Top 10 Signs that I am Back in the Philippines

I can't remember exactly the two instances that I uttered to myself, "I'm so back!" I think one has to do with the office gossip and policies, the other I really can't remember.  Having taken an extended holiday leave from the office and haven't written any blog entry for more than a month, here it is - the top 10 signs that I am back in Pinas:

10 - I eat three meals a day and at home somebody would holler before every meal, "Nineng, kakain na!" (Monet, time to eat!)
9 - Cable tv 24/7:  I discovered that there is such a channel as NHK World.  I swear, I tried watching NHK all day in Japan but aside from Eigo de Asobu and other Let's Speak English programs, NHK in Japan is all Japanese!
8 - There is no such thing as MRT Train Schedule.  I'm not really a train commuter in Manila but after fostering a friendship with hyperdia.com and jorudan.net for more than two years, I kinda miss not needing them here.
7 - At the office, 8:15 a.m. is not late (but 8:16 is).  We have a 15-minute grace period at the office, talk about a twist in Filipino time. 
6 - I now know atras powers, Arturo (Sergio's sidekick in Marimar) is gay and Jamie Oliver is all over Discovery Travel and Living Channel. 
5-  When Melissa sends an SMS saying, "Let's have dinner," it means we meet and eat at any of the restaurants in Trinoma and not Sannomiya.
4 - You can buy Louis Vuitton bags for 800 pesos, Dooney and Bourke handbags for 600 pesos and Tokidoki for Le Sportsac for 450 pesos.  Try to haggle and you'll even get them for lower prices.  
3 - A box of Pocky or Pretz from Thailand costs cheaper than those made in Japan. 
2 - Freedom from rent, water and electricity bills!  I can live off mommy's income!
1 - At the start of the month a coworker pushes a dot matrix print out that says my total net income for the month, minus taxes, insurance and other deductions, is P15,000 (that's roughly 30,000 yen or 300 dollars)!

Kobe, 070925-070926

Last 24 hours in Kobe-shi: Had dinner with Melissa at the Fujiya in Sannomiya Centergai. Ate dessert at Afternoon Tea in Daimaru then walk around Sannomiya and soaked in the ambiance of the shopping district at night. Took the train JR Sannomiya to JR Nada for the last time then proceeded to the Karaoke room of JICA-Hyogo. Woke up to catch my last sunrise with Kobe Harbor in the background. Attended the forgettable JDS evaluation meeting and took the shinkansen ride to Tokyo.....

2007 September 25

Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies Kobe University Fall 2007 Commencement Exercises

hairdresser, trinoma, gap

Got a call from Melissa and got out of the office an hour earlier than the usual.  Met up with her and Baby2 at Trinoma, the Ayala Mall near SM City North.  First thing we talked about - the mall will be home to Melissa's favorite clothing store - Gap.  That's two title entries that go together.
The picture - I just have to post it here because the last time we had a voice chat - I bugged her to share this picture from her camera.  I was thinking of getting a haircut early this month and was watching Kimutaku as Shuji-kun in Beautiful Life on weekends at Qtv. 
Been going to this salon in Rokkomichi since February 2006.  Really wanted to get a haircut from this guy, the hairdresser, ever since but I just didn't have the courage to insist that he be the one to cut my hair.  Always, I ended up with somebody else.  Until graduation day and on my last day of coming down from Kobe University - went to his salon and finally got a haircut from him!  There's really something hard to explain about these Japanese guys who cut tresses....

afternoon tea

Had coffee with Melissa after our graduation ceremonies in this cafe located at the Daimaru - Sannomiya store.  Ordered the ice-cream (came in paired glasses) while Melissa had their osusume - afternoon tea set. 
Ambiance is really nice... still in love with their ice cream...

nhk, bir and nyc

Day 22 - I wonder when I'll stop counting.  This is my 22nd day back in the Philippines.  I thought about a blog entry with the title "Missing Kobe" and write the top five things I miss about living in Kobe.  Nah, I was thinking along those lines two weeks ago.  Maybe, I'll do that next time. 
I also planned on uploading all those photos that I took before going back.  Had too many in my folders - the sorakuen garden, pictures with mary, graduation pics with all the kobe fall grads, graduation dinner with Melissa, shinkansen ride, tokyo trip with all the other JDS fellows, embassy visit (Anna, the consul who represented Ambassador Siazon, is a friend and batch mate from UP Diliman), and the flight home.  Scrapped the idea too - got the slow dial up internet connection - very hard to upload pictures. 
So I buried myself in watching cable tv and the main channel - NHK!  Pretty absurd for someone who just weeks ago, wished that she can switch to a channel where the programs are in English.  So, now NHK has become constant in the background, it lulls me to sleep.  Weekends, I wait for the hourly news and patiently sit through until the end where they'll end the newscast with the hourly changing Tokyo skyline.  Good thing I lived most of my stay in Kobe otherwise, every hour would be like a binge in nostalgia...
Then, of course when I am not watching NHK and it's the weekday - I work.  Almost everyday, I drag myself to the bathroom - not the office but the bathroom - I have to prepare to go to the office.  The first few days were kinda different, I even looked forward to going.  Middle of second week - I always see myself stepping aside and thinking - did I really spent seven years working in this office?  I feel like the office is such a small - no, the proper word is - narrow world!  The most incredulous thing is that I used to be contented working and literally spending most of my productive hours in such confining place. 
Talked to Melissa this morning and I really wanted to tell her these things but decided against blabbing these thoughts.  Then, I thought about the next acronym to write - "nyc" came to mind.  I have to take this time to collect my thoughts - ask for guidance and have faith.  i'll find my focus - I just have to because for now the last three letters in the title looks like a pretty good challenge to take up....

different monday

I deliberately missed church today.  Totally different from my previous Sundays - no nihongo mass, no lunch with Mina or Melissa, no window shopping in Sannomiya or malling in Blummer, cooking at the 6th floor kitchen and just lazing around my room. 
Tomorrow, Monday will also be different.  First week that I won't see Toshi and Yuto.  Wonder if they got around to reading The Little Prince book that I gave them as farewell gift?   

rooms with the view

rm. 452 Washington Hotel, Shinjuku, Tokyo



Sunrise, rm. 1211 JICA - Hyogo International Center, Kobe-shi
These are the views from my last rooms in Japan....

things to do before going home

                               1. Eat Kobe beef

 

 


2.  Go to Sorakuen Garden



   

 
3.  Go to Kyoto National Museum





4. Go to Korea - didn't get to do this

robot show5

robot show4

Robot show2

Robots

Robot show at the Robot Museum in Nagoya

jasper fforde books

Got these Thursday Next series as a birthday gift three years ago from Roseller.  Didn't get to finish reading the second book until this morning.  It took me that long to read the books as I cannot get past the first four chapters of  The Eyre Affair.  Two years ago, I asked Penggy to send the books to me so I can read them.  Still, it took me nearly two years and countless hours of train ride using the ju-hachi kippu this summer to finish the first two books.  I figure, I'll read the last one on the plane ride back to Manila.  A good way to end my Japan affair, ne?

Nara, Summer 2007

Finally made it to Nara Prefecture. Been living in the Kansai area for two years but first time to visit this ancient capital. I almost skipped going to this prefecture because I figured Kyoto would be enough. BUT, the third national museum is here so a trip to Nara is on my list of "things to do before going home." Loved the facade of the new museum wing. I was like really worried because I've spent considerable shots for it on my very limited memory card (128 MB) but just clicked away. Reading through the museum's history along the passageway that connects the new and old museum buildings - got rewarded when I read that the new wing is considered one of the best public buildings in Japan and that the Japanese architect was famous. Maybe, if I made countless trips here, this place will also be included in my favorite places in Japan. Anyways, there is an ongoing special exhibit on 11th-13th century paintings at the new wing. The old building houses a lot of national treasures and important cultural properties. Almost every exhibit there was marked with those notes.

Went to Todaiji Temple in the afternoon and chanced upon Ramusai-san from Uzbekistan. Went to Kofukuji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine too. Didn't plan on visiting those two sites but Said prodded me to go with him. It was a long walk - really, really, really long walk.... back to the JR Nara Station. We had dinner at Gusto - cold chocolate drink is included in their nomihodai!

fall grads of kobe uni

 

Three days after the thesis defense, everybody went to a park in Port Island (reclaimed and man-made island where the Kobe Airport is located).  Didn't eat much barbecued meat and stuff though - told them I had enough of grilled things as I grill pretty much anything from the supa.  We all look happy especially at the karaoke.  Melissa took my picture near the machine - she told me that it's state of the art - she'll definitely miss these places once we get back home in 2 weeks time.  Aside from Kobe-shi, I think I'll also miss these people the most. 

 

Nagoya, Summer 2007

First day of using the juhachi kippu and traveling alone to this city and prefecture 4 hours away from Kobe and another 4 hours to Tokyo. Great city, the UFJ Money Bank Museum has an ongoing exhibit of 58 ukiyo's of Hiroshige, depicting scenes along Tokaido Line (from Kyoto to Tokyo), and the museum entrance is free - one of those rare things in Japan. At the Robot Museum, I c-mailed Melissa and told her that I thought I died and gone to geek heaven. One of those truly amazing museum trips. Also enjoyed the robot chronicles in their exhibition hall and those old SF comics collected by a Japanese fan.

Takamatsu and Okayama, Fall 2007

Thought that I won't be able to see the fall season for 2007 in Japan. Down south, fall starts early - so even if it's still September and hot in Kansai, the leaves are dropping in Takamatsu and Okayama - the colors in the Korakuen and Okayamajo are changing. Rural scenery in Japan is gorgeous. The udon in Takamatsu is cheap and one of the best I've ever tasted. The korakuen, one of the best in Japan, is beautiful, amazing and breathtaking.

Kyoto, Summer 2007

Went back to my favorite prefecture and city (of course, after Kobe). This time, I made sure that I got to visit the Kyoto National Museum. Yes, they do have a museum although I would like to think that the whole prefecture is an open and living museum in itself. I wasn't disappointed. I like the way they arranged the collection and each section detailing the contents and the highlights (in Japanese and English). The Museum Shop isn't as grand as all the other museums, probably because you can buy a lot outside of the museum. I really love this place - good thing I made the time and special trip for this, it was one of those long-planned thing that finally materializes but didn't end up with a thud....

nawawalang payong

I lost my kasa (Nihongo for umbrella) last night at the JR Rokko Michi mall.    I had it for almost a month.  Got it from one of those recycle shops.  The thing is, I brought along an umbrella from the Philippines when I came here to Japan 2 years ago.  Back home, I hated using the umbrella.  Until, I lived with Melissa for a year and she kept on insisting that I got all these dark spots from - not using sunblock (totally acceptable for me) and umbrella (huh?  the one that Mommy always carry because she teaches in Magsaysay-Espana where a slight drizzle can cause floods????).  Of course when we separated, like the prodigal daughter that I became, I heeded all her rules - clean the toilet, tidy the room and wear sunblock and always bring an umbrella even though it's not raining....
This is really petty but I remember walking from Kobe Uni and checking out all the supa's (supermarket) in Rokko Michi leading to the JR eki.  When I came to the first stop to check out the prices of salmon, I felt torn - should I put my dripping kasa inside the fashionable tote bag that Lulu sent from New York or just hold it?  I held it all the way to the 3rd supa stop - where I think, I forgot it after bagging all those grocery items.  I swear this is one of those rare times when I am really looking forward to going home - kasi malapit lang ang SM West sa bahay at may mga nag-ba-bag ng grocery items doon!!!
Ah, the lost payong?  Not really a Burberry umbrella but i think it can pass for one.  Besides, its circumference, size and weight are the most important things about this kasa.   It's small enough to fit in my Fossil bag, the smallest I own.  I also noticed yesterday that it was wide enough because I didn't get drenched - even the tote that I was lugging on my shoulders was protected.  Although, not as light as Mommy's previous umbrella, the first two characteristics more than made up for this slight deficiency.  In addition, the fact that the recycle shop guy would not budge when I haggled really makes this kasa super special (it even says so in the handle - super mini).  Imagine, I can buy a 500-yen umbrella at Claire's but this buruberi mitai na kasa has the same price!
Maybe this post will help me move on.  Aagh! I still have that paper for Katayama sensei and the thesis defense on Tuesday!  

Look to this Day

Found myself sobbing while watching the ending of Kimutaku's Karei-naru Ichizoku.  Then at the end of the dorama - they flashed this poem from Kalidasa: 

Look to this day:

For it is life, the very life of life.

In its brief course

Lie all the verities and realities of your existence.

The bliss of growth,

The glory of action,

The splendour of achievement

Are but experiences of time.

For yesterday is but a dream

Ant tomorrow is only a vision;

And today well-lived, makes

Yesterday a dream of happiness  

And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well therefore to this day;

Such is the salutation of the ever-new dawn!

thesis deadline

July 19 and 20 are big dates for Kobe university students at GSICS.  Those of us expecting to graduate this fall have to submit our thesis on these dates.  The deadline was really on Friday, July 20. 
Thursday, July 19:  I came in early just to print the final version of my thesis.  Had some help from Rudy-kun and Tine-san, both students from Indonesia, in binding four copies of my thesis.  They even took pictures of us holding our copies.  Then, off to the admin office to deliver the bound copies and accomplish some forms.  After accomplishing everything, I went to the computer room and helped people with the margins, pagination and editing of their paper.  They still have a day to accomplish everything.  Went home with Melissa at 8:30 p.m.
Friday, July 20:  Planned to wash clothes, clean the dorm and cook some meals but I got a wake up call from Melissa reading aloud the portion of her acknowledgment where she specifically mentioned my name. My guilty conscience went on overdrive - hurriedly took a shower and then proceeded to the university with Manny, another Pinoy scholar from a different program.  We requested him to allow us to print Melissa thesis using the printer from the YLP room.  He even helped out in the editing.  Kai-san from Laos, helped in the binding.  After making sure that Melissa is downstairs submitting her bound thesis,  I found myself re-checking Kora-san's thesis with the rest of the students from Laos.  
Then, I realized that everybody really was helping out each other.  We all want to make sure that everybody in our batch submits on time.  Come to think of it, looking after your "kababayan" (countryman) is strong for us Asians.  All the Vietnamese, Indonesians, Laotians and us, Pinoys were there making sure that nobody misses the deadline. 

e-mails from my sensei

These are mails from Katayama sensei, my thesis adviser.  I thought of posting them here to remind myself that I have to work harder for my thesis defense and the concept paper that I have to submit to him this August.

RE: thesis submission

From: Yutaka KATAYAMA 

Sent:

Wednesday, July 18, 2007 9:23:33 PM

To:

Ma. Martina Robles (mmprobles@hotmail.com)

Dear Martina,

      You are one of the best students I have ever had.

               YK

Re: thesis submission

From: Yutaka KATAYAMA 

Sent:

Wednesday, July 18, 2007 3:18:07 PM

To:

Ma. Martina Robles

 

Dear Martina,

   I trust you. You can submit the thesis any time now.

              Katayama



At 16:15 07/07/18, you wrote:

Dear Katayama sensei,

I met Mary for lunch yesterday and we discussed the incorporation of her comments and suggestions to my thesis draft.  We discussed in detail the phrasing of the research question and the hypothesis plus my explanations on her questions for chapters 4-5.  We also went over some typographical corrections and format of the final version of the thesis.  Attached are files of the latest draft with revisions from yesterday's meeting with Mary.

Sensei, since the deadline for the submission is on Friday, July 20, can I have your permission to start finalizing the paper on Thursday afternoon?  

Hope things are still going well even if you have a very busy schedule.


Martina
 

 

birthday wish

A friend sent me the usual birthday greeting e-mail.  He ended it by asking about my birthday wish.  That made me think about my birthday celebration last week.  It was raining hard as Japan was in the middle of a typhoon (soon after, an earthquake followed). 
The point is, my birthday celebration usually comes before or after major tragedies.  Even my grandmother, who raised me and acted as my surrogate mom, died two days after my 21st birthday.  The worst was 7 years ago - death came to a favorite relative exactly on the day of my birth.  I had a birthday wish then and I thought it will never come true.  Well 7 years after, it did - finally, I was celebrating my birthday on a Friday the 13th and I didn't feel like as if I was amidst some horror movie.  It went pretty ordinary - no fuss, no guest, no pressure - just those e-mails and phone calls.  I was also kinda happy that the rain and gloomy weather were still present.
The following day, I saw myself enjoying the cafe work.  I am actually getting to know some of the regular Japanese participants.  It felt like I was just conversing with friends.
Until, headlines come in again and there were the reports of deaths from the typhoon and the earthquake.  Still, for those 2 days - I got the birthday wish that I had 7 years ago, everything was perfect....

he got a new haircut!

Currently, the Korean apple of my eye or as Santa, my cousin in NYC, would say:  my favorite Korean guy but since it's starting to feel like summer here in Kobe and I have been checking out the ice cream section at the konbini (convenience store) and supa (supermarket) - I'll call him my Korean flavor of the season - Shin Dong Wook.  Starting to be crazy about this guy, he's the reason why the Soulmate OST is found in this blog.   

Credits to whoever posted these pics in Money's Warfare thread in sommpi.

the wait

It's been three weeks and I still am on pins and needles about how my sensei will evaluate the first draft of my thesis.  Lots of things have been going on....
Spring's almost over.  I'll only have one more season to spend here in Japan then I'll be back home. 
Kobe Uni was closed for almost two weeks due to measles outbreak (well there were just two cases reported). 
For almost a week I had an intermittent internet connection.  I told a friend loosing the connection was like suffering from death of a family member or friend - you go through the whole grieving process - denial, anger, bargaining, depression and then acceptance.
Got the part time work at the cafe again.  Every time I go to the cafe and talk to these Japanese learning English, I'd really just wish to be back in my dorm - safe, alone and comfortable.  Hate being slave to the yen currency and to think the yen-peso exchange rate is going down.... down... down....
Was at first into Japanese morning tv shows, then progressed to afternoon dorama marathon.  Now I'm just into doramas Liar Game and Proposal Daisakusen  and the variety show Smap X Smap. 
Currently watching - Flowers for My Life (I love the couple Na Hana and Wang Dae-Bek), Money's Warfare (Shin Dong Wook was the initial reason for watching this but I am warming up to the Park couple - Shin Yang and Jin Hee), Bad Couple (want the female lead's lifestyle), Air City (no particular reason - just Lee Jung Jae) and Love Story (was first interested in checking out Shingo Katori but now falling in love with Toyokawa Etsushi).
Started taking out more books on tax reform in developing countries again after the university library re-opened - just in case....
Just yesterday - got an offer from my sensei to write a concept paper on governance and structural reforms in Philippine fiscal policy.  Cooked a decent sinigang na baboy, burned my hands while cooking the pasta and sauce at the same time (need to practice on multi-tasking in the kitchen).  When my sister heard that I did all these and have started to hang out in the dorm's kitchen - befriending other dormers - she uttered these:  ibang tao ka na - dati coke lang at chippy pwede na!  Felt really blessed and grateful that I have her.

Wasted on the Way

I submitted the first draft of my thesis last Tuesday (two years of work on Philippine tax reform)!  Then, I found myself humming and singing this.... 


Wasted on the Way LyricsArtist(Band):Crosby, Stills, Nash (and Young)
(Words & music by Graham Nash)

Look around me now
I can see my life before me
Running rings around the way
It used to be

I am older now
I have more than what I wanted
But I wish that I had startedLong before I did

Chorus:
And there's so much time to make up
Everywhere you turn
Time we have wasted on the way

So much water moving
Underneath the bridge
Let the water come and carry us away

Oh when you were young
Did you question all the answers
Did you envy all the dancers
Who had all the nerve

Look round you now
You must go for what you wanted
Look at all my friends who did and got what they deserved

Chorus
And there's so much time to make up
Everywhere you turn
Time we have wasted on the way

So much water moving
Underneath the bridge
Let the water come and carry us away

And there's so much love to make up
Everywhere you turn
Love we have wasted on the way

So much water moving
Underneath the bridge
Let the water come and carry us away

Let the water come and carry us away

Attachment: CD4 - 01 - Wasted On The Way.mp3

soulmate

I must confess, I have not been really just writing my thesis.  The past month, there were days when I wouldn't even come out of my dorm.  Sundays, I have to drag myself out of the room because I have to go to church.  The previous post about the book that I am reading, I was like only getting the topic on tax reform among developing countries.
Half of the time, (well....maybe more...okay, a lot more!) I've been glued to my notebook watching online kdramas, jdoramas, anime, movies - practically anything that would keep me from writing the thesis.  I've seen When Spring Comes, Hello, Miss!, Thank You (I even watched the finale of this drama on livestreaming at an MBC site) and am watching H.I.T and Taerung National Village.  I've seen the Japanese movies Suki-da, Nobody Knows, Heavenly Forest and am watching Liar Game and Operation Love, both on-going soaps.  Throw in the anime Rome x Juliet.  The thing is, with all these soaps and movies, I don't even know what I've written in my thesis draft.  What the... I am not even confident of what I'll hand in to my sensei on Tuesday, the deadline.
Getting to the title (I tend to write long intoductions), I've  finished watching this kdrama, Soulmate.  It was shown in Korea last year and I've heard very good reviews about it then but I was kinda withdrawing from watching kdrama at that time.  I was more into jdorama's.  Plus, I really hated the title.  However, the first few episodes were funny, the male lead kinda grows on you and the female lead - well, I am glad that she's not really that pretty and if I have a style, as in fashion, I think, I'll be happy to have hers, except for the striped jackets....I also like the fact that she got excited getting those sneakers from her old boyfriend.  Really, I'll be happy to get those pair, except the color, I saw that design in silver....
I don't really want to go on about the soulmate concept and all those things.... I'm just happy that this drama's different from the usual fare.  You know - being in love with your sibling who turns out to be not really related to you, engaging in the usual love triangle or square and of course, dying from cancer.  This one's just different.  Towards the end, I kinda regret that the characters have changed, matured or grown-up.  I think, I love them all when they were being awkward, getting drunk with their friends and asking themselves the question, is he or she the one (soulmate)???
But really, the best part is that this drama's OST is one of those things that made me thankful that I am a fan of Korean dramas.   

Hyogo, Summer 2005

Spent two days with my homestay family (the Murota's, Kikkuko-san - home stay mom, Murota-san - dad works for Toyota nagoya, Chibi-chan - their dog and some of her friends. Went to a shrine, participated in tea ceremony and attended mass at a Catholic Church in Ashiya.

Osaka, Summer 2005

First home in Japan - JICA Osaka International Center

Added pics rescued from yahoo photos - most were taken during the orientation seminar and nihongo class in JICA-OSIC

Hyogo, Fall 2005

Spent a day at Ieshima, Hyogo. The bus tour was sponsored by JICA-Furea. Most participants are Kobe-JDS 2005 batchmates. They said that this is the furthest province in Hyogo and experiencing economic downturn due to low birthrate and outmigration. Made some japanese rice cakes with other JICA participants in HIC.

Few days after we settled in our own apato, most of the JDS Kobe students joined this cooking class sponsored by JICA volunteers. We learned to cook okonomiyaki....

what i'm reading

Should be doing chapters 5 and 6 of my thesis.  I keep putting it off - the writing part but it hounds me while watching soaps, heating my meals and surfing the net.  I still have 12 days to write them.  It used to be 30 days....

Then I chanced upon the blogs of my former NGO co-workers.  From a comic convention in New York to peacocks in Davao and beaches in La Union, I can just picture them while reading their entries.  Plus at the corner, they have the link of the books that they're reading or have read.  Definitely more interesting than the ones that cram my table, bed and floors.  This is the only one that I can get a picture of from amazon but it can fairly give you an idea why I only have 12 days and am still procrastinating.  Why did I ever work for the tax agency?  Should have stayed with development work....

Okinawa 2006

Kobe University 2006 Study Tour in Okinawa with Ogawa sensei.

Kyoto, Fall 2005

Spent a day with Kikkou-san, my homestay mom, in Kyoto. She took me to see a Noh play, helped me read my fortune from the Heian Shrine and marvelled at the magnificence of the imperial palace.

Kyoto, Summer 2005

First trip to Kyoto, siyempre we stayed at Nova's apato and toured around Rits (didn't take pictures pala in the campus - anyways, marami sa blog niya) and Kinkakuji.

Added earlier pictures from the JICA observation tour of Kiyumizudera. The pics were taken early July 2005, using Janie's camera.

Tokyo, Summer 2006

Took few pictures because unexpected things happen during this trip. We survived the trip to the big city with lots of help from friends....

Hiroshima, Fall 2006

Best tour ever - Melissa and I paid 5,000 yen for a bus tour to Hiroshima. Spent two days and 1 night there with Kokokoronet volunteers and foreign students from Hyogo International House. We met 2 pinoy students from Hiroshima, forgot their names....

NYC, Spring 2007

Visited Santa and Kiril in New Yok. Finally met Cosmo and Spunky. Toured NYC with them....

NJ, Spring 2007

spent five days with the family... watched pinoy soaps in tfc and pinoytv

Okinawa 2007

Kobe JDS Fellows Study Tour 2007

Second time in Okinawa - went on an island hopping tour: ishigaki, irimiote, taketomi

Hokkaido, Winter 2007

spent a week in the cities of sapporo and otaru. stayed and lived with the monks for a weekend and practiced zazen

kobe scenes

i'm uploading photos to free some space in my notebook. these are under the folder: kobe scenes. i don't know why these pictures got under this category but pressed for a description to write here - i think these are the everyday kobe scenes, season after season, that i want to capture and remember...

i guess, i'm preparing to leave this home for the real one.

kobe shinrin shokubutsuen

after hiking and climbing mount rokko three times, i finally got to bring my camera. went there summer last year and twice this spring. now i have this sense of fulfillment - i think i can now understand the rush and excitement that photographers from the national geographic feel. it's as if you are given the chance to capture fleeting moments of beauty, wonder and miracles....

i can cook

I am cooking!  Believe me that sentence requires an exclamation point at the end.  For eternity, I have stayed away from the kitchen.  My idea of cooking consists of placing eggs with the rice inside the rice cooker.  Mishima-san, the former director of JICE Hyogo, was horrified that I have been living here in Japan for almost 2 years and that's all that I have managed to learn.  I told him,  I really don't need to learn.  Surviving without cooking is easy.  I go to restaurants, university cafeteria and noodle shops to get my dose of nutritious food.  I heat up cooked things in the microwave from kind souls who know how to cook.  Of course all those pre-cooked meals from the convenience stores or supermarkets are the staple. 
My cooking expedition all started with a packet of sinigang mix (sort of seasoning for the famed Pinoy stew) and of course the marked down prawns in the nearby supermarket. 
First, i have to confess about my methodological way of going through the aisles in supermarkets.  I look at the lay out of the store and then decide how to criss-cross the aisles in such a way that I would not miss any of the sections.  I am telling you people, there is an art and science to it.  I directly go to the fruits, then the meat and vegetable (but just to check out their kanji's and the specials) and in Japanese supermarkets these are usually found in the corners.  Then I get to criss-cross the aisles.  Of course, not to be missed is the dairy section for the milk and yogurt or even the pudding.  Next is the deli section for the frozen pizza and hot dogs.  Beverage follows for the weekly supply of fruit juice and then the aisle for ice cream - just to check out if they have new flavors.  Last stop - bread and some pastries, usually found near the bento boxes.  
To cut the story short, I came back to Kobe from a two-week vacation in New York and  noticed that I did not  even have my usual breakfast provision.  So after eating out for two days, I hit the supermarket - then there they were - prawns on sale!  Those things got me started.  I bought them and figured, I can cook them - boil the water, add some vegetables, then the prawns and seasoning.  Voila, two meals!
I got to eat them and soon I was buying spices, pasta and all kinds of sauces.  Then last Sunday, after church, I fried some vegetables, grilled fish and boiled the pasta.  I spent total of two hours in the kitchen.  That is definitely something for a person who just pop things into the microwave.  Last night,  finally cooked the sauce.  Well, even before that,  I checked out the foodnetwork on line but still, the site is not yet marked as favorite in my computer. 
Whoah, I have to restrain myself from embracing this whole cooking thing!  For now, i find it omoshiroi (Japanese term for interesting).  Good thing, I am writing my thesis, I tell myself, take a hold of yourself, you can't be passionate about this thing - TAXATION is your focus.... uh-oh....

waiting for lulu

In Haskell, New Jersey, I got to watch this scene every morning.  Like Vladimir and Estragon of the Samuel Beckett play, Pipay and Honey - these dogs have been doing it for almost a year, waiting patiently for Lulu every morning.  They just know that she'll be coming.

resolving the dilemma - i stayed put

I've become a creature of habits who cherishes luxury (long showers and high rise view), so I stayed put.  After this decision, things kinda got settled and then I went on to roam around and fell in love with another city...

relatives in Japan

    
These people made my last spring break in Kobe Uni difficult (I got sick while touring them around) but precious (I got the kick out of being the most important person in the family).  I even got to order mommy around with the support of Tito Eric... What can they do?  They don't speak or understand Japanese so they depended on me all the time.  Kinda difficult for the two New Yorkers - my cousin Santa and her hubby Kiril.   

moving on or staying put

got the colds again - must be the changing season...
got some good news - it's a boy for janie and jared!
got accepted in a cheaper dorm - but have to share the toilet and bath....
spent lots of time touring relatives - now even new yorkers know about my roaming around kobe-shi
declared myself exhausted and suddenly my bed and dorm are the most amazing thing and place on earth...
still can't decide - money or luxury? new beginnings or old habits?  moving on or staying put?

sapporo in my mind

Ever since I came to Japan, I have been very vocal about going to Sapporo.  I plotted and schemed just to go there for free.  All those efforts were rewarded.  I got to see Japan's northern region and tasted the best tempura ever from Hanamaru restaurant.  Forgot to take pictures of the famed miso ramen but really for all the noodles that they sell - I can brave their seemingly endless winter and live there.  Well, probably for 2 months.