Buhay sa Japan

Sabi nila maganda daw sa Japan. Tama naman. Hehehe... Maganda nga. Pero mahirap din kung minsan.

When I was invited by my project manager to go to Japan as onsite support engineer for the project, I took the offer not only for the sake of the project but also to see the country and its people. When the decision came final I asked my team if I could take a two days leave vacation to visit Cebu. And they gladly said "yes". I was more excited on going back to Cebu than going to Tokyo. I don't know why. Maybe at the back of my mind I see Cebu as a place of where I belong, where my loved ones are, and where my childhood was. On the later, I see Tokyo as a busy city, much paper works, more emails, endless project issues, etc.

I visited Cebu not just to visit my family and friends but to also visit my best friend who just came from Peru as a novice nun. We have been best friends since grade school and we haven't seen each other for three years since she left the Philippines. She will be leaving by the end of August so I grab the chance to meet her before I leave for Tokyo and extend my happiness to what she have achieved so far.

I have to go back to my office in Manila before I leave for Japan. And that means: "magdala ka ng danggit, dried manggoes, dried pusit, lechon... etc..." Out of hospitality and gratitude that they granted me this two day vacation, I have to go to the airport with the exotic scent of danggit purfume. =) It doesn't matter anyway, I have to rush to the office to settle everything before I leave the country the next day. I took the morning plane so I could still report to the office.

On the next day:

I have to leave my girlfriend in Manila. We will be away from each other for a few months. Before I went inside the cab, she kissed me goodbye and well-wishes. I never knew a kiss would hurt... Heheheh.. Maybe when it's with the thought of not being able to see each other for a few months.

When I arrived in Japan and while I was queueing in line at the immigration booth, I was thinking about their customs, what they eat, the tourist spots I'd be visiting, how will I ride a train or bus, their conciousness about time, the exchange rates, their suicidal tendencies, the frequency of earthquakes...

"The frequency of earthquakes." Just when this thought came to my mind, the airport building began to shook! It shook not only once but twice. I don't know how to react. Normally we Filipinos would panic. But the people just went on with their stuff and acted like nothing happened. I'm not sure if it really was an earthquake or maybe a train passed by, I don't know. Judging by their reaction, it doesn't seem to be an earthquake. But the shaking was heavy, I swear!

On my first night in Toyoko Inn at Chibaminato, I had my first challege: Dealing with how stuff works. I wanted to go outside the hotel to see the place and get some food. Just when I was about to go out of the door, I noticed there were no door knobs or handles. I thought: "Japan is a hi-tech country maybe this is an automatic door with sensors." So I stood in front of the door waiting for it to open. But it didn't! To save myself from embarassment, I immediately pretended I forgot something and went straight to the hotel receptionist. There was a computer station at the side and asked her, "is this free internet." Wow! Mighty segway!

I have to spend some time browsing the internet while observing other people how on earth they could open the door. I'm getting hungry and I need food. Help me God I'm starving! It took some time before a Japanese guest went to the door to go outside. I noticed him pushed something on the door. Aha! You just press that button and it opens. Gladly I was out of that momentary prison to get some food.

The second challege was: Buying food. Near the hotel I had three food choices. One is the bakery, two is a noodle house, and three is another noodle house. I wanted to eat heavy so the first choice (the bakery) is not the right one for me. The second choice, the noodle house, there were a lot of customers eating, no vacancy. The last one, the other noodle house was perfect. I came inside and took a table.

Again, I was observing other people what they are doing. I was expecting a waitress to come and take my order, but that's not how it works. Again, I was doing my "pretending stuff". This time I was pretending that I was waiting for somebody. I was pushing buttons on my cellphone, pretending that I was talking with somebody on the phone, etc. Oh yes, I'm the great pretender. I can't do this. Not much Japanese people speak english and I don't speak much Japanese. "Watashi wa nihonggo ga sukoshi wakarimasen." I went out the noodle house and decided for plan B: McDonalds.

There were no McDonalds on that area and I have to ride train three stations away. And then comes my third challenge: Riding a train. I had my initial lectures of how train works in Japan. There are a lot of trains here and it's their major means of transportation. Before I was sent to my hotel at Toyoko-Inn by Tamami-san, the one who met me at the airport, she already gave me my initial lectures of how to buy a ticket and what are the stations that I have to remember.

So I bought my ticket, and went up the platform to wait for the train. To make the long story short, I stepped on the wrong platform. I have to be on the other side or else I'd be riding a train to twighlight zone.

Those are just some of the little challenges I had on my first few days in Japan. Usa ka probinsyanong bisaya nga nasaag sa lugar nga gabaha ang mga hapon.

Mahirap nga minsan buhay dito. Mahal ang bilihin, ang hirap kumain kasi hindi uso ang fast food restaurant karamihan, mahal ang pamasahe sa train, hindi pwedeng tumawid sa daan basta naka stop signal kahit wala namang dumadaan na sasakyan, hindi pwedeng magyosi kahit saan, hindi pwedeng ipagsama ang basura, hindi uso ang magpalaundry kaya ako ang naglalaba ng mga damit ko (pero ayos lang kasi nakawashing machine at dryer), ako mamamalantsa, ako nagluluto para makatipid sa pagkain... Hahai Buhay sa Japan.