Category Archives: Uncategorized

Exploring Berlin

May 21, 2007Uncategorizedkathy

Hello from Berlin! We got here safe and sound. Many thanks to those who wrote their well-wishes for the trip. Nakakapagod, pero enjoy. 🙂 I am able to snatch a few minutes of internet time (of course I wrote this post offline first, hehe), so time for an update. I don’t know when I’d be able to post again, so might as well try posting one while we’re here.

Although Berlin is the capital city of Germany, ironically, it doesn’t accommodate international flights from Japan. All flights from Japan are routed via other major cities like Frankfurt, or in our case, Amsterdam. We took the KLM flight because we wanted to gain points for our mileage program, hehe. 🙂 So after an 11-hour non-stop flight from Narita to Amsterdam, we found ourselves “stranded” at the Schipol Airport for another four hours before boarding another flight for Berlin.

Lounge chairs at the Schipol – don’t you just wish all airport terminals have these?

Baggy was able to catch a few winks while lying on the chair, but I wasn’t able to because Aya kept pestering me. 🙁 For some reason, she was frisky, alive-alert-awake-enthusiastic when we arrived in Amsterdam. No rest for the poor mom.

When we arrived at the Tegel airport in Berlin, we immediately looked for a taxi to take us to the hotel. The first taxi we approached had a driver who immediately shook his head at us and shooed us away, for some reason we couldn’t understand. He talked to us in German and pointed at Aya. He then gestured to the next taxi in line, whose driver was only too glad to have us. The woman (yes, a woman!) immediately took out a child seat from her car’s trunk and smiled and nodded at us several times, as if to assure us that we’d be in good hands. So apparently, the first taxi who refused to let us ride was because he didn’t have a child seat in his taxi. Hmm. Interesting. This is the first time for me to be in a country where child seats are mandatory, even for public vehicles. This is not enforced in Japan. There is a law, of course, for private vehicles about using child seats. But I could see for myself that many people just don’t bother putting their children on child seats anymore. I think the law enforcers are getting way too slack on this matter.

Anyway, our hotel is within the Charlottesburg district. Our first day was spent exploring the immediate area within our hotel. I was shocked, though, to find a relatively modern city, devoid of any distinctly old and ancient buildings or structures. Save for the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedachtniskirche or Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, which happens to be one of Berlin’s best-known sights. The chuch was built in 1891-1895 in honor of Kaiser Wilhelm I. Much of the building was destroyed during the World War II. What remains of it still stands, and is flanked on both sides by modern structures, which looked pretty drab on the outside but rocks on the inside. 🙂 The inside of the octagonal chapel is decorated blue stained glass windows on all sides. It is simply stunning.

(Pictures to follow!)

Fortunately, Joy, a fellow Pinay and who is one of my long-time friends and also lived in Tsukuba several years ago, is also here with her family. What a happy reunion! I guess, as long as our husbands attend the same conference, there would always be an opportunity for us to meet. 😉 The last time we met was about three years ago, when her husband attended the same conference in Kyoto. Anyway, during our second day, Joy and her daughter Sinta were kind enough to give us a tour to Tiergarten and Mitte districts.

At the Reichstag. See the long queue behind us?

First in our stop is the Reichstag – home to the German parliament. I wanted to climb the modern glass dome, but there was a queue outside which was discouragingly long. Note: when we passed by much later in the afternoon, lo and behold, the queue was gone. We should try our luck next time, just make sure to come in the late afternoon. So to use Ahnuld’s words in the Terminator: I’ll be behk! 🙂

Next stop – Brandenburger Tor or Brandenburg Gate. My guidebook tells me that the Gate was constructed in 1791, and built as a triumphal arch celebrating Prussia’s capital city. The Gate was also the scene of celebrations when the Berlin Wall came down. At the top of the Gate is the Quadriga statue, a four-horse chariot driven by Victoria, the goddess of conquest.

Full view of the Brandenburger Tor from Pariser Platz.

Me and Aya at the Brandenburger Tor.

A rather surprising sight caught our attention as we were walking at the Pariser Platz:

A rather stinky collection

Nope. Those dolphins are not for sale. They’re dead, and they’re stinking under the heat of the sun. The smell reminds me of bagoong. Aside from dolphins, we also saw a dead beluga whale, and a small baby whale. The marine creatures were out on display as Greenpeace members made painstaking efforts to pour ice and cold water on the dead bodies. A rather profound effect, if you’d ask me. I’d say I heard the message LOUD and CLEAR.

Read the related story here.

Here is another interesting place: the Denkmal fur die ermordeten Juden Europas, or memorial to the Jewish Holocaust victims. A creation by Peter Eisenmann, this field of stelae’ – all 2,711 of them – are arranged over 19, 704 sq. meters. At first glance, the place looks like a cemetery. But the concrete slabs are not marked, and they vary in height. Aya and I walked through the slabs and crossed to the other side. It felt like walking in a labyrinth. I made sure to put Aya on the stroller, lest she wanders off. It would be such a mother’s nightmare to have a child get lost in that maze!

Notice how the slabs are way shorter in this area

Apparently, there is still an ongoing debate about this memorial, because some groups protested about the remembrance of other victims in the Holocaust – including gays, gypsies, blacks, etc.

Towards the middle, the slabs are several meters high and towered above me. Ahm…definitely not a place for claustrophobic people. Thank goodness I’m not one.

When we visited the place, it was midday and the hot sun was scorching us throughout. It could get pretty stifling while walking through the slabs. The spaces between the slabs are just enough to let one person pass.

Just one more point of interest before I end. Our last stop is the Berliner Dom, or Berlin Cathedral. Like so many buildings in Berlin, this too suffered heavy damage during the World War II. Only two of the building’s original three parts remain. For me, the inside wasn’t so spectacularly stunning, as with some cathedrals I’ve visited in other parts of Europe. And we even have to pay 5 euro to get in. 🙁 There’s a crypt underneath the dome, which contains the tombs of Prussian rulers like King Friedrich I and Queen Sophie Charlotte. The sarcophagi spooked Aya, actually. Maybe I shouldn’t have explained that the sarcophagi held dead people inside??? Oopss. 😛

View of the Berliner Dom from a bridge on Spree River. That boat is one of those cruise boats for tourists.

Here is Aya (right) with Sinta (left) posing at the back of the cathedral. They looked like they had a good time, inspite of the heat and all that walking.

Well, this would be all for now. Hope to post more later. 🙂

Bound for Berlin

May 18, 2007Uncategorizedkathy

It’s travel season once again, and this time we’re off to Germany. I’ve never been to this country before, so I am really looking forward to having my first taste of Deutschsland. When I first heard that this year’s venue would be Berlin, my first reaction was: Huh?!! What is there to see in Berlin, anyway? The Berlin Wall? Historically significant, yes, but I wouldn’t prefer to spend a fortune on airplane tickets and hotel just to see a wall that is no longer “there.” Who knows that Berlin is the capital of Germany anyway? I mean, we think UK, and London comes to mind. We think France, and Paris comes to mind. We think Italy, and Rome comes to mind. And vice versa. Well, you get the picture. Berlin just doesn’t have the same allure as those famous touristy places.

This better be as good as it looks!

I got pretty worried when I went to the local bookstore, and couldn’t find any exclusive guidebook on Berlin or Germany. Heyy! I thought. Why couldn’t I find ベルリン among the 地球の歩き方(Globetrotter in Japanese) series?!! Don’t tell me that they ran out of stock???

So I checked the online store for guidebooks on Germany or Berlin. And voila! I heaved a sigh of relief when I found several books on Berlin. I chose the book with the title, “Time Out Berlin.” I’ve yet to peruse through the book – I intend to read it more seriously on the plane. That is, if Aya would give me enough time to read it. Grin! Why even need a guidebook? Well, when you’re traveling with a toddler and you only got one week to explore the neighborhood, using a guidebook is the next best thing to getting a personal tourguide.

Well, anyways, I’ve got to get back to packing our stuffs and last-minute checking of the things we have to bring with us, so I’ll bid you all sayonara for now. We’re leaving early tomorrow morning. Yay!

Hopefully, I’d be able to blog while in Berlin to give you a blow-by-blow account of our adventures there. And to all the readers of this blog and my online kaberks, forgive me if I would be slow in replying to your comments and being MIA in bloghopping for a while.

Mmm, I could already taste the frankfurters…haha. See you again from another time zone! Bis später!

The Tradition Lives On

May 14, 2007Uncategorizedkathy

Here in Tsukuba, there is always something to look forward to right after the Golden Week. It’s what keeps Pinoy scholars and students, better known as FAST (Association of Filipino Scholars in Tsukuba) busy as bees even during the holidays when everyone else is having fun. But for a good reason. For all the seven years that I’ve stayed here in Tsukuba, FAST has always been an active participant in the Tsukuba Festival, or Tsukuba International Exchange Fair. Traditionally, the festival is held on the weekend after the Golden Week. Now on its 20th year, it has always been a highly attended affair, giving foreigners like us an opportunity to showcase our culture to the Japanese community.

What makes it amazing, for me at least, is that whereas the association goes through a lot of changes every year, what with the addition of new scholars and the inevitable graduating of old ones, FAST has never ceased to uphold the tradition of participating in the festival. Most of them are students, mind you, not professional dancers. But give them a few days (or weeks?) of practice, and they could master Tinikling as if they have been doing it for a long time. They’re not professional cooks, but their adobo and pancit will sell like hotcakes at the Pinoy booth. 🙂

How do they learn the dances? By learning from those who have danced them before. By watching the videos of sempais (seniors) and memorizing the dance movements based on what they’ve seen. So I have the utmost respect for them. Dancing is never my forte, which is probably why I’d been relegated to introducing the dances instead, lol.

Woohoo! The one and only time I got to wear a Maria Clara costume. Of course, back then I was still slim enough to fit in it, hahah. Taken in May 2000’s Tsukuba Festival. With Jim, my dashing and handsome co-emcee.

This year was favored with good weather, unlike in some recent years where it rained, spoiling the shows. But the Pinoys were always there, cheering the performers and flocking to the Filipino booth to buy goodies. Halu-halo is a bestseller, even in the coolest spring weather. Adobo always seems to be on the menu, and it is always the first one to be sold out.

Here are a few photos taken during the presentation by FAST members this year. For more pictures, just visit the FAST website.

Bao and Pinoys: Made in the Philippines. Hey, that guy at the far left looks kind of familiar, doesn’t he? Hmm. 🙂

Lovely displays of malong. All-female dance featuring the beauties of FAST. 🙂

Tinikling or bamboo dance. Great job, you two! No toes were harmed in the making of this dance. 😛

And oh yeah, you can also view the YouTube videos below:

Maglalatik and Malong-malong Dance

And the ever-famous, well-applaused Tinikling

Once again, congratulations and otsukaresamadeshita to all FAST members and officers! Mabuhay ang Pinoy! Until next year!

The Jugemu Chant by Aya

May 14, 2007Uncategorizedkathy

Many thanks to Ms. Campbell for her interest in hearing the Jugemu chant. In return, I recorded a podcast with my daughter Aya chanting Jugemu. Hope you find this useful.

For those who are not familiar with this chant, just click on the controls below. Have fun! 🙂

[podcast: “uploads/Podcast/jugemu.mp3”]

Futuristic Shopping

May 7, 2007Uncategorizedkathy

Year 1996.
I buy my books from a catalog. I place my orders through the mail. Then wait for a month for my orders to arrive. Afterwards I send a postal money order through the post office to pay for the books.

Year 2007.
I click and pay. The books get delivered the day after.

Ahh, the wonders of today’s shopping. It’s one of the reasons why I love the internet. It has made shopping more convenient than one can imagine. I’ve ordered everything from books to furniture to clothes via online shopping.

Who knows how everything would change ten years hence? If there’s one thing that I wish I can skip on weekends because it’s too time-consuming, it’s doing my groceries. Sigh. Not to mention the effort it takes to drive to the grocery store, pick the items off the shelf, bring the stuff to the cashier to pay, then haul everything back home. I’ve tried ordering by catalog before, but unfortunately found out that I couldn’t buy everything I want, so I still ended up going to the grocery store just to buy them.

We always do our groceries on weekends. For a family of four (including my wicked sister who’s staying with us), on average we haul four or five bags heavy with groceries every time. I shudder to think of how many more bags would be needed, or how many times one has to go to the groceries to refill, for a much bigger family.

I’ve heard that the futuristic shopping would involve RFID tags on consumer items, and one would simply have to breeze through scanners unlike the conventional and time-consuming checking out at the cashier. Here is an example of how doing your groceries in the future would be like:

Wincor Nixdorf uses a grocery store to demonstrate how today’s — for the most part anonymous — grocery shopping can be developed into an individual and interactive process between retailer and customer. At the store’s reception terminal, an employee greets the customer — but if the terminal is unoccupied, customers can also use the 180-degree rotatable multimedia terminal, which is built into the reception desk, to gather information and receive offers from a virtual consultant. Alternatively, they can use the terminal for personal contact with a special back-office employee via video conferencing.

The customer then takes a shopping cart fitted with a PSA (Personal Shopping Assistant). Wincor Nixdorf is presenting the first cart with a PSA that is permanently mounted on the cart. Customers identify themselves at these PSAs using their customer cards, and the system then guides them through the store, submits personalized offers to them, and can be used to scan their purchases directly.

Products kept in coolers and refrigerated displays feature RFID chips attached to the packaging. Electronic shelf displays automatically present important additional information on products and, for example, recommend suitable wines. If the customer presses a button on the PSA, the precise bottle of wine recommended to accompany a product will be lit up from behind so that it can be located immediately. To find out more about the wine, the customer removes the bottle from the intelligent wine shelf and the display on the shelf shows all the useful information on the product.

Read the rest of the article here.

How about it? A personalized shopping experience at the grocery! 😀

Here is also something which has been implemented in a place much closer to home, Tokyo:

The Tokyo Ubiquitous Network Project seeks to install RFID, infrared and wireless transmitters throughout Tokyo’s Ginza area, which is the most famous shopping area in the capital. The tags and transmitters will provide location-related information to people carrying prototype readers developed for the trial, said Ken Sakamura, a professor at the University of Tokyo and the leader of the project.

The system works by matching a unique code sent out by each beacon with data stored on a server on the Internet. The data is obtained automatically by the terminal, which communicates back to the server via a wireless LAN connection and requests the data relevant to the beacon that is being picked up.

Sakamura envisions that the system will be able to provide users with basic navigation and information about the shops and stores in the area in at least four languages: Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean.

For example, bringing the terminal close to an RFID tag on a street lamp will pinpoint the user’s location and enable the system to guide the user to the nearest railway station; walking past a radio beacon in front of a shop might bring up details of current special offers or a menu for a restaurant.

Read the full article here.

If this trial becomes successful, who knows, maybe RFID tags in grocery stores will be around sooner than we think. 🙂 Anyway, the article is about 5 months old, maybe there’s an update somewhere that I don’t yet know about.

Incidentally, my brother-in-law, who is visiting Japan for the first time, was surprised by the mouthful he got from the cashier as he was checking out the items at the grocery store nearby. He asked me, “Ano ba yung pinagsasabi nila?” (What are they saying?) I explained to him: here in Japan, some (or most?) cashier personnels are required to read aloud the prices which appear on the monitor right after the product is scanned. I really wondered about this myself. Isn’t it enough that you can already see for yourself the price on the monitor? For a foreigner who doesn’t speak Japanese at all, it would all seem like wasted effort because he or she wouldn’t understand a thing anyway. How do you describe it? Like white noise. You don’t understand a thing and it just hurts the ears to listen. 😛 I don’t know either that the buyer could benefit in any way from this, unless of course if he or she is blind or couldn’t read at all.

Quite recently, I’ve also come across a self-service cash register machine at a store. There was one store clerk keeping watch at all four self-service counters. The machines come equipped with a weight-sensing device which apparently verifies the weight of the product that is scanned to the one placed inside the shopping bag. Of course, not all stuffs can be placed in the bag (like the rolls of tissue), though, and there is a button you can press to “skip bagging.” It was rather fun to do the scanning myself, although admittedly it probably took longer than if I had gone through a manned cashier. Much to my dismay, the machine also “read” out loud the prices of each item and prompted me each time to put the item in the bag. Perfect. A robotic voice that is just as irritating.

Can we do away with the voice announcement please? Imagine everyone hearing about the price of each and every item you purchased!

It’s not perfect yet, but it’s a welcome change to futuristic shopping. Here’s to the future!

Experiencing the Magic Kingdom

May 2, 2007Uncategorizedkathy

I grudgingly woke up this morning, stiff and sore. My arms ached. My head throbbed. I’ve got a stiff neck, probably from lying on the same position all night long. I was simply too exhausted the night before, after spending the whole day with my family and my sister’s family at The Magic Kingdom of Tokyo Disneyland.

Mickey and Minnie at the “Huli Huli Ohana Bash Parade.”

I have already lost count of how many times I have visited the place (I’ve also been to Disneyland in Anaheim and Disneyworld, haha. Sucker.). Every time a relative from the Philippines visits us, we make it a point to bring them to this magical world where both adults and children can enjoy themselves in the make-believe world of Disney. As they say, there is no other place where adults can feel like children again. How else to describe it? You’ve gotta see it to know exactly what I mean. 🙂

Monkey hug!

But this post is not exclusively about Disneyland. For me, going to Disneyland is always a family affair now, and nowhere can you find a place more dense with people pushing strollers with bratty babies and children. Having brought my own daughter to this place several times already, I’ve learned more than a few lessons about bringing children into the park. It’s not an easy task, but with a few smart preparations, even parents can enjoy their time. I’d like to share them with you in this post.

Here is my list of Do’s and Don’ts when bringing children to Disneyland:

Do’s

1. Bring a stroller. Or better yet, rent one at the park.

Strollers are lifesavers. It’s the fastest, most convenient way to move around the park. And when your little tyke wants to take a nap, presto, he or she can just sleep on the stroller while you can still enjoy the parade or watch the shows. I especially liked the strollers they lease on the park, because they come with a medium-sized bag at the back where you can put in your things. The stroller is also quite sturdy enough to carry extra bags on its handle.

2. Bring a mat.

The best way to watch a parade is sitting down. If you bring a mat, then you can choose a location early on, spread your mat, and easily claim your spot. Take a breather while you wait for the parade to start.

Lots of razzle and dazzle at the show, One Man’s Dream II. Highly recommended for those with kids.

3. Bring an extra battery pack.

I’ve forgotten how many times we missed taking shots or videos of our favorite float or show just because our battery gave out earlier than we thought. It’s a bit funny, you know, considering that most of the floats or shows are just variations of the previous ones we have already seen, yet we still want to take pictures of them. Suckers. 😛 But I digress. The important thing is to have extra juice for your camera so that you will always be ready to take those shots you really want. It would be such a loss when your kid gets to dance in the parade with the dancers and you couldn’t even capture the moment because of one lousy battery!

4. Bring extra clothes for the little tyke.

Spring is a little tricky. It could be very hot at noon, especially with the sun’s rays directly on you. But at night it could get very cold, especially with the cold breeze coming from the sea. You would want to bring extra clothes for your kid, in case he or she sweats a lot during daytime, or would need an extra layer at night when you go home. Prepare in advance for the large swings in the temperature.

5. Check in at a hotel for the night, if you live in a place which would take more than one hour to commute or drive.

I learned this lesson the hard way. When Aya was only 5 months old, we brought her to Disneysea together with her grandparents. None of us enjoyed that day because she was cranky during the day, and even crankier during the evening. All I wanted to do is hit the sack, but I couldn’t because we still had to commute back to our place. If I had known in advance that I would be dead tired at the end of the day, I’d have chosen to stay at a nearby hotel for the night. The next time around, that was exactly what we did. We woke up refreshed the following day, and even had time for a sidetrip along the way.

Don’ts

1. Bring your child to the park if he or she is less than a year old, if at all possible.

This would seem contradictory to what I did with Aya, but in retrospect, I realized that there was really no gain in bringing a baby into the park. It’s just a lot of hassle for the parent, and the baby wouldn’t be old enough yet to enjoy the park anyway. So it makes better sense to just wait until the baby is old enough to appreciate what’s going on.

There are baby centers at both Disneyland and Disneysea. I’ve had the experience of bringing Aya to Disneysea when she was only 5 months old. During that time, I was still breastfeeding her, so I was in and out of the baby center because of the feeding and other matters. While the rest of our group was busy enjoying the shows, I was inside the baby center feeding Aya, changing her diapers, or even just pacifying her.

And the volcano inside Disneysea? When it erupted, it scared Aya A LOT. So much so that she wouldn’t stop crying! So, if you think that your child is sensitive to loud noises, think again. He or she won’t enjoy her time at the park, and neither will you.

2. Attempt to see all the sights in the park to get your money’s worth.

Bottomline: it’s simply impossible to do that without overstraining or overtiring yourself and your little one. If there are only adults in your group, then by all means, knock yourself out! :p But if you’re there to enjoy with your kid, and you want to make sure that he or she also enjoys it, well, just take it easy. There will always be another opportunity to enjoy Splash Mountain or the Mermaid Lagoon. The goal here is to enjoy. That said, I’d recommend the parades and shows and just stick to the slow and easy rides like the Jungle Cruise or the Western River Railroad. The latest attraction, Buzz Lightyear’s Astroblaster is also aimed for kids; it takes one on a slow ride while doing some practice shooting with an LED ray gun toy. I rather enjoyed it, even if I got a rather low score. I’m not a sharp shooter. Sigh. 🙁

3. Assume that all rides/shows are suitable for kids.

There are height requirements for certain rides like Splash Mountain or Space Mountain. And for good reason! You don’t want your kid to break his or her neck because of the jerky movements. There are also “innocuous” shows like the Microadventure (3D movie) which you might think would be alright for a little kid to watch. But do be careful. Some kids could get pretty rattled by seeing those huge animals lounging towards them because of the 3D effect. One kid was so frightened by the snake in this show that he started bawling inside the theatre. Obviously, he did not enjoy the show at all, and neither did those unfortunate souls who were seated close to them.

Knockdown ang mga kids! With my brother-in-law and his daughter.

The above list is a mere guideline for parents out there. Feel free to take what you need, trash whatever you think is unnecessary. Bottomline: be prepared! Make sure to have extra energy for the long haul home. The little ones would be very tired and would most likely sleep in your arms.

In closing, let me just say that aching muscles notwithstanding, there is no way I’d choose going there without my family just to spare myself of the tiredness and exhaustion. I’ve come to accept this as an inevitable consequence when bringing my daughter to Disneyland. While at the park, I saw Aya’s face lit up several times when she saw her favorite characters. No way I’d exchange that for anything in the world. 🙂

Cold Facts and the Lonely Road

April 24, 2007Uncategorizedkathy

I’ve already written about what it feels like to be a mom. I’ve also shared some of my thoughts and experiences as a scientist. But I have not written much about what it feels like to be all at the same time – woman, mom, scientist. And for good reason: it’s a lonely road. Not everyone can relate to my experience. In my circle of friends, I could always find someone who is a mom, or a scientist, but to find both at the same time – it’s like finding a needle in a haystack.

I’ve taken to reading several books and literature on women and their participation in science. And the statistics are disheartening. Experts describe the situation as a leaky pipeline: women “leak” out of the pipeline at every stage, beginning from students up to higher positions. Women describe their situation as akin to hitting a glass ceiling – a proverbial ceiling that prevents their ascension to the top. Thus, even if there would be a high percentage of women entering the scientific field at the very early stages of their career, only very few persistent ones manage to wiggle their way to higher positions. Understandably this is a reason for concern: how long would it be until I hit my own glass ceiling?

I now ask you to close your eyes and picture in your mind a scientist working in the lab. What is the image that first comes to your mind?
As it turns out, when asked to describe how a “typical” scientist looks like, many people would give these answers: male, wearing a white lab coat, and eyeglasses thrown in for good measure. People would think “Albert Einstein” – bearded, aged, and yes, still male. Very few people would actually conjure up images of scientists as women. In very much the same way that we always think of a woman when we think of a “nurse” or “caregiver.”

And I’m curious: how many parents out there do encourage their little girls to take up science as a profession? How many parents out there are supportive of the decision of their daughters to become scientists? And more importantly, how many husbands out there are willing to be flexible so that their wives could rise in their scientific careers? How many of them would be willing to relocate and change jobs as necessary to follow their wives? How many of them would be willing to be stay-at-home dads? Because we do hear of women doing these things all the time for their husbands. Would husbands be easily persuaded to make the same sacrifices for their wives?

Cover of the magazine where the special feature on Women on Cryogenics and Superconductivity appeared.

Lonely road. But there will always be comrades. These are some of those women.

These and other related issues were tackled in a special feature on women on cryogenics and superconductivity, which came out a few months ago. Several women were interviewed about their experiences as women working in the field. For me, it was an eye-opener – there are indeed other women out there, struggling to survive in a decidedly male-dominated field. And some of them are also moms!

Currently, I happen to be the only woman in our research group, except for our secretary who of course only does administrative work. And in most conferences that I attend, I could only count a handful of women out of several hundred attendees. In the university where I attended, for about a year or two I was the only female graduate student in the lab, until two undergraduate students came along. Hurray. Unfortunately, I found out that whereas it helped to know that there were other females in the same lab, it didn’t necessarily made things easier. Being a foreigner then became an issue. And since I was a sempai – a senior – it was difficult to relate to them on a more casual way. They treated me like a senior. And who wants to be buddies with a senior?

When I became a mom, I found myself juggling time between motherhood and career. I do not claim that I am making an excellent job at both. Sacrifices are inevitable. I can’t devote all my time to my daughter, and neither can I do the same to my job. The best I can do is to make my time more efficient at whichever role I need to be in. I am all too glad that I do not work in the academe, which does not really offer the same flexibility as in a research institute.

This is the juggling act of my life. I do find fulfillment in both roles, and I’m quite happy at the way things are turning out. And sometimes, just sometimes, it does pay to be a woman in this field. Why? Because people do notice you more. Being in the minority and all – it draws people’s attention to you, your presence seeming to beg the question: why on earth are you here? It makes them curious about you. Did you move heaven and earth just to be here? And depending on who you talk to, you might even find admiration in their eyes. In one poster session that I attended, after learning that I have a daughter (one of my former professors enlightened his female student, that’s why), the person exclaimed, “You’re a cool mama!” I could only wish that I had inspired her.

And above all, I am not alone. Our presence is a stark reminder to everyone that being a woman and a scientist at the same time is not impossible.

It’s a lonely road, indeed, but damn if I would give up trekking down that road. I love science too much to do that.

Syamu Neko Kyodai

April 19, 2007Uncategorizedkathy

I woke up pretty early this morning – around 6:30 am – rarin’ to get out of bed and ready to go to work. It’s Friday, last day at work, and I just want to get this day done and over with as soon as possible. Can’t wait to get to the weekend!

Aya performs together with the other kids in her class. She is the second one from the right in this picture.

After a few minutes, Aya got out of bed and looked for me. I thought it was unusual for her to wake up so early in the morning – usually, I have to create a grand ruckus in our bedroom just to wake her up. But today was different. She spoke hoarsely. Then when my hand touched her skin – yikes! She felt so hot. I knew instantly that she has fever. I measured her body temperature, and the thermometer gave a reading of 38.0 C.

Sigh. So much for my Friday. I sent emails to our group telling them that I won’t be coming in for work. 🙁 Hey, work will always be there. Right now, my daughter needs me more than my work does. But I guess, I could also view it this way: I got my weekend earlier than I thought. 🙂

And so here I am, stuck in the house, caring for a sick daughter, and what do you know, finally getting to do some of the things that I’ve been postponing for a long time. Like cleaning our kitchen (the oil deposits are getting thicker by the day, and it’s been months since I cleaned the area!), tinkering with our new PC’s media center (thanks to Baggy who has been patiently setting up our new PC; Windows Vista has been a real pain in the ass, but now we can just sit back and enjoy) and uploading some pics and videos. Anyway, I realized that I have yet to blog about Aya’s first stage performance. I had been meaning to do this since last month!

And so, without further ado, here is a video clip taken during the musical performance by Aya’s group at the music school. The title of their performance is “Syamu Neko Kyodai.” In the performance, two different classes were actually joined together, although this was the one and only time that they saw each other and performed together. In Aya’s class, the kids had to practice singing and doing the actions for several weeks prior to the performance.

The tail that Aya wore for the performance was made out of one of her long socks, which was stuffed with soft yarn, sewn at top and fitted with a garter so she can wear it on her waist. I made it, of course. 🙂 Anyone interested in custom-made cat tails for kids? 😉

The stage was awesome – I didn’t expect it be so huge. And there was even a professional emcee – wow! Much to my delight, Aya didn’t show any signs of stage fright, unlike the other kid who held on to her mom for dear life (look for the girl at the leftmost side). Wow, I’m feeling like a stage mom already. 🙂 We stayed a bit longer to watch the older kids perform, just to get an idea of what Aya would be doing when she moves on to the higher class. We learned that the older kids get to play on the piano by themselves, cool!

Mag-inang pusa. Taken putside the hall after Aya’s performance. 🙂

This was the song they sang in Japanese:
シャム猫兄弟
全部で五匹
シロ、クロ、ミケ、ブチ、最後にトラ
チーズケーキを見つけると
仲良し兄弟
喧嘩しちゃう

シロ（シロ）、クロ（クロ）、ミケ、ブチ（ミケ、ブチ）、トラ（トラ）
シロ、クロ、ミケ、ブチ、トラ

シャム猫兄弟
お昼寝してる
シロ、クロ、ミケ、ブチ、最後にトラ
みんなくっついて寝てるから
ふわふわの毛布みたい

シロ（シロ）、クロ（クロ）、ミケ、ブチ（ミケ、ブチ）、トラ（トラ）
シロ、クロ、ミケ、ブチ、トラ

シャムは一匹もいないけど
シロ、クロ、ミケ、ブチ、トラ

And here is my rather clumsy attempt at translating it into English:

Siamese cat siblings
All in all five of them
Shiro, Kuro, Mike, Buchi and lastly Tora
When they chance upon a cheesecake
Chummy siblings will go on a fight

Shiro (shiro), Kuro (Kuro), Mike Buchi (Mike Buchi), Tora (Tora)
Shiro, Kuro, Mike, Buchi, Tora

Siamese cat siblings
Taking an afternoon nap
Shiro, Kuro, Mike, Buchi and lastly Tora
All of them sleeping close together
They look like soft blankets

Shiro (shiro), Kuro (Kuro), Mike Buchi (Mike Buchi), Tora (Tora)
Shiro, Kuro, Mike, Buchi, Tora

None of them became a Siamese
Shiro, Kuro, Mike, Buchi, Tora

A Tragic Story

April 18, 2007Uncategorizedkathy

Sometimes, despite the noblest intentions, best preparations, and even the best medical intervention available nowadays, tragic things happen. Sometimes they hit us without warning. We don’t know why they happen. We tear our clothes and cry to the heavens asking why, why on earth God allowed these things to happen. Some may even begin to doubt the existence of God.

Sometimes we hear of women dying from childbirth. Statistically this is quite low, given the recent advances in the field of obstetrics and medicine. Until recently, I have thought that this was something that could only happen in the small barrios in the provinces of the Philippines. In those places, more often than not, the women give birth in their homes, attended only by a midwife. Thus, when life-threatening emergencies happen, medical treatment is not readily available; the nearest hospital may be kilometers away. The baby is saved, but the mother loses the battle. We are all familiar with this story.

In a developed country like Japan, it is almost unthinkable that something like that could happen here.

Until last week, that is. When we heard of the story, we were shocked at first, then profoundly sad next. A Filipino woman, who also headed a church in Chiba prefecture, died after giving birth to her third baby in a clinic last Easter Sunday. She was en route to the hospital when she died. She was only 42 years old. She is survived by her husband, her newborn infant, and two elder children.

The cause? Postpartum hemorrhage. It is so unbelievable at first. What should have been an occasion for rejoicing became a terrible tragedy for the family. As the news sank in, we felt the terrible loss, not only for the bereaved family, but also for the church who lost their beloved Pastora. I haven’t personally her – such a shame really -but I mourn her passing with much regret and sadness. As a mother myself, I am greatly distressed for the newborn infant, whose entrance into this world has been unfortunatley marred by this misfortune, and who will grow up never knowing the one person who risked her life for him or her.

The last I heard was that the family was preparing for their trip back to Davao, where the remains of the mother would be interred.

Reality check. Women still die from childbirth. Even in Japan. It brings a sorely needed attention to the fact that childbirth, no matter how we look at it, should never be taken lightly. Lives are always at stake. Sometimes, as in the case of my sister’s harrowing experience, the baby could be lost, too.

I have shamelessly copied the following information from the website of POPHI (Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage Initiative) concerning postpartum hemorrhage and death in women:

The risk of maternal death from childbirth represents one of the greatest inequities in global health. Women in developing countries are more than 40 times more likely than women in developed countries to die in childbirth (1 in 61 women in developing countries versus 1 in 2,800 women in developed countries).¹ This rate is significantly higher than the ten-fold difference in risk for infant mortality between developed and developing countries, which is 5 per 1,000 live births versus 61 per 1,000 live births respectively.² Even within developing countries there is a striking differential risk of maternal death for women who have access to basic essential obstetrical care compared to those who do not. Within a country, as poverty increases so does the proportion of women dying of maternal causes.³

Obstetric hemorrhage is the worldâ€™s leading cause of maternal mortality, causing 24% of, or an estimated 127,000, maternal deaths annually. Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the most common type of obstetric hemorrhage and accounts for the majority of the 14 million cases of obstetric hemorrhage that occur each year.⁴

In the developed world, PPH is a largely preventable and manageable condition. In developing countries, however, mortality from PPH remains high despite international efforts. While data are limited, studies have shown that PPH causes up to 60 percent of all maternal deaths in developing countries. For example, PPH accounts for 59 percent of maternal deaths in Burkina Faso, 53 percent in the Philippines, and 43 percent in Indonesia.⁵ PPH also causes considerable suffering for women and their families and creates major demands on health systems.⁴ (Emphasis mine.)

¹ WHO. Managing Complications in Pregnancy and Childbirth: A Guide for Midwives and Doctors. WHO/RHR/00.7. Geneva: WHO; 2000.

² Cunningham F, MacDonald P, Gant N, Leveno K, Gilstrap L. Williams Obstetrics. Nineteenth Edition. Norwalk, Connecticut: Appleton & Lange; 1993.

³ Rogers J, Wood J, McCandlish R, Ayers, S, Truesday A, Elbourne D. Active versus expectant management of third stage of labour: the Hinchingbrooke randomized controlled trial. Lancet. 1998; 351: 693â€“699.

⁴ World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Reproductive Health and Research. Maternal Mortality in 2000: Estimates Developed by WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA. Geneva: WHO; 2004. Available at: www.childinfo.org/maternal_mortality_in_2000.pdf.

⁵ Child mortality page. UNICEF Monitoring the Situation of Children and Women. Available at: www.childinfo.org/areas/childmortality/infantdata.php. Accessed July 11, 2004.

The rest of the article can be found here.

Hala! Halalan Na!

April 16, 2007Uncategorizedkathy

Are you an overseas absentee voter? If, like me, you reside outside the Philippines and are registered as an overseas absentee voter, then by now you must have received by mail the ballots and instructions on casting your vote. Voting of all registered overseas absentee voters commences on April 14, 2007 and will end at 3:00pm (Philippine time) on May 14, 2007. You may elect 12 Senators and a Party-List Organization/Sector. The Certified List of Official Candidates and Party-List Organizations may be viewed here.

If you live in Tsukuba or somewhere near Ibaraki, you may be interested to know that there will be a “Kapihan” event entitled, “Hala! Halalan Na!” to be held this coming April 22. Please read on below for further details.

A distinguished panel of speakers is expected to discuss significant election-related issues during the community forum dubbed “Hala! Halalan na!” (Kapihan sa Tsukuba), which will be held on April 22 (Sunday), 1:30 p.m. at Friends International Mart, Amakubo, Tsukuba.

Leading the list of speakers is political scientist and former activist Dr. Nathan Quimpo of the University of Tsukuba. His talk will revolve around “Elitismo, Showbiz at Partidong Pulitikal sa Pilipinas.” Two top diplomats from the Philippine Embassy in Japan will also discuss the absentee voting mechanism and other related topics. Consuls Gerardo E. Tamayo and Felipe F. Cariño III have confirmed their attendance to the said forum.

To provide an OFW perspective to the discussion, Tonton Hernandez, a leader of Filipino migrant workers in the Ibaraki area, will speak on “Ang Kahulugan ng Halalan para sa mga Migrante.” Socorro (Yuko) Takei, spokesperson of the Philippine Women’s League of Japan, co-chairperson of the Coalition of Enlightened Filipinos in Japan and convenor of the UP Alumni Association – Japan chapter, will talk about election-related cheating and electoral anomalies.

A mock election for senators and party-list groups is also being considered. The discussion forum, which aims to heighten the awareness of Japan-based Filipinos on the significance of the May 2007 polls, will be moderated by Benigno Tutor, Jr. of Uninetwork Inc. and Philippines Today Online.

The Kapihan is being organized by the Association of Filipino Scholars in Tsukuba (FAST) led by Benjamin San Jose in cooperation with Philippines Today Online and Uninetwork Inc. The event’s main sponsor, ABS-CBN, will provide promotional t-shirts and caps to the participants.

An access map to the venue is shown below.

Don’t miss this event! And most of all, VOTE WISELY. Don’t waste that vote. 🙂

Salamin

…life is an optical illusion