edited version published in Korea.net: Recollecting my 2 years as an Honorary Reporter

On January 23, 2018, I was inducted into the 7^th batch of the Honorary Reporters Program. It has been a two-year journey since then. And what a journey it has been.

Aside from consistently writing articles for the Korea.net website, I can count extraordinary experiences which, I am certain will encourage other aspirants to get into the program.

The President Moon Jae-in Anniversary Videos

On President Moon Jae-in’s First year anniversary in office, a video highlighting his achievement was released.

It was an honor to be part of that video together with other Honorary Reporters from around the world. We didn’t know what was going to be the final output. We were just told we may not possibly be part of the final video, but nevertheless, the production team thanked us for our participation. Naturally, I was glad to see myself in the video that officially came out.

The second year video was done with only five of us Honorary Reporters talking about the different aspects of life here in Korea. In my case, I spoke about my family life and the security that we feel especially when it comes to my children walking to school every day. I spoke in Filipino. The others spoke about different aspects of living here in their own native language, too.

I will carry these two experiences with me even if I will no longer be living here in Seoul.

Induction Ceremony at the Blue House

Last year’s Induction Ceremony was the biggest the Honorary Reporters ever had, so far. I know how much preparation our Manager and all the other Koreanet staff exerted to make that induction successful and memorable especially to those who came to Seoul just to attend the event. We had the Induction ceremony at the Blue House and we were given a surprise with the presence of First Lady Kim Jung-sook.

Some of us wore our national dresses during the ceremony and while going on a tour of the Blue House grounds. It was a spectacle to see various national dresses donned by my co-Honorary Reporters. I got to meet new friends and be re-acquainted with the ones I’ve met before. On top of that, we all went home with a limited edition watch with the South Korea Presidential insignia and signature of President Moon Jae-in, similar to the watch received by Korea’s top boy-band, the BTS.

Koreanet Live Youtube Episodes

A few of us Honorary Reporters were given the chance to have our you tube episodes shown at the Koreanet Live You tube channel. I did four episodes under “Living in Korea with Wendyflor” where I interviewed foreigners currently living here in Korea, why they came and how they adjust to life here known for its ppali-ppali culture. It had been an enlightening and humbling experience interacting and talking to foreigners like me and knowing how they have assimilated and continued to appreciate the culture.

The channel is no longer working as it was finished by year-end of 2019. However, there seem to be bigger plans for YouTube creators this year so this will be a perfect time for creatives out there to join the program.

Trip to Busan

Last November, we had two trips to Busan as Honorary Reporters. The first one was a cultural experience where we were able to see the beauty of Busan and taste its local food. We had the opportunity to even learn about the local cuisine through a cooking class arranged for us. It was not my first time in Busan but the experience made me see more of the place and truly appreciate what it offers both to the local and foreign tourists.

The second trip was an event that made me wish I am a journalist by profession. We attended the ASEAN-ROK Summit, the biggest diplomatic event under the Moon Jae-in administration. As members of the media under Koreanet, we were given access to the highly secured media room where all journalists were gathered getting real-time clips of the events. I got permission to cover President Rodrigo Duterte’s meeting with Korean company heads. It was definitely one I will look back to with a grateful heart for a long, long time.

There were other experiences I will not easily forget and people whose acquaintance and friendship I will hold dear within my Koreanet family. All these happened in just my two years as an Honorary Reporter. Of course, I gave my time for the activities provided by Koreanet and sincerely wrote about the places and experiences my family and I enjoy here in Kimchiland.