Yo desu, desu yo!

"zenbu okota koto ga, riyuu ga arimasu."

Just one of the nihongo I learned from Maila's boyfriend. It means, "everything happens for a reason.", I asked him to translate the english version for me to tell him he is not only a blessing to Maila but also to a learning student like me. Because ever since they became an item, and he started hanging out with us Filipinos, I get to learn nihongo conversation.

It was from him that I learned the different uses of "ne?", "yo!", and of course the "desu yo?", "desu yo!" with different accents. I get to use a lot of these expressions when we talk, I have long heard of these words but I just didn't have the confidence to use them coz I'm not sure when to make singit it to the conversation and what accent to use. Also, you don't normally get to use it in the office coz it's inappropriate or it may be appropriate sometimes but I'm just really careful in talking with superiors, baka bastos ang dating.

Now, I can have a normal conversation with a real japanese and hopefully learn to converse better. Konti na lang... ne?

Through Thick or thin, hot or cold

Hubby and I compliment each other very well, even if our interests differ like North and South (his passion is to develop softwares while my passion is err.. anything but that..), we still find ways to have fun together and well, live happily and peacefully. Until now that the Autumn breeze is here, we found out that we have one big difference to settle.

It began to be cold last night so I turned off the fan and closed the windows because I felt like catching a fever because it was too cold for me, my hubby didn't complain until I touched him and he felt hot. He said he gets feverish when it's hot, he didn't complain when I turned off the fan and closed the windows because he didn't want me to get sick.

Needless to say, I couldn't buy the electric blanket(a blanket that emits heat when plugged) from the Buy and Sell forum to prepare for winter, unless we want to be like the usual Japanese couple that sleeps on a separate futon.

He told me he just wear white shirt and shorts at home during winter while I am wrapped like a lumpia or suman. Winter is like his energizer, while I am at my lowest during that season. He doesn't like to use heater while I am wishing for a centralized heater.

This will be our our first autumn and winter together so I wonder how we will live together during these times. I was suggesting for a temporary divorce, where I could use the spare room at home and bask in my electric blanket and heater. Anyway, the marriage contract didn't say through hot and cold right? =P

Holidays on Mondays always get me high...

A walk to the Rainbow

listening to the streets of China in an educational playground

my serenity

"Itay, ba't nyo ako iniwan dito?"

Hello Kitties live! in Tenjin

Sayonara Party and Reunion

At Ruby and Randie's Sayonara party held in Sannou Park.

reunited with my closest chinese officemate from previous company

what a way of practicing nihongo while having fun!

Kaun pips reunited. Come next month, everybody has resigned

Guess who wants to be a dad?

My New Favorite Yuzu

Honey Citron Tea

A lot of my friends dislike tea, even if Judy Anne Santos already popularized the L-Carnitine of Green Tea to get you a yummy boyfriend like Ryan Agoncillo to burn your fats, they still prefer that diet pill over drinking green tea. I can't blame them, I don't like the weird taste of tea either, plus that after smell in your breath.

But I change my mind with this tea Maila introduced to me which she bought from her vacation in Busan, Korea. It is called Honey Citron Tea, made from Citron fruit which ONLY grows in Korea and Japan. It looks like a marmalade so I got surprised when Maila scooped some and put in our cup of hot water. It is just like a juice, no weird taste nor an after-smell. Plus, you can eat the Citron Peel when you've reached the bottom because it is so sweet, unlike Orange and Lemon peels that are bitter. Actually my favorite part is munching on the peelings.

It is called Yuzu in Japanese and Yuja in Korean. It is said to have 3 times more natural vitamin C than lemon and ten times more than apple. Plus it can solve necessary quantity of vitamin C with 1-2 cups of Citron tea one day for adult. I wish it also burns fat coz I can't get enough of it. I make a cup or two after meals, hot or cold. Maila like it hot but I like it better in cold water with ice, it tastes like the Iced Tea back home or the honey kalamansi Otep used to sell in NEC way, way back.

It is my sole reason why I frequent Maila's house (ahihihi) coz she always serves it or sometimes I demand her to serve me some (bwehehe). I was even willing to go to Costco (a Makro like department store miles, miles away) just so I could get my own jar of this tea.

Good thing I found one available in Gyomu Su-pa in Gi-on! It's rather expensive for Y680 for a tea but with its health benefits and the energy I save from biking to Maila's house make it a good buy.

I'm not sure if it is available in other countries but if you find a Korean store around, I'm pretty sure they have it. And if you find one, go grab yourself one. You will love it. I promise!

Coffee Break

Veloce Iced Coffee and Strawberry & Yougurt Bread

I don't usually drink coffee unless needed, like if there's a lot of things to do for the day and I didn't get enough sleep the night before, because I have a low caffeine tolerance. Unlike Georgia and Claire na ginagawang tubig ang kape.

I discovered a cafe here in Fukuoka named Veloce and I love their Iced Coffee, especially this hot summer season. It's cheaper compared to other cafes here but for me they have the best cofffee in town. Even with 2 servings of gum syrup and 2 servings of cream... the coffee doesn't lose its smooth bitter taste. It becomes sweet with a hit of bitterness which I love. For Y160 for Iced Coffee and another Y130 for my favorite pastry, followed by 4 cups of water after to dillute the caffeine (by the way they don't have decaf here)... completes my Japanese Snacktime!

By the way, here in Japan it's okay to go to cafe or fastfood like McDonald's alone. Nobody will give you a sympathetic look, or you will not feel out of place amidst the noisy people around because they have a special table for single but not necessary lonely customers.

Ever since I wanted to go to cafes alone with a book and a cup of coffee. But I couldn't do that in Starbucks in Glorietta or Greenbelt could I? or else I will look like one of the pick up girls and well, sitting alone in a cafe simply doesn't suit well with our culture.

Here you can lose yourself with your book and coffee combo coz the person seated beside you is also busy in his own world. As soon as you get your coffee from the counter, the coffee shop becomes a blank canvass for the world you would want to imagine yourself to be in.

Last night my hubby had his dinner at 11 pm coz I came home at 9:45 pm from my coffee break. Tsk, tsk bad wife.