A Filipina lecturer in Korat was featured on Day Off’s 11th year anniversary on GMA News TV on Saturday, December 17, 2016.
Ms. Eunice Barbara Novio Cordova, a Filipino lecturer at Vongchavalitkul University in Korat was given a three-day day-off treat which include hotel stay with sumptuous meals at Berkeley Bangkok. She was accompanied by her husband Mr. Joma Cordova and their two children Kairos and Karina Thyra.
Among the places they visited were crocodile farm and floating market with the show hosts. They also went on a river cruise in Chaophraya River.
Day Off also gave a roundtrip ticket to Novio’s daughter Karina Thyra to join her family in Thailand. It was like a family reunion for Novio and Karina Thyra who is studying at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. Like her mother, she is already making her way own name in writing.
Aside from being a university lecturer, Novio is also a published author and Inquirer.net writer based in Thailand. She writes about Filipino migrant stories in the United States. She is also a freelance writer at the Asian Correspondents.
In the episode aired two Saturdays ago, Novio shared some of her struggles as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW), mother and her work as an English teacher. She also described the ineffable feeling of being away from her children which resulted to her having anxiety.
“Ang pinakamasaklap ay di mo mapupuntahan yung mga birthday, yung mga honors sila. Yung pinakamahirap ay yung pagbawi, kase hindi mo na mababawi yun,” said Novio.
As for her teaching job which she considers a calling, Novio explained how Thai students vary in learning English having some students who can easily pick up the lesson while others cannot no matter how hard and animated you become in teaching. She first came to Thailand in 2009 as a volunteer for an international organization. Now Novio is just one of thousands Filipino professionals who work sa English teachers in the kingdom.
“Day Off is a memorable experience for our family because personally I appreciate our jobs, the good things that we are enjoying here in Thailand but then I realized too that simple things can make me happy (like tinapa, polvoron, daing (those are pasalubong too) and the most important thing in this world is family. As parents we realize that love is unconditional, unselfish even to the point of sacrificing our own happiness,” said Novio.
Day Off is a Philippine reality/lifestyle program that awards people with a day off from their job. Its team flew to Thailand to feature her story.
The team also visited Vongchavalitkul University where Novio works. Day Off host Ms. Janine Gutierez also met Dr. Nattawat Vongchavalitkul, the university Vice President. Dr. Nattawat also praised Novio’s dedication in the teaching profession.
Other Day Off host who went to Thailand was Ms. Dasori Choi, a Korean actress in the Philippines.
One of the sponsors of Day Off’s trip to Thailand was Sean Sabai Travel and Tours which is a sister company of St. Robert’s Global Education.