That smile...

Participants from Korea
(the disadvantage of being the
photographer)

Last August 31, 교수님 (professor) and I went to Chiayi, Taiwan to attend the International Symposium on Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management (SFEM 2015). The symposium was attended to mostly by professors and students from Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Other delegates from Korea came from Seoul National University, Kangwon National University, Kongju National University and the Korea Forest Research Institute.

I thought other students from our laboratory will be joining us but then in the end it was just 교수님 and I who went. The symposium was held for three days. One day for the symposium itself where oral and poster presentations were conducted then the two days were for a tour of the cities of Chiayi and Tainan.

SFEM 2015 participants

I presented a paper during the first day. I was so nervous but I was so blessed that the students from the other universities were very supportive. I also believe that Daddy was there to guide me since I wasn't home yet (it was his death anniversary). 

I was the last student to present from Korea so I wasn't able to concentrate in listening to the other presentations. Some were too technical about growth models of various tree species, others were on carbon sequestration, REDD+, and even on the correlation study on greenness (of surroundings) and schizophrenia.

It was then a big surprise when announcements on best presenters were done during the dinner that day. We were not aware that there would be awards to be given. Anyway, I was selected to be the best presenter. I have no idea who the judges were and what were the criteria they used in judging. Hearing 교수님 say "수고했어" after my presentation was more than enough for me. I was so just so thankful that I didn't mess up.

The following day, 교수님 went back here in Korea while I joined the tour of Chiayi City then left for the Philippines at midnight for the commemoration of Daddy's death anniversary.

When I came back to Korea, a professor told me that 교수님 mentioned about the award I got during the symposium and that he was so proud about it. I thought that it's just his way of telling what transpired during the symposium, although deep within I hoped I really made him proud.

This came in the mail... 
(November 17, 2015)

As 교수님, followed by a visiting professor,  entered the laboratory last Wednesday, I noticed that he was holding some papers on his hand. When he came to where I was, it was then that I realized what they were - the certificates for the awards in Taiwan. They sent it through mail since it wasn't ready during the symposium. As he explained what it was to the other professor, I saw his face beam with a smile. It is a smile the I will surely treasure for a very long time. The smile was filled with pride and it was so heartwarming.

I've seen that smile before - on Daddy's face. It is the smile he had when I graduated from UPLB. The same smile he had during my brother's wedding. The same smile he had when we joined the graduation march when I finished my MS. And it is the same smile that I wished to see on his face, but will not be able to anymore, once I finish my studies here.

Certificate on display beside 교수님's door

I am so thankful for a lot of things to 교수님' and his wife, and so as long as I am still here, I wish to be able to bring that kind of smile to his face again...