31 March 2006
12mn-4am
World Trade Center

Kenny, Parker, Tauffer, Bruce, Charlotte and Charlotte’s Boyf

 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/96/03312006-_Hed_Kandi

 

12nn- grocery shopping
2pm- boxing at red corner
4pm- 3rd trial shoot at intramuros
7pm- dinner at via mare, greenbelt
8pm- sound trip
10pm- timezone trivia challenge
1130pm- meet arezu at jill’s
1145pm- saw marcus and isabel
1200mn- drei and john arrives
1230am- saw angelo and co.
130am- king arrives
330am- pack-up
4am- arrive at king’s casa, pque

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/88/03252006-_Jills

Wishful Thinking

By Peddler of Dreams

One minute, you thought to yourself

Wow, I’m going to Japan

The next minute

Unfolded slowly yet quickly

22 complete strangers thrown in the pit

In the dark as to who each other were

Grouped to dance and sing

Cooperation started the whole thing

Meeting here and there

Reminders everywhere

Managed the little scratches on the wall

Still we united to work through it all

One almost didn’t make it due to a piece of paper

Another was a mere substitute

But Fate brought us all together

For a reason we will yet discover

A lot is missed

Takashima, Nakamura, Eto, ____sang, schedules

The adoring smile of grandpa koji and panic-stricken Sisa-sang

Are there any questions? Then translations

We would like to express…Iro-iro arigato gozaimasu

Boring seminars that turned to fun just by looking at everyone’s faces

Roll calls, complete! Long bus rides, automatic toll gates

Dragging your body off the bed, blending water temps

Packing, unpacking and the never-ending packing and unpacking

Winona Ryder-ing eggs, cheese, bread, jams from the cafeteria

Buffets, Mylkayla, a surprise gift over lunch

Dinner at Julius’, sharing, first impressions, heaters

Drinking sessions, hoarding the wine, collections for Sake

Dancing over udon and eating it afterwards

Mahiyahee… Mahiyahoo… Mahiyahaha…

Penetrating Japanese TV and broadsheet

The never-ending laughter

The never-ending pictures -sashin sashin

The language that we only speak of

Well… with the toss of hair

Perfect! Fun! Kakosa. Buds. Official Photographer.

Akihabara. Nipponbashi. Tara na biyahe tayo. Indeed.

Noodle romance. Pink earmuffs. Bags of chocolats!

And the list goes on,

Lake Hotel, in-house seminar, 3-day homestay 

Hotel Rhiga, yaku-yen Store, a quaint mexican place

A kindness that will never be forgotten

Mount Fuji, Japanese friends, Tokyo University

Wonders of the ubiquitous world

Where imagination is reality

The Kagawa Elementary School

And the most heartwarming welcome received from strangers

A huge and overwhelmingly thrilled crowd

Dancing PBB on the stage and them dancing with us

The excitement in their eyes and the joy we felt

Sharing their excitement

Things I miss most

A sweet smile, group in laughter

Twinkle of the eye, moments to share

The smell of group love in the air

And the tender sweet hugs I get 

I wish I listened more, sang more

Danced until every bone in my body hurt

I wish I woke up earlier or slept later

I wish I talked more and laughed harder

Japan revived an old flame

A childhood memory, eagerness to interact with strangers

Long forgotten talents, appreciated efforts

Quiet walks along unfamiliar streets

In a sea of unfamiliar faces, yet we’ve found home in each other’s eyes

Nothing can ever get me down when I think of my days in Japan.

Not a 2-hour bumper-to-bumper, or boxes of things to do at the office

Not a missed gimmick, chika or birthday

Not a lost wallet, nor a fat belly, nor a huge dent on the car

Disappointments are of forgotten history

Appreciation of life has reached new heights

Every minute spent mad or upset is a minute of happiness you might not get again

Fate has shown me so much beauty and I feel so blessed to ever be stressed.

Japan has reiterated this in my life.

 

Embarking on different adventures

One quite lovely as the next

Same can be said with the people I shared it with

I wonder what I did right to deserve being part of this group

A smile opens the door

But friendship begins when the bad times start

That which little disagreements we have sorted out, has made the bond stronger

Friendship doesn’t end in beautiful sunsets, hearty buffets

It doesn’t end at the bus stop or at the airport

It stems long after the good times are over

My encounter with Japan, so many sights we’ve seen

The taste of different adventures, of being most welcomed and attended to

The kindness of people, the generosity of the orgs

The solidarity of our group, the love and connection between us

Has touched me beyond compare

It’s like a part of me was left in Japan

And I’ll never be the same

It was a journey most of us wished it would never end

It matters not coz we had the time of our life.

At least through a small window, we got a glimpse of paradise

Where hearts rejoice and love is shared generously

How we ever so fervently wish

That another adventure begin

Now if we get another chance to

Seal that happiness forever and never let it get away

Moments that take our breath away

Will we ever be lucky to find that kind of bliss again?

If only

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/78/Japan_Random_Pics