HOTS, August, 2003 Graduation Speech by Valentin Metrache

I feel honored to address all the attendees of this seminar and I would like to say from the beginning that it was a tremendous pleasure to get to know each one of you.

At the beginning of this seminar, I didn’t know what to expect, since it is the first seminar of its kind that I attended.

The acquired information is very valuable and beneficial for my life, and I will try to incorporate all this information in my journey, because it was an eye-opener to be concerning different aspects, especially concerning self-esteem, the relations with those around me, new methods of reaching my goals, etc.

Living in a Placement Center (orphanage), there are certain things that I didn’t have, but the things I have received in exchange more than make up for it:  friends that are like brothers to me, who have been with me for better and for worse.

I understand that life is an experience in itself, and the learning process can also be fun.  It’s a new challenge and it puts my future in a new perspective.

I am very grateful for this opportunity, and I want to thank the HOTS team from my heart for the way they conducted the seminar and also to everybody who made it all possible.

God Bless you all!  Valentin

Graduation Rap "Not Being Afraid to Make Mistakes" by David Lorenzo

One thing I learned from this seminar
Is don’t be afraid to speak your part.
Just like the illustration of the baby,
He didn’t say no he didn’t say maybe.

He just said yes ‘cause he knew that he could.
He didn’t look around to see if people would point, stare.
He really didn’t care.
He took the first step to prepare
For the walk around the block, the block called LIFE.
He wasn’t aware that it didn’t make sense, so he didn’t care.

Wouldn’t it be nice to say what you feel?
To speak your mind, to keep it real!
The problem with several is they don’t realize,
That it’s integral to recognize
That YOU CAN if you say you can.
That’s part of growing up,
Just learning to say “ENOUGH!”

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