Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Monday, March 25, 2013
People come and go
I went to 2 graduation parties over the weekend and I'm feeling a bit sad. I've come to known those guys since October and for me, I wish I had the chance to know them more. There's this guy named Satoshi who loves boxing, idolizes Manny Pacquiao, and he's been to Davao! Then there's Chiho, a sweet girl that Shoko and I sang the song Just The Way You Are to. But of all the graduates this April, I guess the one that I'll miss most is Yoshihara san. She really is a good friend and I owe a lot to her. I remember sending her messages in the morning, asking her what time she'll be in school. I also will miss going to the Shokudo with her. She made a tremendous impact on my transition to Hiroshima, from getting my own inkan to asking where the best place for Okonomiyaki is. But most of all, it is the Sempai-Kouhai (senior-junior) relationship that I will miss. It's just so nice to have a senior, one that I can talk to about school and just about anything that concerns Saijo life.
I'm looking forward to meet friends that I've met in the Philippines. Daisuke and Shinya will be here soon and Yoshi is moving here. I'm excited to meet all of them! The cherry blossoms are starting to bloom and there will be lots of Hanami parties (cherry blossom viewing). Maybe I'll meet them at the parties.
Rodeo26
Suikoden
Yoshihara san
I'm looking forward to meet friends that I've met in the Philippines. Daisuke and Shinya will be here soon and Yoshi is moving here. I'm excited to meet all of them! The cherry blossoms are starting to bloom and there will be lots of Hanami parties (cherry blossom viewing). Maybe I'll meet them at the parties.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
My friend Yochan
I'm off to Tokyo to attend my best friend's wedding. Yoshie is my Japanese best friend who I met in the Philippines in 2005. It's pretty funny how the world just connects people. We actually met inside a jeepney. This might sound like a love story but I tell you, everything is just plain friendship and sisterhood. Anyway, here's how we met. When I got on the jeepney, I saw this young Japanese girl and was kind of intrigued of her because she was eating Taho. Taho is a Filipino streetfood that looks something like this
But then I had to get off the jeepney because I need to buy some medicine at the drug store and so I didn't think I would see her again. In my head, I was wishing that I really wanted to be her friend. There's this gravitational pull towards her that I don't understand during that time but it's just too strong!
It was my first day of class in the University of the Philippines and I didn't know anybody. But on the corner, there I saw her, Yoshie! And I mustered up my strength to ask her if she remembers me, that we actually rode the jeepney together... and she said, Yes! My professor then asked if I could be her student tutor so I could guide her and translate the class discussions. Our class is carried out in English and Filipino. And so we got really close and we just became good friends after that. We had so many trips together and every time is just so awesome. I really love Yoshie and I wish her the best in life.
Yoshie in my mom's farm
Yoshie and I in Bontoc (super old pic, gosh! 2005!)
Yoshie and I in Vigan (2005)
Yoshie and I in Davao (2009!)
Yoshie and I in Nikko (2011)
Yoshie and I in Odaiba (2011)
My friends in Tokyo (All of them I've met through Yoshie!)
Yoshie and I in Hiroshima (2012)
I guess the Hiroshima trip would be the last trip that she and I will ever make. But I'm so grateful to have found a wonderful friend like her. I would do my best and hope she will like the song and the speech that I have prepared for her wedding day. It never crossed my mind that I would be able to attend her wedding! Wow, everything feels so surreal. Thank you Japan :)
Friday, December 7, 2012
A Slice of Saijo life
Mabuhai!
It's too bad that I only thought of updating this now. Anyway, I'm currently residing in Saijo and I've been here since the 28th of September. A lot of things happened. The first two weeks was just completely exciting, grueling, scary, but all-in-all it's just an amazing experience.
I'm staying in a small apartment where most of the residents are foreigners. I got a small kitchen, 2 tables, a bathroom and a tub. I got most of my electric appliances from Nina, my sempai who got her Doctor's degree here in Japan on MEXT scholarship. She gave me her old bike; it was for me, the most useful bike ever. I already had it on my first week here so I take it to school everyday. I still remember the days when I had to search for alternative routes going back to my apartment, so that I wouldn't have to bike uphill. I also had the experience of taking the wrong bus to school and I ended up in Hiroshima Kokusai Daigaku. My Japanese friends and Bessho Sensei thought that story was hilarious.
Everyday is a new experience for me. Just the fact that I go to the grocery by myself, that's something that I look forward everyday. All the new products at the stores, looking for the best bargains and understanding the kanji if it says half-priced or just discounted by a certain percentage... I love how it all makes me feel that hey, I'm really here in Japan!
I made a lot of friends in a span of 2 months. I first met Yoshi, a guy from Hospitality.org who then introduced me to Atsumi. She's so likeable, I think she just became my new bestfriend! Then I got some friends in IDEC, mostly foreigners like me. The thing is, I know I should be learning Japanese but most of my friends are speaking in English, so I feel like, everyone is speaking English anyway...
So my friend Julian is actually telling me why not get a job as an English teacher here in Japan? I'm still thinking about it. I think I have to get used to my daily living here in Saijo first. Comfortable rhythm is what Lester coined for that state. Anyway, at the moment, I have a one-on-one student who pays me 2000/hour! I wish I could have more students like her. Actually, I don't really want to have a whole class to teach English to. I'm leaning towards the one-on-one tutorial. In that way, I could budget my time between work and school.
On weekdays, I go to the university canteen to eat and usually with Yoshihara san. She's really nice and I like her a lot. I think we are on the same wavelength and she's just so funny. I always like to talk to her. She is actually my student tutor and at first, I felt like she's only trying to be friends with me because our professor *asked* her to take care of me, but in the end, we became friends. At least, that's how I'm feeling at the moment. She had a big presentation today so I brought her some spaghetti that I cooked yesterday.
I wouldn't survive a day if I don't eat DAIGAKUINMO! It's my favorite! Whoever is in charge of cooking of daigakuinmo at the Coop canteen, I just want to say Doumo arigatou gozaimasu!
Oh one of the best things here in Japan is their postal service. I bought 3 books from Amazon and they all came in a span of 4 days, from the US! I just bought some stuff online from Hongkong and I just hope it would arrive next week.
Ending this now, I gotta work on my thesis proposal. Maybe next time, I'd talk about my Second street and Tsutaya experience. And about my Christmas plans!
It's too bad that I only thought of updating this now. Anyway, I'm currently residing in Saijo and I've been here since the 28th of September. A lot of things happened. The first two weeks was just completely exciting, grueling, scary, but all-in-all it's just an amazing experience.
I'm staying in a small apartment where most of the residents are foreigners. I got a small kitchen, 2 tables, a bathroom and a tub. I got most of my electric appliances from Nina, my sempai who got her Doctor's degree here in Japan on MEXT scholarship. She gave me her old bike; it was for me, the most useful bike ever. I already had it on my first week here so I take it to school everyday. I still remember the days when I had to search for alternative routes going back to my apartment, so that I wouldn't have to bike uphill. I also had the experience of taking the wrong bus to school and I ended up in Hiroshima Kokusai Daigaku. My Japanese friends and Bessho Sensei thought that story was hilarious.
Everyday is a new experience for me. Just the fact that I go to the grocery by myself, that's something that I look forward everyday. All the new products at the stores, looking for the best bargains and understanding the kanji if it says half-priced or just discounted by a certain percentage... I love how it all makes me feel that hey, I'm really here in Japan!
I made a lot of friends in a span of 2 months. I first met Yoshi, a guy from Hospitality.org who then introduced me to Atsumi. She's so likeable, I think she just became my new bestfriend! Then I got some friends in IDEC, mostly foreigners like me. The thing is, I know I should be learning Japanese but most of my friends are speaking in English, so I feel like, everyone is speaking English anyway...
So my friend Julian is actually telling me why not get a job as an English teacher here in Japan? I'm still thinking about it. I think I have to get used to my daily living here in Saijo first. Comfortable rhythm is what Lester coined for that state. Anyway, at the moment, I have a one-on-one student who pays me 2000/hour! I wish I could have more students like her. Actually, I don't really want to have a whole class to teach English to. I'm leaning towards the one-on-one tutorial. In that way, I could budget my time between work and school.
On weekdays, I go to the university canteen to eat and usually with Yoshihara san. She's really nice and I like her a lot. I think we are on the same wavelength and she's just so funny. I always like to talk to her. She is actually my student tutor and at first, I felt like she's only trying to be friends with me because our professor *asked* her to take care of me, but in the end, we became friends. At least, that's how I'm feeling at the moment. She had a big presentation today so I brought her some spaghetti that I cooked yesterday.
I wouldn't survive a day if I don't eat DAIGAKUINMO! It's my favorite! Whoever is in charge of cooking of daigakuinmo at the Coop canteen, I just want to say Doumo arigatou gozaimasu!
Oh one of the best things here in Japan is their postal service. I bought 3 books from Amazon and they all came in a span of 4 days, from the US! I just bought some stuff online from Hongkong and I just hope it would arrive next week.
Ending this now, I gotta work on my thesis proposal. Maybe next time, I'd talk about my Second street and Tsutaya experience. And about my Christmas plans!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
The journey of getting the MEXT Scholarship
Welcome to my new blog where I'm going to write about the whole process how I got my MEXT scholarship, how I'm preparing for my move in Japan, and my life when I'm already in Japan. First of all, I'm Ikeng and I'm Filipino. My blog's name is a word play on Mabuhay, which is a Filipino word that means 'long live'. I replaced the last syllable, 'hay' with 'hai' which is 'yes' in Japanese. Hehe, what do you think?
Right now, I'm busy preparing for my big move in September. But for the sake of everyone out there who are also aspiring to get this scholarship, I'll be happy to write about my personal experiences and hope that it can provide information as you go through your own journey in getting the MEXT Scholarship. I will try my best to answer your questions.
Guys, I just want to stress that getting this scholarship is very competitive. You have to prepare your hearts to be broken, because sometimes even when you think everything is okay, in the end, you still might not get it. Before you apply, you have to think if this is really want you want and if you have the time and heart to follow through, even if you have failed. Please do your very best and never give up!
When I was in college, I dreamed about going to Japan to study. I have friends who went to Japan under the MEXT scholarship and I told myself that I'm going to do the same thing. Just imagine, living in Japan and studying for free, with allowance every month...I have never wanted anything so badly before. But I know it won't be easy and there are a few things that I needed to do before I qualify for the scholarship.
Please do check out Japanese Embassy's site for the full list of qualifications.
My hurdles:
1. Acquiring 16 years of education
When I graduated college, I only had 14 years of formal education under my belt. Because of that, I decided to enter graduate school. I was working as a call center agent and going to school in the afternoon, it was pretty exhausting! Unfortunately, I failed to get my degree in Community Development. Even so, since I spent about 2-3 years in grad school plus 14 years, that made me pass the number of school years requirement.
2. Learning a bit of Japanese
Before I took up some units in grad school, I previously enrolled in Japanese language classes at the Nihongo Center Foundation in Makati. My language classes proved to be useful when I went to Japan as a tourist last October 2011 but I think it will absolutely be invaluable as I go to Japan as a student. At the moment, I'm brushing up where I have left off by listening to podcasts and writing katakana and hiragana characters.
3. Writing a good thesis proposal
This for me was the hardest part. I suggest that you contact a professor in Japan who is in the same field as you are and ask him/her what good research topics he/she can recommend.
If you got any questions, please feel free to message me. Thanks!
Right now, I'm busy preparing for my big move in September. But for the sake of everyone out there who are also aspiring to get this scholarship, I'll be happy to write about my personal experiences and hope that it can provide information as you go through your own journey in getting the MEXT Scholarship. I will try my best to answer your questions.
Guys, I just want to stress that getting this scholarship is very competitive. You have to prepare your hearts to be broken, because sometimes even when you think everything is okay, in the end, you still might not get it. Before you apply, you have to think if this is really want you want and if you have the time and heart to follow through, even if you have failed. Please do your very best and never give up!
When I was in college, I dreamed about going to Japan to study. I have friends who went to Japan under the MEXT scholarship and I told myself that I'm going to do the same thing. Just imagine, living in Japan and studying for free, with allowance every month...I have never wanted anything so badly before. But I know it won't be easy and there are a few things that I needed to do before I qualify for the scholarship.
Please do check out Japanese Embassy's site for the full list of qualifications.
My hurdles:
1. Acquiring 16 years of education
When I graduated college, I only had 14 years of formal education under my belt. Because of that, I decided to enter graduate school. I was working as a call center agent and going to school in the afternoon, it was pretty exhausting! Unfortunately, I failed to get my degree in Community Development. Even so, since I spent about 2-3 years in grad school plus 14 years, that made me pass the number of school years requirement.
2. Learning a bit of Japanese
Before I took up some units in grad school, I previously enrolled in Japanese language classes at the Nihongo Center Foundation in Makati. My language classes proved to be useful when I went to Japan as a tourist last October 2011 but I think it will absolutely be invaluable as I go to Japan as a student. At the moment, I'm brushing up where I have left off by listening to podcasts and writing katakana and hiragana characters.
3. Writing a good thesis proposal
This for me was the hardest part. I suggest that you contact a professor in Japan who is in the same field as you are and ask him/her what good research topics he/she can recommend.
If you got any questions, please feel free to message me. Thanks!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)