Article in Japanese: New Year in the Philippines

Please allow me to publish online some of the articles I have written in Japanese. Most of the time, I will be providing translations in English.

　フィリピンでは、1月1日はお正月です。お正月はフィリピンで最もカラフルな祝賀の1つです。 家族と友人は、大晦日の真夜中に夕食を集めて、共有しています。彼らは食物と果物を準備しています。最も顕著であるのは、長寿を象徴するように、ヌードルの料理を作っています。そして、お金を象徴するように果物は大切です。 お正月の間、多くのフィリピン人が、次の年を繁栄しているものにするように習慣と伝統を観測しています。 例えば、人々は、12種類の丸い果物を集めて、食卓の周りに置いています。果物は家庭にお金が来るためのものです。そして、長寿を達成するのにスパゲッティやビフンなどのヌードルを食べています。子供たちの身長が高くなるように、時計が12時を打つとき、跳んでいます。そして、悪霊を追い払うために音を立てています。人々は、一年中お金を持つために自分達のポケットにコインを入れています。 そ して、不運を追い払うために花火と爆竹を明るくしています。お金を招待するために、丸いデザインで衣服を着ています。幸運を歓迎するためにドアに果物、 （例えば、ぶどう）を掛けています。ドアや窓や引き出しなどは、運が入るように開かれています。ほかの習慣もやっています。

　フィリピンでは、お正月はクリスマスと一緒に祝われています。 そ ういうわけで、人々は教会へミサを参列に行って、挨拶を送るために親類の家を訪問しています。そして、その代わりに、子供は親類から贈り物を受け取ってい ます。最も一般的な贈り物がお金です。大勢の家族と友人は、故郷に帰って、集めて、再会をして、祝っています。ところで、中国のお正月も祝っています。

New Year in the Philippines

January 1 is New Year in the Philippines. New Year is one of the most colorful celebrations in the Philippines. Families and friends gather together and share the dinner at the midnight of the New Year's Eve. They prepare food and fruits. Most remarkable are the noodles that symbolize long life; and the fruits, which symbolize money. During New Year, many Filipinos observe customs and traditions to make the coming New Year a prosperous one. For example, people collect 12 kinds of round fruits and put them around the dining table. These fruits are for money to come in the household. People eat noodles such as spaghetti and bihon to achieve long life. Children jump as the clock strikes twelve for them to grow tall. People put coins in their pockets to have money all-year round. Children make noise to drive evil spirits away. People light up fireworks and firecrackers to drive away bad luck. People wear clothes with round designs to invite money. People hang fruits in the door to welcome good luck. Doors, windows and drawers are opened to let the luck come in, and so on.

New Year is celebrated in the Philippines along with Christmas. As such, people visit relatives to send greetings and in return, the children receive gifts from the relatives. Most common gift is in the form of money. Many families and friends gather together and celebrate reunions and homecomings. Also, Chinese New Year is also celebrated.

Two Dreams

Note for the readers: I am not claiming to be a visionary of any sort. I am just an ordinary person. I just had these dreams and I do not want to keep them alone as they might have meanings. These two articles were written March 27, 2005.

A Dream About Hell

Account of a dream sometime in January or February of 2005

In a dream, I was once like St. John in the book if the Revelation, guided by an angel, to the deep area of Hell. I was toured around just like an observer. It seemed like everyone in there did not notice me, as they continue what they were doing.

Inside was dark, although fires everywhere give off light all over the place. I was guided to the main area, should I say a hall, as everyone were there and it seemed like they are having some kind of ritual or activity. I moved around and saw that the area was surrounded by somewhat like a wall made of wood-deep rusty brown in color as lighted by the burning flames. The wall has many arched-shaped wholes that serve as passages. There were people beyond the wall and there were so many people inside the main area. The front part was like theater's stage. It was well lighted as compared to the main area. The Beast was there but I did not look at it. There were many creatures accompanying the Beast in the front area. People were screaming, though I was not sure if due to pain or due to enjoyment of what were going on.

I was then guided to pass through on of the arches. Ironic to my assumption that that particular arch was the same as the other arches in the wall, it led to a small chamber. Inside, there were demons making noises, just like people chatting with each other in a party. I noticed that in the middle of the chamber, there was a table with white cloth and on top of it I saw a horrible creature. It was a human but in an abnormal form-like a person born with physical abnormalities. The person was lying there naked, his limbs were very long. I was not able to look at him so closely but it seemed that he had his limbs connected and he lacked some of his limbs. He had a very dark-colored skin and he was mute. He was in Hell as he was very lustful during his life on earth. He was gay and had many sexual affairs with the same sex. But I will never forget his eyes and face as he looked exactly like one of my friends. Should I name him? Perhaps, I will give a hint instead. He is fond of using his nickname instead of his real name. His nickname starts with the letter M.

The demons loudly asked him to perform some tricks-tricks like twisting his body parts. He did the tricks very well. His body was very flexible so that he could make any form of twisting. The demons laughed and told him that he would perform for the Beast-not body twisting but sex positions. So from performing body tricks, he shifted to assimilating sex positions alone. He just then smiled-like feeling so flattered as he would perform in front of the Beast. I felt like I wanted to cry as I was thinking he was indeed my friend. I felt sorry that because of his immoral life while on earth, now he was in Hell. But it was still a mystery to me, why he looked like he was born with physical abnormalities.

A Dream About the Second Coming

Account of another dream sometime in January or February of 2005

In another dream, I had a vision of the Second Coming. It was not as long as my previous vision of Hell but it had been very detailed.

I was in a city, an urban place with modern technologies, tall buildings, business establishments and many other signs of development. I was particularly in a busy street. It was night then. I knew that I was not alone although I was not sure whether I was with my family or with my friend or friends during that night.

Suddenly, we heard a very loud sound. I could not describe the sound that well but I found it similar to the sound of rumbling rocks as I heard during the July 16, 1990 earthquake in the Philippines. It was so scary so that many people panicked and run away. For my case and whoever family or friend that was or were with me at that time, I or we was/were not able to move out of our place.

I felt very afraid when the land where we were standing broke open. I though we were going to die as we fell down the crack but we were able to stand on top of somewhere down there. As such, we were still able to witness what happened next.

We all looked up the heavens and saw that a very bright light came out in the middle of the dark skies. It was very bright red-orange light. I was not able to see what was behind the very bright light as my eyes could not stand looking at it. I then felt this unexplainable fear but I was sure that this is the end of the world as described in the scriptures and that the Son of God has finally come!

I do not know the real reason why I had these two visions but perhaps they appeared to me as means to let me aware of these things and that they exist and will soon occur. Let us pray to God that we would be ready when these things happen.

Welcome to Japan

The lobby the New Tokyo International Airport (Narita)

The long wait was finally over. The plane was descending and the voice-over announced "Welcome to Japan!" At about 14:15 JST, we got off from the plane and all of us-Monbusho scholars from the Philippines seemed to be all excited in setting our feet of the Land of the Rising Sun.

From the terminal, we took a small train to go to the lobby area. We passed by the immigration and looked for our luggage. Outside, at the lobby, the AIEJ (Association for International Education Japan) staffs were all waiting for us. They were so organized in accommodating us. They put us in groups, gave us instructions and made us wait for the airport shuttle bus.

After getting our free time, I looked for a money changer and had my dollar pocket money changed to Japanese yen. I immediately phone home. I told them that I was already in Japan. They informed me in return that my computer at home broke down. At that instant I felt like I want to go back to Manila to fix my computer.


Narita Airport Rest House Hotel Tokyo

The AIEJ staff led us to airport shuttle bus station. It was very cold outside the airport. A few minutes, the shuttle bus came and took us to the Narita Airport Rest House. Along the way, I looked around and I was impressed to see that it was very clean all around. We checked-in the hotel upon arriving. I was assigned in a room with other two Filipino guys. It was around 4 o'clock in the afternoon then. After settling in, we talked with each other and watched TV. We also dropped by the girls' room. At about 7 o'clock in the evening, we went back to the airport to have our dinner.

We roamed around the stores looking for affordable dinner. But we all had the same impression that things in Japan are about ten times as expensive in the Philippines. And if we keep on converting the Yen prices to Philippine peso, we would all end up hungry. If I can still remember, I just had chicken curry then.


Inside the Narita Airport Rest House

After getting full, we went back to our rooms. Before going to sleep, we took turns in the bathroom. I tried the bathtub but as I wasn't used to it yet at that time, I felt dizzy. After putting on a yukata, and before I went to bed, I first made an impression of the night view around the airport. A few minutes later, I fell asleep. That has been my first night in Japan.

Leaving on a Jetplane

Ninoy Aquino International Airport

It's April 1. Many people know it as April Fool's Day but for me, it was the start of a new chapter of my life. I am now staying here in Japan for a year! As such, I will relive the moments that happened exactly a year ago.

March 31, my last day in the office was quite a jam-packed day for me. I was too busy preparing my things to be brought beck home and at the same time, trying to stop the clock from ticking as I need to finish my tasks before I say my final goodbye to my second home-my office for the past two years.

We had a send-off party at home with my college friends the night before so I took an off during the morning. I just came to the office after lunch to have my last day. About 6 pm, my officemate and friend, Flint, told me that the team prepared a send-off dinner for me. So we went to a Japanese restaurant. They treated me for the dinner and they gave me a gift. It was a bundle of F4 collectible magazines. Flint personally gave me another collectible magazine. I was so touched by their kindness.

After the dinner I went back to the office to continue my work. My academic adviser, Dr. Joey Balmaceda, asked me if I can drop by his office in Diliman as Prof. Ozeki sent some maps and guides for me to use as I come to Japan. Due to my very hectic schedule, I just asked Sir Joey to leave the stuffs to the guard in the Quezon Hall as I was anticipating that I could only drop by there at about 11 o'clock in the evening.

It was about 11 o'clock and I haven't completed all of my work. But as my flight the following morning would be early, I decided to go home. Hanna and Glen, my officemates and friends, went out with me from the office. We took a taxi that would bring me to Diliman. My friends from college, Rose and Mary Ann, also wanted to say their well wishes to me so they also went to Makati to meet me. Unfortunately, due to my tasks, I wasn't able to meet them until I had them picked up at EDSA and let them ride the taxi with me to Diliman.

We dropped off Hanna and Glen along Crossing(?) and me, Rose and Mary Ann straight to Diliman. We got Sir Joey's stuffs from the guard and we sat down for a while behind the UP Oblation to rest.

Rose and Mary Ann gave me a poster and they wrote their messages for me at the back. They also had me write my messages for them in their own posters. After that, we separated ways and I went home. I reached our house at about 2 o'clock in the morning.

I wasn't able to sleep at home. It was because of both excitement and the worries of my tasks that will be left at the office. At about 4 o'clock in the morning, I got online and finished all of my reports, worksheets and hand-off notices for my team. I also sent out "thank you" notes to those who wished me well-my Repo team and the Disputes, Fraud and Letter Writing teams.

Having not that much time, I left our house at about 6 o'clock in the morning. I went to the airport with my family except my younger brother, Patrick, who looked after the house.

Arriving at the airport, I was immediately asked to enter for checking in. I was not able to even hug my parents and siblings for the last time. I was so sad as I would be missing them for a long time but I tried not to shed tears.

Forty-five minutes before the departure, I was still lining up for checking in. My things are so heavy and I know that I would incur overweight baggage charges. A lady in front of me in the line has only one small luggage so I asked her if we can have our luggage checked-in together so we can enjoy the allowable baggage capacity for two people. She agreed so I felt relieved. Unfortunately, the staffed employed to do the checking-in procedures were so inefficient so after the girl had her small luggage weighed, the staff took so much time to weigh my things. As a result, the girl got irritated and told me she was going to come inside for immigration procedures. I was left and they charged me a whooping 3,000 pesos for the excess.

About thirty minutes before the departure, I was able to board the plane. My seatmate's nickname was AJ. He was also a Monbusho scholar like me but he would stay in Tokyo. The flight took four hours non-stop. We had a Japanese lunch set and AJ and I had sake or Japanese rice wine. So as a trivia, I entered the Japanese territory under the influence of alcohol. :-)