My First Hanami

Noong nakaraang Linggo ika-sampu ng Abril 2011 ay nagtungo kami sa Shinjuku Gyoen Garden upang masilayan ang mga namumukadkad at naggagandahang cherry blossoms o sakura. Ang nasabing aktibidad ay tinatawag dito na Hanami. Hanami is one of the most popular events of Spring in Japan. Crowds of people - families, groups of friends, and groups from companies sit under the fully open cherry blossoms, usually on plastic tarps, and have a picnic celebration. The picnic fare consists of a wide variety of foods, snack foods, and sake (rice wine) or other drinks.Ito ang unang beses na nakapag-hanami ako. Sa kabila ng krisis na nangyayari ngayon sa bansang Hapon e hindi na namin pinalampas ang pagkakataong ito para mag-hanami. Mahirap na baka wala ng kasunod. Sa unang pagkakataon ay nakumpleto kami ngunit sa kasamaang palad ay ito na rin ang huli. Nagresign na kasi ang isa naming kasamahan sa trabaho at sa katapusan ng buwang ito ay pupunta na sha sa kung saang lupalop man sha dapat pumunta. Sikretwu itwu :P Nagkukuripot pa ang lolo at ni singkong duling ayaw gumasta para sa kanyang farewell party. Anyhoo...

Paborito ko ang panahon ng tagsibol dahil sa ito lamang ang panahon na lumalabas ang mga sakura. Yung larawan na nasa header ko ay isa mga kuha ko nung linggo. Ang ganda nila no? Feel na feel ko kapag humahangin kasi nagbabagsakan ang mga talulot ng mga sakura. Parang nasa isang Korean teleserye lang ^_^ Actually yung dati kong background pic ay larawan din ng mga sakura. pero that was last year. Anyway nais ko mang maglagay ng maraming pektyurs e binigyan na naman ako ng reminder na lagpas na ako sa limit at kung gusto ko daw ng mas malaking espasyo e magbayad daw ako. Kahit tamad ako e nakuha kong magresize ng pics makapaglagay lang ng kahit konti. Kung magkaibigan tayo sa pesbuk e tignan mo na lamang ang aking album na Hanami 2011. Happy viewing ^_^

Sendagaya Gate of Shinjuku Gyoen Garden

Gutom na kami

all-white sakura ^_^

my pinakamatinong pic (^_^)v

sakura petals on the ground

white magnolia - nakita ko lang sa gilid ng daan pauwi ^_^

Flash Report

*Ginulantang na naman kami ng isang malakas na paglindol nung 1st monthsary ng March 11 earthquake. Lunes. April 11. past 5pm. Akalain niyo bang nasa inidoro ako ng mga panahon na yun. Nung naramdaman kong hindi na guni-guni yung pag-uga na nararamdaman ko e biglang umurong ang dapat umurong, pinunasan ko kagad ang dapat punasan at dali-dali akong nagbihis ng aking pants sabay karipas ng takbo papunta sa aking upuan. isolated area kasi ang comfort rooms namin meaning kailangan mong magswipe ng card para makalabas sa area na yun. takot ko lang na biglang mag-shutdown/maglock ang mga pintuan at ma-trap ako sa toilet area. Ewan ko ba. pagkatapos ng ilang araw na pamamahinga ng mga lindol e umaariba na naman sila ngayon na para bang nakainom ng energy drink.

*Itinaas na sa Level 7 ang Nuclear Problem ng Fukushima Daiichi Plant sa rating ng International Nuclear Event Scale (INES). The highest in the scale. Same rate that was given to the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident in 1986. Nanlumo kami lahat nung narinig namin ang balitang ito. It seems like merong tinatago ang Japanese government/TEPCO sa mga tao. Hindi namin alam.Tokyo is located 200+km from Fukushima but we're still worrying about the radiation shit because it is airborne. Malapit na ang tag-ulan and once dumating na ang summer the wind will be blowing southwards. May isang bagay na lang akong hinihintay at pag nagkataon malapit nakong mag-Hello Pilipins. Promise.

In the Lord I take refuge.

pray.pray.pray. Oyasumi!

A Week After

To make up for the loss of power from the crippled nuclear plants, TEPCO announced that there will be scheduled rolling power cuts. The first planned power outage in Japan after World War II. The power outages do not affect central Tokyo. Unfortunately we're not part of central Tokyo that's why we are affected. The roration brownout started in our place last Wednesday. The power outage lasted for 2 hours, from 7pm-9pm.
 

our first candlelit dinner. parang nasa pinas lang ^_^

Last Thursday I did not go to office because it's my furikae (exchange rest day). Despite the crisis that's happening I went with my original plan of going to the immigration office to fix some papers. I was soooo surprised with the number of people lined up applying for re-entry permit. People of different nationalities (most of them are Chinese). Because I was scared of being stranded in that place (the papers can wait) I decided to leave immediately and search Tachikawa area for rice. Yes we're running out of rice.

As you all know people started panic buying as soon as they've heard of the power outage, the nuclear plant disaster and the possibility of another big quake. They are hoarding food and water in convenient and grocery stores. Even gasoline. Sa Pilipinas kapag nagpanic buying na ang mga tao malaki pa rin ang posibilidad na may mabili ka pa kasi hindi lahat ng tao may pera. E dito lahat may pera kaya wala na talagang mabili.

The scene in the first grocery store I went.

toilet paper rack

wala pa ring tinapay

cup nudols rack

But GOD is GOOD.

I was able to buy bread in the fifth grocery store that I went. ^_^

Less aftershocks. For the last 3 days just once per day.

A friend of Ate Joy's called today and told her of the 10kilos of rice she sent for us. Then we learned from a Japanese friend that we can buy rice in his place. yey ^_^

Today after work we went to our "suking" grocery store and we're kinda relieved that we were  able to buy meat, veggies and some stuff that we need. There's still no bread and rice but we are very very very thankful of what we've bought. ^_^

There is still the nuclear plant problem and the nuke plant disaster rating was raised to 5 but I believe God won't let any harm come to us.


God bless the people in Fukushima. 
Please continue praying for Japan.




Pahabol....

Thank you to those who have showed concern. Thank you for including us in  your prayers. Thank you thank you thank you! luv yah all! Let's continue praying ^_^

Isa pang pahabol....

Nung nagbrownout ulit nung Huwebes ng gabi patok na patok ang Christmas gift sakin ni Basuraman.

Kindle - subok na maasahan sa panahon ng brownout ^_^

oyasumi nasai!

The day I thought I was gonna die

After the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that hit Japan last Wednesday another earthquake rocked the country last Friday having a magnitude of 9.0. The strongest earthquake to hit the country and the fifth-largest in the world since 1900 and was nearly 8,000 times stronger than one that devastated Christchurch, New Zealand last month.

Sa lakas ng lindol nung Biyernes akala ko mamamatay nako. As of this writing/typing I am still restless. The earthquake started last Friday March 11, 2011at 2:46PM JST and hanggang kanina meron pa ring mga aftershocks. Sa dami ng aftershocks diko na mabilang. it's just so fuckin' unbelievable. it was different from the previous earthquakes that I experienced here.


I was at the office when the earthquake happened. We are located at the 6th floor. Napalipas na namin yung takot namin nung lumindol ng Miyerkules. It was a normal Friday afternoon. We were waiting for the 3 o'clock break. Then the ground started shaking. Up and down. We stared at each other as fear started to creep in. Then we were swaying sideways. It was getting stronger. Someone shouted to grab our helmets and hide under our desks just like what we do in the earthquake drill. I started crying. I thought I was going to die. I was trying to reach Ate Joy's hand but we were separated by our cabinets. The building was swaying violently. Up and down then sideways. Things on our desks were starting to fall. Our drawers sliding out. The shaking won't stop. The sound was deafening. I was crying and praying and was thinking bout my loved ones in the Philippines esp. Basuraman. I have never been that scared in my entire life. According to some news the quake lasted for 3-5 minutes. I was asking God to stop the shaking. If God has to take my life at that moment then let His will be done. As I am writing this entry I am crying and the tears won't stop from falling. Everytime I remember that situation I can't help but cry. I am still scared. I am really really scared. Hindi ko akalain na yung nakikita ko lang sa TV na nangyayari sa mga offices sa Japan e mararanasan ko rin.

We went out of our desks as soon as the shaking starts to weaken. I was still crying and shaking. There were still aftershocks and they were strong. But there was no immediate instruction for us to evacuate the building. The 6 of us (the only Filipinos on the floor) were starting to panic. We wanted to get out of the building as soon as possible. But we waited for instructions. We tried to remain calm just like our Japanese colleagues. Kawamura-san instructed everyone to fall in line so that the persons in charge of the disaster committee can start counting. We stayed for another 10 minutes while the building was continuing to sway because of the aftershock. It was so painful I wanted to faint. We ran as soon as we were ordered to go down.

We were directed in a futsal field located within the vicinity of the company. We saw how the glasses of our building moved and the antenna on top of the building swayed. I was trying to call Basuraman and my mom but the phone line was down. By 4 o'clock we were instructed to return to our floor. With what had happened we opted to go home. Good thing is we just bike the office from our place. All public transportation was suspended. I immediately called Basuraman and my mom as soon as I got connection to inform them that I was safe. We were very lucky because there was still an internet connection when we reached our apartments. Thank goodness there's facebook. I was able to communicate with my loved ones and friends through it.

Thank God we are safe and we are far from the coastline. Many cities in Miyagi prefecture were literally wiped out. Kalunus-lunos talaga ang nangyari sa Japan. Especially those who were hit by the tsunami.

Yesterday we went to the nearest grocery store in our place to stock some food. Better be prepared. I wanted to cry when I saw the situation in the store. There was no bread. Paubos na ang mga cup noodles. The number of people shopping was not normal. They were panic buying. Diyos ko ni hindi ko naranasan ang ganito sa Pinas. Pinigilan ko na lang sarili ko na huwag umiyak.

Because of the effect of the quake in the nuclear plant in Fukushima, rotating power outages will be implemented tomorrow Monday. Earlier this evening the schedules were already announced. No electricity in our place from 9:20- 13:00 and 18:20-22:00. Ang lamig pa mandin ngayon. Buti na lang may isa pa akong comforter. Lamigin pa mandin ako. Hindi namin alam kung hanggang kailan yung brownout rotation but according to Kuya Mylo hanggang katapusan daw ng Abril. I hope there will be no further damages in the nuclear plants.


Thank you Lord for keeping us safe.

Thank you for all the prayers. Sa mga nag-alala sa kalagayan ko maraming salamat. Ngayon ko nalaman na marami palang nagmamahal sakin.

Please continue to pray for us. For Japan. For the safety of everyone. With what's happening to our world we do not know what will happen next.

Be safe everyone. May God bless us all.

the life in the ring of fire

At 11:45AM JST, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit Japan. It was centered 160 kilometers east of the Ojika Peninsula (Read more here).We felt it here in Tokyo. The earthquake lasted for almost 30 seconds and there was even an aftershock. The longest and strongest earthquake I've ever experienced in this country. I'll never get used to these effin' earthquakes. I got dizzy and Ate Rhodz was close to vomiting.

While the 5 of us (the only Filipinos/foreigners in the 6th floor of the building) were starting to grab our helmets in case the earthquake alarm goes on, some of our Japanese colleagues were joking around and laughing. Some were still working as if nothing's happening. What the F right? But they are used to it and they are confident that the building won't take damages at a certain intensity and it was designed and made for earthquakes.

The whole place was swaying. Si kuya mylo konting-konti na lang daw tatakbo na talaga. Si Kuya kim pangiti-ngiti pero kitang-kita mo sa mata na gusto na ring tumakbo. Ako as usual was already panicking inside. I was holding my mobile phone very tight, starting to pray and was thinking of my loved ones in the Philippines. Nerbiyosa much. Pasensha na. Siguro kung lumindol pa ulit pagkatapos nung aftershock umiyak nako. After the earthquake that happened in New Zealand sinong namang hindi ninenerbiyosin sa lindol? dabah?

Anyway we're still good and no harm was done. Thank God. I can't wish that it won't happen again because as long as Japan lies on the Ring of Fire, earthquake will just be a common thing. I'm just hoping for low magnitudes. Magnitudes that will not bring any damage. Magnitudes so low that you will not feel any movement. Please.

Oyasumi!