Backtracking a bit - just a few comments on my being an Area Governor.

Allow me to go back to 1997-1998

This was the time I was appointed Area Governor for Division B. The Area numbers changed so I cannot mention the Area I was a part of(though it can be read in the lette of appontment that I somehow stumbled into while sorting out the clutter some time ago). Sufice it to say that I was in charge of three clubs - later four. I can't even remember one club's name. But of those that I can remember, we had Diamond (my mother club), Tambuli, CPA and Friends, and later joined by CAP Toastmasters club.

Anyway, what I wanted to emphasize was I was chosen by then Division Governor Dulce, as opposed to Julie Prado from Tambuli - ideally the role would be a rotation among the clubs, and Dulce was the previous Area Governor, so this was a prerogative she insisted on, and Johnny 'Pawe' Uy gave her the decision to take me instead.

First thing I did? I decided to visit Tambuli - unannounced. In their first meeting at the Metro Club, I decided to visit them. Unfortunately for me it began to rain, hard... and despite my having an umbrella and jacket, my long walk from EDSA to Metro Club (maybe ariybd 500 meters) was still far and long enough to get me drenched. I thus arrived in their club when the meeting was just about to start - and they were probably wondering who I was. Maybe, I was even pathetic looking with all the wet clothes on, I noticed at the corner of my eyes that they were conferring. Despite this, I smiled, approache them and introduced myself as their new Area Governor... and was there to offer any help needed.

This definitely made an impact, because a few days later, I receive a call from Dinah Loomis - past District Governor, and Tambuli stallwart (which I did not know back then) to thank me for showing up. I made a good impression on them. This was as good a pat on the back as I was going to get. but more importantly, it showed that I was on the right path.

I repeated the same with CPA and Friends - which met at the same place as Diamond at this time, at the top floor of the Makati Stock Excahnge Building - the old one, as the new one had not yet been built.

Honestly, i can barely remmember how i fares as an Area Governor, but i visited enough to mke friends amongst the members of my area - and yes, I joined their meetings by taking on roles. You could say this is wehre I started honing my Evaluation and Observation skills. I started meeting other Division B leaders, and even mentioned to Mike Chua, who was also an Area Governor back then, that I would suport him in any way I could - not that he really needed such support, as apparently he already had his team simply from his area.

Still, As Mike eventually became the next Division B Governor, I was asked to be an Agea Governor at large. A necessary position since Division B was growing with 6 areas and each area seemed to have an average of 6 to 7 clubs. So yes, we were ready to split - but the District did not allow this, because the Division had just recently split and spun off with Division H just a year or two ago. We were growing fast - and it was getting hard for the Division Governor to handle everything, hence he had me as his spare tire / Area Governor roaming around - not ties to one Area only, but going around, helping the incumbent Area Governor where needed. Little did I know that this wa alrady preparing me to be the next Division Governor.

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