Late-Night Cyling and Shopping in Hamamatsu

I planned to cycle the outskirts of Hamamatsu this summer. But the heat was very discouraging so I've done my cycling at night. Cycling at night is awesome! Few cars, less people and refreshing breeze. The only problem is there's no place to really go at night. The only places I've visited during my night cycling trips are late-night stores.

Here are some places I've visited Hamamatsu when dreamland was still far away:

1. Seiyu

Seiyu is a 24-hour supermarket. It has more items than your average kombini or convenience store. The goods are cheaper too even compared to other supermarkets in the area. From Hamamatsu Station, the nearest Seiyu is only about 15 minutes for a cyclist of normal speed. If you're still up for an intense late night cycling, go up to Hamakita for a bigger Seiyu store. They have clothes, shoes , bags and household & office items.

How to Get There: Follow the JR train line from Hamamatsu Station going to Toyohashi. Cycle on the side opposite of Entetsu so you don't have to cross the streets. It's behind the building with a YAMAHA logo but it's not the Yamaha Office. Use Google maps if you're still lost.

For Seiyu Hamakita, follow the red train going to Nishikajima. It's near Pleha Walk, the mall near Hamakita Station. You can't miss it cause it's really big. I'm telling you now that it's really far.  It took me more than an hour to get there and I regret going that far at night in that area. It's pretty dark along the way and I'm one of those people who are afraid of the dark. I don't recommend cycling at Seiyu Hamakita at night.

2. Don Quijote

Instead of going all the way to Seiyu Hamakita, there's a nearer department store from Hamamatsu Station called Don Quijote. It's along the same road as the nearer Seiyu but on the opposite side. Cycling there from Hamamatsu Station takes about 30 minutes or more depending on your speed. The whole first floor is a big supermarket with some clothes, shoes and bags too. The second is a department store with more clothes, shoes, bags, cosmetics, household items, appliances, etc. Don Quijote is only open until 2 am.

How to Get There: Again, just follow the JR train going to Toyohashi. You'll ride past Seiyu, Cats' Cafe and Mc Donalds. You can't miss it cause its building is quite big. It has a blue top with a huge parking lot. It's across from a car office.

3. Mc Donalds and Denny's

There were some days when I got tired looking at items at Seiyu and Don Quijote. As an alternative, I'd cycle to 24-hour food shops and grab a dessert or some snack. For late night food cravings, there are Mc Donalds and Denny's.

How to Get There: Mc Donalds is along the same road as Seiyu and Don Quijote. It's between these two stores. I like this particular Mc Donalds place because it's bigger and more quiet than the one in the station.

Denny's is on the opposite side. It's quite hard to give the direction in writing except to say don't follow any train line. Cycle along the road going to AEON Irino. That's the simplest direction I can give. Again, use Google maps for clearer direction.

I wish I've cycled to more exciting places but I'm too weak for the summer heat. Summer's almost over so maybe I can take up day cycling again. Problem is, vacation's almost over too so I don't know when I'll ever get to cycle to nicer places. Anyhow, at least I've got some place to go even at night. I might even have memorized the prices of their goods there.


 How about you, where do you go for a late-night bike ride or walking trip?

For ALT's: Why You Should Go to the Clubs

The word "Clubs" in this entry's title does not mean bars or discoes (Geez, that sounds so decades ago.) I'm referring to the sports and arts clubs in junior high schools. The Japanese word for it is "Bukatsu." Remember that word (BUKATSU) cause half of the students don't know the English word for it. 

In Japan, JHS students spend half of their time in their clubs. They'd have clubs almost everyday from 3:30 to 6:00 pm. Some lasts until 8 pm. Students go to clubs even on Saturdays and sometimes on Sundays. Hence, clubs define the students' lives in junior high school. It's where they imbibe the sempai system. It's where they develop friendships that would last for years. It's where they find confidence in themselves even when their academics are not impressive. 

Because clubs are important for the students, I personally recommend ALT's to take time in visiting school clubs. Here are my reasons: 

1. It would let you see your students in a different and better light. 

When I started visiting clubs, I began to understand why some students look sleepy in class all the time. Imagine playing soccer, tennis, track, basketball and other sports for 4-5 hours everyday. That's like a gym workout good for a week. No wonder the students look tired all the time. 

When I started visiting clubs, I was surprised to see low-performing students in class show excellent skills in their sports clubs. I was ashamed of myself for underestimating some students. They may not be great in my class but they're just amazing in their clubs. I started to actually respect them. 

When I started visiting clubs, I also learned to appreciate the seemingly unfriendly students in class. Students are happier and friendlier when they're in their clubs than in the classroom. They're more carefree and more open to talking with me. Had I not visited clubs, I would have missed the chance of knowing how really funny some students are. 

2. It would help improve your relationship with your students. 

Clubs are important to the students. Whoever gives importance to whatever is important for them, would be treated as a friend. That simple. 

I have a theory that the more time you spend on your students' clubs the more willing they'll be to participate in class. I saw this happen all the time. There were quiet students who started talking to me and being active in class when I started visiting their clubs. 

Even in the hallways, where I used to feel like a passing shadow, the students started acknowledging me. Some would even chat for a minute or would tell me a joke or would show me a trick. I felt more welcome in the school. 

3. It would give you a chance to speak to club teachers. 

Aside from improving your relationship with students, there's also a chance for you to improve your rapport with other teachers. All clubs are handled by one or two school teacher. They'd hang out for an hour or two in their clubs just to survey how the students are doing. Usually, I'd talk to them in these times. Teachers who seem unfriendly during class hours are surprisingly warm when you speak to them. 

I know that visiting clubs is not part of an ALT's job description. Still, doing this would greatly help to make our jobs easier. It's not even an extra mile. It's just an extra step that wouldn't really hurt. In fact, sometime I enjoy being in the clubs more  than in the classroom. 

Why I Use English?

A friend asked me why don't I use Tagalog in writing. For her, I'm a Filipino so I should be writing in Tagalog. It made me think. I thought why my Filipino friend doesn't know that the Philippine's official language is called Filipino and not Tagalog. (Tagalog is a regional language.) Instead of educating her, I just told her. "I'm at ease using English when I write."

My own answer made me think. Why can I write more easily in English when writing? And why does my friend bother telling me to write in Filipino when she doesn't even read my blog?

Why, You Using English?

Since I have plenty of time these days and August is Filipino Language's Month, I took time to reflect why I use English all the time in writing. First, I realized that my sentences are shorter when I use English. My essays would be longer if I use Filipino. I'm worried that no one would read my blog since the entries would look longer. (By the way, Filipino looks like a longer language because we use the consonant-vowel combination when syllabicating words. English uses the letter's sounds in syllabication.)

Modesty aside, I can write pretty well in Filipino. I was awarded "Best in Filipino," when I was in high school. Also, I can teach Filipino's grammar even though I'm an English teacher. I know the correct usage of confusing Filipino prepositions such as "ng" and "nang." (These two are being interchangeably used by most Filipinos.) I can explain how to find the focus of the verb. (This is a grammar lesson that most students hate.) And I can still summarize the Philippine's two greatest novels- Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Modesty aside again, I believe I can call myself a true bilingual- I can communicate fluently both in English and Filipino and not in Taglish. (Taglish is a combination of English and Tagalog words in a sentence.) I didn't set aside learning my native language for the sake of English.

English is Formal, Filipino is Impormal

Despite of these, I still choose to write in English. It's not because I don't like to use Filipino. I just realize now that writing for me is a formal means of communication. At the same time, I grew up in a culture where English is the formal language of communication. So in my mind, writing and English should go together. I'm not comfortable using Filipino in writing because Filipino sounds quite informal.

The Filipinos have a weird way in using English and Filipino. In formal events, the host or emcee would usually use English even though the guests are all Filipinos. It's a formal event so it's time to use English! Even in the schools, students would use English when delivering reports and presentations then they'd revert back to Filipino as soon as they're out of the classroom. In radio and TV, it was only in the past 15 years that Filipino was used in reporting news. English was used for the longest time. In print until now, tabloids use Filipino while broadsheets use English. Presidents used to deliver their speeches in English. No wonder people go to rallies all the time. They can't understand their own leaders. When I watched the impeachment trials, everything was in English you'd think you're in another country. I could give more examples but my main point is this: I view writing as a formal language. Hence, I use English.

Native English Level...Daw

This entry was originally written in Filipino. When I read the original version, it felt like it was very informal. Seems like I was just talking to a friend. I can't help it. I can't change how I view my native language over night. It doesn't mean however that the original version is of lesser value. Truth be told, I do miss speaking to friends in Filipino. I'm using English here all the time and a little Japanese.

Without sounding like a braggart, I think I can communicate in English fluently. I've been asked many times if I've lived in the US or UK. I feel good about myself whenever people say that. By the way, I was also Best in English when I was in high school. Communicating with English speakers all the time made me think that I have native English level. However, I've realized in many instances that though I can communicate in English, I'm still a Filipino at heart. I laugh louder and more genuinely when the jokes are in Filipino. I feel lighter speaking in Filipino. I sound more emotional when I speak in Filipino. I'd be hurt badly if someone curse me in Filipino. I can see myself more when I write in Filipino.

My mother's family has a weird habit which was passed on to me. I express my anger in English. My boyfriend would just be quiet when I'm angry because he said he doesn't understand me anymore. I realize that I speak in English when I'm angry because I filter myself. Speaking in English help me think twice before saying anything hurtful. Also, using English in anger has less impact than if I use Filipino. If my words in anger have been translated in Filipino, my boyfriend and I would have split up long time ago. A lot of people notice too that I sound more polite, kind and genteel when I use English. I don't know why cause when my mouth is full of crazy things when I use Filipino. I was even teased as a bully because of how I speak in Filipino. I can't help it, I'm one crazy Filipino.

Sorry, Susulat Pa Rin Ako in English

Still, after all I've written, I decided to still write in English. My blog statistics would go lower if I use Filipino. Sad to say, Filipinos are not readers. Unless a blog is full of showbiz news, people won't take time to read it. Also, my top readers are not from the Philippines. I'm actually surprised that my country only ranked 4th or 5th in this blog's traffic. I believe I can reach more people around the world by using English.

The next reason for using English is this- I like it! For some unfathomable reasons, I feel more creatively free when I use English in writing. I'm free to make mistakes, to be boring, to sound preachy or to sound dramatic. I can't understand why this is so. This would be much longer if I think about this again.

All I know is this, I may be writing in English but I my heart's still a Filipino.


Here's the Original Version: Bakit English Ako ng English?