by: Reese Camposano || Photo Credit: Kendra Osias

The sun shines through the plane’s window on the Ritsumeikan delegates’ faces as the aircraft gently descends and its wheels bounce on the tarmac. Simultaneously, the bus outside the airport vibrates in anticipation of their arrival as it glows beneath the daylight. After two years, the Philippine-Japan Partnership Summit (PJPS) has finally been brought back as the world now adjusts to the new normal.

Keiichiro Izumi, Miyu Ishikawa, Ryosuke Chiaki, Riko Témma, Kótaro Mizue, Shingo Morikawa, Hiroki Takada, Asahi Kinoshita, Aoi Sano, Hinata Yoshimoto, and Koki Havase were the 11 students from grades 9 to 12 who represented Ritsumeikan High School in the PJPS last February 1-4, 2023. They were accompanied by their teachers Karin Suehiro and Yoshiki Matsuyama. 

Upon arrival, they were taken to the Divine World Hospital for a health check before settling at the hotel to rest before the first day of PJPS. 

Before the event’s opening program, each delegate was assigned a buddy from grades 10-12 of PSHS-EVC to accompany them during their stay. The assigned buddies accompanied the delegates in roaming around the campus and in exploring the school facilities. They also demonstrated and explained all there is to learn about our country, the Philippines. 

Aine Latoja, the buddy of Kotaro Mizue, shared, “It [buddy system] helps in giving them a more local approach. Since there is a language barrier, it’s very important that we guide them and introduce to them what student life is like in the Philippines.”

The buddy system significantly encouraged engagement with other students on campus, with some of the buddies’ friends introduced to the delegates, creating more interactions with the foreign visitors.

“I think it’s nice since their main goal in visiting Pisay is to immerse themselves in the Pisay culture, which includes connections among the students,” said Frances Canicon, a grade 12 student at PSHS-EVC and buddy of Ryosuke Chiaki.

FLOW OF ACTIVITIES

The boom of the speakers could be heard throughout the gymnasium as the opening program began with all of the Sportsfest houses seated on the bleachers. Ms. Yvonne Esperas, the campus director, gave a warm welcoming speech to the Japanese exchange students for this year’s PJPS. As another way to welcome the exchange students, this year’s Sportsfest cheer dance champion, House Euthymia, performed an intermission number that once again earned loud cheers and applause. Afterward, each delegate was then enjoined to introduce themselves on stage.

Following the program, the Japanese delegates were introduced to Laro ng Lahi, where they played traditional Filipino games such as Limbo Rock, Piko, Sipa, Pukpok Palayok, and Pabitin. Every game brought out the child in everyone, including Pisay students who were simply watching and cheering for the delegates. With smiles on their faces and the prizes from Pabitin, the exchange students were eager to experience more of the day’s scheduled activities.

After their break from playing games under the sun’s heat, they toured around the campus and surveyed the various facilities, such as the Learning Resource Center (LRC), Center for Research in Science, and Technology (CReST), gymnasium, and other laboratory and research facilities. After familiarizing the different features of the campus, the delegates and their companions explored the Fabrication Laboratory to learn the use of each facility. 

Once done with their lunch, the delegates, along with their buddies and the teachers, boarded the bus that would take them around Tacloban City. However, due to limited time, they were unable to visit all of the destinations on the itinerary, but still, they were able to appreciate the several must-see attractions in the city. 

They stopped by the Astrodome Yolanda Monument, where they bought a lot of souvenirs in one of the shops. This was then followed by a visit to the Sto. Niño Church and the UPVTC Leyte-Samar Heritage Center, where they toured the locations with the help of their buddies to learn more about Philippine culture. They also visited the New Leyte Capitol Building and one of the most renowned bridges in the country, the San Juanico Bridge. They shot countless photos at each destination as each was so different from traditional Japanese places.

On the final day of PJPS, February 3, 2023, the Japanese students spent most of their time immersed in the Sportsfest 2022: The Charistesia. Delegates mingled with the Pisay students by taking selfies with them, chatting, and joining them in playing different sports. Some delegates watched the championship matches, such as the Aglaea vs. Thalia Basketball Championship, while being surrounded by voice-rasping cheers and intensifying moments. Of course, their Sportsfest experience wouldn’t be complete without the booths from the love-stricken marriage booth to the alluring body painting at Itsura Pintura.

By noon, they learned more about Filipino culture. The delegates were taught how to write Baybayin, an abugida used to write Tagalog and other related languages in the Philippines until the 17th century. The characters of the ancient script could even be considered art in and of themselves, representing the entire nation and its people with the stroke of a pen. Traditional folk dances, or Kuratsa, were also taught to the delegates, who danced with their buddies as partners.

Later that day, they had their fellowship night where the delegates, their buddies, and PSHS-EVC personnel were dressed in traditional Filipino attire like the Barong Tagalog and Baro’t Saya. As performers of the night, Pisayaw demonstrated their firm and precise movements of Filipino culture, followed by Musikanta’s soulful and sweet singing to Kwerdas’ graceful strumming and rhythmic melodies. The distribution of the certificates and souvenirs to the delegates followed suit to mark as a memento of their time in the Philippines. Finally, all sang and danced as the night progressed, enjoying the last day of the 7th PJPS.

Being exposed to the sun’s searing heat while playing folk games, surrounded by the deafening cheers of basketball games, and pulled in by the Filipinos’ festivity, we cannot help but wonder how the Japanese students think after getting a grasp of the Pisay culture. 

Most of the delegates, if not all, expressed their gratitude to everyone for their kindness and welcoming enthusiasm, as they have made many memories and friends at Pisay.

When asked about their favorite activity in Pisay, Shingo Morikawa, a grade 12 student from Ritsumeikan High School, shared that watching the basketball championships was his favorite.

“I congratulate Thalia for their achievement. The basketball championships were certainly very nerve-racking to watch; some say it was more of a wrestling match than basketball,” he stated.                                                                                                                                                   

Meanwhile, Miyu Ishikawa, a 10th-grader, said she favored the traditional games they played, specifically Sipa, more than the other activities.

Despite the limited amount of time available, this year’s PJPS brought everyone together to immerse themselves in each other’s cultures and become more connected with one another in a variety of ways.

by: Aine Latoja || Photo Credit: Andrea Atkinson/The Daily Nebraskan

A lot of times, we pressure ourselves to automatically change into someone new the minute the clock strikes midnight. As we jump to the sound of torotots and sparkling fireworks, we whisper small promises to become a better version of ourselves this new year. But the premise of becoming anew right away is something we know all too well. After all, bad habits do die hard. 

The month of January brings in all kinds of things. As the calendar turns a new page, everyone anticipates a fresh start. With that, we create new year’s resolutions –  a means to improve ourselves from the versions that we were in the past year. It may be the case, but the first step in doing all this is learning how to make realistic new year’s resolutions. 

Finding Purpose 

Finding your purpose is the most vital aspect of creating a realistic resolution. Many people find it hard to stick to their goals and continue pursuing their dreams, short-term and long-term, without that something that keeps the fire burning within them. It can be anything or anyone, in all shapes and forms; finding something that truly keeps you going — be it friends, a new hobby, or even a TV show — makes working towards your goals worthwhile.

Take It Slow 

Another reason why these resolutions get dropped mid-year is that we expect to be consistently good at something right away. We would immediately deduce that this new “thing” isn’t meant for us just because it didn’t work out as we expected it to be. By taking slow steps and creating easy-to-accomplish goals, our resolutions are more likely to have longevity. Think of it as stairs, slowly climbing up, step after step. 

Working From Within 

Most importantly, no matter how corny it sounds, the only way we can resolve these resolutions is to work on ourselves first. Build self-confidence, try new things, and have an open mindset. These are just some of the ways you can practice. But this doesn’t mean that self-improvement has to involve objective-oriented activities. Sometimes, the tiniest acts of self-care are just as much as self-care than things like trying a new diet to improve your lifestyle or fixing a sleep schedule. 

But if you genuinely desire change in your life, you must be willing to make it happen at any time, regardless of what date or month it is. Believing that you can only start fresh at the beginning of the new year only adds to the notion that achieving these goals is just to prove something to someone and not to yourself. 

However, I believe we put too many expectations into changing for the new year that we tend to forget what we already have and the progress we’ve made in the past, how far we’ve come, and how we’ve grown as a person. Letting go of toxic habits and leaving things that no longer serve us behind are small feats in themselves, and we should pat ourselves on the back for that. 

As scholars, we stress ourselves way too much; maybe it’s just how we are. Let this be a reminder to set goals for prioritizing mental health, maintaining a healthier lifestyle, and discovering more about ourselves this year. It would be a great start to 2023 to have an open mind and take it slow despite the strenuous academic workload. 

As we go forth with the new year knowing how to set attainable resolutions, may this year be one that we can truly remember.

by: Zenas Agnila || Photo Credit: Diversify 

“Umagang may dala ng bagong pag-asa—,” the loud, abrupt carols of the neighbors’ prepubescent children blend in with the subdivision’s already Christmas spirit-infused evening atmosphere. The scent of Tatay’s adored sweet-style spaghetti lingers throughout the residence and in everyone’s unassuming nostrils. And coming in clumps, extended families slowly arrive to saturate the house that now feels like home. 

There must be something so beautiful and memorable about a Pinoy Christmas that sets it leagues apart from the rest of the world’s holiday celebrations.

In truth, its beauty is not entirely centered around the grandest of Noche Buenas or the prettiest of exchange gifts. A genuine Christmas in the country has pillars that lie on the simplicity of our faith, food, and family.

Faith

The Philippines being a predominantly Christian nation, faith is undeniably a fundamental aspect of our country’s culture, and unsurprisingly, so is Christmas. For most, the heart of the holidays lies in the Christmas church services and Simbang Gabis, which does no less than acknowledge and honor the birth of Jesus Christ—our reason for the season. Far detached from Santa Clauses and the numerous other figures that make up most of the western celebrations, Filipino holidays are punctuated by evening church trips with family, merry thanksgiving to the Lord, and countless other nostalgic church Christmas traditions with relatives.

Food

Food is every Filipino’s love language and the star of every home’s Christmas. It is the highlight, if not the most sought-after aspect of our holidays, whether we like to admit it or not. The sight of the pre-Christmas night is decorated with our nanays, tatays, titos, and titas dominating the kitchen scene in a chaotic war of prepping up Christmas dishes mixed with just the right amount of chitchat and unhinged laughter. Once prepared, on the dinner table lies the ubiquitous and saliva-inducing Lechon, the sweet Filipino-style spaghetti that Italians would go berserk about, the seared, sweet-savory Christmas ham, mango float, fruit salad, bibingka, and countless more dishes that remain unnamed yet are as ever-present and ever-delectable on the table. Such a feast is made possible through the time and effort families pour into meticulously preparing and cooking the night’s Noche Buena, so hats off to our humble kitchen heroes. In such a way, it is with great certainty that we go home with more than just our hearts full, but our stomachs as well. 

Family

It’s the people who make Christmas worth showing up for — whether they’re the openhanded aunts who unhesitantly give out the crisp blue bills, the cousins from far away who come home to spend the year-end with us, or even the closest friends who become family too. For us, the holidays are family reunions in disguise, the golden opportunity to catch up on everyone’s fast-paced life and rekindle the spark of closeness lost by time and distance. The human interactions, lighthearted games, small talk, and sweet nothings that comprise our holiday festivities make celebrating Christmas with the loves of our life all sweeter and warmer. 

We Filipinos pride ourselves on a Christmas rallying around faith, good food, and the warm company of family. 

Even so, there are many ways to celebrate the holidays; it can be as simple or as grand as how we’d like it to be. In whichever way we choose to celebrate this very special day, there is an assurance that despite the prospect of uncertainty that the other days bring, we Filipinos always find ourselves making the sweet effort to make that time of year an extra special one. In a nutshell, our Christmas celebrations are deeply rooted in the spirit of thanksgiving, contentment, and joy against all odds. 

Our Paskong Pinoy is one filled with simply celebrating the gift of Christ’s birth, mouthwatering feasts, and genuine relationships with the people we can count on throughout the new year.

So, as the holiday season comes to a close, we wait in giddy anticipation—eager to relive those candlelit moments anew. And as we find ourselves storing away the Christmas lights and decorations, we keenly look forward to the next Pinoy Yuletide, ready to display those colorful ornaments again the next time that special time of year makes its way around our calendars once more.