Nihongojin Across The Philippines 2023

People study languages for different reasons, may it be for money, status, or academics. But how about family?

At the height of the pandemic when everyone was inside their homes, I started to learn Japanese. I was still in high school back then. As there was no strong reason to learn a new language, much harder ones like Japanese, my family was dumbfounded. However, I was driven to learn the language as a hobby, so my mother reminded me that I had familial connections in Japan through my aunt. From then on, my aunt, mother, and I started to occasionally speak via Skype. At first, I was shy, but our conversations felt natural in time. When I told her that I was studying Japanese, she cheered me on and even tested my speaking skills.

A few years went by, I am now in university. Last month, my aunt and Japanese cousin in Japan, whom my family had not seen in 15 years, called to let us know they were visiting the Philippines. Our grandmother had always prayed she could see her daughter and granddaughter again. Lo and behold, her prayers were answered!

We went to pick them up at the airport and eagerly awaited their arrival. Grandmother became so overwhelmed with excitement that she was going to see them after more than a decade. Upon their arrival, I greeted in Japanese, Okaerinasai (Welcome back home), to which my aunt cheerily replied, Arigatou (Thank you).

On the first day of their stay, my cousins and I bonded and got to know each other. On the second day, we went sightseeing together in the capital city of the Philippines, Manila, where I volunteered to be a tour guide. From the Manila Bay, Luneta, Intramuros, and Fort Santiago to MOA, to the modern sights of Venice Grand Canal Mall and High Street in Taguig, we went everywhere! For me the highlight of the day was visiting the Fort Santiago Museum where I explained to my cousin about our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal and the history of the Japanese in the Philippines, all in her native language! At that moment, I felt like a professional interpreter. Other interpreters were present, and I felt part of the trade.

The third day was when our whole family gathered, feasted, and celebrated. I stayed by my cousin’s side, tending to her needs and translating for the for hours. The following day, my aunt and cousin’s flight was in the early morning, and we went to the airport before dawn broke. We joked that Grandmother would be the one who could not hold back tears; as we bid them goodbye, it was I, instead. The three days were very precious; every moment we spent together, I will cherish and remember very dearly

Throughout their stay, my aunt was surprised that I seemingly knew what she and my cousin were saying at any given moment. She was not wrong. I reviewed diligently and prepared beforehand for their arrival.

I have learned so much and become more confident in myself in many ways. I have become interpreter, the bridger of worlds, one sentence at a time. I hardly ever express my emotions to anyone, yet I want to say this: from the bottom of my heart, I love my family.