Ganito kami NOON, Paano kayo NGAYON?

Isang pagtitipon ng mga Pinoy sa Nagoya noong Hunyo 5, 2015

1989 noong ako’y magsimulang mag-aral sa Nagoya Daigaku o Meidai. Makaraan ang lima’t kalahating taon noong 1994 ay natapos ko ang aking pag-aaral at nakamit ang antas na M. Eng. at D. Eng. Makaraan ang higit dalawampu't taon ay bumalik ako sa Meidai bilang isang “alumnus” at “visiting professor” mula sa De La Salle University noong Hunyo 2015. Sa tagal ng panahon na yon napansin ko ang pagkaka-iba ng kabuhayan namin NOON at ng mga iskolar ng Meidai NGAYON. Hayaan niyo akong ma-ikwento ang aking mga obserbasyon.

Komunikasyon. NOON ay wala pang internet. Ang telepono ang pinakaparaan namin upang makausap ang aming mga mahal sa buhay. “Long distance” ang tawag mula sa Japan hanggang Pilipinas. Kung ikaw ay madaling ma-homesick katulad ng marami sa amin, magbudget ka ng isang libong yen bawat linggo at makakausap mo ang iyong    pamilya ng mga 20 minuto. Buti na lang may mga taga-Iran na nagbebenta ng mga telephone card na masmatagal maubos ang load. Kung ikaw ay nakatira sa Meidai Sakurayama Kaikan, ang telepono ay nasa labas. Isipin mo kung gaano kalamig tuwing winter sa Nagoya at maski na balot na balot ka e naginginig ka pa rin habang kinakausap ang iyong misis o mister. “Hello, honey, sana nandito ka para mag-init ang kapaligiran ko,” ang iniisip mong sabihin sa kausap mo. NGAYON, dahil sa may internet na, e, napakadaling kausapin ang pamilya mo. May skype, viber at facebook. Kung libre ang internet mo dahil sa may wifi o dahil nasa loob ka ng campus,  eh di libre rin ang komunikasyon mo. Diyan nalugi ang mga taga-Iran. Kaya ngayon iba na business nila – Kebabs na! Di ba pinipilahan ngayon ang “megaKebab” sa Japan.

 

NGAYON: Pinipilahan ngayon ang MegaKebab sa Osu.

Sulat. Pagdating namin sa Japan, ang una naming inalam ay kung nasaan ang Post Office – yung may simbulo na parang letrang “T”. NOON, ang sulat ang pinakamatipid na paraan para maipaalam mo ang buhay mo sa pamilya, nobyo o nobya mo. Ang  pagpapadala at paghintay ng liham o post card ay isa sa aming pastime sa Japan. Pagkagaling namin sa pamantasan ang una naming titignan ay ang aming post box. NGAYON, ang pagpapadala ng mga mensahe ay napakabilis sa pamamagitan ng text sa mga bagong telepono, kompyuter at sa facebook. Hindi lang letra ang mababasa mo, pati mga letrato ay makikita mo. NOON, nagpapadebelop pa kami ng mga letrato namin dahil hindi pa uso ang digital camera. Ay naku,  napakamahal ng debeloping maski na sa NU Coop. At siyempre, kapag marami kang letratong isiningit sa sulat, eh, nagmamahal ang babayaran mo sa post office. Magtitipid ka na naman sa pagkain mo.

Shopping. NOON ang bilihan namin ng mga damit lalong lalo na ng mga jacket ay sa Komehyo "ukay ukay." Madalas nga ang biruan namin eh, kung buhay pa kaya ang may-ari nitong coat na binibili namin. NGAYON may UNIQLO at GU na! Murang mura na ang mga damit sa Japan ngayon.

NOON. Ang "ukay ukay" noon ay nasa kalye lang. Ngayon maayos na ang ukay ukay sa Komehyo

NGAYON. Mura-mura na ang damit sa Japan gaya dito sa UNIQLO.

NOON: Midnight shopping ang uso noon. Furniture, TV at iba't ibang gamit sa bahay ay makokolekta mo ng libre. Pawis at puyat lang ang kapalit.

Eat-Out. NOON, ang paborito naming kainan ay ang Sugakiya. Sa Sugakiya ay mura ang ramen. May soft ice cream pa. Ang Mister Donut sa Motoyama ay tambayan namin tuwing tag-init. Malamig at libre ang refill sa kape dito kaya sa Mister Donut kami naglalaro ng Scrabble. Isa ring paboritong resto sa tapat ng Kaikan (medyo mahal) ay ang Asakuma Steak House. Paminsan minsan ay kumakain kami dito lalo na kapag katatanggap lang namin ng shogakukin. NGAYON, sushi na ang “in” sa mga Pinoy. Noon, kumakain lang kami ng sushi kapag may kompa sa lab. Ngayon, mura na ang sushi sa Japan , gaya ditto sa Sushi-ro – isang resto na may sushi na umiikot. Makakapili ka ng sushi na nais mong kainin.

Stress Reliever o Libangan. Pagkatapos ng isang linggong pag-re-research sa lab, kailangan naming mailabas ang stress. Kung hindi, baka mabaliw kami. NOON, sports (volleyball, basketball, bowling, biking) ang isang paraan para kami ay malibang lalo na tuwing Linggo. Madalas ay naglalaro kami sa Meidai Gym. NGAYON, napansin ko ay libangan ng mga Pinoy pagdating ng alas-singko ng hapon ay tumambay sa tapat ng Toyoda Hall at mag-picnic. Minsan nadaanan ko ang isang grupo ng mga NUGELP na estudyante na nag-se-selfie habang umaawit. Tiyak, i-a-upload yan sa YouTube.

Salo-Salo. Ang Pinoy ay tunay naman mahilig sa salo-salo. NOON, ako at si Daisy ang madalas na nag-o-organisa ng welcome party sa mga bagong dating na mga iskolar. Bawat Pinoy ay magluluto ng paboritong putahe (pansit bihon at kilain ang linuluto ko noon) at dadalhin sa Sakurayama Kaikan o sa bahay ng host (madalas sa apato ko o sa mansion ni Daisy). NGAYON, si Joyce, isang associate professor sa Meidai, ang taga-kontak ng mga Pinoy  tuwing may planong mag-get-together. Tuwang tuwa ako ng dumating ako sa Meidai noong Hunyo 2015, dahil nagsalo-salo ang mga Pinoy sa tapat ng Toyoda Hall. May beer, juice, coke, potato chips, kara-age at iba pa na pinapak namin sa malawak na hardin ng Meidai. Buhay pa rin ang pakikisama ng mga Pinoy sa Meidai. Itong samahang ito ang dahilan kung bakit na-iraraos ng mga iskolar ang matinding hamon at hirap na tapusin ang kanilang antas na pang-Master o pang- Doctor.

Kung ikukumpara ang buhay NOON at NGAYON, masasabi natin mas-magaan ang takbo ng buhay ngayon dahil sa teknolohiya. Subalit dahil din sa teknolohiya ay mas maraming bagay na nakaka-abala sa mga iskolar, hindi gaya noon na ang pag-aaral at homesick lang ang dapat mong pagtuunan ng pansin. Ito ang bagong hamon sa mga bagong iskolar. Gamitin ang teknolohiya upang gumaan ang buhay sa Japan at makatapos sa pamantasan.

- Andy Oreta, 20 June 2015

Goodbye, Bentoman! Hello, Family Mart!

Bentoman is a favorite of Meidai students

Bentoman is a shop near Nagoya University (NU)  that sells o-bento. A "bento" is a take-out meal which consists of s rice, fish or meat, with pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container.

The Menu of Bentoman

When I was a student at NU, we usually buy this take-out meal from Bentoman after hearing mass at Nanzan chapel. We sometimes eat the meal at the shop or bring the take-out meal at the free space at the university grounds. We enjoy picnics with the Bentoman meals. During my family's visit last May 2014 at Nagoya, we enjoyed the bento at Bantoman. I even talked to the shop owner telling him that I have been a customer of Bentoman since 1989.
 

Another reason why we eat at Bentoman - Reading (actually viewing) Japanese magazines!

 

Our family enjoyed Bentoman's meals last May 2014 and ordered the bento shown below.

Ebi-furai, kara-age and tonkatsu

My all time favorite, kara-age bento

 

Chuka-bento (tastes like chopsuey)

 I was excited to try the bento again when I arrived here last June 3, 2015 in the evening. Unfortunately, our favorite Bentoman is gone. It has closed shop and is now replaced by a Chinese restaurant. How I wish  Bentoman is still at NU serving the Meidai students tasty, affordable and colorful meals. Goodbye, Bentoman, I can't say hello Chinese food since I haven't tried the food in the new resto. By the way, our favorite steak house, Bronco Billy near Bentoman is also gone but replaced by a new steak house, Hamburg! The good news especially for those who work and studey until evening at the lab is that there is now a Family Mart inside the campus which is open until 2300H. 

The new Chinese resto that replaced Bentoman

Lawson, fortunately, is still there serving the 24 hour basic needs of students doing all night work.

Hamburg replaced Bronco Billy!

There is now a Family Mart inside the campus near main library which is open until 2300 during regular days.

Share your story to the Meidai Network AlumNews!

 Hello Meidai alumni! Submit your story or photo to the Miedai Network AlumNews, the official newsletter of the Nagoya University Alumni Association - Philippines. See details below. The next issue will appear on Dec 2015during our First General Assembly. To read the Meidai Network Souvenir Magazine, download at https://www.scribd.com/doc/249711540/Meidai-Network-Magazine-2014

Call for Nominees: Nagoya University Award for Contributions to International Exchange!

Hello, Philippine Meidai Alumni:

If you feel you are qualified or you know a fellow alumnus who satisfies one of the seven eligibility requirements in the Nagoya University Award for Contributions to International Exchange,  we would appreciate if you send the CV of the nominee on or before May 25, 2015 to andyoreta@yahoo.com.  Please read the details below.

Policies and Guidelines for Nagoya University Award for Contributions to International Exchange

1. Purpose

The Nagoya University Academic Charter outlines the University's goal to engage in social contribution by "promoting international academic co-operation and the education of foreign students, and contributing to international exchange, especially with Asian nations." The Charter also sets out basic research and educational framework policies "to shape the international foundation of academic culture through active dispatch of information and exchange of personnel, inter-institutional cooperation in Japan and abroad." Based on these objectives, Nagoya University is exerting every effort to nurture people who can assume leadership positions both in the domestic and international arenas.

By pursuing international academic standards and through culture, exchange and social contribution activities, the University has implemented its vision for the type of student outlined in the Nagoya University Academic Charter, celebrating the achievements of graduates from its undergraduate and graduate programs. In an effort to ensure these achievements are widely-known, the University has established the "Award for Contributions to International Exchange," aiming to further promote and expand its growing body of international human resources to create great character and outstanding achievements. However, please note that people who have been conferred the title of Professor Emeritus, Doctor Honoris Causa, Distinguished Professor or Fellow by Nagoya University are not eligible for the Award.

2. Outline of Award for Contributions to International Exchange

1) Number of Awards: Several each year.

2) Award Contents: Award recipients will receive a certificate of commendation and an additional prize (consisting of a commemorative medal and round-trip air ticket to attend the award ceremony).

In principle, the award ceremony will take place on Home Coming Day.

3. Eligibility Qualifications and Requirements

Candidates must be foreign nationals who graduated from one of Nagaya University's undergraduate or graduate programs, or foreign nationals who currently serve, or have served in the past, as Nagoya University faculty and staff members and fulfill any of the criteria listed below.

1) A person who has received international recognition for his or her academic scholarship and creative research activities, or a person who has significantly improved the international reputation of Nagoya University.

2) A person who has made a significant contribution to the promotion and support of international joint research and international academic exchange.

3) A person who has made a significant contribution to the promotion and support of student exchange and joint educational program development.

4) A person who has made a significant contribution to the promotion and support of international industrial and academic collaboration.

5) A person who has made a significant contribution to the promotion and support of international cooperation and international exchange.

6) A person who has played a role as a bridge between his or her native country and Japan, and in doing so, has made a significant contribution to the promotion of favorable relationships between both nations.
7) A person who is the Head of the Nagoya University Overseas Alumni Association Branch Office

4. Application Procedure

Recommendations should be made by the Alumni Association Branch Offices or Heads of Departments and each Alumni Association Branch Office or Head of a Department may recommend only one person. (Recommendation criteria are determined by the applicable Alumni Association Branch Offices or Departments.)  (Recommendations shall not be required for those who fall under the eligibility criteria 3, 7).

Submit a CV with the following information (Email to andyoreta@yahoo.com)

1. Full Name, Birthdate
2. Year-Month vs Educational Background
3. Year-Month vs Employment History
4. Summary of Achievements and Distinguished Service (Please list the reasons in relation to which eligibility requirement [1,2,3,4,5,6 or 7] the person is being nominated for the Award for Contributions to International Exchange.)

 5. Screening

Screening will be conducted by the Executive Board based on application documents and other relevant information.

Announcement of Meeting of MEIDAI Alumni - May 19, 2015

Our Host at NIMBB, UPD

When: May 19, 2015 (Tuesday)
Time: 2:30 PM (Assembly Time)/3:00 PM (Start of meeting)
Where: Conference Room, National Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, UP Diliman
Host: Dr. Cynthia P. Saloma

Agenda: 

1. Post NUAL-PH Establishment Assessment, 
2. By-Laws and 
3. Planning for NUAL Homecoming (October 2015)

Dinner to follow at UP Town Center! 

Please send an email to cpsaloma@gmail.com and andyoreta@yahoo.com if you will attend.