TLTR

Not so Random Rants

Japanese Studies 101 class (Yesterday)

 Professor: I am pro-Japan. They paid for my education. The government was just an instrument. If East Asian countries unite, Japan will be the leader... (VERBATIM)

Me to self: I love Japan. The Philippines and South Korea (for a year) paid for my education… but that doesn’t mean that I am obliged to say that South Korea should be THE leader when East Asian countries unite. You see, both governments taught me that I should responsibly represent my own country and be proud of it.

Brainwashed or voluntarily identifying myself with Koreans - My feelings towards Japan has become complicated. 복잡해요. Trust me, I love that country ;)

Me: Ma’am, I don’t think that is a good idea. Besides, why is it just East Asia? I mean, why not the whole Asia? There’s Middle East which is very rich because of their oil reserves,  India with their advancement in technology as well, and I believe you get what I mean? I mean, I went to a similar forum called, “New Asia through the eyes of the Youth” and…

Professor: Really?? Where??

Me:  Yes,  in South Korea.

I couldn’t describe how the professor reacted – I mean, she thought that everyone in class will be very passive at her statement --- all of my classmates love Japan, and I do too, but we have to be sensitive and considerate sometimes...

Me: Well… we talked about this borderless world also – however, we found several factors that could possibly hinder this thought about “new asia” I supposed everyone is aware that even though we are pretty modernized – some countries still exist to be conservative…

 *lack of time*

 … How do you think other countries would feel if Japan would pronounce itself leader of Asia? How do you think China would feel? Ugh. Teacher, what is wrong with you. You’re belittling your own country. You should suggest a better idea with a more logical reason.

 ---

PS. I have many Japanese friends. I met them at school, inside the plane, at backpackers’ inn, at my dorm, and almost anywhere else. I respect them and I’m very close with them. I studied Nihonggo first and fell in love with it. I go to Japanese film festivals, watch Japanese movies and dramas, and even chose Japan as the country I wanted to visit when I was given that opportunity. So there is no way that this post poses a bad impression to that country… this is just me, ranting about how illogical my professor was.

photo: taken at Shibuya Tokyo, Japan last October 2012. thanks to Gwangju International Center's Asia Culture Forum Youth Camp for this opportunity :)

 

Several attempts at Photography

There are days when I feel like a photographer, and days when I stay away from cameras and tell people that I don't know how to take good photos. I don't own a dslr and I often use my cellphone at taking pictures because I don't usually bring my Fujifilm FinePix S1600 around. Although, my so called "passion" in photography led me in enrolling in a black and white photography class... It did not help at all because... 

TEACHER, Y U NO COME TO CLASS

TEACHER, Y U NO TEACH

TEACHER, Y U TELL ME TO DROP THE CLASS

Wow, this meme actually summarized the whole shit about that class (haha)! Anyway, that terrible experience did not stop me from taking photos... or feel bitter about doing so. My favorite subject for my photos, aside from myself - ahem, are sunsets...

this photo was taken last November 2010 at Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea - 서귀포. I used my Fujifilm FinePix S1600 in taking this photo - not a DSLR, just point and shoot ;) I don't know but everytime I see a sunset - I fall in love with it. The tangy orange tint seems to calm down my senses. Also, it never fails to look very romantic in my eyes. Love, Y U NO COME TO ME? kidding!

this photo was taken last January 2011. This is my Brazilian-Korean friend Michael, he came to visit us in the Philippines during his Southeast Asia Island Hopping trip. Well, i hoped he enjoyed his stay here because... #it'smorefuninthePhilippines! I changed the sunset color to green because... orange are too mainstream. hahaha, and yep, that Michael eating the sun, LIKE A BOSS! :))

here's a more recent sun(set-ish) photo,

I took this photo using my brother's Canon PowerShot SD780IS - still, a point and shoot camera. Didn't bother to edit the colors, but I just cropped some things i find unnecessary. The first time I saw this, I told my friends that maybe it was the Philippine's version of "Aurora Borealis" hahaha kidding ;) Photo taken at UP-Diliman's Sunken Garden. Myth says the garden sinks an inch every year - well, it has been 100+ years already, garden Y U NO --- okay, enough of the memes already!

That's it for now! I'll be posting more of my photo collection next time - it's easier for me to do it this way right now since I have lesser time to think and write for this blog. You know how thesis are...  but nevermind, thesis - it's more fun in the Philippines!