Yesterday, I found myself facing a familiar adversary—Imposter Syndrome. Four months into our posting in Tokyo, I unexpectedly found myself seated in a meeting room, ready to interview an official from one of Japan’s top luxury developers. With over a decade of experience in journalism, much of...
CALM WITHIN THE BUSTLING CITY. Renting a rowboat is possible during the spring up to the warmer months but it's most popular during spring for sakura and during autumn when the leaves turn orange Spring heralds the end of winter’s chill, ushering in warmer, brighter days along with the eagerly...
PH'S FIRST FEMALE AMBASSADOR. H.E. Trinidad Legarda (Photo from the DFA) It seems like it’s only recently— maybe the last two decades or so—that women are being truly celebrated in the field of diplomacy. Delving into the annals of history however reveals a long list of female diplomats who,...
EDUCATION IS KEY In the City of Toda in Japan, public schools are visited by government officials from all over the world to see how they are modernizing learning Last week, I had the privilege of visiting schools in Toda City within Japan’s Saitama Prefecture. The visit offered a glimpse into...
UNPACKING MORE THAN THINGS How much do we truly need for a life well-lived? In the column I wrote when we first arrived in Tokyo, I said that I would give myself time to play tourist and slowly settle in. I gave myself the deadline of when our shipment finally arrived. We had to delay its departure...
CULTURAL SHOWCASE Beyond the sights, the country's rich cultural heritage is a major come on for travelers On the. evening of February 12, against the backdrop of Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel, the Philippines shone brightly as it hosted Tourism Night. The event, hosted by the Philippine government,...
AUTHENTICITY CAN BE YOUR SOFT POWER Heart Evangelista's personal branding, thanks to her authenticity, allows her to work with a broad spectrum of brands, from high luxury to mass products I didn’t expect to find myself back home in Manila this quickly. After only being in Tokyo for six weeks and...
VIVA PIT SEÑOR Sinulog dancers with their Sto. Niño statues Across bustling Tokyo, whispers of home still flutter—in the familiar lilt of Tagalog laughter echoing through the streets of Meguro, in the aroma of laing wafting from the church’s community hall. Here, at the Meguro Catholic Church...
Photos MANILA BULLETIN, SHUTTERSTOCK Every year, we get a good number of publications talking about the best practices of different countries when it comes to soft power. This, as kids say on Tiktok, is my Roman Empire—a topic that lives rent free in my head and something that I tend to judge...
I have no itch to get out of the city just yet since everything in Tokyo still feels shiny, new, and exciting. But the opportunity presented itself when our friends Shilpa and Brian decided to visit us. I would normally give a hard no to guests before we’ve fully settled in. Knowing that...
POST-QUAKE AKIHABARA Life goes on for the rest of the country with most tourists unaware of how bad the earthquake was in other parts of Japan For a few years now, I’ve been advocating for welcoming the new year without a hangover. I can’t remember for sure but I guess I was influenced by the...
GETTING BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM FRIENDS Haruki, the author's friend, helps the author figure out how to use the best train car for more efficient transfers A lot of people like to think of expat life, especially diplomatic life, as glamorous. I think this is because hardly anybody ever talks...
