Mar Yan

Category: Culture

  • 11 Things in Japan That Surprised Me As a Filipino

    11 Things in Japan That Surprised Me As a Filipino

    I came to Japan in the spring of 2011 when my sister who lives in Japan invited me for a month-long spring vacation. During my stay (and even up to now) there are several things that surprised me.

    11. There are many elderlies. It is a known fact that Japan is an aging country. When I first came here, I was surprised to see people looking beyond their sixties/seventies working as traffic aid, gardener, and even working in the malls. In my country the Philippines, most people you see around are young. Mall workers are usually in their 20s to early 30s. It is also uncommon in the Philippines to see groups of elderly hanging out in a restaurant or taking a walk in the park. Whereas in Japan, this is fairly common.

    10. People wear masks. I was very surprised to see many people wearing masks when I first came to Japan. I asked my sister if there was a spreading disease or something but she said people wear it for protection, especially for people who are having kafun allergies, which was fairly common during springtime. In the Philippines, if you wear a mask, people will speculate that you are ill and need to wear a mask to avoid spreading the “contagious disease”. When I came back to the Philippines, my students were all very surprised and kept asking me if I were sick when I wore a mask to protect me from chalk dust from writing on the blackboard.

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    9. Some fruits, vegetables, and spices are oversized. I was so amazed when my sister took me to the supermarket. The ginger was big and the other vegetables were as well. Eggplants, tomatoes, and bell peppers were bigger than the usual size I have seen in my country. Eggplants also came in different shapes. The round eggplants amazed me the most. That feeling of amazement from seeing something different is a precious experience. I don’t get that same feeling anymore for being here for a long time already.

    8. There are many buildings they called apartments and mansions. I was also amazed by the buildings in Japan. There are many apartments and mansions. The smaller buildings are called apartments and the high rise are mansions. Some are government housing dedicated to low-income families. In the Philippines, big houses are called mansions, and the mansions in Japan are what we call condominiums. Although condominiums in the Philippines usually have more elaborate designs and hotel-like lobbies, complete with amenities such as swimming pools and clubhouses. These are for Filipinos who can afford them. Housing in the Philippines is still way behind developed countries. People below the poverty line mostly live in shabby houses in lots that they don’t own. ‘Squatter’ as they are called. I hope one day the Philippines can also provide government housing like in Japan to improve the living conditions of the impoverished.

    7. Most people wear subtle colors. Unlike in the Philippines where color and variety is the more popular trend, in Japan, I noticed that this was not the case. Most Japanese wear colors that don’t make them stand out from the crowd. They like to blend in and match the season. Pastel colors are the trend in spring. I also noticed that most Japanese don’t wear revealing clothes. Filipinos on the other hand, have no problem wearing colorful, sometimes showy attire. We like to be different and it is okay to stand out in the crowd. When we went to Huis Ten Bosch, a famous tourist spot in Kyushu, I made sure to wear the most colorful attire to match the happy and festive mood I had. That time, I was told that my outfit was really colorful and “medatsu”. Medatsu means to stand out. I thought it was a compliment. Maybe it was or maybe not. Now, that I have been here for a long time, being medatsu is rather a thing to be avoided. It is better to blend in than to stand out in Japan.

    6. People bow when they greet. When my sister said Konichiwa, which means hello, I noticed that she did a slight bow to the person she was greeting. I noticed that other people do it too. Vendors and restaurant staff sometimes do it by welcoming their guests. The funny thing is sometimes I noticed my sister do a slight bow even when talking on the phone. In the Philippines, bowing is not a common practice. Instead, we move our heads or eyebrows up with a smile to greet a friend coming our way.

    A tip: when you leave Japan, try to sit on the window side and watch the airport workers wave goodbye and bow to the leaving plane.

    5. Japanese money bills are big and always look new. In the Philippines, we call Japanese money “lapad” which means wide. Before coming to Japan, I didn’t know that Japanese money is actually big in size, the reason why it is called ‘lapad’. Japanese money bills are always crisp and new. In the Philippines, it is not unusual to see folded (sometimes dirty, stapled, and marked) bills, Recently, when the Philippine government released a new one-thousand peso bill with a strict handling guideline that says no folding of the bill, there was a mass uproar against it.

    4. Vending Machines are everywhere.

    Vending machines are everywhere in Japan. They are in train stations, bus stops, near a park, tourist spots, or outside an apartment complex. Or just along the streets. Vending machines are not limited to bottled drinks. There are also those that sell ice cream, coffee, hot choco, cigarettes, and snacks. I was surprised to see one selling condoms! Whereas in the Philippines, I haven’t seen or experienced buying in a vending machine. We have “sari-sari store” – a small residential shop that sells anything. Sari-sari means variety. The more complete and wide the selection of merchandise a sari-sari store has, the more popular it becomes in the neighborhood. Sari-sari stores are also everywhere. In a busy neighborhood, you will be surprised to see the number of sari-sari stores and that most houses have their own sari-sari.

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    3. Toilets are fantastic!

    Nothing beats Japanese toilets! I was very impressed with its very high technology and efficiency. Most toilets in shopping malls are very clean, have an automatic flush, and have different buttons for different purposes. Bidet’s water pressure – Strong? Gentle? Do you need a massage? Do you want to flush with a little water? A lot? Do you want to hide the sound of your pee with a recorded sound? Go ahead. Just press the right button. Make sure not to press the “call an emergency” button or else the alarm will sound and a couple of responders will come to your “rescue”. I had trouble one time I was in a hospital to visit a patient. I wanted to flush but pressed the wrong button. The alarm sounded and two nurses came. My mom also accidentally pressed the emergency button in a toilet at a subway station. Two women came rushing to the site. But, not all toilets in Japan are that hi-tech. The very old traditional style squat toilet still exists and usually found in a community park or old buildings. For women, watch where you face when squatting and how far your legs are apart if you don’t want to get your feet wet with the splash. In most households in Japan, toilets are high-tech. My sister’s toilet automatically opens and closes its lid and automatically flushes when you leave. Philippine toilets are pretty much basic. A small cubicle, a toilet bowl usually with no cover and if you’re lucky, some tissue paper. Don’t be surprised to be asked to pay for toilet fees in some malls or bus stops, too. Also a different fee for pee only and poo.

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    2. People line up for their turn. I was very impressed with how disciplined and patient Japanese people are. They line up getting on and off a bus or a train. They line up to go up and down the escalator. They are always very patient and just wait for their turn. No complaints. No overtaking. Everything is in order. Whereas in my country, most people are impatient and just want to be the first. Many jump lines which sometimes can cause disagreements. Even inside the church when taking communion, in Japan, they do it by the proximity of the seat to the priest. But in the Philippines, everyone just flocks towards the priest to be the first. There are many instances that I can compare and contrast Japanese and Filipinos but this “waiting in line” in Japan is something that the whole world, especially my country, should learn and adapt to.

    1. It is very clean and orderly in Japan! The cleanliness and orderliness in Japan will impress every visitor. I loved how the streets are very clean and clutter-free. There are no trash that can be seen on streets. There are no broken roads and almost no open dirt that could turn to mud on rainy days. There are no excessive posters on building walls. Cars and other vehicles look new and well-maintained. Public toilets are clean and free. There are no beggars or obvious homeless people in sight. Houses are clean outside. Parks and playgrounds are plenty. Flowers and greeneries are everywhere. I never heard a car honk and even myself have never ever used the horn while driving for almost seven years already. Traffic is smooth. Japanese people dress nicely and neatly. No loud noise from car stereos or neighbors’ karaoke. It is peaceful, clean and orderly.

    I fell in love with Japan the moment I arrived here. I wished to stay longer and it happened. I wished to stay even longer and now I am still here. A permanent resident and settled. I now call Japan my home. But despite that, there is still no place like my original home – the Philippines – where even though there is a big social disparity, everyone finds happiness in the littlest of things. People celebrate the littlest success. Scarcity doesn’t matter when Filipinos want to celebrate. And that is one thing hard to find in Japan. Japanese are frugal, practical and private people whereas Filipinos are celebratory and mostly open and happy people.

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  • 10 Differences Between Elementary Schools in Japan and the Philippines

    1. Teachers in Japan do not have a permanent school assignment. They change schools. They can only teach in one school for three to four years the longest. They have to move to another school within the city or the neighboring cities. New teachers change from one to three years and veteran teachers who are about to retire can stay in the same school for up to seven years.

    In the Philippines, most teachers stay in their assigned schools until retirement, unless they want to be transferred to another school for personal reasons or for promotion.

    2. Teachers in Japan change grade level assignments. Not only that teachers have to change schools in Japan, they also have to change their grade levels assignments. For example, a teacher who teaches first grade this year will most probably be teaching second year the following year. They follow the students they are teaching. Few teachers remain in the same grade for consecutive years.

    Whereas in the Philippines, most teachers stay in the same grade level until retirement. It is not uncommon for siblings to have the same first grade teacher.

    3. Class schedule in Japan changes everyday. Class schedule in Japan is not fixed for the whole year unlike in the Philippines. The schedule is announced a week or a day before usually on Fridays. It is very easy to change the class schedule in Japan because all subjects are taught at equal amounts of time. Each subject is taught at 45 or 50 minutes. Unlike in the Philippines, academic subjects like Math and Science are taught up to one hour or longer and shorter time for non-academic subjects like Music or Home Economics.

    I was very surprised about this when I came to work in Japanese public elementary schools because in the Philippines we decide on the schedule at the beginning of the school year. Teachers gather and spend a good amount of time making the schedule that would fit every teacher’s individual schedule and every class’ individual schedule. It’s not easy to make the schedule work for every teacher and every class. Once decided, we follow this schedule from start (June) to end (March) unless there are important changes that we need to do.

    4. Japan is a country that values equality and uniformity. Equality in schools is observed through equal treatment of students in terms of opportunities and participation in activities. For example, on a Sports Day, all students participate regardless of their physical abilities. Everyone can participate in racing whether he runs fast or slow or even in wheelchair. Whereas in the Philippines, competition is common. We have all sorts of school competition (Quiz Bee, Spelling, Beauty Contest, Money Contest, Sports Meet, etc.) which is not very common in Japan. It is a battle of the fittest in the Philippines. And only the fittest and the brightest shine. Uniformity is also a very important attribute of Japanese schools and the whole society in general. This can be seen through uniform designs of school bags, school shoes, haircuts and even hair color in junior high schools and high schools. Wearing black suits over white inner is common and considered standard for students on the job training and for those looking for a job. Subtle, basic colors are the staples. It is not pleasing to stand out like a sore thumb in Japan, which is the opposite in the Philippines. Filipinos like individuality and assortment and we like to stand out. Medatsu is a Japanese word which means to stand out. In Japan, you don’t want to be a medatsu, but in the Philippines, being a medatsu is encouraged.

    5. Outdoor and indoor shoes shoes culture in Japan. The footwear worn from the house and outdoors will not be allowed to be worn inside the school buildings. Each class/student has their own shoe box. Upon entering the school building, outdoor shoes are changed to indoor shoes. Japanese are very particular about cleanliness. Indoor shoes help to avoid dirt getting inside the school building from outside.

    In my native land, this custom doesn’t exist. Although some individual teachers require their students to bring indoor shoes, and have their own classroom shoe box, this is not considered a standard for everyone to follow. It’s all up to the teacher or the principal.

    6. Japanese teachers should be able to play the piano and swim before they can pass to be a licensed teacher. In Japan, each elementary school teacher is expected to teach music, play the piano of course and to teach swimming in the school’s swimming pool.

    Most public schools in the Philippines don’t have a single piano. Even the small private schools don’t. Teachers teach music even without the ability of playing any musical instrument. It is not a requirement. But, Filipinos love to sing. And I wonder why even though we lack many musical instruments, which sometimes we can only see in pictures or drawings that teachers ask the students to draw (draw the three types of musical instrument: brass, wind and percussion and make a scrap book in music class), we can still sing out loud from the bottoms of our hearts. 🙂 Many Filipinos are famous singers locally and internationally.

    For an elementary student in the Philippines, having a swimming pool in the school is like living the dream. Filipinos love swimming. Most occasions like birthdays we like to celebrate it in the beach. But, unlike Japanese, we don’t learn basic swimming skills in school. We learn it on our own. Pretty sure by just going to the beach often or the nearby river. Beaches in the Philippines are open all throughout the year and we even have night swimming. This is a big surprise to the Japanese people since they can only go swimming in the beach in summer. Night swimming is rare. Swimming schools are open all throughout the year but swimming pools are only open in summer.

    7. School lunch in Japan is prepared at schools or school lunch centers. School lunch is one of the best features in Japanese schools. I have a different detailed blog about it here. I like Japanese school lunch. It saves me from the hassle of preparing my own packed lunch and saves me some yen since school lunch is cheaper compared to buying food outside. It’s nutritious, well-balanced and well prepared. Japanese students help in the distribution of their school lunch. Whereas in the Philippines, students can opt to bring their lunch boxes, buy at the school canteen or go home and eat if their houses are close to school.

    8. Japanese children walk to school on their own (with exemption of those living in far-flung countryside). Chaperon and giving children rides to school are greatly discouraged and most often not allowed in Japan. Students go to school by groups according to their area of residence. In the beginning of classes in April, parents and guardians will accompany grade one students on their way to school but only up to few meters away from their houses. Not all the way to school.

    It’s a different scene in the Philippines. In the beginning of class, about 90% of grade one students are taken to school by their guardians. Guardians even stay to watch the class from the classroom windows. Although this is discouraged by the school, some parents couldn’t help but watch their kids in class. In the weeks that follows, fewer guardians do this. Many children, especially lower grades, are taken to school (up to the school gate) by their guardians all throughout the year. In some private schools, there are car pool companies that take children to school for a specific amount of fee.

    The difference lies about the distance and safety. In Japan, students should go to the nearest elementary school in their area, not in any school they want to go unless they want to go to a private school. It’s usually a few minute walk from their houses. Except if you’re living in the inaka (country side) where your school can sometimes be as far as an hour walk. In the cities, there are traffic volunteers (usually the elderlies) that guide students in their way to school making sure of the safety of the road. Parents, teachers and principals also help in doing this. This is called ‘koutsu jidou’ in Japanese. Parents take turns doing this. It is very common to see the elementary school principal guiding the traffic and greeting students in front or near the school gate. In the beginning of classes, usually the whole month of April, teachers accompany students halfway on their way home where guardians are waiting to take them up to their houses. This is only done in the beginning and when students get used to it, they go to school and go home with their own groups. Whereas in the Philippines, many parents opt to send their children to central schools, the big schools in the heart of the city, which is very far away from their houses and nearly impossible to get to by foot. With the distance problem and the traffic, it is dangerous and impractical to walk to school.

    9. Recess time in Japan is not eating time. Classes in Japan usually starts at 8:30 in the morning. Four subjects are taught in the morning which usually last 45-50 minutes with 10-15 minutes interval. The nakayasumi is the mid-break and the longest break. During this time, students can go to the playground or to the library or just relax and have a break. In the Philippines, subjects are usually taught consecutively without intervals (for example, schedules are 8:00-9:00, 9:00-10:00) and during the recess time, students usually eat their baons (bring to school snacks), or go to the school canteen, or buy at the canteen tray delivered in their very own classroom. Baon can be food or money or both. This is a part of Philippine culture that most school children look forward to and recess time is jokingly everyone’s favorite subject.

    10. Bringing money to school is okay in the Philippines but not in Japan. As mentioned above, students can buy food to eat during recess time in the Philippines and students can bring money as much as their parents can afford to give them. In Japan, it is uncommon for students to bring money to school and if they do, there is a limitation, for example, elementary students can only bring ¥100, junior high schools ¥300. There is nothing to buy at the school so there is no need for money. Japanese students are also not allowed to bring their own snacks or use accessories or bring CDs etcetera.

    These are only few of the many differences between the elementary and junior high schools in Japan and the Philippines. These differences are of course very normal and not written to make one country look better or bad. These differences are part of the culture and that is what makes each country unique.

  • How I learned Japanese in 3 months

    Before coming to Japan, I only knew two words. Oishi (Yummy) and arigatou (thank you).

    When I came to visit for one month in 2011, I learned a few more words.

    Words that are used in everyday life:

    ohayou gozaimasu (good morning)

    konichiwa (hello)

    konbanwa (good evening)

    oyasumi (good night)

    itadakimasu (grace before meal)

    gochisosamadeshita (grace after meal).

    ittekimasu (I’m going – when leaving the house)

    itterashai (take care – to someone leaving the house)

    tadaima (I’m home)

    okaeri (I’m happy your back in the house)

    And words used by my sister raising her children (just by listening to her everyday)

    oide (come here)

    dame (No/not allowed)

    yamete (stop)

    abunai (dangerous)

    hamigaki (brush your teeth)

    shukudai (homework)

    tabete (eat)

    sugui (wow)

    The following year when I came back as a government scholar, learning Japanese was the main objective for the first semester.

    We were eight students in our class. One from each country: Philippines (me), Myanmar, Thailand, Iran, Laos, Egypt, Malaysia, and China.

    So, how did I learn Japanese? Let me enumerate the methods below.

    1. Memorize hiragana and katakana. These are the basics like the alphabet. Katakana are for foreign/loan words and hiragana are for Japanese words. My university asked me to memorize katakana and hiragana even before coming to Japan. I can’t remember exactly if it was both or just one of the two but I’m sure it was the first task as a student.

    2. Increase vocabulary. By mastering hiragana and katakana, I learned to read words and thus increased my vocabulary. In my university, we were taught tons of new words everyday like twenty to thirty words depending on the lesson. We have to master those words because we were given a quiz everyday, five to ten words. And if we make a mistake, we had to write the words several times to fit on a whole sheet of paper. You don’t wanna do that, trust me.

    We also learned vocabulary by reading stories and learning the dreaded kanji.

    3. Conversation practice. This is the most important part, putting the learned language into practice. In my class, we always have kaiwa no renshu (conversation practice). We were paired with our classmates to do specific conversations and sometimes converse with the teacher. There was a recorded kaiwa test where we had to talk to the teacher and answer her questions. We listened to the record for evaluation.

    4. Make a (PowerPoint) presentation. Believe it or not, with very little vocabulary, we were told to make a presentation of our country almost every week. The purpose is to increase vocabulary, share our culture and gain confidence in speaking. We had Japanese tutors who helped us in our Japanese. I remember the first presentation was Watashi no Kuni no Asagohan (My Country’s Breakfast). We also presented about our countries houses, tourist spots and many more. And the final presentation- about our major.

    5. Write a diary. Once a week, every Monday, we were asked to submit a diary. This was also very hard in the beginning because of not enough vocabulary and knowledge of the language. But this really helped us learn the language on our own, translating every word and sentences we wanted to say in Japanese. This was when google translate became handy. And the app imiwa? is also very helpful. I highly recommend it. After the teacher checked our composition, we were asked to read it in front of everybody. Oh, I still remember a few times I couldn’t read my own writing. Lol.

    6. Watch movies and anime. This was my way to learn Japanese outside of class. Even before coming to Japan, I started watching Japanese movies and anime. A few of my favorites are Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away), Hotaru no Hakka (Grave of the Fireflies), and Hachiko. I watched it in Japanese with English subtitles. I know it’s hard to learn a language this way but I kind of picked up some Japanese words and phrases. I was drowned in tears with the last two movies. My ultimate favorite anime is Chibi Maruko – which I still watch even up to now. I used to watch it everyday. I learned many things from Chibi Maruko- from daily Japanese family life to school life and events and Japanese culture and celebrations. The language used is fairly easy too because the main character is a third grade student.

    7. Talk to locals. There’s no better way to learn a language than using it to talk to the natives. You will be surprised how much you will learn naturally by engaging in conversations with the Japanese. I learned a lot talking to my Japanese tutor and my Japanese friends words and phrases I never learned in class. I was advised to have more Japanese friends and spend more time with them than hanging out with fellow foreigners/kababayan where you tend to use English or Filipino/Bisaya.

    Japanese Intensive Course

    I started learning Japanese officially in late October 2012 and we finished in early February 2013. It was called the Japanese Intensive Course. I salute all my teachers. They were all really good.

    During that rough three months, I learned to speak basic conversational Japanese and I was even able to give a (memorized) speech in full Japanese at the podium in front of everyone during the closing ceremony.

    Never Enough

    But, that was not enough. Japanese is a difficult language to master given that it uses many characters – hiragana, katakana, romaji and kanji, and it has many forms – basic, polite and honorific.

    Lifelong Learning

    Even after more than seven years I am still trying to learn more. I learn new words by dealing with everyday life – medical terms when I got sick and when I gave birth, construction and real estate terms, bank terms, neighborhood association terms and the list goes on.

    It’s like filling a sack with grains everyday. But the sack will never get full but surely the grains will get plenty enough to survive.

  • Valentine’s Day in Japan and the Philippines

    Valentine’s Day in Japan and the Philippines

    There is a huge difference between how the Philippines and Japan celebrate Valentine’s.

    What to give/receive

    In the Philippines, Valentine’s is more on flowers – roses as the main star. With matching teddy bears and chocolates on the side. And love letters too.

    In Japan, it’s mainly chocolate. Not very much on flowers.

    Who give

    Ladies are feeling princesses on Valentine’s Day in the Philippines because they are showered with love. Boyfriends, husbands and admirers are expected to give something to their girlfriends/wives. Teachers also receive presents from their students. And students are also encouraged to give something like a card to their parents as well.

    In Japan, it’s the opposite. Girls give to boys, and ladies to gents. There are three types of chocolate given on Valentine’s Day in Japan:

    1. Honmeichoko – for the opposite sex you like/love 2. Girichoko – from the word “giri”, meaning obligatory, like the subordinate to the boss. co-workers, not necessarily “love”, and 3. Tomochoko– from the word “tomo”, meaning friend, given between friends usually between girls. And this is getting more popular than honmeichoko.

    The Craze

    In the Philippines, you can feel that “love is in the air” in February. Shops, malls, restaurants, schools and offices get decorated with cupids and hearts.

    Come Valentine’s Day, red is the color. And many singles want to find “the one” to date or to settle down. Students celebrate by buying flowers and presents for their teachers. Sometimes, classes are canceled to give way to a Valentine Party.

    That would never happen in Japan. No disruption of classes because it’s Valentine’s. Not that I know of so far. Valentine’s Day is a somewhat ordinary day.

    Many couples go on a dinner date in the Philippines and many proposals happen too. I guess it’s similar in Japan but I just don’t see it or feel it.

    In Japan, girls (and their mothers) get really busy on Valentine’s Day (or the day before) making the best homemade chocolate.

    If you go to the supermarkets, the first thing you see on displays are arrays of chocolates and baking materials. It’s the season for chocolates. Actually, right after New Year’s, shops change to Valentine’s mood.

    Of all these differences, the girls giving chocolate to boys and expressing their affection is one thing that is hard for me to do. It’s not that it’s bad but it’s just something I did not do growing up. I was taught to just wait and never express your feelings to the opposite sex.

    But maybe it’s changing nowadays.

    What do you think?

    Would you rather be the one to give or receive?

    How do you celebrate Valentine’s in your country?

  • Why most Japanese people don’t speak English well?

    Why most Japanese people don’t speak English well?

    You might be surprised and ask yourself this question when you visit Japan for the first time.

    Having lived in Japan for many years now, I would like to share my thoughts on this matter. There are many reasons why Japanese people don’t speak English well.

    1. Japanese Sense of Nationalism

    First of all, I observed that Japanese people are very nationalistic. They love everything about their country and they are very proud to be Japanese. I am sure I am not the only English teacher here who encountered a student who resists learning English and says ‘Why do we have to speak English? We are Japanese!’ or ‘This is Japan! Speak Japanese!’

    2. Music Culture

    Learning English songs is one way to speak English fast. We learn phrases and new words through the lyrics. It helps us memorize lines and learn pronunciation naturally.

    While we in the Philippines are very familiar with English songs and foreign singers as the influence of American music is strong, Japanese have their own strong music trend and popular bands and singers. I was surprised that nobody knew Bruno Mars or his song ‘Count on Me’ among my students, young and adults as well. When I played ‘Always’ by Jon Bon Jovi, it was their first time to hear it. Or maybe my choice of music is just bad. Well, I just played the songs I like and I thought everyone knows it. Well, not in Japan.

    The influence of Korean artists, the K-pop groups is stronger than American music in Japan. I remember the phrase ‘Korean invasion ‘ that we used when we went crazy over Korean dramas in the Philippines. I was one of those who watched Jewel in the Palace, Full House, and many other Korean dramas. In Japan, it’s not Korean dramas but K-pop singers. This makes some Japanese especially the younger generation, interested in learning Korean rather than English.

    3. Shy Culture

    Learning a language is learning a culture. Most Americans and foreigners in general, are assertive and expressive people. They speak their minds and are not afraid to voice their opinions, using language as a tool. On the other hand, most Japanese are rather reserved and shy. They keep their opinions to themselves. They rather follow and listen than question. Very passive. While we were trained to orally participate in class in my elementary and high school years, I observed that it’s not very much the practice in Japan. Teachers mostly dominate the classes thru lecture method and employees seldom raise questions during meetings.

    4. Perfect English Concept

    “If you can’t speak English right, better not speak at all.” I’ve heard this line many times already. Even in my country. Many Japanese and second language learners are afraid to make grammatical mistakes when using English. Being looked down awaits to those who dare to. “It’s embarrassing.” In this case, many prefer to say nothing. Closed lips. Mum. Sshhh.

    5. English is taught mainly in Japanese

    Whether it is in elementary, junior high school, senior high school or university level, do not be surprised if one day you observe an English class, fully taught in Japanese. The books are in Japanese, discussions in Japanese, tests are in Japanese, what else is left? Greetings? That, too, is surely in Japanese. “Kirits! Rei! Onengaishimasu.” If there are institutions that use English, it’s very few and it’s not all English. Maybe 70-30, with Japanese as majority.

    6. English Teachers Don’t Speak English

    Not once, not twice but many times, I encounter a Japanese English teacher who blatantly (sometimes proudly) admit they can’t speak English. Yes. You read it right. I was so surprised the first time I heard it. Of course not all Japanese English teachers are proud non-English speakers. Most of them can actually speak (they studied it in the university ) but won’t. It goes back to the sense of nationalism and the perfect English concept. Why speak English when they are all Japanese and they are in Japan? English Department Teachers meetings are, of course, conducted in….Japanese.

    7. The Need to Speak English

    In the Philippines, there is a need to learn and speak English. Elementary and high school subjects like Mathematics, Science and English are taught in all English. In the university, all subjects except Filipino are taught in English. If you apply for a job, you have to have good English communication skills to have an edge and land a decent job. Many Filipinos go abroad to work, in which the universal language, which is English, is used.

    On the other hand, in Japan, all subjects are taught in Japanese. If they master the Japanese honorific language which is used in the business world, that is sufficient enough. Only recently that companies want employees with English speaking skills. Most Japanese are not interested in working abroad. Not even go visit English speaking countries. Some of my students in a little bit challenging junior high school told me why they don’t like English. They love Japan. They live and work in Japan. They listen to Japanese songs, watch Japanese dramas and movies. Why do they need English? Not even interested in having foreign friends/boyfriends/girlfriends. If there are those who are very interested in English, and have all the reasons to learn the language, only a few.

    These are only my opinions and observations based on my own experience in staying and living in Japan for some time now. If you have your own, don’t hesitate to share.

    To my Japanese friends and other ESL learners, who wants to speak English, I have some tips for you.

    1. Don’t just study but speak it. Just like driving, you have classes to learn the basics, but you will never know how to drive if you don’t get into the car and actually drive it. English (and any language you are learning) is the same. Speak it to learn it.

    2. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Even the native speakers commit mistakes. Ask yourself: Do I speak my mother language the proper way? Oftentimes no. We don’t. Language is a tool. It is used to communicate. To connect. What’s a small mistake will do but make you learn and become better. It is the mistake that we remember and learn to not make it wrong again.

    3. Accept that we are not perfect. If we don’t speak English perfectly, that means we speak another language, not just English. We are bilingual or multilingual. Take pride of that gift.

    4. Discover your interest in the foreign culture. Most often than not, the reason why we want to learn a language is our interest to learn the culture. It might be music, food, religion or tourism. Before, I had no interest in learning Spanish but when I discovered we have many similar words, that’s when I got so interested in the language. I also fell in love with Latin telenovelas and music. I love Thalia!!! As for my interest in Japanese, I love how interesting Japanese people are, their discipline, their politeness. And the beauty of Japan never ceases to amaze me.

    Speaking a foreign language or not being able to is not what’s the most important point. What matters most is our understanding and openness why some people do speak and some people don’t. No hate. No judgement. Just realities we have to face when we step into a new culture.

    Wisteria Gardens in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan

  • New Year’s Celebration in Japan and the Philippines

    As a Filipina living in Japan for many years now, I can compare how New Year’s Day is celebrated in both countries. There are few similarities and many differences between Philippines and Japan celebrating New Year’s Day that I would like to share according to my observation and experience.

    Decorations and Preparations

    In the Philippines, whatever is decorated for Christmas will be carried over for the New Year’s. In fact, the greetings “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year” is commonly displayed in houses, offices, shops, restaurants and malls.

    To welcome the year, a tradition of displaying 12, which is recently changed to 13 round fruits – we call the lucky fruits on the dinner table on New Year’s Eve, is practiced in the Philippines. 12 represents each month and 13 represents an extra month which means abundance. Round signifies infinity, no beginning and no end of good luck and good fortune. Round objects are considered lucky so it is common to see people wearing polka dots. Round and sweet foods like leche flan, puto cheese, kalamay are considered lucky.

    In Japan, New Year’s is the biggest event of the year. Japanese start preparing for the New Year’s by doing a general cleaning which they call osoji. People clean their houses and offices from the main door to the windows, waxing floors , bathroom and everything in between. Shimenawa (sacred straw rope) also called shimekazari and kadomatsu (bamboo and pine decoration) are seen in main doors and gates. Shimenawa are seen in shrines all throughout the year but houses only display these in New Year’s season. There is also kagamimochi (mirror rice cake) and a display of the year’s animal symbol. These decorations are believed to welcome the ancestral spirits and gods to enter the home.

    Kadomatsu at Munakata Shrine

    Food

    In the Philippines, people rush to the market at the break of the dawn on the 31st and expect the supermarket to be flooded with shoppers to prepare for media noche. There is a long list of food prepared for media noche but the regulars are lechon (whole roasted pig), pansit (noodles), lumpia(spring rolls), fried chicken, macaroni salad and spaghetti and of course the lucky fruits. Mostly people prepare food that are either round and sweet and those believed to make the year lucky and abundant.

    In Japan, there is toshikoshi soba and osechi ryouri. Toshikoshi soba is eaten on New Year’s Eve as a symbol of crossing to a new year. Osechi consists of many different kinds of food in a box. Each food carries a meaning. For example, shrimp means long life as the shrimp is curved like an old person.

    Our first osechi ryouri in our house 2018-2019

    Toshikoshi soba (Japan) on the left and pansit (Philippines) on the right

    New Year’s Eve

    It’s hard to keep up with the energy of the Filipinos when it comes to welcoming the new year. The most exciting countdown begins hours before midnight ( three more hours, two more hours, one more hour) and the closer it gets, the higher the energy and the louder the noise. Party starts when darkness hit or even before that. The neighborhood turns into karaoke bar and disco bar with people drinking and dancing on the streets. The ten minutes before 12 and the first ten minutes of January first is the noisiest, loudest, craziest, happiest time of the year. Before the ten-second countdown, people scream of excitement, get ready to jump (for those who wants to get tall), turn on all the lights in the house, turn on the car or motorcycle engine, blow the horns incessantly, get something even the pot cover to make noise. Everyone counts the last ten seconds “10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1! BOOM! The fireworks, the blowing of horns, the noise of cars and motorbikes, the jumping, the dancing, the shouting “Happy New Year” is endless. You don’t say it once, nor twice, nor three times. You say it to everyone in the house and to the neighbors. People go crazy with New Years. And many goes live on Facebook. It is believed that noise shoo the bad lucks. Some people wear polka dots (rounds objects are lucky), put coins in their pockets and shake them to make noise, and sometimes throw coins for the people to catch (rain of money – paulan ug kwarta). And after the countdown is the feast. Everyone gathers in the dinner table for the media noche.

    This scenario might not be the same in the entire Philippines. I am speaking of my experience and my neighborhood and I am sure many can relate.

    I remember the first time my husband spent New Year’s in the Philippines, he couldn’t stand the noise. It was too much for him it gave him headache. He wanted to go somewhere quiet but I told him, it’s the same everywhere we go.

    On the contrary, in Japan, New Year’s eve is a very silent night compared to the Philippines. All is calm, all is normal.

    Last year I spent New Year’s in our newly-bought house (the reason why we spent New Year’s in Japan). I was kind of disappointed or let’s say frustrated. It was just me, my husband and our daughter (my step daughter). Yes, we had our special dinner. I cooked special menu. But when it was almost 12 o’clock my energy as a Filipino was really high, I was the only one who was very excited to welcome the new year. I turned all the lights in the house, went upstairs and downstairs. I got really excited. But when I looked outside the window nobody was there, it was a very silent night. I was like a burning fire thrown a bucket of water. This is not the Philippines. This is Japan. But I’m not saying Japanese don’t celebrate. They do but in a different way.

    Most people in Japan go back to their jikka (実家) or parents’ home to celebrate. On New Year’s Eve, Japanese eat toshikoshi soba and greet each other ‘akemashite omedetou gozaimasu’ (Happy New Year). They don’t normally do countdown at home, but you can go to clubs/bar in the city where the young party people go and party like there’s no tomorrow and welcome the new year. That’s how I spent New Year’s in Japan in 2014. It is a peaceful and simple celebration at home. On the 31st, after doing the general cleaning (osoji) and preparing or buying the special food osechi ryouri , most Japanese families gather and watch NHK’s Kohaku Uta Gassen or commonly called kohaku. This is a TV program where Japanese singers are divided into competing teams of red and white. This finishes shortly before midnight and judges and audiences vote which group perform better.

    Some people visit temples and shrines. At the temple, or if you live nearby, you will hear the bell ringing on New Year’s Eve. This is called joyanokane (除夜の鐘). They ring the bell for exactly 108 times at New Year’s Eve which symbolizes 108 human sins in Buddhist belief.

    First Day(s) of the Year

    It is very common for Filipino families to go swimming on January first or anytime during the first days of the week.

    Family Samal Outing 2017

    The party and merry making continue. Left-over lechon will turn into lechon paksiw. There is also a belief that whatever you do on the first day of the year will forecast what will happen for the rest of the year. If you wake up late on January 1, expect that you will always wake up late. If you spend, you will always be spending. If you cry, then your year will be full of tears. In bisaya, we say “malihian“. My mama would say to us to do good things on the first day of the year and we will be lucky the whole year. “Magpalihi ug swerte.” She also told us not to spend a single cent or else money will fly away and we will keep spending the whole year and we will go broke. Lol.

    In Japan, it is very famous to watch the first sunrise of the year (hatsuhi/hatsuhinode) and people go to temples or shrines to pray (hatsumode).

    [wpvideo JxWGAn34]

    The first day of the year is one of the happiest days for children because they get otoshidama, which is money gift from parents and relatives. People flock to the stores for its hatsuuri (first sales) and buy their fukubukuro (lucky bags). These lucky bags are sold for a certain price with random unknown things inside. The total value is more than the sale price.

    If you notice – hatsuhi, hatsuhinode, hatsumoude, hatsuuri, all starts with hatsu. It’s because hatsu (初) means first and that is how Japanese values and enjoys the “firsts” of the year.

    My sister’s Japanese family gather on the first day of the year in the parents’ house and review the year that passed. They also express their aspirations for the new year and they drink otoso (お屠蘇) New Year’s sake. The drinking of otoso starts from the youngest in the family up to the oldest.

    Mari ‘s first new year and first otoso

    Conclusion

    New Year’s is the most celebrated event around the world. It doesn’t matter where you are from or what race you belong. People celebrate New Year’s regardless of religion.

    Both Filipinos and Japanese celebrate it. Both value the gathering of families to welcome the new year. It is in the same manner that most go back to their parents’ home to celebrate and do things (although done differently) to attract good fortune for the whole year to come. Filipinos party and make noise to welcome the new year while Japanese enjoy the firsts of the year. Although the food prepared is entirely different, they share the idea of good luck, hope for good health and longevity.

    If you ask me which celebration I prefer, I am sure I will have a hard time answering your question. It is hard for me to choose. Of course, there is no place like home. I like to celebrate this event with my family, with the merriment, with parties left and right, with the noise of excitement and bliss. But I also like the simplicity, the practicality, and the idea of enjoying the firsts of the year.

    If you have reached this part, thank you for your time reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and learned something from it and I hope you enjoyed your New Year’s celebration where ever in the world you are from.

    Happy new year!

    Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!

    あけましておめでとうございます！

  • Elementary School Recognition in the Philippines compared to Closing Ceremony in Japan

    Elementary School Recognition in the Philippines compared to Closing Ceremony in Japan

    In the Philippines

    Elementary School Recognition in the Philippines is always treated like a festival, a big event for honor students and a busy day (and days prior to it) for teachers. It is also being looked forward to in the beginning of class by students whether one can receive awards (and rewards) from parents.

    I remember when I was still an elementary student, my parents, especially my father, would always motivate me to get the highest honor if I want to get a reward. I was around second or third grade when I was told that if I get the first  honors, I could get a bicycle. I was only second, so I got a pair of shoes instead. But, that is how parents always motivate their children to do better in school. Or my family at least.

    School Recognition in the Philippines is the survival of the fittest and the battle of the brains and charms. Students are awarded according to their abilities and performance. We have the top awards: first, second and third honors. Sometimes we give fourth and so on. We also have the best awards: Best in English, Best in Math, Best in Science, Best in Filipino….name all subjects and we have “Best” awards for that. Another awards, the most awards: Most Neat, Most Diligent, Most, Behave, Most Punctual, Most Generous…name all adjectives and maybe we have an award for that..:-) Of course, we have the other awards: Boy Scout of the Year, Girl Scout of the Year, Drum and Lyre Member, etc.

    CIMG0416

    Students and parents work hard to get any of these awards. And some (if not most) teachers employ this “trophy” to motivate (or scare) students to do their best and get a passing or if not a failing mark.

    On Recognition Day, the school stage is well decorated complete with loud speaker and a podium. Students with awards and recognition are all excited and happy. They are dressed in mostly new clothes and shoes, very proud to go up to the stage together with their parents or guardians, who, in most cases, also wear nice clothes just for the event to receive their awards, a ribbon or a medal or a certificate.

    As for teachers, this is not a very easy task. When I was an elementary teacher, this recognition season somehow gave me a headache. I was the type of teacher who wants to acknowledge the students effort, may it big or small. I wanted to give all my students an award, even if it says Most whatever adjective to recognize the students` effort for the whole year. But of course, not all students do their best. And those things gave me headache thinking what award to give to all my students. My fellow teachers would tell me not to worry about that too much and just give a few. After all, it is not going to be an award or a special award in that matter if everyone can get it anyway. There was a year I remember that I  did not give anything to few students who I had a hard time dealing with. This was to teach a lesson to everyone that if you want to get something, you have to work hard for it. But, it did not turn out nice. Those students felt bad of course for getting nothing, and my heart was crushed seeing them sad. And since then, I always make sure that no matter how slow (or bad) some students are, I would work hard and motivate them to join something like Boy Scout so I can give them something on Recognition Day.

    In Japan

    On the other hand, in Japan, closing ceremony is a totally different scene. Japan is a country that values equality and simplicity. Things like competition for honors and awards, like what we have in the Philippines, doesn`t really exist. Days approachinrg the last day of school seem to be ordinary days. Students go to school and learn and teachers teach. In the Philippines, days approaching the last day of school, we tend to have “irregular” class since teachers are busy preparing for the Recognition Day and some students are busy rehearsing their dance and song presentation for the event.

    On the last day of school, before spring break in Japan, they have what is called 終了式 read as shuuryushiki, which means closing ceremony. All students and teachers gather in the gym usually in the third or fourth period. That means to say, they go to their classroom in a regular manner during the first and second period. Nothing really festive. Some classes do owakarenokai or closing party but it is not the party you have in mind. They just do a simple blackboard decoration and teachers and students do something which is really not big of a deal. It is a simple looking back-goodbye party. Most schools also have a school owakarenokai where all students gather in the gym and each grade will do a song or recitation performance. Nothing extravagant costumes or props. But for sure, a very good performance. They also make it special for the sixth graders who are leaving the elementary school life.

    [wpvideo vgPk6GfE ]

    During the closing ceremony, as everyone is gathered in the gym, teachers will remind the students how to spend spring vacation right. They talk about the do`s and don`ts and there is a lot of them. Some of the do`s are `Do your homework`, `Do go home early`, and more of don`ts like `Do not go to game centers`, `Do not talk to strangers`, `Do not go home after dark` and all these warnings to make sure that the children are safe and do well during spring break. They have some kind of awarding but in my experience, I have only seen the librarian gave award to students who read the most books and that`s it. When students go home, they bring with them their report card and that contains their performance in school.

    Cultural Difference

    I can see the cultural difference in both countries. In the Philippines where people are mostly competitive, fun-loving and and value honor and pride and in Japan where people prefer simplicity and equality. Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages of both but this is our way of life. This is our culture. This is what makes us us. When I came here in Japan and witnessed how simple their closing ceremonies are, and how the slow learner students don`t get their pride crushed and feel and discriminated during Recognition Days as in the Philippines, I wished that we could do the same thing in the Philippines. A simple closing ceremony just like in Japan. But, if we did the same, I would never have the memories of going up to the stage with my parents and have my ribbons and medal don on my neck and of course the picture-taking. Who can forget.

     

  • How to distinguish Japanese from Korean and Chinese

    How to distinguish Japanese from Korean and Chinese

    Can you tell if a person comes from a specific country? Before coming to Japan, I had no idea how to distinguish Japanese, Korean and Chinese from one another. I had quite a few experience (when I was in the university as an international student) of trying to speak Japanese to a fellow student who I thought is Japanese, but after all, turned out to be Korean or Chinese (who is new to Japan and cannot speak Japanese). To avoid future embarrassment of assuming someone is not, let me discuss their similarities and differences. This is according to my observations and the opinions of my friends with who I discussed the subject.

    twitter.com

    Similarities

    1. Skin.

    preview.ph

    Japanese, Korean and Chinese, generally, have the same skin characteristics. It is popular that their skin is more resistant to aging and that they have fair, light porcelain-like skin. It is due to extreme sensitivity to environmental factors and chemical effects of some products, which can disrupt the pH balance. For this reason, advertising about skin beauty care in Asian countries is very economical as Japanese, Korean and Chinese (especially girls) have to be more careful with products and treatments they use on their skin. It is even impressive to see the number of skin care products build on the myth that Asian skin would look amazing and healthy for a long time. so, it is hard to tell who is who if you only look at their skin. 


    2. Body built


    theatlantic.com

    There are of course differences in body built among Japanese, Korean and Chinese people.  As human as we are, we can be fat, thin, big or small. It all depends on our individual diet and consumption, not to mention our genes. Although we have a general impression as to how, for example, an American body tend to be (tall and big). Asians, specifically Japanese, Korean and Chinese, are typically of slim body built and kind of short in terms of height. But be careful not to label all of them slim and short, because, as I have said, everyone is different. Some can still be tall, big and fat.


    Differences

     1. Facial Features.

    onehallyu.com

    They may look the same, but if you are a keen observer, there are a few distinguishing characteristics. The Japanese face is generally longer and wider, while the Korean face often has a more prominent jaw and high cheekbones. The Chinese face is typically round in shape. When it comes to the “windows of the soul”, the Japanese eyes are often described as angled upwards, contrary to the Chinese eyes which are usually angled downwards. Koreans often have smaller eyes.


    2. Dressing style

    Japanese street fashion

     

    thetokyogirl.com

    My Japanese friend told me it is easy to tell whether a person is Japanese or Korean. Just look at how they dress. Japanese people value harmony and uniformity, hence, when they dress up, it is something aimed to blend with the majority. Plain, simple and subtle colors are the key to typical Japanese attire. Nothing that stands out. I observed that wearing suit is very common in Japan. May it be a final (research) presentation in school, a job internship, a job interview, graduation; Japanese usually wear suits, in black and white (inner). Very seldom you can see a coloured inner. 

    kore.am

    Contrary to Japanese, most Koreans wear bright and more colourful attire. I remember my Korean friend said in her culture presentation in school, that, unlike in Japan, they can wear nice colourful dresses when they do their internship and especially during job interview. Chinese, on the other hand, due to its high cultural diversity is difficult to distinguish. 

     

    Even up to now, after living for quite some time in Japan, it is still challenging for me to tell which is what, and who is who. Even people of the same race can look different. It is hard to generalize. We can never actually generalize. As the saying goes “Everyone is unique”.

  • Why is summer vacation in Japan not a vacation for students at all

    Why is summer vacation in Japan not a vacation for students at all

    Most kids around the world look forward to summer vacation. For most of them, it is the best time of the year. Free from the tiring things in school, listening to the teachers sermon, doing projects and endless homework.

    But, not in Japan. Although summer is fun in Japan with so many festivals that you can go and you can even watch fireworks while wearing your yukata (summer kimono), eating kakigori or shave ice, most kids, elementary and junior high school somewhat hate summer.

    Why? For one reason. Homework.


    And it’s not just a piece of paper with few mathematical problems to solve. It is a set of three to five book/booklets, some of them are inch-thick and most are half-inch thick. It can literally hurt a child’s finger because of doing too much  homework.

    Japan doesn’t consider summer break a vacation for students. They consider it a time for independent study. For students to study on their own in the convenience of their homes.


    Unlike the US and the Philippines, summer vacation in Japan is during school year, not between school year. April is when classes starts and mid-July to August is summer break. Classes resume in September and close in March. Between March and April, they have like  a two-week spring break, and that is between grades, when kids don’t get tons of homework like in summer break.

    Its not only the students who don’t like summer homework. Somehow, it becomes tedious for parents, too, who, during summer, becomes the “teacher substitute”, reminding their children to keep track of their homework. Parents are also the ones who check their children’s homework. Some parents make the schedule, how many pages a day and how many hours a day should their children dedicate for doing homework.

    The most stressful part of summer is the last week, when both parents and children realize that they only have few days to finish a bunch of unfinished homework , including the daily summer diary.

    Both Japanese and non-Japanese often discuss about whether this practice of summer homework is good or not. Some say that it’s a good way for training children to become independent and responsible. Some say that it’s too much in a way that it deprives children to enjoy their childhood.

    How about you? What’s your take on this?

    How do you spend your summer vacation?

  • 11 Annoying Facebook Statuses 

    Facebook is obviously the number one social media today. With almost 2 billion monthly active users, one can find all sort of entertainment and information there are, including some information you’d rather not know. Some of which are very private matters or just too unimportant to be on Facebook.
    Many Fb users are so attached to it that it seems it’s their only best friend they can talk to. Like there is no one in reality that they can share life’s big and small(est) events.

    The following posts I think are too much I considered them annoying.

    1. Posting selfies (in towel)  after taking a bath/shower saying “feeling fresh” with cleavage as the focal point.

    2. Burping in your status to show you are (damn) full.

    3. Saying “I love you” in your status to your partner you tagged who’s right beside you and your partner commenting “I love you, too.”

    4. Saying ‘good morning’, ‘good evening’, ‘good night’, ‘I’m back’ in your status many times a week and worse, everyday.

    5. Posting too much selfies (more than 5 a day or even a photo a day) that your friends memorize every angle of your face already even with their eyes closed.

    6. Changing your profile picture with an edited picture of yourself many times a month too much that you look so different in person.

    7. Expressing anger at someone with a 10-line post and saying “I’m not angry” or “I don’t care” at the end. Are you sure you’re not angry and you didn’t care after that rant?

    8. Posting photos of dying patients and asking people for help by “liking” them. If that works, don’t you think all dying patients in the hospital should have their photos uploaded on Facebook?

    9. Posting photos of accidents (mostly vehicular) with victims’ blood (or brain) and body parts scattered all over.

    10. Posting a photo of a long-haired bearded guy and forcing everyone to type ” Amen”or else something bad will happen to them.

    11. #Statuses #with #hashtag #in #every #F* #word #in #it.

    You might disagree to this article. This might annoy you, too. Well, “Different strokes for different folks.” What annoys me might interest you. I know there’s a way to avoid this negative feeling. Unfollow. That’s it.

    Or if you agree, and you can relate, and thinks this list is not enough, then tell me more.