Friends for Keeps

from L-R:  Mouna, Shajuan, Xuwei and I at Ooka.

After six (6) long months, I have met a lot of people from different parts of the world.  I have met different races but I always go back to where I truly belong...to my Chinese descent.  Yes, I never ever thought that the people I'll be very much comfortable with would also belong to the same race.  Initially, I've met my colleague from Cohort 18 of World Bank, an Indonesian girl who probably looks like my twin sister...Mouna...then, came my classmate, Xuwei...who became my closest friend here in Japan despite of the age gap that we got.  She already became my younger sis...and we got a 'mommy', my dear Shajuan...who was the first one that I've known before anyone else.  Recently, I became close to my younger brother in Japan, Bao...now I can say that I got my family in Japan.  Thus, homesickness is not an issue anymore...I just miss my daughter...but other than that...I can feel the warmth of the wonderful people that I'm always with...Although most of us will be bidding our 'goodbyes' in a while...I am looking forward that our communication will never end and the friendship will never fade despite of not seeing each other more often.  

from L-R:  Xuwei, Mei (yours truly), Mouna and Bao at Shibuya

Guys, I hope you'll be able to read this blog in the right time...and I hope that we'll cherish all the wonderful memories that we got...:)  Thank you so much  for making my life in Japan worth remembering...I'll surely miss you guys...and I'll always be grateful for having you as important part of my life.

MEILIN :)

My Japanese Life

Some people might thought that my Japanese life is all "bed-of-roses"...but it's not...I also experience some difficulties, confusion, pain, and frustrations.  It may seem OK at first, but in the long run...some things may also change.  I know that these are all the challenges that life has brought for me...and I know that God has His ultimate plans to make me a better person than I am right now.  There are so many reasons to believe that I have to enjoy my life anyway.  There are always a million reason to wake up each day and tell myself that life has so many surprises awaiting for me.  Lord, if this is your one way of telling me that there are so many reasons to feel happy everyday...please allow me to see the light...I can feel that I'm still in the darkness at this moment...still haven't moved on with the life that I used to have.  Although I'm trying my best to cope up with the bitter memories I got, enjoying what I have right now is all that I can do.  Lord, please don't let me move away from my priorities...particularly to my ultimate goals....please guide me that I'll not make the wrong decisions again and be caught unaware...I know that you have better plans for me...please allow me to take that path towards the better tomorrow...I'm still looking forward for that day wherein I'll find myself in the midst of happiness again...and find that one true person that God has planned for me.  I know that he's just somewhere out there...and please lead me the way towards that one true happiness that I've been longing for.  Thank you so much, Lord....

I just saw some sort of an inspiration on this picturesque view.
Source:  Instagram from "moonlightice"

MEILIN :)

My Fave Hangout

Minato Mirai 21 on a cold winter afternoon.
(This photo is not edited.)

It took me a while before I was able to explore one of the best tourist destinations in Yokohama, Japan.  The coolest place that caught my attention is no other than Minato Mirai 21 (みなとみらい21)...I didn't know that I was able to visit that place during my first week in Japan, yet I didn't have the chance to move around at that time.  When I was about to tour one my colleagues from home, Henry, at Yokohama...that's the time I explored MM21 on a rainy day.

First shot at MM21 during my arrival

Further, I also noticed that MM21 already caught my attention the first time I arrived Yokohama City, as shown on the photo above.  Now, I'm loving it more and more as the days and months passes by...and I can say that MM21 has a special place in my heart.  I will never get tired of going back and forth in the place where I can find solitude and happiness. 

Minato Mirai 21...My place of solitude.

MEILIN :)

My Journey Begins...

My departure from my home country, Philippines,  on September 17, 2013 wasn't so easy.  I have to move out of the country for a while for some good reasons and the greatest challenge that I have to face is to adapt to a new life.  I have mixed emotions...sadness...excitement...happiness...fear...all at the same time, yet the troubled emotion didn't last long.  As I bid goodbye to my father and my best friend, Judy on that day, I knew that something BIG is waiting for me.  It was my first international flight and no one was as excited as I am to see how Japan really looks like and how does it feel to live in the said country at that very moment.

Narita International Airport

Now, it's almost four (4) months since I came here in the "Land of the Rising Sun"...and I am happy to tell a lot of wonderful stories from the time I arrived at the Narita International Airport to my arrival at Yokohama City and Tokyo.  I also wanted to share some of the precious moments that I got with my interaction with different people from various countries around the globe.  The experiences are beyond compare and I can surely say that my journey already began but it will never end...because all of the experiences I got and all the things I learned...plus all the people I met...are the gateway towards something more to come.

First shot at Yokohama-shi

As my new life unfolded, I'm truly blessed and grateful for all the people behind the fulfillment of my life-long dream...and will forever be grateful for all the friends that I already met and will eventually meet...and of course, nothing can be compared for the gratitude that I wanted to give to our Father above, our God...our Savior...HE IS THE ULTIMATE REASON why I am here today...without his blessings and guidance, everything would be impossible...A million thanks, Lord...You are really great...please continue to bless and guide me as I continue my journey...Amen.

MEILIN :)