My first blog anniversary + giveaway

It seems not so long ago when I started creating this blog and was surprised when a WordPress notification congratulated me for celebrating my first year in the platform. Wow. I didn’t imagine that I could maintain a blog for this long and it came as a surprise. I made it to my first year! The feeling is incomparable. This is my first blog ever and I feel very much accomplished to see how far I already am from last year.

I created this blog as an outlet of my feelings, thoughts, and opinions. Honestly, I was nursing a heart ache at that time and blogging seemed like a helpful diversion for me. I know some of you already know about this, but The Impressions of a Princess will not be here if it were not for Gorjaeous of Scatterbrain. She is my colleague, friend, and older sister rolled into one. She’s been blogging for years and decided to go back to WP platform. While busy tweaking her new account, she talked me into creating one for myself. The next thing I knew was I was signing up for a WordPress account!

My first post is ugly that I am shy to share it to you guys. However, since I want you to read my first ever entry, here is a link to “It Started with a Dream, but not Mine”. I have this funny feeling while reading that post a year after. I didn’t have any expectations at that time so I am very overwhelmed by the number of people visiting, reading, liking, commenting, and following me.

Earlier this year, I used WordPress Annual Report to see how far I’ve gone since then. I also created a summary of how 2012 treated me and you can find it here: Looking Back: Year 2012. And now, a year after my first successful attempt in blogging, I am going to relive some of blogging memories I had.

March 3, 2012 – I posted my first post after the required blog intro. It is also my first Korean song posted in the site. Link: Nothing Better

March 26, 2012 – My first Korean inspired food was featured. Link: Spaghetti a la Koreamo: Kimchi Spaghetti

June 20, 2012 – My first Korean restaurant review. Link: Cravings – Bulgogi Garden Experience

August 13, 2012 – It was my first time to receive a blog award. The Liebster Blog Award was given to me by Aneesa and Faraaz. Link: Liebster Blog Award

September 23, 2012 – My first politically inclined post. My other side was showing! Link: Whose Innocence? On Innocence of Muslims

October 3, 2012 – I joined a 30-day Blogging Challenge and I posted my challenge intro on this day. Link: Unblocking Your Mind: Prevent Writers’ Block; 30-day Blogging Challenge link

October 10, 2012 – I attempted to write a short story about inanimate object. Link: As I lay dying: The life story of a cigarette

November 19, 2012 – Hosted my first ever giveaway sponsored by Juanita of Juanita Tortilla Shop. Link: Some things to be thankful for

December 4, 2012 – I written my first ever book review and author’s interview in the blog. Link: The Drought

December 17 – I joined various book blog tours and I posted my first book blog tour stop. Link: His Black Wings

Through all of these, you guys stayed with me. You tolerated my sick jokes and nonsense opinions. You gave opinion on how to improve my blog. You also encouraged me to continue writing and expressing myself. For that, I am eternally grateful. I know I said this several times already, but I won’t grow tired saying it. I owe a lot of things to you guys. You made me a better writer than I was before. Before, I only thought out of the box, but now, I break the box. You made me a whole person. I cannot be like this without you.

Honestly, I am a sentimental person and we could go on like this the entire blog post. However, I don’t want to show that side of me in this site so I will stop boring you with my gratitude. Let’s talk of the future instead. Now, what will be in store for us from this day forward?

Since I love reading, I will still post reading and book related stuff in my site. However, I already stopped signing up for blog tours as they occupied much of my time and space in blogging. Aside from books, I decided to post more about my life and thoughts on anything under the sun. Also, I will try my very best to catch up with you guys. I know that I sound rude for not being able to reply to all of your comments and I feel terribly sorry for that. I will also make time visiting and camping in your sites in the near future!

I didn’t make New Year’s resolutions, but the paragraph above sounded just as much. Anyhow, to celebrate my first blog anniversary, I will be hosting two-three giveaways in the near future. Now, how cool is that?

They say the best way to start is now. So why wait for a few more days? Let’s start the celebration! Sincerely Sweet Boutique lives up to its name by offering one of my readers a chance to get a $30 Gift Certificate to be used in their shop. Sweet? Totally.

Let’s celebrate!

To inspire you on purchasing items from this shop, let me post some of the products they are offering.

To join the giveaway, kindly click on the rafflecopter link below to join. This giveaway is open internationally and will end on March 13. All entries will be checked and a winner will be announced in this blog. The winner will have 48 hours to respond/comment in the blog announcement before another winner will be chosen.

Have fun everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cheers,

30-day Blogging Challenge: Day 10 (A photo of you taken over ten years ago)

For today’s challenge, I have to post a photo of me ten years ago. Actually, I am a bit shy to post anything because a photo taken a decade ago would hint my current age. Hmm, Oh well. Here it goes:

This was taken during the commencement exercise as I finished grade school. See my short hair there? I was feeling confident to wear any hair style at that time. Clue word: at that time. I have natural wavy hair so I feel a bit self-conscious now when I see my crown looks outrageous in the graduation photos.

The school required the students to march in their procession wearing white dress for girls and white long sleeves with black slacks for boys. Therefore, I was captured wearing the “ethereal” white dress. I was feeling proud then, being the one to choose the design myself. Haha! I don’t know now if that proves my weak fashion sense. And oh, the white socks and black shoes wasn’t my idea!

In both images, I was called in the stage for different reasons. I graduated as a valedictorian and thus have these crazy awards that made my parents complained whenever they had to go up and down to wear the medals around my neck.

I remember this day as a very happy one. It’s like my entire family (both nuclear and extended) were there for the event. Haha seriously. After the program, we went out to celebrate. When we arrived home, we also had a mini-party. There were so many gifts, but I could only remember a huge illustrated English dictionary (my favorite) and a brand new mobile phone (my third or fourth, I guess).

My elementary graduation photos. How about you? When and where were you ten years ago?

Koreans: Christian College of Nursing

Yesterday, I was in the mood to open my neglected Facebook account. I browsed through the newsfeed and my profile page, but nothing caught my fancy. I then opened my photo albums and reminisce. Tons of pictures with Korean students and friends were featured, which inspired me to write this entry about my last group of students when I was in the university.

I was assigned to be a tutor for students from 기독간호대학 (Christian College of Nursing) in Gwangju, Korea. Since there were a lot of Korean students studying in my university, the school decided to offer tutorial services to them after their classes with the English professors. The idea was to get the students comfortable with their teachers so they assigned professional student tutors to them. Luckily, I was accepted when I applied for the position.

CCN students stayed in a hotel-apartment located near Robinsons Place Manila. After their classes in the university, tutors will teach them in their rooms. A strict gender to gender tutorial rule was implemented to ensure safety for both the tutors and the students.

I got four students from that school. They are Somi, CleO, Jihye, and Eunji. They are lovely ladies who were not so far from my age so we got along well from the start. They were hospitable, thoughtful, caring, and sweet. They really focused on their studies and relied to me for some help whenever they need it.

 I was always warmly welcomed in the room with their smiles and some snacks. In our free time, we played educational games that would hone their vocabulary skills. We even amused ourselves with Filipino game called Pinoy Henyo. I couldn’t find our photos for that, but I remember how fun that game was.

Aside from their tutor, I also became their friend. One time, they gave me my Korean nickname which was 은비 (Eunbi).

When they were free, we went to  other places to occupy their time. Once, we went to mall and crazily played in arcade. In another time, we went far as Divisoria night market and had shopping Filipino style. Oh, how funny 엄마 소미 (mother Somi) looked while carrying many plastics full of different fruits. Kilos of ripe mangoes, longgan, and bananas. Haha fun!

Here are some shots taken during my time as their tutor.

self-timed camera shot. L-R: CleO, Jihye (Diane), Me, Eunji (Eunice), and Somi

self-timed camera shot. My students, Raine (fellow tutor), and me

Their first time to eat yellow watermelon

playing at the hotel lobby

in their room

In their last day, we exchanged gifts. I was really touched when they made a scrapbook from all of our photos and memories together. Indeed, it’s a very unforgettable token of friendship one can give.

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私の父 : My father in Japan

Early this morning, I checked my yahoo mail account and smiled when I saw a mail from my Japanese foster-father. He replied!

Few days ago, I’ve been reminiscing my Japan days. Along with those memories are the Kojimas who served as my Japanese foster family in the youth exchange I have participated. Last Friday, I sent an email to my otoosan and wasn’t expecting his response to be so soon. Usually, it takes two weeks before he can send his letter to me because 1. He’s busy as a news director of Ishikawa prefecture; and 2. He must translate my letter first in Japanese, write a reply in his own language, and then translate it in English. So imagine my delight when I received his response so quick!

The nostalgia I felt made me write the post before this – recounting my two-week stay in the land of the rising sun. A day after, I’m now sharing this short entry about my Japanese family getting communicated with me again.

I had been busy and distracted these three years and I somehow lost my connection to them. At first, the emails were exchanged at least once a week, then once a month, until we lost contact. I’m glad that we are now getting ourselves reacquainted and that they still accept me warmly as their daughter even though I behaved badly as one. For all those things that happened in Japan, I did not once send an email or call my father to inquire on their well-being. I was so preoccupied at that time and I regret that I didn’t even make an effort to continue the relationship.

However, I am willing to put myself back in the family. I initially sent the letter to my father with hopes that he will reply and accept me with open arms, forgive me by being an ungrateful child for all the kindness they have given to me, and rekindle our family relationship. With his reply sent today, I guess I’m lucky that I have a wonderful and forgiving foster family who still loves me.

Here’s one of the photos my otoosan sent me today. Look at my imotos (younger sisters), they’ve grown up so fast!

I hope I can go back to Japan soon and pay my family a visit.

日本が大好き: Japan~

Last Saturday, my friend and I dined in a local Japanese restaurant in Quezon City. The ambience transported me back in Japan with those paintings depicting lovely cherry blossoms in bloom. The meal served was mediocre – perhaps because I’m always partial to authentic Japanese cuisine.

We downed our food with sake, a choice I made. I admit I was tempted to go for avocado juice, but with the atmosphere being so Nihon, I suggested we can do with a bottle of sake.

Okay, some of my readers know that I am not a drinker. Well, you’ll be glad to know that I have only taken a sip of the rice wine then politely set the glass a bit far from me. However, since I am not much acquainted with alcoholic drinks, I cannot give you my opinion on the taste and quality of that sake my friend mostly consumed. I hope you can forgive me.  :)

As I was dining in that restaurant and trying to refresh my memory with all the things I’ve learned in my two-year Japanese language classes, I was hit by nostalgia. I vividly remember those classroom memories when all of my classmates, including me, learned Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji; when our sensei taught us conversational Japanese using her ball pen puppets; when we foolishly played Momotaro wearing our costumes and trying to sound Japanese-like; and when we watch movies in CCP for Eiga Sai. There are many memories of bliss associated with Japan and its language, and I feel ashamed when I realized that I have buried them deep in my consciousness. I should remember that before Korean wave, I have loved Jpop and Jadorama first. That I was half-crazy with animes and mangas before. That Japan made a life-changing experience for me.

September 2008. I have applied for the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youth Program. According to JICE, this is an exchange program to invite youths from overseas to Japan every year with a view towards promoting mutual understanding and friendship with Japanese youths and citizens. I have applied to this program even though I know the competition would be tough especially those coming from the National Capital Region.

February 2009. A list was sent to my university with the names of the youths chosen for the program from all over the Philippines. I was in! I wanted to jump and declare my triumph, but I held myself in check. Three of my friends also applied and they were unlucky. Thus, I contained my excitement until the last week of April, when the preparation for the two-week, all expense paid trip to Japan was starting. Oh, how lucky I’ve felt!

Fast-forward. I’ll be attaching here some of the thousands (?) of photos I have taken when I visited there. I promise I will write my full account of my stay in Japan in my future posts. As for now, let’s just see my ugly photos last 2009.

INFORMATION: I went to Japan on May 2009 when I was 18 years old. Some of you might not recognize me in the photos because I was really a scarecrow at the time – only 33 kg. I know, I know. You will then ask me what happened then. LOL. Anyhow, I went there when H1N1 virus was beginning to spread especially in Japan so please understand why some of the pictures are with masks.

JENESYS 2009 group photo

This is our group photo taken in front of Imperial Palace. Our group consists of 12 females and 11 males. On the bottom level, sixth from the left was our female Philippine Supervisor and on her side was her male counterpart. On both sides of the group, carrying the JENESYS flags were our Japanese coordinators – Imazato and Nakamura-san. And oh, where’s me? Right, go find me. ^_^

This photo should be before the one above, but since I’m too lazy to edit it, I’ll just continue with this. The shot was taken in our two-day, pre-departure orientation in CSB International Hotel in Manila. We were wearing our Philippine National Youth Commision white t-shirts. Unluckily, the shirt was three sizes bigger than my body at that time. Found me? I looked like a sack. T.T

The Philippine student ambassadors in the airport. Yes, we are called student ambassadors, not kidnappers. Please forgive the masks. Not fashionable, but somehow prevented H1n1 virus from hitting any of us.

my first bentou

We arrived in Narita Airport around 4 PM, then in Shinjuku Washington Hotel around 5:30 PM. I was greeted by someone I know but didn’t expect to be there, who will remain unnamed here. Anyway, here’s my first meal in Japan. (One can’t count the Japanese curry in JAL, right?)

with Bi

We were en route to Asakusa when this shot was taken. I miss my close friend, Alexandra. We met prior to the pre-departure orientation and easily got along well. We even have our own endearment – Bi. Actually, I want to post more photos in Asakusa like the Kaminarimon and Asakusa temple, but I couldn’t find my files yet. TT

my first green tea in Japan

Please ignore the masks. I think this was the first time I have tasted “real” green tea, and  I really didn’t like it at that time. It was so bitter and made my tongue and teeth stained with a bit green (laughs). However, one must eat the sweets (mochi) first before drinking the tea, so it balanced the taste. Now, three years after this photo was taken, I am a confessed tea addict – one very partial to green tea.

in Komatsu Technical High School

Yey! School visits. Before this, we flew from Tokyo to Ishikawa prefecture. This was one of the best part of the program. In Ishikawa, we were alternately stayed in Sunroute Hotel in Komatsu City and in homestay. In the picture, we looked like proud student leaders in Japan, showing our country’s flag in the picture. Found me? I was in the center wearing my university uniform.

my Kojima family

Oh, it would be too easy to find me in this photo. I was with my otoosan, a news director for the entire prefecture, imoto Nao, an anime and manga fan, and my okaasan, a singer who just came from Switzerland for a show. Not in this picture were my other imoto Chiisato, and obaasan and ojiichan. I really missed them. T_T

my futon!

bleeh! Yep, that’s me in the picture though you can’t really see my face, haha! This was my room and it was huge! All the four “walls” of the room were actually sliding doors. One was directly to the toilet and another for a view outside.

Another photo in KTS (Komatsu Technical High). This was our farewell presentation to them. We danced the tinikling and played “Hep Hep Hooray” game. In return, they had a wonderful number in their brass band.

jump shot in the Japanese Sea/ East Sea

We looked crazy, I know. It was so much fun that time, that we didn’t even care if we looked stupid. We were foreigners in the land; the idea of which might have given us the excuse. The background of this picture is the contentious East Sea/Japan Sea.

T’was our last day in Ishikawa. In the afternoon, we were to fly back to Tokyo despite of the bad weather. Too many people? It consisted of the 21 youth leaders and their homestay families.

with the Japanese ministers

また逢う日まで. Back at Tokyo, we had two more days before we leave the land of the rising sun. On our last night, we had our cultural presentation witnessed by both JICE and JICA, as well as some Japanese ministers and staff. We danced tinikling and Kabataang Pinoy, Pinoy Ako (PBB Teans Theme). Found me? Just a head and ugly TT

As I have mentioned, I have lots of photos in Japan though I have to look for them. These pictures were found in my e-mail sent to a friend. I will try to put more shots and relate my full account in some posts to come. For now, here’s a slideshow of the sajin I have retrieved.

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Plaid Friday

June 15, 2012

Miss Jae was absent last Thursday. In a way to cheer her up, we chatted via email and talked about our current addiction – E. L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey. We are both enamored to the over-protective, possessive, obsessive (?), clingy, handsome, and super sexy hero and his partner’s love story. At the end of the email thread, I have asked her on what kind of clothes are we to wear for the morrow. [Few Fridays ago, she sent me an SMS informing me to wear long-sleeved shirt, skinny jeans, and flats!] As for the next day, Miss Jae, Micah, and I reached to a consensus to wear plaids. Here are some of our “alluring” photos:

[from left to right:] Micah, Me, Rilakkuma, Miss Jae

practicing my new purikura app

It’s still fun to play dress-up (or dress-down?) once in a while, but what makes it special is to have people who share the same craziness (and not kinky fuckery like Christian Grey) as you. More high school-inspired dress-down ideas coming up!

Nothing better

July 9, 2010

It was my second week of being a Professional Student Teacher (PST English tutor to Koreans) and I bid goodbye to my fellow tutor as the time for her night tutorial arrived. I started taking down the flight of stairs that would take me to the ground floor when I abruptly stopped after hearing a male voice calling my name. “Oh, it’s him again”, I whispered to myself. As he stepped out of the shadow of a darkened hallway, I could see that he is tall, with broad shoulders though slouchy. He approached me and as before, bestowed that crazy smile to me.

I asked where he was going as it was a bit late at that time. He answered that he’d like to take a walk around the condo-hotel and I just gave him one of my no-bother shrug with “Okay”. We both walked out of the building and were absorbed by our 20 questions that we didn’t notice that we had gone far as Robinson’s Place Manila. Since we were almost at the entrance, we just entered the mall and window shopped.

He’s so funny. We are of the same age, but he was more childish than me in a cute way. Suddenly, he asked if I know some 노래방 (karaoke house, literally music room) within the vicinity. I replied with some options, but was not sure if they are offering Korean songs. A bit defeated, he led me to G-box, an amusement section at Robinson’s before. Then I didn’t expect what happened next.

He sat in a bench near the ticket booth and patted the space beside his, ushering me to sit. I obeyed, feeling foolish standing there. He then removed his iPhone from his pocket, plugged his earphones, then began to sing. Sing! I didn’t know what to make out of that crazy yet sweet moment. He sang a Korean song, of course. It was a  slow, romantic song, and for a few seconds he held my hand because I think the lyrics was of holding hands (not sure though, my Korean is still rusty!). When it ended (the song, of course), he asked me what did I think about it. I was like “Er, actually I didn’t understand since you sang it in an alien language”, but  of course I didn’t voice that. “It sounded sweet, but  sad,” I told him. He just smiled his goofy smile, then told me we have to go back.

Walking back to the hotel seemed strange, like something changed. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it at that time, but as I now reminisce those memories I can confidently say that like the song that he sang to me that day, there would be “Nothing Better” than him.

Nothing Better – Brown Eyed Soul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws7lu9H-7xY&feature=related

내게 언젠가 왔던 너의 얼굴을 기억해
멈춰있던 내맘을, 밉게도 고장난 내 가슴을
너의 환한 미소가 쉽게도 연거야

그래 그렇게 내가 너의 사람이 된거야
못났던 내추억들이 이젠 기억조차 않나
나를 꼭잡은 손이 봄처럼 따뜻해서

이제 꿈처럼 내맘은
그대 곁에 가만히 멈춰서요
한순간도 깨지 않는 끝없는 꿈을 꿔요

이제 숨처럼 내곁에
항상 쉬며 그렇게 있어주면
nothing better nothing better than you
nothing better nothing better than you

이제 꿈처럼 내맘은
그대 품에 가만히 안겨있죠
한순간도 깨지 않는 끝없는 꿈을 꾸죠

이제 숨처럼 내곁에
항상 쉬며 그렇게 있어주면
nothing better nothing better than you
nothing better nothing better than you

nothing better nothing better than you

Translation:

It always appeared before me
Your face, I remember
My heart that stopped short
You spitefully took my dysfunctional heart
And with your bright smile
That’s how you easily opened my heart

It’s true, that is how I became your man
All my unpleasant memories, I no longer recall
Because the hand that holds me tight
is as warm as spring

And now like a dream my heart
has gradually stopped by your side
Without awakening for a single moment,
I dream an endless dream

And now like breathing,
if you were to always rest by my side
if you were to always remain this way
nothing better nothing better than you
nothing better nothing better than you

And now like a dream, my heart
in your embrace, is held still
Without awakening for a single moment,
I dream an endless dream

And now like breathing,
if you were to always rest by my side
if you were to always remain this way
nothing better nothing better than you
nothing better nothing better than you

nothing better nothing better than you

Translator: girlwithsmalleyes
Credit: SHINee Forums