When you don’t trust someone who’s very close to you… what are you going to do to satisfy your doubt?
Option 1: Pretend that you’re someone else and reveal your true identity until you find what you’re looking for?
Option 2: Keep on asking the person directly?
Option 1 is more effective but whether that person you put to test passes or fails, it sure could seriously, fatally hurt him/her. And the scars don’t stop hurting…
When I arrived here last year, the Yen was around 0.44 against Philippine Peso. After 6 months, it went down to 0.38, and in the last few weeks, it even went down to as low as 0.3530!
Does this mean that the Philippine economy is doing well? Mmmm… I couldn’t help but be sad about it. Low Yen rate means low salary when converted to Peso. Low salary in Peso means double effort (and longer period) in solving what is there to solve. I don’t know how the economy works, but why do all the prices of commodities (and everything else) in the Philippines keep on shooting up despite what they claim as “stronger Peso”? Forgive me, but if this keeps up… I’d rather honestly prefer stronger Yen. I know most, if not all, of the Overseas Filipino Workers feel the same way.
Yesterday, the Yen rate went up to 0.37+ … I fervently hope and pray that at least it would stay where it is now … just don’t go down, ok? 
Summer is really the festival season here in Japan, and this candle lighting at Minoh City is one of them. I think it’s the Festival of the Fire and Drum? Since this festival mainly includes candle lighting, it starts at 7PM and ends exactly at 9PM, starting today. I’m sorry I don’t know until when.
The road to the Minoh Waterfall was lighted with candles. Hiking was great because the place was cool but the candles gave me goosebumps. It felt like the All Souls’ Day in the Philippines! But it was fun and there were many people… and dogs.
This trip made my legs ache but I’ll definitely visit it again especially on autumn AND during daytime. 
For “personalized” information on how to get there, click here. Here are the pictures! Please bear with my phone camera
This blue bicycle facing the camera is my bike and it turned a year old today! I bought it 3 days after my arrival here in Osaka.
I had to buy one because the train station is about 20-minute walk from our apartment and the supermarkets are a bit far from here. Unlike in the Philippines, we could just take the jeepney or taxi. Above all, I just love bicycling! (but only short distances ^-^)
Before my first stint here five years ago, I was afraid of cycling along the main road. But in here, it’s a different scenario: sidewalks are “well-defined”… so it’s relatively safe.
I am about to reveal a thing about me but I wasn’t able to include it in the 6 weird things: I usually get attached to my things and it’s pretty hard for me parting with them. And today, I sort of miss my bicycle in Kagoshima. It only stayed with me for about 7 months and when it was time for us to go back to the Philippines, I had to sell it to a second hand shop. That event almost made my cry… I wonder where’s that bike now. I wish it was well-taken care of.
Usually, big enterprises rely on the TV to promote their products, while the smaller ones rely on the newspapers. But here in Japan, both huge and small companies give away stuffs to advertise their products and services. Commonly, these are small packs of facial tissues. But on summer, they give away small things that people need. Yes, you got it right: hand fans! I have go to Umeda (one of the main commercial districts in Osaka) every Saturday and as usual, there were many people handing out those freebies. See what I got today:
( 3 handfans, 2 packs of facial tissues, a nail filer, and a face towel)
Hey! I’m not hogging! I just want to help those distributors finish their task as soon as possible! Ok, I admit it… I love collecting these cute hand fans. ^0^ But seriously, I really want to help them so I take whatever they hand me even if it’s only a piece of paper that’s a complete puzzle to me. Yes, even those campaign materials. ^-^
I might have grown up in a tropical country but summer here in Japan is I think, hotter than that of the Philippines. Back there, I could still wear long sleeves to work (even in Manila) without worrying about an ugly sight when I raise my arms! At least in there you could still feel the stirring of the wind, albeit a polluted one.
Summer last year, two Filipino colleagues and I had to brave the scorching heat almost everyday because of the job interviews that we had to go through. This picture was taken after an interview… have you noticed my very shiny forehead? ^-^ In every interview, we were inconvenienced by that sticky, wet feeling. Yuck!
But having learned my lessons, I think I’m now ready to face this year’s summer…
1.) I’ve discovered this Sea Breeze liquid soap which proved to be very effective in ‘controlling’ my sweat glands.
2.) Because it’s obviously not environment-friendly, I feel guilty each time I use this 8×4 deodorant & body spray. But it’s very effective in keeping you dry, especially those unexposed parts. I swear to stop using this when summer’s over.
3.) I love taking my bicycle everywhere so last year, I was really toasted. Now, I wear those arm covers when its impossible for me to use an umbrella.
4.) I always carry with me an extra shirt or blouse, and a smaller 8×4 spray.
Care to share other tips? I’m really grateful the Japanese don’t run out of ideas in maintaining comfort in the midst of uncontrollable and uncomfortable circumstances
Bad things happen to stupid people…
My stupidity had once again cost me half a day. I think I had mentioned before that everyday, I have to travel for about 1.5-2hours (one way) to work, including 2 train transfers and waiting time, and that I have to carry two different train tickets.
I was already on my way to the last train transfer, and I was about to buy a prepaid train ticket… but I couldn’t find my wallet! If only I were in the Philippines and if it’s not that embarrassing to borrow money from that familiar face in the office, I would have approached him already! So, I was left with no other option but to get my wallet back in the apartment. waaaahhhhhh!!!!!
Got to run now and thanks for reading this rant about one of my flaws …
It’s been a year since I left my little angel crying while I gathered all my strength not to do the same, or much worse, call the company that I’m staying in the Philippines! Alright, I’m terribly homesick that if I dwell on it, I think I would not survive another day.
So what did I go through for a year of stay here in Japan?
I couldn’t add more to the list as I now feel very, very sleepy. I could refer you to the other entries of this blog, though.
The Boy and the tutor met again …
Tutor: How do you say this equation in English:
((10+6)*8-40)/11= ?
Boy: Ten plus six is sixteen times eight is one hundred and twenty-eight minus forty is eighty-eight divided by eleven is eight.
Tutor:Wow! That was fast!
Boy: It’s very easy because I studied abacus.
Tutor: (Great.. I guess I have to learn abacus, too) Interesting… now, back to the equation. You don’t have to mention the answer for each pair of number. Just read the whole equation then the final answer.
Boy: But that’s TOO easy!
Tutor: (Don’t you dare challenge me, kiddo) Really? Try reading this one: 102,341,238,967,856
After a very long pause…
Boy: I don’t know.
Tutor: (bwahahaha! sweet revenge Smiling sweetly…) Let me teach you…
But the tutor is still happy to have this genius as a student. Who knows, this boy might be the next Einstein? ^-^
P.S. Don’t hate me… the boy already knew how to read up to the hundred millionth. Plus, I’m pretty sure the huge number wasn’t traumatic for him. It in fact, made him more interested in the lesson.
Many of you might have heard of this already but this is just so great and I just couldn’t be passive of any good news.
This picture shows some inmates at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) while they’re performing a dance number. They are really amazing! They did Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the now world-famous Algorithm March!
For those who haven’t seen these yet, click on the picture for the videos in YouTube and see for your self what I’m babbling about. You’ll really gonna love these videos. ^-^
I commend Cebu’s authorities for this initiative. The inmates might be forced into doing this but I believe this is much better than just leaving them sulking in their cells and wallowing into any negative emotions. I think for many of them, this is not only benefiting them physically but it’s also giving them hope and a bit sense of pride. I bet the number of prison riots in CPDRC had dwindled.
“Unang Lakang: Pindota ang “ Tanaw sa akong address Book para sa mga Kontak” buton o kapihon ug ipatapot ang email sa imong mga sungko dinhi sa kahon sa ubos.”*
Even the Cebuanos/Bisaya like me, reading the above sentence is very difficult. Plus, the words sound weird and funny. ^-^ I found this tongue twister at PerfSpot, (I think) a new site like Friendster. They included Cebuano as one of the language options but the Philippine’s national language is not in there! I have no idea why…
To Bisdaks* out there, if you want to have a really good laugh while reviewing your Cebuano, try visiting PerfSpot.
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* Translations:
1. Step One: Click the “Check my Address Book for contacts” button or copy and past the email of your contact into the box below.
2. Bisdak = Bisayang Dako = Pure Visayan or someone who grew up in a place where Cebuano/Bisaya is the main medium of communication.
It’s already dark when we left the office so the temperature had dropped below 30C. And the wind was a bit blowing, too! But that cool feeling was replaced by a suffocating, very hot train ride with a JR local train!
I had no idea what was happening but it felt like turning on the heater to its maximum scale and there was no way to open the windows! Thank God the train was not crowded. Instead of getting irritated by this small discomfort, I just maintained calm breathing and it helped! Unlike the other passengers who were obviously fuming with anger and were furiously waving their fans. I was just glad I only had to endure it for about 10 minutes.
Sometimes they deliberately turn off the air-conditioning system. I just hope they’ll keep it turned on especially during the peak of summer.
