News & Events

From the Winner’s Journal

Jeric Jarin’s tale of luck begins when a random stranger hands him a Nokia IAC flyer at an award show.

A couple of days later, Jeric finds himself surfing the Internet. He peruses his mail, Friendster, Facebook and a couple of anime sites. Then he moves to the music scene, checking out new artists, when he comes across the IAC’s website (www.nokia.com.ph/iac). It grabs his interest. He lingers, glad to know that someone actually cares about new talent. Random thoughts fill Jeric’s mind. He thinks about music, his dreams, his lunch. He keeps surfing. Then Jeric decides to become a member of the Nokia IAC. He also joins the Good Vibrations promo. What if, right?

Weeks later, the contest slips from Jeric’s mind. He is checking his inbox again when he receives an email informing him that he has won a trip to the Good Vibrations Festival—the largest, most popular musical festival in Australia. Jeric freaks out. A free trip to Australia. A free trip to Australia. Like a broken record, Jeric replays the phrase in his mind. He thinks it is a fraud. Then his mind rewinds to the day he logged on to the Nokia IAC. He checks his mail again and realizes that the document is valid. It is officially from Nokia and indeed, he has won.

Jeric breaks the news to his brother. He would rather bring his girlfriend to Australia, but she is non-existent as of the moment. So he picks one of his family members to share in the victory. The day before the Jarin brothers’ departure, their visa applications are rejected. The Australian embassy advises Jeric to reapply. Jeric complies, but with fear that his trip won’t push through anymore.

The next day, at around ten in the morning, Jeric’s AU visa is approved. He is scheduled to leave at 2pm and hasn’t packed a single thing. Fate however, continues to smile at Jeric and moves his flight to 4pm. Incidentally, it is the same day as Jeric’s birthday.

Along with his brother, Jeric leaves Manila for one of the best experiences of his life. And maybe some of the most challenging ones too. When Jeric arrives at the Sydney airport, he is held up by customs for about an hour for a random security check. Be that as it may, Jeric has a grand time in Sydney. It is impossible to erase the city from his memory, especially after watching the Good Vibrations Festival there.

For the first time, Jeric sees live performances from Kanye and Cypress Hill. To say that he is having a good time is an understatement. (His excitement comes in the form of expletives that we cannot state herein.) He gives all the performers a heads up and a heads down, his personal seal of approval. Jeric’s favorite part of the experience however, is not limited to the stage. What excites him most is that next to him, thousands of party people from around the globe are all screaming, dancing and singing like there’s no tomorrow.

Jeric’s lasting images of Sydney? Partying with people from around the globe; the number of people he was parting with; and well, Kanye West.

For an awesome birthday present, Jeric toasts the Nokia IAC: “Kampai! Continue to rock on the world of music!”