Gig in Japan 2: Unidentified Foreign Object

"You're Filipino? You don't look like a Filipino!"

This recent trip to Japan further highlighted this well-known but personally-often-ignored little factoid about me. Really, when I was growing up and even up to now, I was always convinced that I looked "like a native." That's why when people ask me to describe myself, I'd always say: "I look like the typical Pinoy."

But my travels abroad usually disprove this theory. When I met Mark's friends and schoolmates in IUJ, they all thought I was Central Asian. When I introduced myself to Father Bruno and said I was Filipino, his eyes widened and said: "You don't like a Filipino." Even my brother's brother-in-law (confusing, eh?) told me that the first time he saw me, he thought I was Hispanic.

For some people, this might be novel. But for someone who's been experiencing it for the past decade or so, it's actually quite disconcerting. Sometimes, it feels as if I'm a global foreigner. And sometimes I feel that i'm actually citizenless. This is actually a sad place to be in.

Even in Manila, I find myself being treated like a foreigner. I remember a taxi driver who tried chatting me up in English, and when I replied in Tagalog, he let out a huge: "Inakup! Pinoy ka!" Well, being treated like a foreigner isn't bad, if it's the "good" kind of treatment.

But there's the "bad" kind of treatment: when people are wary and intimidated by you, or, in the case of shopping, people think you've got a lot of dollars to spare. There was one incident in Greenhills when I was checking out an Abercrombie and Fitch hoodie, then asked the girl how much it was. She said: "P1,200 sir." Then my reply was: "Sis, medyo P500 lang yan sa Surplus shop. Baka puwede mo namang bawasan." Then she blushed and gave me my asking price.

Whilst it may be a bit irritating, looking like a foreigner has some perks. First, kids are friendlier, and that friendliness is probably anchored in fascination. In Japan, kids would actually play with me: they'd run up, make a face, i'd reciprocate, then the kid would shriek with glee and run away. This happened twice when I was with Mark: first was in the Daisho in Muikamachi, and the second was at Tokyo Disneyland. When I was in Kyoto, another kid was so fascinated with me that she just waved at me for 5 straight minutes.

Another good thing about being seen as a foreigner is that the locals appreciate it more when you try to speak their language. Everytime I'd say "Arigato Gozaimashta" after every transaction, I'd usually be greeted by a very wide smile. There was even an instance when an old shop owner held my face as if saying: "that's adorable." So whenever i'd practice the little Nihonggo I know, it's gratifying to see their faces of appreciation. (But then again, those may be faces of: "What the hell is this person trying to say?")

In the course of all my travels, there are actually just 2 places where I wasn't seen as a foreigner - the first being the Czech Republic. According to some people there (the hotel owner, the waitress at Fridays, one of the museum curators) I have Slavic features, and that's why they'd often try to speak to me in Czech. Strangely, though, this irritated Roland so I tried to keep my Slavic-ness low key.

Second is in Spain. Barcelona is the other place that feels like home. Whenever i'm there, I easily blend in. And thanks to the little Spanish I know, it's possible for me to fake being Spanish. That might be the reason why I like visiting Barcelona. It's one of the few places where I don't feel like a foreigner (even if technically, I am.)

Sometimes I find myself thinking of ways on how I can look more Filipino. The easiest way to change is by changing my color. But that doesn't work quite well. When I tried to get a bit dark, my client said I looked Dominican or Colombian.

Maybe I should just wear a "Pinoy ako" shirt everyday. Maybe that'll do the trick.

Gig in Japan 1: Element of Surprise

Finally, I’ve settled in back in Hong Kong and am starting to jot down all those wonderful sights, sounds and experiences during my 10-day stay in Japan. And here is where the adventure all began.

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I love surprises! Getting them is great, but giving them is much more awesome. The emotional rush of seeing a person’s face all lit up with joy and astonishment is something that is – according to the MasterCard campaign - priceless.

Early this year, my siblings and I gave my parents one of their biggest surprises yet. They celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, and we told them we’re planning a small get together for them. Little did they know that we organized a church wedding and a lunch reception.

But that wasn’t the biggest surprise. Biboy, my brother living in Georgia, sneaked in the country to join the festivities. They had no idea he was going to Manila and will be my co-best man. When Dad saw Biboy in church, he was moved to tears. And my Mom, she was in a state of happy disbelief and obvious bliss.

Mom is a big believer of the “pay it forward” philosophy. After the surprise we gave her last January, she became the impetus for the next big surprise I was going to give this year. She gave me a free trip to Japan so I could surprise Mark on his birthday.

Having lived abroad several times, I know how difficult it feels to be in a foreign land on your birthday. In fact, I always come home for mine, no matter where in the world I am. This year, Mark was going to celebrate his birthday in Japan – away from his family and home – for the first time. In some of our conversations, he’d allude to his fear that his birthday this year might be a bit sad because of his current situation.

That was something I didn’t want to happen. Thanks to Mom, the prospect of surprising him and putting a bit of “happy” on his happy birthday was set into motion.

The time span between the day Mom gave me the ticket and Mark’s birthday was about 6 weeks. So, the surprise had to be prepared and executed in that short span. This would have been easy if I had an empty plate. But I had 2 shoots, and countless other projects running. Good thing my juggling skills didn’t fail me.

What had to be done? Get a Japanese visa, find out where he’d be on his birthday, find out how to get to where he’d be on his birthday, file my leave, fix my schedules, try and learn a few key Japanese phrases, and find people in Japan who can help in case of little glitches. Whew! And that’s just the trip part.

People who I’ve shared this “surprise plan” of mine had two common reactions: 1. “You’re awfully nice” and 2. “You’re clinically insane.”

Truth is, I haven’t been to downtown Japan. All my trips have been limited to Narita Airport and Narita town because my flights to the US have always stopped over there. Reality is, I’m going to a strange land where only a few people speak English, and I’m going to try and find a person who doesn’t even know I’m there.

They all voiced out their concerns: “What if you get lost?” “What if no one can help you?” “What if he isn’t even there?”

Judging by those comments, reaction number 2 would be more appropriate. But strangely, that never bothered me or made me think that my task would be more daunting. In my mind, I was going to make a person happy on his birthday, and all the supposed “risks” were inconsequential.

Sir Conrad once told me that if you look too far ahead, you tend not to notice what’s in front. To a certain extent, that was my mindset during the planning stage of this trip. My eyes were set on the goal so much that I’ve chosen to overlook the obstacles. It was a good mindset. Insane, maybe, but still good.

Surprisingly, I was able to map out the plan with a week or two to spare. This I credit to the power of Google, and the assistance of a few acquaintances in Japan. I found out where Mark would be on his birthday, and what Shinkansen to ride in order to get there. I’ve pinpointed the location of IUJ, and even booked a hotel within that vicinity as a fall back. The surprise was set, and all it needed was for it to be sprung.

Like any person who has a surprise up his sleeve, there was a mounting feeling of excitement and giddiness when I took the PAL flight to Tokyo that Friday. It was a bit difficult to move around because I was carrying so many things (including a Chocolate cake that my sister prepared. What’s a birthday without a cake, right? Big thanks to Ate for it.) At the check-in area at NAIA, one of the lady guards inquired about the cake I was carrying and I told her about my planned surprise. Suddenly, her eyes lit up and was telling everyone about it. That added to my excitement, of course.
A few hours later, I was already in Shinjuku. I had a night to spare so I went around the environs first, met up with Cathy, and breathed Tokyo air.

The strange thing was, the fact that I was in Tokyo didn’t sink in just yet. My mind was still busy planning and processing tomorrow’s surprise. This is probably the by-product of my training in advertising – single-mindedness, single-mindedness, single-mindedness. Plus, Tokyo as a city felt just like Causeway Bay here in Hong Kong, so there was really nothing novel or breathtaking about it.

Then the day came, Saturday, September 16. It was the day before Mark’s birthday, and I thought of springing the surprise a day earlier just in case he’s already made plans for the day itself. I took the Shinkansen and found the station I was supposed to get off at. I found the hotel where I’m supposed to check in, and did so without any difficulty. (Yup, my Nihonggo phrases worked.) And of course, the cake was still intact. Everything was set for the surprise.

At around 5pm, there I was, in front of his room. I knocked on his door and acted as if it was the most normal thing to do. In a few seconds, Mark opened the door, and I said “hello there” in the most nonchalant way possible.

What happened next was some sort of a déjà vu. Just 9 months ago in a church in Cubao, I saw my parents with this look that’s a combination of happy disbelief and obvious bliss. Now, I’m here in Urasa, Japan seeing Mark with this same look that’s a combination of happy disbelief and obvious bliss.

Yup, I can tell by Mark’s face that I did put a bit of “happy” in his “happy birthday.” And yes, judging by the "Oh my gosh" he let out upon seeing me can attest to the fact that he was definitely surprised.

And with that, I’ve accomplished what I set out to do and i've seen what I came here to see.

In the continuing saga...

Today, I've decided to wear my utterly distressed and mangled D Squared jeans to work. The right leg has large gaping holes the size of Texas, the most prominent being the hole on the upper right thigh. And when I say "upper", it means it's dangerously up there.

On my way home, I decided to drop by the Maple Outlet in Haiphong Road. While looking at their new batch of jeans, I heard a couple of people talking in Tagalog. I looked up to see two girls and a guy. The guy was standing in front of me and facing my direction. My assumption is that he saw the jeans I was wearing. Why? Because he immediately called his friends and said:

GUY: Pssst! Tignan niyo... libre boso!

He should be thankful that I was tired last night. If I weren't, I would've announced to him and his friends that I'm Filipino and that i'm actually aware that they're talking about me.

Talaga naman. The things that people say...

Multiplicity

In yet another episode of "Lester is all over the place."

This morning, I woke up at 5 a.m. in Tokyo. The weather was crisp and cool, and the walk to Shinjuku station with Mark was nice and relaxed.

By 1pm, I was already in Manila. Not having had Jollibee in a while, Grace and I decided to have a late lunch at their Glorietta branch.

In 3 hours or so, i'll be back in Hong Kong. It's been 11 days since I last saw my flat and I'm hoping that I didn't leave any bread or perishable food outside the fridge. (I've made this mistake so many times.)

Three different meals in three different countries with three different people. This definitely has been a busy day, eh?

Gig in Japan

I've been in Japan for almost a week already. The Shinkansen is such a Godsend. I've been to Kyoto, Osaka, Niigata and Tokyo the past few days. It's interesting to see how diverse Japan is, in terms of architecture, landscape and people.

My trip is for 10 days, and i'm sure that writing about it will take much, much, much more time.

Rainy Days and Comfort Food

Woke up to signal number 1, and now they've moved it up to signal number 3. Outside, it looks like it's 8pm when the truth is, it's just quarter to 4. The mood is gloomy and the air is cold.

Yes, the weather is bad, but it's also perfect for noshing on some comfort food.

Different people have different takes on comfort food. Mona says that her comfort food is french fries - especially the Belgian variety which are big and thick. For my sister, it's a big slice of chocolate cake with caramel filling. My brother's choice is ice cream. And I have a friend in Europe who's comfort food of choice is -- Dinuguan! (Bloody hell! Literally!)

I'm a very shallow person, that's why my comfort food is equally shallow. It's easy to find, no need to prepare, it comes in a bag so you can just open and eat in a matter of seconds. Actually, I should put an "s" in each descriptor as I have two favorites: Cheetos Twisted and Doritos Nacho Cheesier.

Clearly, the taste of cheese is comforting to me. But instead of the usual dairy product, i've chosen to eat it in a more processed format.

I love how Cheetos Twisted just melts in your mouth once you pop a curl in. The cheese just crackles and pops in my mouth, bursting out all over the place. Then, there's that thick cheese powder left on my fingers after - another part of the treat. Doritos, on the other hand, has been a childhood favorite. It's great how the cheese flavor blends with the corn flavor of the chip. It's like eating chip and dip in one go.


Now why are these two snacks (or junk, if I listen to my Mom) my idea of comfort food? Because I can easily imagine myself eating a bag each while plopped down on the couch watching DVDs on a rainy day. Now THAT best exemplifies comfort on a rainy day.

Hmmm... now I know what to do for dinner.

Zara-ful Mysteries

Zara has been a favorite of mine since I've first discovered it in Barcelona some 4 years back. Since it's an ubiquituous brand in Spain, you'll probably run into one of their stores every 5 blocks - just like Bench in Manila and Giordano in Hong Kong. After my first visit in their branch at La Illa Mall, I was hooked. From then on, each time I'd go downtown, i'd make a pilgrimage to the nearest Zara store.

It's been more than a year since Zara first opened its doors in Hong Kong. *cue in sappy, sentimental music* I still remember their first branch in IFC mall, and how a trip here would never be complete without dropping by and walking out with a shirt, jacket or a new pair of jeans. Going there in January was an added treat because most of the winter clothes would be on sale, and I could easily snap up a cable knit sweater for HK$129!

Today, I had lunch at Pacific Place to get my fill of Pad Thai at Patong Thai. Since Zara was just a couple of doors away, I thought of swinging by and checking out if there was anything new.

Surprise, surprise! The lunchtime crowd was almost as big as what you'd normally see on a weekend. There was a long queue at the dressing rooms, an equally long queue at the counter, and maybe around 100 women walking around snapping every trend they can get their hands on. Some were carrying brocade coats (in preparation for fall and winter), while others were carrying metallic sweaters (since gold is supposedly big this season), and some were carrying pretty silk dresses with thick sashes (probably for a hot date).

Walking past them, I spotted a rack that had a couple of pretty dresses. There was a printed, knee length dress with a plum colored grossgrain ribbon, a white, silk number with dainty, blue prints, there was a silver, boat necked dress with a plunging back, and finally, a chocolate brown chiffon number with black beads. I picked up the ribboned dress since it looks like something that my sister would dig. It was the right size, and when I looked at the price, I was simply shell-shocked.

It was priced about 50% off the original! I proceeded to check the other dresses, and they all had the same marked down price.

Immediately, I snapped up the printed dress and the chiffon number. Aside from them being the last of their kind, it was also the right size for my Ate. I felt like I hit the jackpot! Imagine, two awesome dresses from Zara, and it costs less than a steak dinner at Ruth Chris'.

And to think that just 2 weeks ago, I stumbled into another set of bargains from Zara in Harbour City. They had these gorgeous tulip skirts for HK$75, and a couple of chiffon blouses for the same price. That evening alone, I went home with 6 items from Zara, and the total was less than HK$500!

It's a mystery how Zara does that. They have all these nice clothes, and they're selling them at outrageously low prices. Then again, it was just one small rack in a whole store, and most of the other stuff are at regular prices. After reading some books on retail, and finding out that the cost of production is usually only 20% the actual price, then the endless racks of regular items will definitely cover for that teeny rack of sale items. But then again, this dress I had was full priced just 3 weeks ago, and now they're practically giving it away! (I kinda pity the women who bought this at cost. They should have waited.) Makes me wonder how Zara chooses the items to be put on clearance.

What's uncanny is that it only happens in the women's section. Zara Man and Zara Kids rarely go on sales like that. Heck, if they only put that gor-ge-ous leather biker jacket at 50% off, I would have snatched it off the shelf and fought off people who would try to take it away from me!

Another mystery surrounding Zara is how it can draw so many women into its store. I've been to Zara on a weekend and it looks like SM Megmall on a Sunday afternoon. You see droves of women with piles of clothes in their arms - they not only browse, they buy! A lot! It's like women are addicted to Zara and can't get enough of it. It reminds me of how Mango looked like when they first opened in Robinson's Place. It was like a fashion battlefield.

How does Zara do it? Maybe I can interview some people the next time I go to Madrid and find out the magic behind the brand.

But as of now, I could really care less. All I know is, I have 2 gorgeous dresses in a bag and a big smile on my face.

Brrrr...

The weather is starting to get cold and my colleagues are saying that the winter chill has begun.

If that's true, winter is coming early this year.

Time to bring out those jackets.

Refreshing Saturday

Despite the less-than-ideal-weather in Hong Kong today, I've managed to have a very refreshing weekend. After a week of back-breaking schedules in Manila, a restful weekend was definitely in order. And where best to spend that than in Macau.

Ovvian and I ferried off in the afternoon and got to Macau a little past 4 pm. We went straight to Senado Square where I paid my usual pilgrimage to the Cathedral of St. Augustine. I noticed that they repainted the entire place, from the original pale blue, the cathedral now had a butter yellow interior. It made the place look cooler and more airy, and the vibe inside was very peaceful.

Then it was off to another favorite place of mine, Lemon Cello! This gelateria is perpetually a stop over whenever i'm in town. And since Ovvian was here for the first time, I decided to bring her here to get a taste of Macau's best ice cream.

My flavor of choice was pink grapefruit and watermelon, giving my cone a nice duo-tone look. But as I was telling Ovvian, sorbets don't taste that great when it's on a sweet cone.

With gelatos on hand, we went up to the Ruins of St. Paul and then to the Macau Museum where we spent a while doing the best thing to do on weekends: sitting down under a big tree and talking about the past decade. It's always a joy to catch up with old friends because it shows us how much we've changed, but at the same time, it shows us how much we've stayed the same.

After that walk down memory lane, it was a walk down retail street. We passed by my favorite building near Leal Senado and was able to buy a pair of D Squared Jeans. It was a nice fitting pair with so many holes, I can't afford to wear them in winter. (Plus, I can't afford to wear them with ugly underwear since one hole is so big, it'll probably show.)

To wrap the night up, we went off to check out the new Wynn Hotel and Casino. This proved to be the evening's highlight because of a lucky streak for Ovvian at the slot machines, a great dinner with more great conversation, and a trip around the arcade to check out the latest luxury items. During this walkabout, I was surprised to find out that a pair of Louis Vuitton sneakers aren't as expensive as I thought it would be. But then again, I'm not a big LV fan. Give me Chuck Taylor's anytime!

After all that excitement, it was time to take the midnight ferry back home. I wasn't able to cover as much ground in Macau today compared to my other visits. It would've been great if Ovvian saw the Kun Iam and A-ma Temples, Fort de Guia and some other churches. But then again, Macau is just a ferry away, and there are other opportunities to visit.

This was a great and refreshing way to spend the weekend. Familiar sights, the best gelato, a filling buffet buffet dinner, wonderful conversations with friends, an excellent streak of luck and unexpected good fortune. Add all these up, and my evening is best summed up by comparing it with the fireworks that we watched by the bay.

It definitely lit up my weekend.

Speed bump

I encountered one today. Not having had one in a while made this quite a new and jarring experience. Not having experienced speed bumps is quite bad because the bumps feel suddenly bigger than they really are. Thankfully I can stop and assess how big it really is.

Speed bumps are good. They make sure you don't fall asleep on the road or get too comfortable on it. And it creates that want to not run into the same bump again.

Feeling a speed bump while maneuvering the road alone is more difficult now since i've got no one to share the wheel with. For almost a year, there was someone co-navigating the road with me. Because of that, it was easy to laugh and bitch about it. Hey Mr. P, you shouldn't have left me here alone! Grrr....

Hopefully, the speed bumps won't be to jarring the next time. It might make me want to get out of the road altogether.

Hit the ground running

My day today:

5:30 am - Finished shooting in Manila
7:30 am - Met up with my sibs in Makati
8:00 am - Had breakfast with Lyli in Dela Rosa Street
9:00 am - Left for the airport
9:30 am - Arrived at NAIA
10:15 am - Checked in and got business class seats for Andy and me. (Yay!)
11:10 am - Flew to Hong Kong
1:00 pm - Got to Chek Lap Kok
2:10 pm - Got home
3:30 pm - Arrived at the office in North Point
3:31 pm - Started working

For someone who's had only 2 hours of sleep today, i'm surprisingly awake.

Can't wait 'til the exhaustion kicks in. I'm sure that i'll have a really sound sleep tonight.

The waiting game

The worst part of attending a shoot is all the waiting that's going on. This is especially the case for extras on set. Imagine, they have to sit around for more than 12 hours, then they'll have their camera time for about 15 minutes. Then, to add insult to injury, they'll be edited out on the final material.

We, too, need to wait. But at least we can use that waiting time quite productively. We can think of new ads during downtime, so we're actually working while working. This might sound pathetic, but it isn't as bad as it sounds.

Then again, if I look back at this waiting game, there's a glaring fact that needs to be said: While waiting, extras are paid to do nothing while we're paid to do more work over our already loaded plate.

I guess it's obvious who's getting the better deal.

Film Fest

Watched 3 films today in 3 different malls. This is one of the things I miss when I'm in Hong Kong. I've noticed that the cinemas there are a bit cramped, although the seats are nice. Plus, their film selection isn't as varied as the ones we have here. First, I saw "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" followed by "The Devil Wears Prada" and capped off with "Click."

"Click" had a good premise and a lesson to drive home to corporate, work-driven America. Too bad it was muddled by the middle of the film. David Hasselhoff's campy performance added a bit of fun to the film, but it was seeing Christopher Walken do excerpts from his "Weapon of Choice" dance that made this film the price of admission.

"My Super Ex-Girlfriend" started well, flopped in the middle, and got too cartoony-crazy in the end. It's nice to see a superhero movie where the lead heroine actually changes into fashionable costumes and has some neuroses. Plus, it shows that heroes do have their human side, too. But the best bit of this film was the shark out of water.

"The Devil Wears Prada" is excellent. Meryl Streep's downplayed acting was fabulous. Giselle Bundchen was refreshing to watch. Anne Hathaway was fine, although it looks like she was channeling her "Princess Diaries" cuteness too much. Seeing her transform had as much emotional impact as Rachael Leigh Cook's "going-down-the-stairs-while-"kiss me"-was-playing-moment" in "She's all that." And of course, seeing that with "Vogue" in the background deserves an Oscar.

I'm disappointed that I didn't catch "American Dreamz" though. I hope they'll show some more great films before I go back to Hong Kong on Thursday.

September 1 means...

It's officially the beginning of the Christmas season in the Philippines!

I miss being home.