Getting Killer Abs and Becoming Fluent in English

Many people would like to get those killer 6-pack abs.  And if we can't get them ourselves, we would like to be with and have someone who does.  No matter how obsessed we are with looking good and having a to-die-for body, we simply find it too difficult to achieve those washboard abs.

How, then, do some people get those perfectly sculpted abs?  Is it a blessing?  Is it a gift?  Absolutely not.

Those who have it simply worked for it.  That's right.  No big secret.  Plain and simple.  Work for it.  They definitely had the right diet combined with the right exercises.

Compare the achievement of abs to the achievement of speaking English fluently.  It is not a blessing.  It is not a gift.  It is a skill that one must worked hard for.  Like having killer abs, it is a combination of the right practice and habits.  It is a combination of studying and practicing, meeting new English speaking friends, being around like-minded people, and studying and practicing again and again.  Study without practice and application doesn't do much.

I cannot emphasize enough how important to practice and apply what you have studied.  Like every skill, one must be passionate and motivated to continue to improve oneself.  In becoming a good English speaker, I would highly recommend to read books, speak English with friends, and enroll at a good English school.  Of course, I would recommend the American Institute for English Proficiency in Makati or Quezon City.  It is a great institution for learning English because English is not only a classroom subject there, it truly is a lifestyle and culture.

So whether you want to have a heavenly body with killer abs or be dynamic and powerful public speaker in English, don't forget, get the right combination of of habit, discipline, and lifestyle.

Learning English at a Young Age is an Advantage

Kalihi Waena Elementary School May Day
Celebration.  I was in the 5th grade when I  was
selected as a "kahili bearer."

The average age range of our students at the American Institute for English Proficiency is 20 to 30 years old.  Many of our students finally came to our school to improve their English and communication skills because they are looking to boost their careers, gain confidence and employment, or seek personal enhancement.  They are mostly Filipino professionals from different industries, and because most of them are working, they can now afford to study English.

One of the reasons why many of them do not speak English well is because they did not enjoy their classes.  Furthermore, they didn't believe that English and strong communication skills would one day help them in their careers.  After some years in their respective industries, they have come to reach the glass ceiling and impenetrable walls, and they no longer feel that they are as competitive as their colleagues.

Fortunately for me, I moved to the United States when I was just nine years old.  At an early age, I realized that strong English and communication skills would be my edge.  In high school, I was the editor-in-chief of our newspaper and the literary magazine editor.  I was also  the captain of the debate team.  I even participated in speech competitions,winning awards in dramatic interpretation, and I was a member of our school's theater group.  In college, I continued participating in speech and debate competitions, winning numerous awards in speech, specially in my final competition held in Vancouver, Canada, where I won Western America Communication Association's Impromptu Speaking Championship.  At the end of my college life, I was selected as the commencement speaker. 

I strongly believe that I became a good speaker because I started at an early age.  As soon as I knew that I would need strong communication skills to compete in the "real world," I was determined to continually improve my English and communication skills, which would, in turn, enhance my critical thinking and build my confidence.  I remember joining a reading program at our local school library; it was especially enjoyable because I could get stickers for each book I read.  I even remember the very first ever gift that I got from a teacher, a dictionary.  She told me that one day, I would be a great speaker.  Today, I am the co-founder of the American Institute for English Proficiency, and my clients include celebrities, politicians, call center managers, doctors, and lawyers.  I have worked with major local and multinational firms. 

I urge parents and older siblings to encourage their young ones to start at an early age.  Do not allow your children to be handicapped with poor English and communication skills.  Do not wait till they are in high school, and it becomes harder to acquire the language skill.  And for those who would like to continue learning, it is never too late. 

American Institute for English Proficiency

The American Institute, located in Makati City/Manila, is the Philippines' leading service provider of English training and career development, specializing in American Accent, Conversation Fluency, Critical Thinking, Confidence Building, Grammar, Writing, and Test Preparations (TOEFL, IELTS). We have revolutionized and innovated English language learning in the Philippines by offering specialized courses that will not only teach you how to speak English well, but also to think critically and analytically; you will not find any English learning institution with higher standards and better staffed than we are. Our goal is simple: to provide only the best English learning experience to help you or your company reach your personal and professional goals.
Our clients are from all over the world; they are executives, professionals, and students from Japan, South Korea, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Germany, Turkey, Italy, and Spain. Here in the Philippines, we have consulted with not only corporate groups and call centers, but also with business professionals who are seeking to improve their critical thinking skills, confidence level, and of course, speech and communication skills, recent college graduates who are preparing for their call center interviews, and school teachers who are applying for positions abroad. Simply put, we are both the professionals' and students' choice.

Because we administer the highest educational standards, our graduates are poised, knowledgeable, and very confident; they excel in interviews, are awarded promotions, and become social and corporate leaders. Once you meet with us, you will find that American Institute for English Proficiency (AIEP), Philippines is very different than other schools here in the Philippines in that we are extremely professional and friendly as well as innovative and qualitative. Our English Language Specialists are Americans and Filipino-Americans with extensive backgrounds in English language training, corporate training and management, and personality development. Now is the time to take charge of your future. We invite you to call or visit us today.

Desperately Seeking Janina San Miguel

A lot of people are making fun of Janina San Miguel because of her dumbfounding moment and answer at the recent Binibining Pilipinas pageant. She is physically beautiful, but most argue that she has nothing but air up there. So what now? How is she going to represent the Philippines at the Miss World pageant? Will she humiliate the Filipinos?

I don’t blame Janina for what she’s done. In fact, I commend her for making it to the top. She did what she could with what she had, and it surely wowed the judges. Let me repeat, it wowed the judges. The judges were the ones who gave her the title. That means that if we’re to blame anyone, it’s the judges. They were the ones who selected her. They were the ones who thought that she will do us Filipinos proud at the Miss World pageant. I’m sure that the judges were very qualified. They’re not? Do you say they are not qualified at all? Well they had different ambassadors and celebrities like Marian Rivera and Dennis Trillo, and even a basketball star.

Next, most people are making fun of her grammar. I’d like to point out that her grammar was indeed erroneous, but her answer was even more horrendous. The question was about the “role of her family,” not the “importance of her family.” She missed the target. She could have said that her family played an important role in her process to become a winner by financing her, giving her advice, and educating her. (Notice the three points…Five elements, anyone?) Then she could have gone on to illustrate each point with a specific detail. The point is, the grammar can be corrected easily, but the critical thinking and analytical skills are a bit harder to improve upon.

So what’s the moral of the story? Well, we can relate this situation by how we elect our public officials. We also make the mistake of electing not-so-good politicians, thinking they will represent us well. At the end of the day, it is not about how one falls, but how one rises. The true measure of a man is how he rises to the challenge.

To Janina San Miguel, you have about eight months to improve your skills. That’s a long time to prepare yourself for the international competition. If you put the time, energy, and effort, you will be more than prepared. And with this statement, we at The American Institute would like to offer you a Full Scholarship for our C3 Course: Conversation Fluency, Critical Thinking, and Confidence Building. We also offer you another full scholarship in our Critical Writing and Intensive Grammar Course.

So if anyone knows Ms. San Miguel, I hope you will be able to relay this message…