Barberong Haiku 1 - Debu Neco (Fat Cat)

デブ猫 by Benja

デブ猫だ！
あれっ？飛べないか？
重いから。。。

Debu Neco Da!
Are? Tobenaika?
Omoi kara...








Takaw Myaw by Benja

Anak ng Pusa!
Ano? Deins makatalon?
Takaw mo kasi...

Dining Alone 1: Nattoko (Natto Otoko)

Welcome to the Dining Alone Series where we feature things I eat when I am alone. We will showcase Japanese, Filipino and Unknown mixed cuisines that will tickle (or even disgust?) your taste buds. Sometimes we will show some recipes but more often than not, this series is just a way to share some interesting dishes that you might have not tried yet.

Today's theme is SOYA! Being from Asia, we always use Soya in our dishes and sauces although we might not be aware of it. Our favorite Filipino sauce, Toyo is called Shoyu in Japan. Both are soy sauces and they really differ per region and maker. In the Philippines we call Japanese Toyo as Kikkoman! Hehehe.

Here is my lunch today. Although I had this during lunch, it is commonly eaten by the Japanese during their breakfast or asagohan. Today's menu includes:


Rice with Natto -fermented soy beans.
Miso Shiru - soup from miso which is a by product when they make soy sauce.
Tofu with Katsuo Bonito Flakes- different from the Philippine Tokwa which has a harder texture. Tofu refers to Japanese soft tofu.
and my favorite Oolong Cha! Yeah!


I have to admit that during the first few times I tried Natto, I really didn't like it. It was gooey, sticky and had a funny smell. For those who would like to try it or would like to know more about it check this link. As a small anecdote, I heard that Natto was originally a regional food product in the Kanto region of Japan. My host father who comes from Hiroshima told me that he learned about Natto when he was a university student in Tokyo. Nowadays Natto can be found everywhere in Japan and is a frequent topic in Japanese television.


Here is proof that I finished mine. Oishikatta! Gochiso sama deshita.
See you next time!

Sundays with Sensei

I never really liked Sundays. While some viewed their Sunday as precious moments to relax and spend time with their families, I saw it not as a day of rest but the start of another week. I detested Sunday the same way that people have the Monday Blues. Let me explain. I grew in a family where education was really valued. After a week of studying, our weekends would start by Friday well until Saturday. We would then start Sunday with Mass at church, and then lunch in a restaurant. Once we got home, it was straight to our school books. We would study well into the night to prepare for our Monday lessons. Thus our Sunday was not part of the weekend, it was the start of the week!


As we got older, our Sundays gradually changed. Our parents weren't as strict anymore and we spent much of our time going out to the mall and dining out with the family after church. Sunday was turning into a real rest day. However in spite of that, I didn't value Sunday as the Lord's day as I ought to. For me Sunday was about going to Mass, and after an hour go straight to the mall (and sometimes having Mass at the mall).


That changed when I went to Japan three years ago. After being invited by a special friend, I was introduced to the Tsukuba Kibou Kyoukai (Tsukuba Hope Church). Growing up a Catholic, I found the church service quite different. Being Presbyterian, it gave emphasis on bible readings, worship and prayer. Compared to the Catholic Mass, the service was significantly less in rituals. At first I had a hard time since the services were all done in Japanese and Korean. I could barely follow the teachings and songs.
I have to admit that under normal circumstances I would not have stayed if not for our wonderful pastor, Park Sensei. Sensei did not fit my image of what a reverend should be. For one, although he is married and has two kids, he has this boyish charm that made him seem like a big brother to us. Further more he was an electronics geek, loved sports and was really into music. During service he would be very passionate in teaching us the scriptures, but after service he was like one of the guys. Although he also had his moods, he was the type of guy that you could joke around with.

After faithfully building our community for 12 years, Park Sensei is finally leaving our church for another assignment in Tokyo. It has been decided that he would take care of another flock.

Looking back this past three years I find it a blessing that although I could barely understand let alone speak proper Japanese, I was able to understand God's teaching through sensei here in Japan than when I was attending English church services in the Philippines. Sensei taught me that beyond language and culture, faith was truly more powerful than words.

My Sundays have never been the same. Sundays are not workdays anymore, I have already started looking forward to Sunday service as the best way to start my week. That's all thanks to our Sensei, Samonim (Pastor's wife in Korean) and his wonderful kids Jifun and Chihi.

To you Park sensei, Doumo Arigatou Gozaimashita...

Kancho Dame!

Got this pic from a friend's blog. It is a very funny shirt that says "Kancho Dame!" (Kancho Not Allowed). Kancho literally is Japanese for enema. However in Japanese slang this refers to a childish prank where you position your two hands in a shooting position and use it to quickly prod your victim's as*. According to my Japanese friend, this has been a popular prank since the 1980's.

I really want to get this shirt. Maybe they have it in Tokyo. Hehe.

Haru Ichiban and Densha Otoko

We have been experiencing very good weather for the past days here in Ibaraki. It was sunny the whole week and daytime temperatures were quite warm. Of course the evening is still cold but you can really sense the coming of spring.

Today has also been sunny but the afternoon brought forth very strong winds called "Haru Ichiban". These are seasonal winds which mark the coming of Spring. Pretty soon we will be enjoying the sakura viewing or Hanami by the first week of April.

Anyway since it was windy outside, I spent most of my day watching a Japanese drama called Densha Otoko (Train Man). It was based from a viral internet bulletin board in Japan wherein a self-confessed Otaku helps a beautiful lady in a train. Having no experience with the opposite sex, he asks advice from fellow members of the bulletin board for advice.

Due to the popularity of this viral web board, it evolved into a manga series, tv drama, novel and movie. I have been watching the TV drama from Crunchyroll. You need not register to watch the drama but I recommend it so that you have full access to their superb selection of tv dramas, movies and anime from Asia. The story is really touching and sweet. I really recommend this drama even for those who are not into romantic comedies. I personally enjoy the interactions and reactions of the bulletin board members - ranging from jocks, otakus, businessmen, single old men and OLs.

For those who want to see the original threads, you can check this site which posts the original thread in Japanese and English (translated). Enjoy!

Don't just take my word, go ahead and watch the 1st episode. Don't worry it has english subtitles.

Let me also post the opening theme video and some few portions of episode 1 in my multiply front page - video portion. Enjoy!


High: Finished Densha Otoko
Low: Spent the whole day inside my apartment :(

Filipino-Japanese Words

Came across this wiki entry describing Filipino words which were taken from Nihongo:

• Barabara - scattered; disperse
• Dahan-dahan (Nihongo: Dandan) - slowly; gradually
• Dorobo (Nihongo: dorobou) - criminal, especially a thief or burglar
• Haba - length (width or breadth in Nihongo)
• Kaban - sack of rice (bag, satchel, basket in Nihongo)
• Katól (Nihongo: katōru) - mosquito coil

Totoo kaya? Well definitely the Japanese words are correct, but I am not so sure about "Haba". Any thoughts on this from our friends from Ling (Jap) and Filipino studies?

Touching Interview

During my undergrad socio courses we discussed the value and importance of doing a proper interview. You really have to be there and try your best to get the most out of your interviewee.

Every time I listen to podcasts or TV interviews, those lessons return to me. Too bad whenever I do interviews for fieldwork research, I find my voice to be really bad and weird. Hehe.

Here is an interesting interview from Slate.com's "50 cent interviews" where they interview interesting people in busy places. This was a spontaneous interview of a Filipino American talking about receiving the gift of a liver transplant.

Watch it here.

Docu Projects

My videographer and blogger friend Jing Villareal and I am planning to make short documentary segments featuring various stories of Filipinos living in Japan. Of course these are all proposals and it really depends whether we can get funding.

I have always had an interest in photography and video making after taking courses during my university days. Now I have a new sensei to teach me! Hehe.

Here are the proposed stories which will be made into 5 min. segments:


"Bilog" - The story will revolve around the experiences of real-life "bilog" T. Hernandez a migrant worker and community leader here in Japan. A "bilog" is the term used by Filipinos here in Japan to refer to undocumented migrant workers, of which hundreds are now languishing in Japanese detention centers.

"A is for Apuru" - With the increase of demand for English teachers, many Filipinos find themselves working as Assistant Language Teachers (ALT) in various elementary and middle schools in Japan. These Eigo Senseis discover the challenges and rewards of teaching regardless of their previous backgrounds.

"20 min Visit" - Fr. Serate together with Lay Missionary N. Codog of the Urawa Open House has been visiting and counseling Filipino detainees in various detention centers while they await their migration hearings. Although they are only allowed 20 minutes, their visits always bring stories of sadness, despair but also hope.

"Furusato (Hometown)" - "Philippine Zanryuu Nihonjin" refers to the children of Japanese who were left behind in the Philippines after the Second World War. Facing discrimination and the constant fear of retaliation by Filipino guerillas, they hid their Japanese identity. After several decades, they are now finally visiting the land of their fathers to rediscover their heritage and to appeal to the Family Courts for their citizenship.

"Ballads in Wood" - E. Robles is a visual artist, musician, and cancer survivor currently doing a sculpture art concert called "Ballads in Wood". Having lived in the Philippines, the US and Japan, she is in a constant search for inspiration and ideas. Although targeting mainly a Japanese audience, she is reaching out to the Filipino community -showing that Filipino art is beyond Adobo and Tinikling.

"Tagalog Hanasanai (Can't Speak Tagalog)" - children of the Filipino diaspora face many challenges in Japanese schools. For those who just came from the Philippines, learning Nihongo is difficult. Equally problematic for Filipino kids who have been living and studying in Japan, is speaking Tagalog. This segment explores the dillema of multi-lingual families and the role of the children's spoken language to their identity, dreams, and aspirations.


What do you think? Hehehe.

Winter Blues

Although I am tired after today's presentation, I am afraid that I won't be able to sleep well tonight. Probably because I feel a bit sad.

Of course my neco is away so that is natural. However more than that is the feeling of being cooped up and trapped in my apartment. If you have been to Japan, you are familiar on how small and cramped it gets. My apartment is not really 'semai' but with the cold winter weather, you can't help but spent most of your time inside your warm apartment.

Although I can keep myself busy with my studies and the internet, it really feels good just to stay outdoors. Of course, that is the problem. Since it is winter, it is really cold outside and the sun sets quite early by Philippine standards (it dark out by 5pm).

*Sigh* Life inside my Capsule Apartment can really be suffocating. I'll try opening the windows a bit just to let the stuffy stale air out.

Anyway, will be sleeping soon.

You guys have a pleasant and good night!

Benj

My back hurts!

Just finished a presentation in class. It was quite long and my voice became tired after a time but the article itself was very interesting. I should really prepare for my papers and presentations well before the deadline. Hehehe. Manana habit strikes with a vengeance!

Anyway the article discusses how various factors affect the level of corruption in Southeast Asia. It was really a literature review of sorts. It was a bit long but I learned a lot. Life as a budding academic sure is challenging yet interesting.

After staying up all night preparing and cramming for the presentation, my back really hurts. I thought that once I get a decent chair it won't a problem anymore. Guess I was wrong.

Perhaps a hot shower and a nice soak at the Ofuro will do.

After that, just hang out and chat with my loving neco.

De wa, mata!


Benj


High: Happyou went well!
Low: Back Hurts, Winter Blues

Welcome to Kuwentong Barbero ni Benja!

Hi! This is my first blog so pardon me for being such a blog newbie. Hopefully something useful can come about from this blog. Well at least it's good writing exercise right? Hehehe.

Kita kits!

Benja