Starting Again...

Its Easter, and the Philippines being a predominantly Christian (Catholic) Country is having its annual Holy Week (long weekend). Easter usually marks a beginning and it is just fitting that I restart posting again on such an auspicious date.

Having returned from my 2.5 years sojourn to the Land of Rising Sun, I was thinking of renaming my blog, but i decided against it as it still reflects the topics which I will be writing about...

My 2nd Life

Not that I am not busy enough but there are simply times when you want to get out of this world and into another one. Hence my life in my secondlife commenced a few months back when some friends and I heard about it and I decided to try it out. On the pic on the side is my avatar in front of the Waseda Sim sign....

J Kurasu...

The J Class was an interesting group. Standing from L-R is Bong (aka Elvin), Rey (aka acheronsbane), Kiko the prolific, Edel, Rhea (RJ?), Nina (the gifted student), Dang (the prolific blogger), Berns (hmmmm). Sort of kneeling from L-R is Byron (my rival in asking the most questions), Claire (the quiet..so we thought....but proved to be a very popular girl) and of course me.... The location of the pic was at the Lyceum Law College Classrooms in Makati....

The Japanese Way...

I was reading through Dang's (she is a fellow bisaya and batchmate in JDS Batch 5 Philippines) and I was reminded that its been a year since we left Cebu and made Manila home (the tropical paradise of California Gardens in Mandaluyong was our home).. away from home for our Japanese Language Class or Nihongo Kurasu. The 2 month we stayed in Manila proved to be good practice for us promdis (a slang term and sometimes deregatory term for people "prom di" (from the) province). Though I am personally very proud to be labelled as such.... The short stint in Manila with my erstwhile rommies (Rey, Bong, Jason) proved to a good practice to living in such small quarters. Jason had the opportunity to move to more cozier accomodations so it was only me, rey and bong that were left to actually complete the stay in the tropical garden of california...Living in the tiny room in a building was the first step in knowing the Japanese Way....of course the main reason for our stay in Manila was to learn Japanese (nihongo) for our eventual trip to Japan. The Japanese Class was a very interesting experience. It gave me an opportunity that I had never had before.....that is... to be the DUMB (or bobo in Filipino) student in class. Ever since I could remember I have always been an academically accomplished individual. I was always a top student till I eventually finished my BSCS degree with a "cum laude" distinction. But as luck would have it, in Nihongo class I was the idiot (who kept on flunking the quizzes) and a consistent member of the Mou Ichido (repeat) group. I think I was so bad that I think my sensei's (honorific for title for teachers) were worried on how I would survive in Japan. But as can be seen I have thrived well (sign ang body language helps) inspite my atrocious Japanese. Nevertheless, my being so dumb in Nihongo allowed me to ask DUMB and outrageous (thats how dang described it) questions to my senseis....(I am still thinking if i want to retell my most interesting question i posed in class.....). Fortunately for me, dumb as I was, I was fortunately with classmates who were very supported such as my seatmates Edel and later on Berns.... We had many interesting moments in our class (J kurasu) and it made our journey in learning the "Japanese Way" a fun and happy (tanoshi?) experience.

My Abode - My Community Part 2

To continue from my last post...upon reaching the entrance of my building and turn towards the direction the building is facing... you will see the silhouette of a building...that building is the Seiyu Depato (department store) which is the Japanese subsidiary of the famous retail chain WalMart. As can be seen...its very close to where I live....Seiyu has a supermarket in the first floor, department stores on the 2nd and 3rd floor and a Hyaku En Shop (100 Yen Store) as well.

My Abode - My Community Part 1

One of the things that helped me make up my mind in choosing my residence here in Japan is convenience. Having had to forgo the luxuries of cars and cabs (forgo because I am not allowed to drive here...parking also is way too expensive anyway, and cabs are too expensive-flagdown is around $6.60), closeness to public transportation (train station) and other vital institutions (such as a supermarket, koban (police station), bank ATM, conbini (convenience store), post office, and a department store) is very important. When I say closeness...I mean walking distance....The picture as indicated was taken (who else but by me of course...and with a dash of digital magic) just outside the Hanakoganei Eki. As can be seen...my building is very near the Eki. on the the side of the picture is INAGEYA (only NAGEYA can be seen in the pic), a midsize supermarket (of course not as huge as SM Supermarket but good enough)...inside it is also a McDonalds...in case you get hungry from doing grocery....hehehe...

Mga Kausaban... Part 1

Sa akong pag puyo diri sa Japan...adlaw adlaw mabantayan nako ang mga kausaban sa ako kinabuhi diri i komparar sa kinabuhi nako sa Cebu. Mao kini akong na mat-an na mga kausaban...


1) Karon automatic na ko mo ingon ug "sumimasen", dili na "excuse me"
2) Mas paspas nako no lakaw, kung tawagon nako "japanese power walk"
3) Mo inum nako ug tubig gikan sa gripo...ug feel sad nako ang lasa sa ilang tubig...
4) Pag tangtang sa sapatos una mo sulod sa usa ka balay...bisan pinoy pa ang tag-balay...
5) Pag "segregate" sa basura...karon pa jud ko naka sabot sa pag ka importante sa segregation
6) Anad nako sa turo turo na pamaagi sa pag palit ug pag kaon...kung sa cebu pa mo ingon ka "kani, kani, kani" diri sa japan mo ingon ka "kore, kore kore"....duol ra sa dali ra hinumduman
Kung ang kani - kore, ang kana - sore, ang kato - are.... dali ra hinumduman kung huna huna-on nimo ana...
7) Nakat-on ko luto ug usa ra ka "burner"...mao na kinahanlan ka mag plano una ka mo sugod ug luto...
8) Mo salig ug tawo (basta japon? hehe)...2 ka adlaw ni labay ni palit ko ug pagkaon sa mcdo...naa koy sinsiyo na bilin sa cashier na mga 20 yen.....gi gukod jud ko sa gawas para mahatag nila nako ako sinsiyo...
9) Mag gamit ug lotion....para dili mo uga ang panit...wala jud ka choice....kay maka uga jud ni bugnaw...
10) Karon na naa ko sa layo mas ma storya na nako ako mga higala..pama-agi sa chat

ang sumpay sa sunod nasad....