For 2 Pinoy students, Japanese hospitality reminds them of home
SAKAI CITY, Japan – For two Filipino students who stayed with Japanese families here for over two weeks in October, it was an experience in warm hospitality comparable only to home.
Elaine Alterado, 19, and Avril Magno, 18, were in Sakai City from October 4 to 20 as minken taishi or cultural ambassadors, part of the Sakai-ASEAN Week 2014 program. Both are third year college students at the De La Salle University in Manila taking up International Studies majoring in Japanese.
During their stay in Sakai they lived with separate host families whom they said made them feel at home.
“Napaka-hospitable po nila... Kahit di ko kakilala napaka-helpful po nila,” Alterado said, adding that her host family even cooked a Filipino dish to welcome her.
“Katunayan nga po nung nalaman nila na Filipino yung kanilang iho-host nagluto po sila para sa akin ng kare-kare,” she said.
Magno echoed these sentiments, adding that the only difference between Filipinos and the Japanese is that the former is more “lively.”
“Parehong hospitable. Maalaga rin [silang mga Japanese]. Siguro mas lively lang [ang Filipinos],” she said.
Magno resided with a family of three in the west side of Sakai City while Alterado stayed with a family of four in the east.
Teaching and learning Japanese
During the program, Alterado and Magno were given the role as cultural ambassadors and their main objective was to strengthen the ties between Japan and the Philippines.
To do this they taught Japanese elementary students in five different schools about the Philippines while speaking in Nihonggo.
Alterado said it made her happy preparing lesson plans for her young Japanese pupils. She taught them Filipino greetings and other information about the country like its flag, geography and traditional attire.
Meanwhile, Magno said her Japanese pupils made her feel energized while she was teaching them.
“Kasi 'yung first na session with grade two students sobrang kukulit nila so nahahawa kami ng energy nila,” she said.
Nihonggo
Both are first timers in Japan but have learned basic Nihonggo mostly from watching Japanese dramas. They then honed their Nihonggo in college and have passed the entry level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.
According to them, they have a lot of memorable experiences during their stay in Sakai City, especially the moments they spent with their host families.
“Napansin ko every day 'yun 'yung nilu-look forward ko. Inaalagaan talaga nila ako. [Inaalam nila kung] anong gusto mo kainin. Alagang-alaga [talaga ako],” Magno said.
“As a whole, mahilig na talaga ako sa Asian culture so parang pagdating ko dito para talaga siyang dream come true na finally nakapunta na ako ng Japan,” Alterado said.
For these Filipinos, going to Sakai City was even made sweeter with the fact that the Japanese made them feel at a home away from home.
They are planning to further their knowledge in Nihonggo and will take the second level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test this December. —KBK, GMA News
Elaine Alterado, 19, and Avril Magno, 18, were in Sakai City from October 4 to 20 as minken taishi or cultural ambassadors, part of the Sakai-ASEAN Week 2014 program. Both are third year college students at the De La Salle University in Manila taking up International Studies majoring in Japanese.
Elaine Alterado and Avril Magno wear their Philippine traditional dresses during the welcome reception of the Sakai-ASEAN Week 2014. Andrei Medina
“Napaka-hospitable po nila... Kahit di ko kakilala napaka-helpful po nila,” Alterado said, adding that her host family even cooked a Filipino dish to welcome her.
“Katunayan nga po nung nalaman nila na Filipino yung kanilang iho-host nagluto po sila para sa akin ng kare-kare,” she said.
Magno echoed these sentiments, adding that the only difference between Filipinos and the Japanese is that the former is more “lively.”
“Parehong hospitable. Maalaga rin [silang mga Japanese]. Siguro mas lively lang [ang Filipinos],” she said.
Magno resided with a family of three in the west side of Sakai City while Alterado stayed with a family of four in the east.
Teaching and learning Japanese
During the program, Alterado and Magno were given the role as cultural ambassadors and their main objective was to strengthen the ties between Japan and the Philippines.
To do this they taught Japanese elementary students in five different schools about the Philippines while speaking in Nihonggo.
Alterado said it made her happy preparing lesson plans for her young Japanese pupils. She taught them Filipino greetings and other information about the country like its flag, geography and traditional attire.
Meanwhile, Magno said her Japanese pupils made her feel energized while she was teaching them.
“Kasi 'yung first na session with grade two students sobrang kukulit nila so nahahawa kami ng energy nila,” she said.
Nihonggo
Both are first timers in Japan but have learned basic Nihonggo mostly from watching Japanese dramas. They then honed their Nihonggo in college and have passed the entry level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.
According to them, they have a lot of memorable experiences during their stay in Sakai City, especially the moments they spent with their host families.
“Napansin ko every day 'yun 'yung nilu-look forward ko. Inaalagaan talaga nila ako. [Inaalam nila kung] anong gusto mo kainin. Alagang-alaga [talaga ako],” Magno said.
“As a whole, mahilig na talaga ako sa Asian culture so parang pagdating ko dito para talaga siyang dream come true na finally nakapunta na ako ng Japan,” Alterado said.
For these Filipinos, going to Sakai City was even made sweeter with the fact that the Japanese made them feel at a home away from home.
They are planning to further their knowledge in Nihonggo and will take the second level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test this December. —KBK, GMA News
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