What if?

On May 5 2020 I have received such a painful email from CIE the camp exchange program that I wanted to partake in. I have no words to describe how my dreams of travelling and meeting new people has shattered me. With a heavy heart, I try to take this beating and move on. The Covid-19 has taken a toll to everyone in the world. That includes the economy and lives of people. Therefore, CIE has no choice but to cancel the scholarship program.

Here is the screenshot of their email to me:

What if? What if the corona virus never happened? What if I did get the scholarship? What if I was able to fulfill that dream of living and learning in the unknown environment of the U of the S of the A. What if?

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I am just kidding. No I am not entirely depressed about this and I kinda did expect this. Obviously I did put in the work of applying and doing the essays. Demanding yet fun. The unfortunate event that led to this was totally out of my control and I don't really regret doing the application since it did help me learn something about myself. It was not in vein. Besides, there may be a chance in the possible future, when all of this turns back to normal, that there would be a scholarship. You never know what opportunities lie ahead of you in life. A misfortune or a blessing? I'll never know but I'll still do my best to be optimistic. :)

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Update as of : 05/05/2020 5:58 PM

It is official. I will not be able to join the exchange program with the scholarship. Still, I am thankful for the chance that was given to me and this does not stop me but does motivate me to keep looking for more opportunities.

The email that was sent to me:

Hello Vinnie, We're very sorry about our last email. It was insufficient in explaining the reason for our decision to cancel the Camp 2020 Scholarships. Our Camp Scholarship 2020 program was designed to help promising young Filipinos to experience an amazing exchange program. We still want to offer this but it took us eight (8) years to be able to send scholars on any of our programs. Unfortunately, it only took a few months for it to be dismantled. The COVID 2019 Pandemic has impacted almost every single person and business. We are in the industry of international education & cultural exchange programs which is an interesting intersection of three industries: travel, tourism and education.  Our company and our partners have been negatively affected by the restrictions and policies imposed by various governments against COVID 2019. Our resources now have become more limited and we are unable to execute great initiatives such as the Camp Scholarship Programs. Again, we apologize for the lack of explanation in our initial email. We are also sorry that this may not be the summer you signed up for and truly share in your feelings of disappointment.  We are thankful of the trust you've placed in us. If your camp has not cancelled their summer, and you wish to go through with your placement, we have provided a very good package for you to avail. If you feel that this is not something you wish to pursue, we understand. As of today, it is unclear for us if we will re-open the scholarships program for Camps Season 2021. If we re-open this opportunity and you still qualify, we are happy to review your application as a priority. A kind reminder that our office is now operating on skeletal forces and the managers are personally handling all concerns. If you have any questions, we ask you to please reply to our emails as our official mode of communication. Our Camps team: Naomi Bustamante, Paul Mendiola and Justine Ramos, do not currently represent UTP for any of our programs. We understand your comfort with coordinating with them; however for accurate and direct answers: please email us here at advisers@utp.ph.

Sincerely,

UTP Beyond Borders

UTP Beyond Borders is now operating on skeletal forces from our homes indefinitely. Our BGC and Davao offices are closed. For all concerns of participants in the application process, please send your emails to advisers@utp.ph.