Long Day, Closures and Some Luck

JLPT Day

I woke up earlier than usual this morning. I usually get up around 9AM on Sundays, just in time for Power Rangers and Inu Yasha. Today is special, because it's JLPT day. I've dedicated the past few days doing some final preparations for the exam and of course, watching a couple of favorite TV shows... :)

The exam is, I should say "manageable". But I'm not so confident with my answers in the listening exam, specially because of the several times that I've spaced out (not because our proctor is pretty) while trying to catch up with the conversations played to us. The effect of the coffee that I've taken this morning had probably worn off.

Well, there is nothing more I could do about it but wait for the results in a few months. At least, now I could finally focus on my new job.

I don't have any progress with my work since Friday and I was worried that I won't be able to give some worthy report tomorrow. Luckily, our boss e-mailed us that the Monday's conference call have been moved to Tuesday instead. That gave me another day to catch up. Whew!!!

Marben's Party

But my day did not end with just the JLPT exam. We went to Glorietta afterwards to meet up with Marben for our Wii + Pictionary + Pizza Party at Helen and Mau's place. Bert and Ate Weng joined as well. It was tiring but we really had a great time. And it was really nice to see Marben again, after being gone for more than a year.

Going home is exciting as ever... the taxi that we took got some battery or alternator problem while we were on our way to Jas' home. To put it simple, the head lights are not working, and we are running along east service road with very few street lights. We got to Jas' place safe, but that's not the end of my "exciting" journey. I still have to go home, remember?

Dance with Death

The taxi driver agreed to drop me off somewhere along EDSA so I could transfer to another taxi. I didn't realized how dangerous it was earlier, because we were on the express way most of the time (traffic in only one direction). Since we took the poorly lighted service road (two-way), the driver was just relying on the hazard lights to warn the cars and trucks from the opposing traffic. Talk about death wish.

The taxi driver took a road which was well lighted at some point. But at a certain curved road, we almost (5-10 meters) hit a parked 8 or 10 wheeler truck. Luckily, he realized it and was able to slow down on time... :S

Come to think of it, I'm not even sure if he really saw the parked truck, because he made some comment on another truck beside the parked truck. That 2nd truck has it's brake lights turned on, the 1st one DIDN'T. Probably, if not for the weak red light of the 2nd truck, he won't be able to notice the 1st truck!!!

We managed to arrive safely somewhere along Pasong Tamo and I transferred to another taxi. I tested some of my social skills and was able to extract some information from the taxi driver. He lives in FTI, Taguig. Stays in front of City Land most of the time, where his most popular customers are staying. And most of them are call center agents working Makati. His daily boundary is P1300. Works from night to morning and spends the rest of the day sleeping and eating.

LPG Dangers

But the most important thing that I've learned from him is that, most taxi drivers nowadays do not prefer the conversion to LPG due to some side effects to their health, probably due to prolonged exposure to some LPG residues. I still have to verify this information though. But for the mean time, I'll be avoiding them.

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Even the dimmest light shines in the darkest dark...

JLPT Cram Sessions

A few more days and we will be having the JLPT Level 3 exam. We've been preparing for this since December last year. It was originally planned that I will be taking Level 1 as advised by 田中先生. But due to some unforeseen circumstances (lack of ability), I was demoted back to Level 2 after a couple of months. Then, after the mock exam given to us, I was again demoted back to Level 3.

Not bad really. If I think about it carefully, even if I was able to passed Level 2, I would have just "passed" the exam. There is no real and deep understanding of the subject. And I'm not going to be satisfied with only that.

I never really had a chance to review ever since I started working for my new job. And after almost 2 months of avoidance (procrastination), I find myself cramming for it. Hopefully, I would find enough time this week to practice for the listening exams. That is, if I could finish the remaining vocabulary and grammar notes provided to us by 田中先生.

じゃあ、頑張ります!

Sister's Wedding: The Conversation

The Job Offer

I met my ninong and ninang before the reception began.
This is one of the rare moments that I could get to talk to them as a grown up.
We had a little talk about job opportunities in Japan...

Based from our conversation, I think that they have a recruitment firm which
trains people in Japanese language and sends them to Japan as contract workers.

She asked me if I'm interested in working in Japan.
They're currently waiting for the deal with Panasonic.
A 3-year contract, renewable, 150k yen/month, the company will shoulder
the travel and lodging expenses, a free trip back home each year of service.

JLPT

The job offer talk was relatively good.
She told me that she would contact me if the opportunity arrives.
I told her that I would think about it.

Because its a job in Japan, Nihongo skills is important.
She asked me what level I am, I told her level 4.
She told me to take level 3. I told her that I'm already
preparing for level 1 this December.

She straightforwardly told me that I could not pass it.
And added that her daughter had a hard time just passing level 2.
Her daughter happens to teach Nihongo classes as well.

She's the 1st person to tell me that, and I felt she's probably right.

Filipina

The last topic of our conversation was about my relationship.
My ninong asked me if I already have someone.
He asked if she is Japanese, Chinese, or Filipina...

I never imagine that I would met someone in their generation
that uses the word "Filipina". I was happy to know that there
are people who doesn't use "hua-na" to call Filipinos.

I made a quick research and found an article written by
a DLSU (MSA,MSE) graduate. According to the article,
the word basically means "not Chinese" and it appears to
be no written character for it. In reality, this word is used
by most Filipino-Chinese to call "maids" or "helpers".

I find the use of this word offensive and inappropriate.
I don't like using this word and I don't like people who uses
this word as well.

Made in Twenty

At long last, after more than 2 weeks of waiting...
I finally got my shipment...

BoA's latest album: Made in Twenty(20)














It's her 5th Japanese Album,
She's really successful and popular in Japan,
despite of her Korean origin... :)

I admire people who, despite of being different,
are capable and willing to make a difference... :)

This is my 12th purchase for my BoA Collection.
Ranging from singles to CD+DVD packages.
Costing around Y1500 to Y4000 each.
I'm not so quite a BoA fan... Am I? :)

Anyway, I love her Japanese songs,
even though I'm still not able to understand
the lyrics completely... but I'm really trying
my best in Nihongo class.

Speaking of which, I just received the results
of my JLPT Level 4 Exam: 389/400
Pretty good huh? Lucky bastard... :)
Well, this is all thanks to Tanaka Sensei...
for preparing us and giving us motivation for
learning Nihongo.

Congratulations to my Nihongo classmates,
all of us passed the Level 4 Exam.
Sensei is really good... :)

Going back, here's my current BoA collection:
In no particular order,

1. Everlasting - Single
2. Love and Honesty - Album
3. Dakishimeru - Single
4. Best of Soul - Album
5. Valenti - Album
6. Next World - Album
7. Atlantis Princess - Korean Album
8. Key of Heart - Single
9. Outgrow - Album (CD+DVD)
10. You Color - Single (CD+DVD)
11. Winter Love - Single (CD+DVD)
12. Made in Twenty - Album (CD+DVD)

Not much at all... :P

So much for this entry,
I'm looking forward to writing another blog post...
Hopefully soon... :)