黃書瑋，主講人Jennifer T. Onrejas，謝國萬，楊良田；後排站著為學友會其他成員。上右圖：講座現場受助生們分享自己的人生故事。

下左圖：受助生參加唐人街新春巡遊會。下右圖：受助生合唱團在《華星之夜》演唱中文歌曲「夜空中最亮的星」。