My Happy Fil-Am Life

Japanese English = Japlish

2010-03-30T18:36:00.000-07:00

Funny signage in JAPLISH ..Japanese English

1. Very difficult to make up what it is about ?

2. Maybe in Japan, there are Males who are not 'Man'

3. Bring ur own tissue....I think

4. Cheese Fair or 'Afraid of Cheese'

5. They can construct their own WATER..... 6. U jump on the Elevator = Jail ?
7. Japlish "L" is substituted with "R" ... and this is what happens!!!
8. They even have a room for this...
9. U will need a smoke after reading this...

10. The best so far.... 11. They even advertise their price hike... 12. Their mags need refrigeration. ...
13. Appears to be "SOLD OUT"....

14. Pray while listening to MP3... be pious !!!

15. Shud consider doing business with this Co.

Links: Freeways to earn money online at: http://earning-ways.com

A trip to USS George Washington

2010-03-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

This is bit late for a blog but I’m just so excited to tell about my experiences during my trip in one of the biggest US carrier ship deployed in Japan. We went there as a treat for Christmas for my family and friends. I am really amazed at the size in and out of the ship.

Chief Boatswain Mate Larry Seesholtz brought us to plenty of spots that allow visitors to roam. These places include the eating areas which are divided for Officers, Chiefs, and Rank and file or for common navy men. He also brought us to the place where the captain of the ship works for maneuvering the ship.

It is quite enticing to walk around as a visitor in the ship but probably working there is very challenging. I cannot imagine working in a ship where staircases are really narrow, the walls smell like paint thinner, the ceilings are standard but for the taller workers, they’d be bowing most of the time. Or maybe I am just really an office worker to begin with. Anyways, I salute our guide BMC Larry Seesholtz for working 20 years of his life in such scene. I mean it’s not really hazardous but for me it’s really a man job. I am surprised there are plenty of women serving in the navy.

The roof deck where the airplanes fly and land is really wide, like 2 soccer field. It was a great to be on top of the tall and long ship where you see the place where all the planes launching happen. I feel so lucky because some other people cannot just visit or come to the ship; a sponsor is needed to do that.

Top 10 Funniest and Craziest Japan Personal Ads | Webupon

2010-03-04T22:24:00.001-08:00

Top 10 Funniest and Craziest Japan Personal Ads Webupon

When you click above link, you'll read my collection of weirdest, funniest, freakiest personal ads found in Tokyo and Osaka craiglist personal ads. I took time to compile them because I can't help but think something like those really exist!

Posted using ShareThis

My Dreams in life movie

2010-02-09T02:47:00.000-08:00

Here's a great movie that I made by myself. I made it like 4 hours carefully packed with loving emotions. It's about what I want in my life, my dreams, my aspirations and the things that I am working for.

I do believe that in time God grants us our wishes and dreams. I would want to see them every now and then and I feel so much better..... I am even encourage to reach these dreams and strive harder in my endeavors.

Top 10 things I like about my American boyfriend

2010-01-13T22:06:00.000-08:00

Here's the Top 10 ways I like about my American boyfriend.

What I like about being with an American? It all comes down to the qualities that my Lawrence showed me. I dated many men from difference races but only an American captured my heart why?
a.)He is soft spoken yet pointful. There are certain things that are new to me but because he is aware of my background, he taught me lessons about how to use table utensils properly for fine dining and never judge me as not educated.

b.)He knows the word balance. When he sees that he’s spoiling me, he detaches a bit but of course I don’t want detachment so I secretly encourage him that he’s safe with me even if he spoils me to the max. I don’t abuse his goodness. He gave me a Coach bag and expensive stuff as Christmas gifts, I was shouting in joy but few days later I gave him a bracelet engraved with our initial and date of anniversary. I am happy that I can give my boyfriend happiness and I see a different smile when I give him something from when the time he gives me something.

c.)I am very familiar with his culture. Since Pi was formerly colonized by USA, I am aware of the traces of American culture existing in the Philippines so I am familiar with my bf’s cultural background. Adjusting to his culture is not hard.

d.) He is tired of a broken family. It’s an advantage thing for me because I know my boyfriend is hoping for a compact family. I know USA is one of those countries with higher rates of divorce, he attested to me one time that he is tired of seeing broken homes and one day he wants to be in a happy family…same goal as mine. I think I got myself a keeper!

e.) He knows freedom and he gives me time and space I need. I also have my own sets of activities apart from him and circle of friends too. He gives me ample to be with them and gives me alone time to breathe. I had tried being with super possessive type of guys and it felt suffocating.

f.) He knows the movies that I watch and the actors I like. Since he’s an American and most movies I watch are from US, it added up to our interesting topics everyday. We have many things to talk about.

g.) He picks up some words from my dialects. I dated French once and he never wants to learn even a bit of my language but he wants to teach me his language. I think that’s selfish. Both should learn both culture and language, appreciate them at least.

h.) Language is never a barrier. Sure there are frequent wrong grammars and pronunciation from my side but he help me with it. Since English is my second language and taught in school for 14 years, I understand 99% of the words he say.

i.) One man, one woman type of guy. I believe that when a man get what he wants in a relationship, he would settle for it and will not look for another or do any foolishness to destroy it. My bf is very faithful and I know it so it makes me feel secure. His eyes don’t roam around when whenever we go out and I like it.

j.) He just know what to do and very dependable. He has his great sense of innovativeness and very initiative, sensitive so you don’t have to tell him what to do coz he already knows.

Filipino-American relationship, from a Pinay’s view

2010-01-12T21:23:00.000-08:00

Most of the blogs and articles I read are from the western’s POV about American – Filipino relationships with contents vary…some good, some bad and some even worst. I don’t mean to sound racist but I am assuming that the ones who will read this blog with an obvious title are those people who share a same scenario or familiar with it. We can’t hide the fact that Asian and American inter-marriages are quite common and maybe over 50% is White to a Filipina (just an assumption though). The top reasons based on my own research are that Filipinas are already English speakers and is very adoptive to any cultures. Some Filipinas can attest and I for one can say that we are fighters and we value family a lot wherever parts of the world we go. Of course it doesn’t apply to everyone but in most cases this is what you often see.

I salute and admire those American men who dearly love their Filipina wives and wives love them in return. Basically, if one would love and respect a Pinay she’d return to you the same things a hundred folds. She’ll take care of you and will be a very good partner. Some cases that make the relationship bitter between a Pinay and American is mostly about money that the American husband
cannot understand. The Filipina girl on the other hand should stop the assumption that her soon to be husband is rich. It is basically normal cultural differences and it needs work, understanding and compromise; things that the two should have or adjust, agree upon and come up with a solution.

To be honest, before I arrived in Tokyo my former view of Americans or whites are they are rich people. How so? When they go to Pi, they act like very confident, heads up sort of people and most of the times come out very intimidating to ordinary Filipinos. I cannot blame people from first world who lived all their lives in comfortable living versus ordinary Filipino people who thinks owning a microwave oven is a luxury. My views then later changed when I met Lawrence. He was the most considerate person I know of. I met Lawrence in Tokyo, Japan where most locals think Filipinas are dangerous people. I had officemates who thinks Filipinas are dangerous and heartbreakers but actually it’s the other way around. My mother married Japanese and ended up broken hearted and cheated by her Japanese husband.

Anyways, in Yokosuka base where Lawrence is working I know a lot of Pinays who were acting strange just to get away from their bored life. I am quite busy with my work so I cannot fully understand why they can just make good things and stop being too emotional to find a warm company with benefits but I do not condemn them that’s their life. But those are some contributing factors why Filipinas are being generalized and sometimes harassed.
On the other hand, I think the American husbands weren’t as much reaching out to their wife’s concerns. As Asians or Filipinos, our culture is very clingy. We would be more energetic when we feel we belong in a group or accepted in a partner or approved and heard. Say, we are somewhat needy people because we are raised in a warm hearted society. As a woman, I understand the need to t to be heard by our husbands and not to mistreat us to be housekeepers or baby makers. Some Filipinas I talked with experience emotional battery. They hear words from their husbands about how they met and poor these Filipinas are and that they are even lucky they are out of poverty and they put that in their brains making them sulk, grudge for lifetime and affected their lives as a couple resulting to divorce.What Lawrence and I agree, we won’t be sleeping with unfinished arguments. Because he knows when I feel angry I don’t talk to him and my face is all gloomy and I could go that way all day long. He reach out to me, gently kissing and hugging me with a gentle sorry in my ear…warm hugs that some men cannot do coz for them it’s weakness as if they are giving their wives power over them by showing their soft part. For me, showing your soft part to a Pinay can even make you go closer. Our culture is that way, it’s about sympathy to women that rules our country and our men are so gentle to us….men doesn’t mean just partners but our fathers, uncles, sons, nephews they all pay high respect to women. When a man becomes very defensive the Pinay feels it and eventually protect herself from future hurt and she become feel dull and stubborn.
A relationship is a constant compromise I would say. I do not believe that an American man especially old men just go to Philippines to find mail order bride because they cannot get quality women in their countries and Filipinas just get marry for convenience. If these kind of scenario happens, my suggestion is just to be very careful about the people you trust. Like any other women in any countries in the world, there are bad and there are good. You’d know and feel it when she/he comes.

A Filipino-American couple in Japan

2010-01-04T18:19:00.000-08:00

I don’t usually write about my love life for a long time. It’s as if whenever I do so there are hallow gaps in every word I write like I don’t mean most of it or just a product of some imagination far from what I am actually feeling. It’s been a long time since I felt feeling special in the arms of a special person. I am independent type of woman who earns and spends my own money, do and act as I want and decide with the product of my contemplation and rationalism. I don’t need a person in my life, I want them in my life…there’s a huge difference between need and want.
I am just any other women who likes receiving occasional gifts when it is freely given but feels awkward demanding or begging. A lot of friends look at me as someone different from my original roots (Filipino). I am confident but still want to be pleased by a man; my American bf said I am just slightly needy and just perfect for him!

There are plenty of prerogatives that were planted in my brain like believing in give and take. I believe that man and woman are made for each other. I believe in love and devotion. I am a hopeless romantic, strong-willed woman. Being what I am, I have had a lot of hopes and fantasies in being in a relationship. Most turned me bitter because the outcomes weren’t what I expected. I thought when you felt love the kisses will sweep you off your feet. I thought that when you fall in love the other also felt the same. I felt that everything will fall into place when you finally found the one love you have been waiting for. But the reality made my eyes see, it’s not only love that will make a relationship grow. It’s the trust, understanding, compromise and the continuous work day to day of your waking life. The presence of boundaries and respect are really important to be able to take control of our emotions. Race is never important. I dated men from my own race with similar values, language and costume with no success – just so happen that my recent bf is a mature American man.

Maybe I had an immature view of what real love is or what relationship is about. I used to be in long relationships and most of them ended not with infidelity but something toxic that consumed all my energy. I realize that when I got involved with my first longest relationship that went for 5 years, at the ending part of it, I felt I was the only one reaching out and the other seemed lazy. The next longest relationship I had was almost 4 years and it was suffocating. I cannot feel the joy and everything felt so wrong, the kisses, the sex, the hugs, the company. I felt my energy was consumed and inside was a continuous battle of power as I felt I was losing my femininity. I hate to compare but when I was in a time of my life when I have to choose, I compared men in terms of maturity (ages) and how they made me feel. I am a woman after all. I weigh, I laugh, I love, I get hurt, I cry and I move on.

Well, the thing that I remembered my older mentors would tell me about love is not to expect anything and to be very flexible because love just happen in mysterious ways and it comes in any shape, the very least you expect and all you’ll feel is the feeling of content, happiness and never-ending joy.
When I met Lawrence (my now bf), it was from a strange source – the internet. For me, the internet is a weird source but because life is so busy and fast getting to know through emails is just like pen pal on letters as if love have to go with the flow of time and technology. When I saw his picture in his profile, he wasn’t the guy I preferred with regards to the age … but he is definitely attractive. What surprise me the most is when he started emailing me, it’s as if I am reading his heart and his brain! We click almost instantly. He has indeed a beautiful heart and mind that made him stand out from everyone. It wasn’t about his appearance that I was looking at but his internal qualities that would over-shadow whatever negatives he has. It was as if our souls were talking to each other and connected in some unexplainable Zen. He can make me intellectually horny with his words. All I know was - I liked how he made me feel.

I don’t usually go with guys who are 5 years my senior coz for me they are too much to handle and too old. I had a sugar daddy when I was in my early 20’s who’s 12 years older and I felt weird. I thought of them as too experienced in life and does not cater to my childish pace because they are already done with my kind of lifestyle.
To my surprise, Lawrence made me feel that age really doesn’t matter. He made me feel that I can still be myself even if he is 12 years older than me. He even helped me understand about things in life that I have difficulty weighing. So much to say; I think he is very dependable as a friend, a lover and a perfect prospect for a lifetime partner.
Sometimes I can ask myself if knowing him is advantageous or disadvantageous to my growth as a person. I do not know the answer but I just let life works on us. I don’t seek at things that could benefit me, I seek things that can improve me and my partner as a couple and hopefully become a better people growing in wisdom. All I know is He is someone good for my soul.

We have similar likes, similar humor, similar things that made us tick; only petty thing that differs is he doesn’t eat seafood but it’s very minute compared to what we have in common. Besides, he can cook and he knows his way to the kitchen. I have never been with anyone who is like that. Most of the time, I am the one serving and kitchen used to be my first destination in the morning to prepare some breakfast for two. But with him, I could wake up to his delightful, tasty bagel with cinnamon sugar coated with love and smiles. And I appreciate it a lot!
Whenever I stare at his beautiful face I do not see the lines of age but I see the traces of his wonderful years. There’s something in his eyes that I wanna explore more.
He is American and I am Filipino but it didn’t stop us to be in a happy relationship. I am looking forward to spending more time with him.

My Fourth Christmas in Japan - 2009

2009-12-20T17:58:00.000-08:00

Since 2006, I celebrated my Christmas days in Kasai along with my beloved fellow Dash classmates and my SFC family! Where we showcase most of our talents and Pinoy delicious entrées… My friends can be the shyest people in the world but sure do, they know how to have fun! (Image is our 2009 Hollywood inspired theme for my fellow Dash co-workers and friends invitation)

Christmas (entire December) is a very important season for us, it’s like the happiest part of the year for reconciliation and gathering of family and friends…It’s like the best part of Pi..more like thanksgiving day in most Western countries. We celebrate the birth of Jesus with our usual rituals…nope, not blood compact or sacrificing animals at the altar -that’s way too old school. We celebrate Christmas with our Manito-Manita where we exchange gifts to specific people with names drawn by lots. I received a nice metallic color purse and a converse sneakers this year – first ever sneaker! I loved the way we exchange gifts singing to "I love my Manito yes I do! I love my Manito yes I do! I love my manito but I wont tell you!" coz it’s not the price of the gift but the thought of embracing the child in us…like believing once again that Santa Claus still exist!…

(Image: Dash/MPS Christmas Party 09 with Hollywood actors and actresses inspired! Indeed the best stage we made and the best Christmas that all of the people worked for this party! Thanks guys! L-R: Fe a.ka. Megan Fox, BB Jorg a.k.a Ben Stiller, Dione a.ka. Kate Beckinsale, Wenven a.k.a. Rowan Atkinson, Neri a.k.a Dorothy of the wizard of O, Bros aka Marlon Brando, Madz Jan a.k.a Kirsten Dunst Reza as Kathrine Heigl, Lloren as Shakira, Allan the funny guy as Lucille Liu - He actually nailed it!, May as Pocahontas and Manny as Timothy Olyphant!)

We also have a party where we start with a nice worshipping prayers to our King-God and thanking him for the bliss of the entire 2009…the year is ending by the way…though we had economic crisis but surely the year is not as bad compared to 2008. I hope though 2010 would be a great year of changes and improvements – I'm sure of that. (Image: Kuya Amboy and his group in Couples for Christ singing his original composition song - a Tagalog Christmas song! Very nice!)

More about the traditional Filipino party, it’s clean fun of music, dances, delicious food & parlor games with EXCITING prices at stake! Filipinos are the most resourceful people I know of in my entire life! I have seen American, Japanese, Chinese, Singaporean parties but my own is still the best – of course same goes with other races when they compare their own traditions with other traditions…you can dig?

(Image: Ate Gloria's performance of Choral singing mixed with freestyle ballroom dancing to the tune of Gloria...the grannies nailed it and won the contest!

This Christmas month is like the happiest ever and I’m sad to say might be my last. I hope not…I hope I still have great chances of extending in Japan coz I like it here very much!

(Image: I have a new career! Interpreter hehe...the judges of the carolling contest at Roppongi church with my boyfriend Lawrence (In yellow)..first time I brought him to Filipino gatherings and our friend Dan)..they sure had a wonderful time at the party and hard time to judge the winner...

Importing Car from Japan to Philippines

2009-12-20T16:23:00.000-08:00

That is the car that I wanna buy from one second hand store near Tokyo (Fussa city to be exact). You would be surprise it only cost less that a thousand dollars and with the perfect running condition, great interiors. It's a 1995 Ford Mustang, left hand steering which is perfect for Philippine driving. Other features include driver airbag, power windows, perfect A/C, power seats and alloy wheels. It is of good quality and best of all it's a MUSTANG!!!

The Japanese are freaks with new things as they are always in tune with the new fashions, new gadgets, new cars, new houses, new trends...after all they wont be worth calling first world trendy country right? So most Japanese don't mind changing cars every now and then and it's even more practical coz maintennance fees are more expensive than the cost of a new car. They even pay some trading companies to get their old cars from their garages. Old furnitures, appliances and cars have to be thrown in a proper junk places and they have to pay up to $200 to get these trashes out of their homes or garages. The older the things the higher the cost of throwing it.

Anyways, cars from US and Europe are also imported to Japan. European cars are more on hit here coz they have the same right hand steering while US uses left hand drive...but both countries import cool cars that's why Japanese love them! However those cars from the 90's are not a good idea for Japan use so there are plenty of stockist that make it a business importing used cars to neighboring Asian, African and Carribean countries who would like to use and buy the used cars.

***To inform you these cars are way way cooler than those second hand cars that are sold in my country but the real headache is sending the car to the Philippines!...

Ok, I have an aunt who is working in Port of Mactan in Cebu as a costums assesor...she's got a lot of connections but despite of this I still have to pay for $2000 for the car I bought for 50% less...can you imagine??? So I am still evaluating if it will worth it - after all it's a Mustang!!! duhhhhh!! here I am again. I am actually mixed emotions...I cannot buy a Mustang in Pi for less than a thousand dollars and it's not a common car in Pi anyways...but the importing tariff and customs laws makes the work hard to accomplish - impossible to my senses that is....

The headache doesn't end there...the tariff approximately $2000 for a $1000 car is only upto Subic Bay in Manila and it might cost another $500 to ship it to Cebu...and will all the papers I have to file in BIR for it to be legal...shit! my heart is pounding in distress!!! The car would end up $3,000 - $4,000 worth or Php 200,000 in duties and taxes for it to be released - that's the worst case scenario!

Will I just keep on staring to this pix? or will I make a move? God what would Jesus do???

Nikko Tour - Autumn getaway 2009

2009-11-19T18:39:00.000-08:00

I am really thankful to God coz I get a lot of invites from my Japanese colleagues to travel in some fun parts of Japan for free. Like the previous weeks when we had a good Filipino taste BBQ in the lake near Mt. Fuji. I often like outdoor sightseeing than the usual boring whole day trapped at my crib troubleshooting my computer or endless Manny Pacquaio videos. I mean those times are also fun but when I get to go places like Nikko I feel releived from stress and good feelings of embracing nature. The nature has great effects on me, it revitalizes my energy and it even becomes my immediate solution to some of my concerns. It's more than liquor or even drugs that help me forget my concerns in life.

Life in Tokyo in particular can sometimes be very boring especially for a Filogirl like me who likes the adventures of mountains from my hometown, Boljo-on, Cebu.

I think one of my best places to go in Japan is Nikko. I've been here twice, during summer of 2008 and this recent autumn 2009. I can compare Nikko, Tochige-Ken as Bohol or Camiguin coz you get to visit not only a spot but with lots of beautiful places and experiences. Well here are my experiences in my autumn getaway.

1.) Toshogu Shrine
They said this is where the higest shogun in Japan lies. It is on the top of the mountain coz they said it’s the way their culture are. Their superior is placed on the topmost part of the mountain. Here you can also see the 3 monkeys that portrays “See no evil, talk no evil, hear no evil” actions, which could be like a reminder for us. The picture is the entrance of Toshogu Shrine with my friend Fe.
2.) Shinkyo Bridge
Actually I do not understand why this place is a tourist spot. It’s just an orange short bridge that you can see when you are passing in the streets. They said it’s an old bridge used before by people before accessing the Toshogu Shrine.

3.) Lake Chuzenji
This is the best spot right after Kegon Falls! It’s very placid and you can enjoy more with the sunshine facing the lake that is caught in between two mountains. You can ride the ducks so you can touch the waters of this lake. Great experience for us, we rented duck for 500 per person on a 30 minute ride.

4.) Kegon Waterfall
A 100 meters high water falls right after a 48 cups of winding roads! I love this place so much! It has it’s unique appearances for all seasons. I’m so glad I’ve seen 2 seasons, summer and winter!

Trully my experiences in Nikko is very rewarding despite of the winding roads going up and down; it's all worth it.

B-B-Q at the Lake

2009-10-24T22:25:00.001-07:00

So the busy life of Tokyo with constant sitting time andover 15 hours staring at the computer tires people! A getaway of BBQ in a forest place with authentic firewoods and fresh air would be a perfect treat!!
After a Fuji Time we headed to Mosoku Lake where we had our lunch. I am writing this like a week late coz I was a bit busy with my other stuff like household chores, jogging etc. What I experienced? I am from a province place in Boljo-on, Cebu, but we dont usually do BBQ outside our house coz for us it is silly. We use firewood inside the house when I was younger coz my grandparents want their food cooked the traditional way. They dislike food cooked in gas stoves coz they said we can taste the kerosene in the food. Anyways, BBQ at the woods in amazing!

My other colleagues brought with them BBQ stand that made the BBQ easy and convenient. Before that day, I was tasked to marinate a Filipino taste pork, fish and chicken. I was but insecure with the taste but turn out my friends liked it.

I will definitely do this again!

5th Station of Mt Fuji in Autumn Season

2009-10-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to Mt Fuji, we didn’t climb coz I know it would be so much agony. Our Japanese office mate who drove us to Mt. Fuji, prefer to stay at the fifth station where all the souvenir shops and restaurants are located. Our outfits weren’t prepared to climb a volcano anyways. We were 6 people in the group, 2 Japanese and 4 Filipinos.
We departed Tokyo 7 AM and as excited as we are, we didn’t sleep during the trip but kept on talking and looking at the changing appearance of city streets to sub-urbs then final to rural areas. We passed by the rainbow bridge, Fuji Q and other remarkable places, it made our trip more exciting. But other than that it was the usual 3 hours drive.

I took photos of moving stuff from Iphone but all of them appeared blurry so I decided to just save the camera’s battery to the real scenery of Mt. Fuji.

Before arriving in Mt Fuji, there was this part of the road with music/tone, they said those are groves that produce vibration when friction from the car tires hit the road. It is made that way and it was unbelievable. The road was constructed putting some groves patterned to some musical notes I am not sure what the song title was that but even if it was short, it still amazed me and wondered why they spent much to make that road for that purpose alone? Of course I am just commenting, it's not a negative comment I think. Japanese people are very creative so maybe they made it that way for art's sake. I cannot tell which area was that but it’s on the way to Mt Fuji.

I enjoyed the autumn leaves while we were passing those winding roads up to the fifth station. It is now middle of October and the color of the leaves are still yellow and some orange. I know it would have been better if it was November.

When we arrive at the fifth station, I was surprised at the different kinds of restaurants with structures adopted from different cultures, could be European, Latin American, Chinese and the like. It was cold though so we were like wet ducklings. We have to be there for around 30 – 60 minutes coz one of our Japanese friends was not wearing proper winter gear. He was shaking from the cold breeze and besides we were all hungry.
Anyways, I had high hopes about Mt. Fuji and I just saw it during spring season when I went to Fuji Q some time last year. It is not as pretty without ice on its mouth peak compared to Mt. Fuji during winter or spring. I like Mt. Mayon in Albay, Philippines better with its perfect cone. Mt. Fuji is by the way same fault line in Mt. Kanlaon in Negros so any volcanic activities of Fuji it will be the same as Mt. Kanlaon. Here are more foto's during that trip:

Note: Janet doing her Naruto moves on one statue in a souvenir shop. There are plenty of statues fronting the volcano.

Note: Here we are acting like navigators. It was fun!

Note: It was 12 noon and coz we planned to have BBQ in Lake Kawaguchi we just controlled our hunger and bought JPY 500 corn on cub not as good as the sweet corn in Busay but enough to supress our hunger.

Note: Inside souvenir stores, pretty expensive so I just bought 8 different views of Mt Fuji postcards at JPY110 each.

What I think about the place in general, it was so pretty and everything around it is pretty. It’s worth the driving hours.

Finding true friends in Tokyo

2009-09-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

This blog is tribute to my good Filipino, Thai, Japanese and American friends whom I met in Tokyo but now moved to another countries or move back to their home countries

When I arrived in Tokyo my family was so happy to fetch me in Narita Airport well I am the only one living in the Philippines with some relatives while my family (Japanese mixed) are living in Japan almost all of their lives. I know I would miss my home country that I had lived and loved for 22 years till I decided to finally reunite with my family in Japan.

From the moment I got out from Narita and went to Ibaraki, I knew it would be cold planet for me and a silent boring life different from Cebu, Philippines. Indeed it was but when I started working as an Engineer in Tokyo where I saw the different side of Japan my view changed dramatically.
Tokyo is very convenient to live; the trains are very accessible, the groceries, the church, amusement places are everywhere. But believe it or not, it’s not on the place but how you enjoy the place with someone. Human as we are, we cannot be an island. It would be tragic and depressive if you are all alone in a beautiful country like Japan. So I decided to meet new friends and I met good ones in the same multi-cultural engineering company that I am working for.

I have heard bad stories about Filipinos in Japan especially those who are working in clubs but actually it’s up to you to choose your friends and you have the right to choose people whom you can trust. I just happened to have found the good ones. My advice to all is you can find good friends at any Christian organizations in your churches and you can’t find good friends from disco’s because those people are hesitant to trust you too.

The Filipino friends that I met are Christians and gather every Friday for novena and goes to church on Sundays. We also have good, decent fun on occasions and wacky ones at the bars. They know how to balance work and play using decent fun and they can be trusted different from the bad stories I heard.

The Thai Friends I met where really nice and very accomodating to teach me their culture and some of their words "sawadee"!

The American friends I met were mature ones, well it would be fun to be with same age but I am hesitant because those young ones spend too much money on socializing. I just think. Those Americans friends we had balances our nature, they are very good life advicers and I learned a lot from them and pretty much they also learned a lot from our culture.

To all of the friends that I met in Tokyo, hope to see you again one day, Mabuhay kayong lahat. Chun Kin Tun Kun and I miss you all!!

Mata ne!

Yukata Festival Cruise in Tokyo Bay

2009-09-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

Yukata Cruise in Tokyo Bay

I have few months left in Nihon so I wanted to experience those things that I have not take in the past 3 years of living here. Constantly, I am just comfortable in my pad inside my turf. I know I am having fun with my friends doing the usual stuff, Friday night's gatherings after a good novena prayer, Sunday is church day and all week day is work day. Yes, I do believe in the saying that it's not the place that matters but how you cherish the place and how you enjoy the people you meet but experiencing new stuff is adding more zest to life.

So last night September 12 at Takeshiba Pier near Odaiba I had a wonderful time in my Yukata. The weather didn't agree with our fun really well but I think it added more joy and blessing to the night coz if it didn't rain participants could have been wilder and drunker than it was. I would take a short cut route of my story, my friend Fe and I just did well in making our knotting, fixing and wearing of our Yukatas without any supervision from the local. Actually we did quite well but it wasn't about the formal way of wearing them as other people in the Yukata festival just had their own ways of wearing it which is absolutely fun to look at. I'll tell you more about that later.

We didn't have a good quality camera on hand that time but I saw one video in the internet that is similar to what we experienced (additional with the rain)

Yukata Cruise in Tokyo Bay from Philip Cotsford on Vimeo.

We took the Monorail to Takeshiba Pier and ended in a meeting place with almost 200 people wearing in Yukatas in various colors and kinds, from then on it was a little awkward at first coz obviously we were the only Pinoys and we were surrounded with bunch of foreigners from different nations. My friend Fe was a little conscious at first so we tried to open up to each other first how to fit in and we did it perfectly. People were so accepting and were so glad to have us as companies. We took and paid for the registration and went immediately to the cruise ship.

It was really amusing being in a place packed with great people who are wearing Yukatas in their own ways; indeed, very creative! They added definitions like wearing rubber shoes with it, adding hats, wearing together with the usual walking shoes and sandals. I thought at first it was disrespectful but when I talked to a Japanese girl who's amazingly mixed with my genes (Filipino), she said it's fine and the locals wouldn't mind at all. The Yukatas are just like fashion and it's no longer a strict implementation. But they have certain time and occassion of the year that they still observe to wear Kimono's like when children turn 3,5,7 years old. They said it's a good celebration and a formal one so they have to observe a well defined wearing of Kimono.

The whole time of the cruise were enjoying chatting with my friend and meeting new friends and just walking around enjoying the party that I would know wont happen again.
We went to the upper deck were there's a little stage to see shows from Japanese people wearing Yukata and a whole platform of different people dancing and having fun.
Fe and I decided to change our Yukatas because it was wet with the rain and continued having fun. We met more people maybe it's because we let out the real us? It was a funny thought.

I love activities like those; it was fun definitely worth of all cents and time. I don't wanna count my last days in Japan I want my days count.

It only happens in Japan

2009-09-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

It's 8:40 am of Wednesday, just a usual morning for me, too late from my usual time of waking up and going to the office which is only 15 minutes away from my pad by bicycle. Obviously, I was 10 minutes late and to my surprise, I was one of the few people who arrived at the office. I wondered why. I usually arrive the latest in my department well next to my boss who maybe drunk the other day, again. So I thought maybe people are just really scared of the second flu outbreak. Flu is really scary in Japan by the way; citizens always cram and anxious everytime they hear of outbreaks like the recent H1N1 virus. Merely because millions of people are on the streets attending to their busy lives (work, school, businesses) and a huge risk of getting the disease just anywhere is a threat to their usual routine, pretty scary since in Japan - Bawal ang magkasakit (Diseases not allowed). This is one of the places on earth that you cannot survive without money so people has to work.
Anyways, I just heard from another officemate who arrived 2 hours late after our usual time in. He said there was an accident in the Tozai Line, a cart bumped to another maintennance cart which rarely happen to Japan since they are very careful observers of safety.

That photo you see is forwarded by a friend to me, as you see a group of men united to push back a train after an accident occur at the start of day operation. The train is Tozai Line; a Tokyo Metro Train that runs from Nakano to Nishi-Funabashi and some trips to Toyo-Katsutadai (a change to Keisei train to go to Narita Airport). It runs to 15-20 train stops and this sudden stop in operation can cause delay not only to the Tokyo Metro Train but the entire train system of Kanto area, this may include the JR Line and other privately owned trains like Toei trains and Keisei trains like a domino effect causing millions of yen in losses.

I know Japan is concern about the loss and anger from people who maybe late from their appointments at their works or schools but what inspired me from this event, people still have the passion to help get through it peacefully. Which I think only happens in Japan where people are prone to bottling up their emotions just for the sake of unity, order and peace. They seek action and at these time words of blames and regrets do not help.
For me this is a rare accident in Japan after living here for almost 4 years now. But it made me appreciate more that I am here in this country where I can develop myself into a better person. I can't help but compare from my beloved homeland. I hope one day, in my country people stop blaming and just give a hand and just do it and say yes to improvement.