01
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…
Continue readingCollected moments
Category: Culture
Stories of becoming, belonging, and finding home between two countries.
01
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…
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03
How I learned Japanese in 3 months
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…
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04
Valentine’s Day in Japan and the Philippines
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…
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05
Why most 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…
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06
New Year’s Celebration in Japan and the Philippines
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…
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07
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…
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08
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…
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09
Why is summer vacation in Japan not a vacation for students at all
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…
Continue reading11 Annoying Facebook Statuses
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…
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