Since FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar has finally ended, I thought it would be the perfect time to share my experience. First of all, I would like to thank FIFA and Qatar for the opportunity they provided me to be part of this historic sporting global event. I'm not a football fan that's for sure but the reason I volunteered is to give back to Qatar. This country has been kind to me in the last 3 years and I want to pay it forward. This event gave me the chance to do so. The experience was unexplainable and indescribable on so many levels. 

As soon as I got my first item which is a FIFA pin, my journey started. I would attend training and endless briefings and meet-ups to make sure I was ready for the World Cup. And yes it was real, I'm officially a FIFA Volunteer assigned to Television Operations. Isn't that cool? Amazing here comes my first shift and it was fun. I was excited and ready for FIFA. As the saying goes, the rest is history. With all the memories still lingering in my head, I finished 10 shifts. I was able to meet new people and make friends as well. I've seen the likes of football superstars Neymar, Ronaldo and Messi up close and personal. I also witnessed first-hand how these football fans gave their hearts and time to their passion for the game. Aside from these experiences, I received a handful of limited-edition FIFA merchandise and gifts. From complete sets of uniforms from head to foot, bags, caps, pins, frames, stickers, and a football to just about anything you could ever imagine, I got them all. Every shift was memorable. I learned a lot from these television people from all over the world with organizations like FOX, ESPN, Bein Sports and more. This FIFA experience was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me plus the fact that it's the first time an Arab country like Qatar would host it in a winter setting. Thank God I was part of it.

Giving back and paying it forward made me feel better and I was rewarded with memories that money could not buy. I will always be proud of this accomplishment because not all are given the chance to experience it. From 420,000 applicants around the world, I'm lucky I was one of the 20,00 volunteers to be chosen. The Philippines was certainly well represented! Thank you FIFA, and thank you Qatar, my second home away from home, for making all this possible. I'll forever be grateful, until the next FIFA World Cup experience!

 

#TelevisionOperations #Doha #Qatar #FIFA #WorldCup2022

Wednesday

 MUST-READ:

Before I finally sleep, let me evaluate the latest Netflix sensation, Wednesday! It's a spin off of the 90's animated cartoon show, The Addams Family, in which they lifted the character of the dark, gloomy and unpredictable persona of one of its members, Wednesday. The series began with Wednesday throwing piranhas into a swimming pool with varsity swimmers who bullied his brother Pugsley. Obviously you know what happened next--- disaster, which brought Wednesday to Nevermore, a university for outcasts who can't be handled by society. 

Wednesday's quest starts here: discovering the truth about the monster lurking in the four corners of the university that has been plaguing the town for years. The monster named Hyde, is a person who turns into a monster through hypnosis or drugs -- yes, just like Jekyll and Hyde, from which the monster gets his name. In its normal form, it is mostly harmless but transforms into a terrifying creature. I will not go into details, but here are some comments I have on the series.

* The mood was dark and gloomy which was not surprising at all since it's directed by Tim Burton. The set design was remarkable. It was perfectly created for the era and well lit, especially for the most significant scenes. The camera shots were well planned and necessary. The musical scoring was impressive too. Also, the editing team made the series look flawless as everything was clean and on target.

* Jenna Ortega who played the role of Wednesday Addams fits the character flawlessly. She was tailored to fit to the dull, witty, impulsive and aggressive character of Wednesday.

* The script was exceptionally written. They were witty, smart and spontaneous. In many ways, the lines were quotable and intelligent. It was critically done with words that were adapted to the era of the series. Great job by the scriptwriters.

* In terms of storytelling, it was very well plotted and well organized. The subplots were consistent and the mystery of who the real monster is was perfectly concealed. As a way to make it more mysterious, they included some twists and turns making it appear unreal and unimaginable. But fortunately this didn't affect the overall rating of the series.

* Wednesday's dance at the Raven party was unbelievable and incredibly memorable. In Jenna's words, she choreographed the scene without realizing that she had a covid when the scene was shot. Wednesday wearing black dress, facial reactions, struts and dance moves actually made it memorable and hot.

* Lastly, the thing that made this series a hit is that the characters are real and relatable especially Wednesday. The series of events are consistently stitched making you crave for more. It's spooky, funny, scary and relevant. It was doomed for success!

#Netflix #Wednesday #JannaOrtega #Pugsley #NevermoreUniversity #AddamsFamily #TheHyde