Skip to main content

All Those Firsts in October

FIRST INTERNATIONAL EXHIBIT




Mariano Fortuny. Well, honestly I didn't know him. So when I got a free ticket to see his exhibit, I took time to research about him. Like any other European artist, he's exceptional. He excelled so much in all the crafts he involved himself into - painting, photography, theater design, and fashion design.

When I was inside the museum, I imagined I was alive in his time like a hundred years ago. I thought that the images in his photos are alive.

The silk dresses are really timeless. All of them were carefully handcrafted. There was no room for flaws.  

My takeaway?

When you learn about a lot of different artists, you get to open your mind more and realize that the world is definitely not small. That while you are hustling, somebody out there is already on top of the game. And we should not lose heart. We look at it as a catapult. It's gonna launch us to something more rewarding - contentment.


FIRST INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL 
THEATER SHOW

Photo grabbed from Ms. Joanna Ampil's Facebook page.




Upon hearing Joanna Ampil's inclusion in Jesus Christ Superstar, I knew  I had to see it. All shows were sold out and the only way to watch it is to line up on the day and hope for an available seat and a discounted tix. So, it happened! It was a bit pricey but who cares, no big deal, I want more 🎵😆 Well, I was seated in row 4!

All casts are internationally known thespians. And good Lord! That was the first time I saw an effortless, world-class performance. Everyone has amazing voices especially Joanna. I fell for her voice since Ang Larawan. Watching her perform live is a dream  come true. I had goosebumps all throughout the show. And the audience was so overwhelmed that there were four curtain calls.

My takeaway?

Theater is not only for the elite the way it is viewed in the Philippines. It's something you can be part of if only you work hard and be determined to be in it. But yeah, that's an idealist's point of view. 

At least now I have the chance to watch it. You see, there's a lot to be thankful about coming to Japan.

FIRST SUPER TYPHOON 
EXPERIENCE IN JAPAN



I was just calm when I heard of Hagibis. I remembered Haiyan and thought that was the strongest in the world to date, so Hagibis won't compare. Besides, I'm in the most disaster prepared country. To top that, I have a bigger God.

Then the Japanese were anxiously panic-buying a day before the typhoon hits the country. And people from the Philippines are sending messages of concern. That's when I started worrying. I checked Twitter and Facebook and the trending topics were #Hagibis #SuperTyphoonHagibis #PrayforJapan.

It occurred to me that I can't just be passive. So I bought food good for 2-3 days, packed clothes, and prepared for an evacuation.

At 9pm on Saturday, the wind and rain started to battle over Tokyo. The whole apartment building was shaking. It was scary but you know, I felt safe deep inside.

My takeaway?

It's impressive to see how the Japanese people depend less on their government. They gotta do what they can do.  And I guess they hate risk that they want to minimize it. After the typhoon, there were casualties and property damages of course. But if they didn't prepare at all, something might be too tragic.

Again, we are never too prepared. But we prepare anyway.


Wow! It's still half-way through October and I have three memorable experiences and learnings! 
My heart is full and forever grateful 💋 Thank you Jesus!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Filipino Stores and Restaurants in Tokyo

For somebody who craves for Filipino food and snacks from time to time, here are the stores I frequent to. I can only share a limited perspective but solely based on my experiences. Read on! Filipino Stores 1. Asia Yaosho (Kabukicho, Shinjuku)  While they mostly have Filipino products, they also sell Thai goods. I think their prices are a little lower than the other Filipino stores I've tried. However, they have limited stocks and they often run out of items that I usually need, like Bearbrand. 😁 Credits: This photo is from this website .  2.  Ameyoko Center Underground Marekt (Ueno)   This market is heaven for Southeast Asians. They have a lot of varieties, dry goods, frozen meat, and even fresh seafood. There are also two Filipino stores in the area. They sell more items than Asia Yaosho but they are a bit pricey.  Credits: Photo is from this website. The market is underground. The entrance is on the side of this building at the center of this photo.  3....
Post a Comment
Read more

Seven

Favor! As I was preparing to apply for this job, I felt that certain peace and assurance that this would go well. True enough, I got shortlisted for an interview. But it wasn't only an interview, there was also a written exam and a teaching demo. All happened in one day. Then the waiting starts. Two months to be exact. This position isn't always available. It's uncertain how many teachers the city would accept in a year. And a lot of us would want to get in. The perks and benefits that come along this direct employment are something foreign workers are longing to have. Then they called me and told me I was first on the waitlist. We were all put on the waitlist. I heard there were over a hundred applicants. Less than half got called for an interview. Then about twenty were considered for the position. But it was still uncertain how many of the twenty will successfully sign a contract. Another week passed when I finally received a mail. It was the contract package. Then they ...
Post a Comment
Read more

But Before Summer

Today, I held back my tears as I was watching my student hitting his head while saying, 'Atama ga warui' which literally means 'My head is bad'. The more precise translation would be 'I'm stupid' or 'I'm dumb'. The students were using their school provided tablets to do some listening tasks and yet this particular student was just carelessly tapping the screen, opening random school apps. So I approached him and tried to help him navigate the school portal. And as soon as we could open his digital workbook, I left him so he could find the pages and the audio file on his own. I went around the class to help the other kids. But I would from time to time check on that student at a distance. Then not long, he started hitting his head again and repeatedly telling himself 'I'm dumb'. It was so painful to watch. But then suddenly one classmate sitting next to him stood up and helped him and another one followed. I was moved by such sight.  H...
Post a Comment
Read more