Fairy Tales Do Come True

Duchess Catherine Fairy Tales Do Come True By ANA KRISTINE B. VALENZUELA MOD June 2011 Some fairy tales start with “Once upon a time, in a faraway land...” This one starts in 2001 at the University of St. Andrews where William, second in line to the throne of Commonwealth realms, was taking up geography, and Catherine Elizabeth Middleton was studying History of Art.

Kate and William were only friends, taking up a subject or two together, up until Kate modeled in a student fashion show that made the prince notice her and tell a friend, “Wow! Kate’s hot!” A year after, their friendship blossomed into something special. They shared a flat for the last two years of their college life. Although they broke up in 2007, their friendship remained intact, as they had often been seen together. The couple announced their engagement on November 16 last year. Prince William proposed to Kate at a secluded lake by Mount Kenya. After years of romance, the couple said “I will” at the Westminster Abbey, where William’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, was wed, last April 29, 2011. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Rowan Williams, officiated the ceremony. Like everyone else, William noticed how Kate looked in her Grace Kelly-inspired gown by Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen. “You look beautiful,” William told his bride when she reached the altar. Kate followed the old adage. She had something old—the lace of her gown came from a 19th-century Irish tradition; something borrowed, which is a 1936 Cartier Halo tiara and was Queen Elizabeth II’s no less; something new—her diamond earrings were a gift from her parents; and something blue, which was a ribbon of blue interwoven into her gown. Meanwhile, William wore his Irish Guards Mounted Officer’s uniform in Guard of Honor Order with a Forage Cap. He had on a red tunic which featured the Irish Guards’ arrangement of buttons in groups of four, a gold and crimson sash, and gold sword slings, although he did not carry a sword. “We were supposed to have a small family affair,” Prince William said to Kate’s dad, Michael Francis Middleton. Unfortunately, their celebrity status forbade them to do so. Two thousand of the couple’s friends and family, and dignitaries watched them inside the abbey, and an estimated two billion from their television screens around the world. Kate’s wedding promise was similar to Princess Diana—“Love, comfort, honour, and keep” him, omitting the word obey from the vows. Kate’s sister, Pippa, was her maid of honor, while Harry, William’s brother, stood as his best man. People were trying to match the two up, but it seemed like they weren’t hit by Cupid’s arrows. Prince Harry reportedly told his on-and-off girlfriend, Chelsea Davy, “You’re next.” After their wedding, the newlyweds were given the title Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. TOTAL ESCAPE! THEIR wedding may be so public, but William and Kate, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, managed to escape to the islands of the Seychelles—specifically to the North Island—for their honeymoon. The Duke and Duchess weren’t the first celebs to seek the solace of Seychelles. Among those reported to have enjoyed the privacy of the romantic destination were Bill Gates, who was on Fregate Island; Paul McCartney and ex-wife Heather Mills on Cousin, another island in the Seychelles; and Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt on North Island. David and Victoria Beckham have also vacationed there. The islands boast of private villas, each with its own guest relations officer, a butler, and a chef all ready to give you, well, a royal treatment. Kate and William spent their first night as husband and wife at the Buckingham Palace. Then, days after, hand in hand, they walked to where a helicopter waited for them to ferry them to their honeymoon escape. Kate donned a light blue dress, dark jacket, and platform shoes, while William wore a casual pale blue shirt and navy jacket. The union of William and Kate has revitalized the British monarchy as hundreds of thousands cheered the couple throughout their wedding rites. Millions more watched the royal spectacle on television, witnessing the couple pledge “I will,” during the nuptial ceremonies at the Westminster Abbey, and delighting over the couple’s much awaited kiss—two kisses, actually—on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Kate, escorted by her dad, rode a Rolls-Royce on her way to her altar date with William. At that exact moment, the sun lit her way, a sign, television hosts exclaimed, that the heavens must be blessing this royal union.

‘A good teacher has high hopes for her students’

‘A good teacher has high hopes for her students’ By ANA VALENZUELA Photography by EDMUNDO SANTIAGO Published MOD May 2011 DEALING with kids, those screaming little tykes running around and refusing to give in to their whim, can be tough. Imagine doing so with children with special needs every single day. Michelle Arriola happily experiences just that. A Filipina born in the United States, Michelle is a teacher at Cardenas School in Chicago. The school is located in the Mexican-American community known as Little Village. Michelle took up Early Child Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).

“I wanted to be a teacher because I love helping children learn and fulfill their dreams,” she says. Michelle plans to take up her Master’s degree in Education and English as a Second Language (ESL). “English is the second language of most of my students. I want to learn more about how to teach English Language Learners (ELLs) so I can meet my students’ needs.” That will be in the coming school year. Meanwhile, Michelle is enjoying her summer vacation in Manila with her relatives. She shares with MOD her insights on education and the challenges of teaching. Different levels of learning. “I teach children with special needs—those with Autism, Down syndrome, developmental delays, speech delays, cognitive delays, learning disabilities, and a lot of different kinds of disabilities—in preschool and kindergarten. Teaching kids with special needs is different from teaching kids who are typically developing because they are at different levels, mentally. I might have a three-year-old, but mentally, he is nine-month-old. So I need to make a lesson plan that he would be able to understand. In my classroom there are also children who are non-verbal. They have no speech at all. These students are most likely the ones to be screaming, crying, and having a tantrum because they are frustrated that they cannot express what they want or what they need.” Help them learn. “There are kids with Autism who need to follow an exclusive schedule. A regular teacher won’t be able to do that, because she has 25 other kids to worry about. I’m lucky I have a small classroom. I only attend to 10 students in the morning and 10 students in the afternoon. I think that’s helpful in their learning, too. I’m also fortunate to have two aides in my classroom to help me.” Know what is important. “My parents raised me to believe that education is important. I want to teach kids, and teach them that learning, being educated, and going to school are really important.” Patience is a virtue. “A good teacher is someone who is patient with the children. She teaches to the best of the abilities of the kids. If a kid is a visual learner or an auditory learner, the teacher will adjust for that student. I think a good teacher tries to understand the student, where he comes from. Most of all, a good teacher has high hopes for her students.” Magic moments. “Teachers aren’t supposed to have favorites. I have a bond with all my students, and I would say that I have favorite moments with each of them. For example, one of my students just learned how to write his first and last name on his own. Another student learned to sing the ABC. Those are two different things, but they are both favorite moments.” Rewards plus. “The most rewarding thing about being a teacher is seeing the kids grow, learn, and understand the concepts that I am teaching them.” Do your best. “I hope that my students will be able to go the next grade, learning the best that they can. I try to teach the basics—colors, shapes, and letters, spell their names. I just want them to know that they can try their best.” Kids as teachers. “I have learned from the kids that every day is different, and to look at challenges as something that can be overcome. Most important, they taught me to have fun.”

Fit for the Big Day

Fit for the Big Day By ANA KRISTINE B. VALENZUELA Published MOD Magazine June 2011 Bridal Special BRIDES are the best example of figure-conscious women. Take recently wed Kate Middleton, who many considered to have a fab body with her size 6 prior to her wedding. But when she walked down the aisle, she was down to an enviable, eat-your-heart-out size 2! Pre-wedding jitters or the now popular Dukan diet might have caused the weight loss. But hey, isn’t it a bride’s dream to always look beautiful when she dons that white gown?

Method Madness HERE are modern methods of eating healthy and exercising right: The 5-Factor Diet Harley Pasternak, author of The 5-Factor World Diet, says, “The key is to have amazing shoulders and arms. Posture is really important. But it’s also important to have a really tight midsection, because the way a wedding dress hugs your midsection, you really want it lean and tight.” Who’s into it: Hilary Duff and Katy Perry were just a few who tried to trim down before their big day. Katy was said to have dropped down to two dress sizes. What to do: Eat five meals—two big meals and three snack meals a day. Don’t forget to exercise at least 25 minutes for 5 days a week. Visit: www.5factor.com Tracy Anderson Method When stars such as Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow swear by this program, then you know that all the pain of exercise has its gain. Who’s into it: Nicole Richie and Emily Blunt have both tested its efficiency before saying “I do.” What to do: Limit what you eat and follow a strict diet plan, work out six days a week, with an hour devoted to dance aerobics and another to toning exercises. Visit: www.tracyandersonmethod.com Caveman’s Way Says S. Boyd Eaton, “We are the heirs of inherited characteristics accrued over millions of years; the vast majority of our biochemistry and physiology are tuned to life conditions that existed before the advent of agriculture some 10,000 years ago. Genetically, our bodies are virtually the same as they were at the end of the Paleolithic era some 20,000 years ago.” Who’s into it: Elizabeth Hurley, whose model body got an even greater tone-up when she walked down the aisle. What to do: Swear off junk and fast food and munch only on food available during the Paleolithic times—plants and animals. Visit: www.cavemandiet.org Yoga A physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, yoga has gained a following with fitness buffs. Who’s into it: Reese Witherspoon has always been into running, but she had been seen with a yoga mat to prep for her recent wedding. What you have to do: Enroll in a class or play that yoga video and get ready to stretch and tone your muscles Visit: www.yogamanila.com

School Sweethearts

School Sweethearts
By ANA KRISTINE B. VALENZUELA
Published MOD May 2011

THE school isn’t just an avenue for learning but for interaction. It is where students meet other students mostly their age to talk about school work and more often, their personal life. The interaction that they share in their daily activities build their emotional connection that they need to deal with the changes and problems that may come later on in life. Thus, the school makes for a perfect place to find a partner.
But does a campus romance ensure a lifelong commitment? Love Notes
Never Lonely
For keeps. Having a committed relationship guarantees you have someone to talk to and share the good and the bad moments with. Your boyfriend can bring out the best in you by being a study partner and reminding you of upcoming exams and due dates. He’d serve more of an inspiration rather than a distraction.
For kicks. Loving someone doesn’t always assure the kind of relationship that both of you are involved in. There might be constant fights over petty things that keep your relationship from any progression, whatsoever.

The social network
For keeps. Your group of friends suddenly grows when you have a boyfriend, because his friends become your friends as well.
For kicks. You both know that you are each other’s BF-GF, but also know of the other players in the field which you most of the time check out. Like, you constantly laugh at his best bud’s jokes, but fail to make out what is funny in what he says.

Spoiled Brat
For keeps. Need a cuddle? A hug? A boyfriend automatically spoils his girlfriend with one, sometimes even with material things.
For kicks. Being with your boyfriend all the time makes you more attached to him, more often than not, leaving no time for other matters. It is worse when you fail to see your friends or study for an exam, but can always squeeze him and his barkada into your schedule.

The Big Plans
For keeps. You know that you both are headed somewhere. So, talking about serious matters such as the future does not scare you both. This is good as it allows you to build something together.
For kicks. You have different interests and goals in life. Whenever he talks about the future, you simply nod your head and go with the flow of the conversation.

School Sweethearts

School Sweethearts By ANA KRISTINE B. VALENZUELA Published MOD May 2011 THE school isn’t just an avenue for learning but for interaction. It is where students meet other students mostly their age to talk about school work and more often, their personal life. The interaction that they share in their daily activities build their emotional connection that they need to deal with the changes and problems that may come later on in life. Thus, the school makes for a perfect place to find a partner. But does a campus romance ensure a lifelong commitment?

Love Notes Never Lonely For keeps. Having a committed relationship guarantees you have someone to talk to and share the good and the bad moments with. Your boyfriend can bring out the best in you by being a study partner and reminding you of upcoming exams and due dates. He’d serve more of an inspiration rather than a distraction. For kicks. Loving someone doesn’t always assure the kind of relationship that both of you are involved in. There might be constant fights over petty things that keep your relationship from any progression, whatsoever. The social network For keeps. Your group of friends suddenly grows when you have a boyfriend, because his friends become your friends as well. For kicks. You both know that you are each other’s BF-GF, but also know of the other players in the field which you most of the time check out. Like, you constantly laugh at his best bud’s jokes, but fail to make out what is funny in what he says. Spoiled Brat For keeps. Need a cuddle? A hug? A boyfriend automatically spoils his girlfriend with one, sometimes even with material things. For kicks. Being with your boyfriend all the time makes you more attached to him, more often than not, leaving no time for other matters. It is worse when you fail to see your friends or study for an exam, but can always squeeze him and his barkada into your schedule. The Big Plans For keeps. You know that you both are headed somewhere. So, talking about serious matters such as the future does not scare you both. This is good as it allows you to build something together. For kicks. You have different interests and goals in life. Whenever he talks about the future, you simply nod your head and go with the flow of the conversation.