My 12 in 2012

        2012 was the year of the dragon. I was the superstitious type of person, so me being born from the year of the dog, was nervous about the belief that the dog is bound to be full of bad lucks in 2012. That really got me, since I just got accepted in the initial screening in my foreign exchange program. So this = stuff got me depressed for the year. But that didn't stop me from making me work hard for my future. Though fortune tellers would tell me that 2012 is not my year, I still had this resolution to make this the best year I've ever lived.

        Yes, 2012 was the best year I've ever had. Wait, that was still an understatement. This year was something extraordinary, somethings I never expected I could do in a year. To prove this, let me enumerate some of my most memorable happenings this 2012. Note that the numbering is not by importance. It's by chronological events. So here we go:

1. Surigao Trip

        April 2012 was the time me and my friends went to the south of the Philippines for a 2-week trip. This was something special, considering the fact that 1. My mom permitted me for the first time to travel somewhere far with friends, 2. The trip was on the south of the Philippines, somewhere i've never been before, and 3. 2 weeks was already something :D. So me and Eunice got permitted by our parents to go to Arianne's home province. Some notable things were the 3-hour trip from the port to Arianne's place via bus, the cool beach, the great food, the rural atmosphere, and the great bond I had with my friends. :) Here are some of the pictures we had:

Swimming with the waves in Surigao del Sur. :)

Meeting Paul at Butuan City

Us enjoying the beach

2. A father-son reunion

After Our trip in Surigao, coincidentally my father went home to the Philippines and wants to see me so after a few days of rest, I went to Manila to see my father and stayed with him until the last week of May. It was a big deal. I was finally able to see my father after 4 years of lost communication, countless fights and more. Though we were still not able to solve all our problems, seeing him and talking to him head on was really great.


3. Acceptance in the Scholarship for Japan!

After applying for scholarships for my stay in Japan, they said results were to be out on the last week of May, just before enrollment for the next schoolyear would start. I was really confident that I'd be leaving for Japan, so I got relaxed on my enrollment and was not able to apply for less payment in my tuition fee for my 3rd year in college. Sadly, I wasnt able to get it, so I applied for another scholarship with less benefits, and at the same time I had trouble paying for my tuition fee. But after a month, I was really happy to know I got it! Though I made a lot of sacrifices, I was really geared for a new adventure. :D

4. UP Cookout, and UP Intramurals

I don't know what went into my mind, but despite my busy preparations for my leave in Japan, I still had the guts to be able to participate in UP Cookout, and the Cheerdance competition in the UP Intramurals. Though they really took a lot of my time, I was happy to learn a lot of insights and gain a lot of experience and skills. :)

I learned to do a scorpion because of Cheerdance! :D

My first time to sing in a contest (a fail) XD

5. Off to Japan!

Japan welcomes you from the airport!

August 29, 2012 was the day of my flight to Japan. I wont narrate everything that happened the day before, but just a summary, August 28 was Cheerdance competition, Final processing of papers, despedida and surprise parties, shopping for my things to use in Japan, and packing. To top it all of, I forgot to put my laptop and psp in my suitcase and my flight got delayed by 2 hours. So I was kind of getting a hard treatment before leaving my home. But I guess everything was all worth it!

6. Tokyo Game Show!

On the entrance of the Dome. :D

September 22. It was another dream come true for me to be able to attend a gathering of some of the most respectable and corporate powers of the world in the field of gaming and technology. I got to test out new gadgets, got lots of freebies, and made lots of new friends. :D





7. Learning Nihongo

On my Japanese 1 in Autumn term

Learning a language that you havent been accustomed to was really difficult. Especially if its your 4th language. But i'm still in the process of learning it. And i'm working really hard since I know this will be really beneficial for my future.









8. UP PDQ status

Okay so I really did not know what I did to deserve this harsh punishment. I was studying peacefully in my room preparing for finals when my classmates in the Philippines tells me that I can't apply for a leave of absence since I am in a PDQ (permanent disqualification) status. They said its because I wasn't able to file some papers before I left for Japan. This was really complicated and still unsettled. Thankfully my best friends, mom, adviser and professors are working hard to relieve me of that status. I guess when I go home, Im gonna run for Student Council Chair and include in my platform the unity of the school offices for students to easily know what papers to file during times like these. Hahaha

9. Working

My hard-earned DSLR. :)

After finals, my aunt got me a work for autumn break. I was really able to raise a little bit of money. Through this experience I was able to know how its like to earn money for something you want. And I'm proud to say that I was able to buy myself a DSLR camera, payed of a little of my debt, and got to send money back home though my salary.







10. Birthdays

Mom on her surprise party 

November 29 was my mom's birthday, and my birthday was December 13. We always had this tradition of surprising each other. And since I'm in Japan, it was something else. With the little money I had left from my salary, I was able to send money to my cousin to set up a little surprise party for my mom. And that was really a great achievement for me, because I was able to let my mom be happy even if I am not with her. :)







11. UP SERENATA's best year

Champs! 

2 contests and 4 performances in one week. This was a great feat in UP SERENATA, the university choir I belong to. Despite the hectic schedule and academics, the choir was still able to bag 3rd place in one contest and the grand champion for the second contest. I'm a proud member. :))








12. Christmas with fellow foreign exchange students

UP-Japan foreign exchange students of 2012

Last but not the least, after winter break, me and with fellow UP foreign exchange students toured around Tokyo and spent Christmas together. It was really a great time, even if I didn't have much money. Spending time with friends is more important.

This is just proof that you can believe all the superstitions and fortune telling, but what's important is the effort you make to shape your future yourself. Let your beliefs and superstitions be the guide to your future, but don't let them decide it. I thank all my friends, family, my mom, and the Lord for the best year I've ever had. Let's get it on, 2013! :D

Gotta Catch Them All!

        Sorry for not updating my blog for a month (or two), my life has been busy (well not really, just lazy to update it maybe XD). Went to a lot of places, met new people, got a lot of new experiences, and more. With all that happened, I'll try my best to put everything that has happened to me for the last 2 months in this blog. And, i'll also try to update my blog frequently, as to avoid cobwebs, and avoid forgetting these important memories and happenings in my wonderful experience today.

        So to make up for my absence, let me share to you my unique goal in my stay here in Japan. ;)

        You know how when people go to different countries and all, they try to make their own “To-do list” or “To go list”? Well, I also have one of those things. Here they are:

        I was regretting I put that earthquake thing. -.-

        And I wasnt able to download anything (illegaaaaal T.T) So I ended up streaming them.

      This is not unproductive time, okay? Because internet here is really fast, so you get to watch a LOT of things. Hahaha

        Anyways, this blog post is not about the things I mentioned above. Aside from those things, I have one very unique, and personal goal that I must accomplish while i'm staying in Japan. And that involves collections.

        Since I was a child, I loved Pokemon. Well Pokemon opened me up to the great world of anime, video games, and all. Sigh, I remember the time when I got my gameboy color for getting an A+ on all of my grades in the final exam, and that time when mom hands me the first game that would open me up to more: Pokemon Yellow. Ever since that day, my love for Pokemon got stronger, memorizing all the names of 151 Pokemon (that was still the first generation), collecting posters, music, more collecting, and I even made my own notebook-handmade Pokedex!

        As I grew up, I was still following the Pokemon games and series. Well that kinda stopped when I chose to buy a PSP for a DS. D: But I was still in their trend. So I don't have much of pictures to show my childhood collections, but here's one proof that I still love Pokemon:

Chocolate Pokemon-Themed Birthday cake :D

        Yes people, 15 years old, senior high school, and a Pokemon cake for my birthday. :D And now I'm 18, foreign exchange undergrad student, and still an avid Pokemon fan.

        I'll let you know, Pokemon was one of the reasons I was interested to learn about Japan in the first place. My first anime, and first exposure to one of Japan's popular visual culture (well before that is). And now that i'm in Pokemon's place of origin, I've set my goal just a liiiiiitle bit higher:

      A 100,000¥ Pokemon Shopping spree!

     Yes. A 100,000¥ shopping spree. I'm not crazy, and I believe you don't waste your money for something you really like. Collecting was really my hobby. I collect cars and puzzles at home, but mostly I collect Pokemon products. And my stay in Japan would be a great opportunity to increase my collection ok Pokemon. For all those who hate this thinking because its a waste of money, well no, it isn't. I also think rationally, and I don't spend my scholarship and personal money in this goal. I spend it on money I earn from a part-time job (before, well I quit now, and looking for a new one). So far, i've collected products that costs around 20,000¥. I still have a long way to go, but hey, 6 months is still a long way. :)

        Here are some of the things I bought (Pokemon Center, Flea Markets) and were given to me as my birthday present. Enjoy the Pokemon craze! :D

GOTTA CATCH THEM ALL!!! :D

Music and Life

        High school choir sucked. Biased, didn't have the same opportunities, discouraging. These were my frustrations in my music experience. College came. Because I just love music and singing so much, my high school expetience didn't falter my desire for it. And thus I swore to myself to do everything to enter a University Choir.

        Before even UP Cebu's enrollment started, I was already checking the school website for any university choirs in the campus like the ever famous UP Madrigals, Ambassadors, and so on. Scrolling down, I saw nothing. I was discouraged. It almost made me decide not to enroll in UP Cebu. But the thought of a university not having their choir was just too weird. So I gave it a shot and I would transfer if there wasn't any choir in UP Cebu.

        Parent's orientation came. I was outside the conference hall, waiting for my mom. And suddenly this beautiful voice I heard, singing Ave Maria(not sure) for the program's invocation. From that instant, I know this will be the choir for me.

      Enrolled at the university, I began seeing performances from UP SERENATA, UP Cebu's official choir, one after the other. From the intermission number of “Don't stop believing” at our freshie orientation to “Seasons of Love” for the Club orientation. I was full of excitement. I was impatient. I wanted to audition right away. After they announced the audition, I talked to the first person I met from the choir, kuya Bap, and asked for audition schedules and preparations. I was ready.

      Audition day: I met 2 people from the photocopying store that were members of the choir too. Thus, ate Cielli and ate Muki led me to the music room. It was old. But full of energy, full of history, full of vigor. I got really nervous after they sang a bit. In the audition we were told to sing certain notes played in the piano. I did quite okay. After, we were told to sing our piece. I sang “When you say nothing at all” by Ronan Keating. Then it was off to the interview and the face test. After the whole auditions, we were told to wait for results, most likely 2 weeks.

        2 weeks was pretty long. I was nervous, and excited at the same time. But as the results went out, I was happy I passed! From that moment, I knew my life would change. Drastically.

      Few months after practices and all, it was a challenge to balance academics and practices. A lot of exams, studying, and time was spent on both sides. But it only determined me to do more. So from that, I learned to effectively manage my time.

Singing "Beautiful In My Eyes" by
Joshua Kadison, Serenata goes solo

        As moments passed by, I felt the choir was getting closer. Each one was treated fairly, everyone was family. It was totally different from my high school experience. Rigorous, challenging, but we were together all the way. Performance after another, we performed both solo and group songs. Workshops like serenata goes solo, team buildings, and more. My skills got better. My note distinction got better, singing properly and with poise, and my other music skills improved. I was happy.

        But that wasn't the only thing I got from serenata. I got privilege, respect, and happiness. I learned to balance my school and activities, I got (a huge) confidence boost, my leadership skills improved, and much more.

Performing Filipino Folk songs in the Pasundayag Concert

The bass of the choir

A medley of "Ugoy ng Duyan" and "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Their surprise party for me the day I left for Japan

     It honed me to be a great student and a performer. Mini Concerts, Christmas performances, school invocations, they were great. I was open to more opportunities. It was also one of the reasons I got to be a foreign exchange student to Japan, with everyone cheering and supporting me all the way (not to mention advices and consultations on paper processing).

      The best memory I have with serenata was on the Jcentre Christmas Melodies contest held last December 18, 2011. It was rigorous. Impromptu decision to join, only 2 weeks of practice. Even my birthday was spent on practicing for the contest. But it was all worth it. We bagged the first place, efforts was given justice. We sang a christmas medley (link below).

        I may had a vague reason of why I joined UP SERENATA, but it has changed my view on singing and music. If given the chance to ask again on why I joined serenata, I would say its because of 3 things: Self, family, and friends.

Thank you serenata for being part of my life. I miss you guys so much. :)

#ReasonWhyIJoinedUPSerenata :)

Link: UP SERENATA Gloria in Excelcis

A Step Forward to Multilingualism

        Im trilingual, technically: English, Tagalog (our national language), and Cebuano (home province dialect. Im glad to be fluent in all these 3 languages, easily switching from one language to another. I talk Cebuano to my friends, English to my professors, and Tagalog to my mom and relatives in the capital city.

        Language is the way of understanding between people. Not only does it gives understanding, but it opens networks and opportunities not only between people, but also between nations in fostering peace relations and economic progress.

        As a foreign exchange student in Japan, obviously one way to adapt quickly to the country is by learning its language. Since in the university and the dorm i'm staying, no one speaks my nation's language, and some only speak english, of course I had to be the one to learn their language, not the other way around. At first I thought that language learning was easy, since I can already speak with 3 different languages. But as I start to learn it, I realize that this one's totally different, a whole new kind of language.

        Since i'm already studying in Japan, what better way to learn the language faster than to enroll on the subject itself, so I enrolled Intensive Japanese (J1 and J2) in the beginning of the autumn term. Before the class started officially, we were told to study and master hiragana and katakana (japanese handwritings). From there, I started feeling its difficulty. It was difficult to master their handwriting in just 2 days before class started. But at least I did it, but with a really bad headache. During the first week of my intensive Japanese class, things were really bad. I couldn't catch up with the words, sentence structures, and kanjis. At first I thought it was just the adjustment period (since the dorm I stayed in also had activities every night). But it has been 2 weeks, and I just did not do any better. It really troubled me. On the day of changing your subjects, Matsui Sensei (one of my teachers for the class), talked to me if I had a problem or anything. I was really glad for her to notice on my performance, so I told her everything. She then told me that she would help me in any way she can, even going everyday to her office just and have a one-on-one class to catch up with the rest. I told her how grateful I am (I really am, since in my home university its either help from classmates or study on your own), but the risk was just too high, since I have two scholarships, and I had to pay for both of them if I'd fail any of my subjects. And if I got a bad grade, not only would I suffer the consequences, but my country's reputation as well. So I decided to shift from intensive Japanese to the normal paced Japanese1.

Essay from our Kichijoji Orienteering, a field work

        So from a 4hr40mins Japanese class I shifted to the regular 2hr20mins class. It was the perfect pace for me, and I was doing quite well in my grades. Though I wasn't learning as much as I was in the intensive, but at least I was learning in my own pace, and I really enjoyed it. I did really quite well in the first lesson test. The only problem I was having was in the listening and conversation part. Apparently the teachers were teaching us the formal style of conversation, and I was not able to use it since in casual conversations with Japanese, it was in informal style. And the pace of speaking was really fast, so it was difficult catching up. We didn't learn the casual terms until the last lesson. I did not do well on the second lesson test. I had a cold and all of my senses and memory were not coordinating with me, but I was happy I did not fail.

        As I was preparing for the finals, we were given 2 reading days to study, so I made them really  productive. On the first reading period, I went with my friends to the Pokemon Center. If you'd thought “How is that supposed to be productive???”, think again. It was for my exposure and application for the things I learned in class. Together with my friends, I read signs in Japanese, talked in Japanese, and basically did everything for me to practice my Japanese. Not only was it really fun, but it was really informative. Hitting 2 birds with one stone, I'd like to call it. On the second day of the reading period, I reviewed all the things I learned: from vocabulary, grammar, foreign words, and kanji. Though I did not get any sleep, I was confident and ready.

        On the day of the exam, sitting in the room 5 minutes before the test, with my recently bought Pikachu pen (for lifting my mood while answering), and all the things I learned stacked in my head, I was reminiscing everything that happened and reflecting on the things I've done. I expected the final test to be totally comprehensive and long, but I was surprised that I answered them with ease. Not that I'm bragging or i'm intelligent (which i'm not considering that I shifted from intensive because I couldn't catch up), but what made the finals exam okay was because with every question there was, memories of the class discussions would pop out of my head, together with all the laughter and drowsiness I experienced together with my classmates. After the written exam, I went to the other building for our oral exam which was due 50 minutes. I rushed there and did not stop for lunch since I was first, and I eat very slowly. When the interview started (10 minutes duration), I really enjoyed it. In fact, it didn't look like an exam. I was talking about my life with my sensei and laughing at some funny conversations. It was natural, and I felt infinite. I was really happy. After the interview, before I went out the room, I gave my sensei dried mangoes and keychains of a seashell and wooden slipper (specialties from my home country), and gave her my sincere thanks for all the help. I wanted to take a picture, but there was still an exam going on, so I was not able to do it, but I felt happy anyways.

Picture of J1 class with Hirata sensei (lower row 2nd from left)

        This is just one of my unforgettable and special memories of my stay in Japan. Thanks to all my classmates for sharing the laughters and headaches while learning the basics for the language, to Hirata sensei, Fujimoto sensei, and Taro sensei (J1 teachers) for all the learnings, to my dormmates in 2^nd Men's dormitory for strictly letting me talk in Japanese and helping to learn it quicker, to my UNBRAND friends for the companion in the trip to the Pokemon Center, and to Matsui Sensei who helped me make the right decision and gave me encouragement. Specially, thank you to the Lord for being with me thought everything.

        I'm now on my first step to learning the Japanese language. Next term, I will be taking J2. I'm really excited and challenged about it, so I'm gonna give it my all so that by the end of this program, I would be multilingual, and I hope I could use it to help my country progress through foreign relations. :)

Nihon by Month 2

        2 months 7 days 2 hours 40 minutes (to be exact). This is the duration that I have been staying in Japan so far as I am typing this blog post. In this first 2 months of my foreign exchange program, a lot has already happened to me physically, mentally, and spiritually. With that change, new memories have been made, good and bad experiences.

      I can now say that I have now adapted to Japan's environment and culture. Staying in a foreign country, everything was totally new for me. From food, transportation, and places to events, cultures and traditions. It was a struggle. First off was the environment. I never expected for the temperature to be so cold (for me)! And since I didn't bring much thick clothes, I suffered from intense cold and got a flu. In terms of food, I've gotten fatter! :D This is really an achievement in my part, since back in the Philippines, no matter how much I eat, I was still as skinny as ever. But now, my cheeks are not hollow, and bones near my neck are now covered by fats. I also got healthier. Since food is so expensive here in Japan (basically everything is expensive), I have to limit my food to only the things I should eat. So snacks and chips have been removed in my to buy and to eat list. And since transportation is also expensive here, I learned to walk or bike from one place or another even though they are a bit far. Though I really should get a haircut by now, since my hair will be covering my sight soon.

      Aside from my physical statute, I also changed mentally. My study habits have changed since learning nihongo is really difficult. My memory improved in directions. Since I also do shopping on my own and I also budget my money because of scarce resources, my future expectations, planning and predictions have improved. I have learned to be independent since here in Japan, you do your own business, and people wont mind.

      Being in a foreign land also enlightened me both as a Filipino, and as a Christian. Being in a country where Christianity is not a major religion, I promised myself to strengthen my relationship with God and not falter. I know that he will still be with me in all my challenges and victories. I also started to reflect about my love and service for my nation (will be on another blog since this is already too long).

Me adapting to japanese food :)

      But in these 2 months, I now miss everything: my family, my friends, my school, and my nation. I know that it's quite corny, but I guess this is what everyone feels when one starts living in a new place alone. I miss singing and laughing with my UP Serenata Family, my Bass-tards friends, my block B-Ga friends, Nichibunken co-otakus, fellow Junior Jaycees, and many more. I miss my nation, the food, the heat, the noise, the festivals and traditions. Most of all, I miss my family and my mom, who would spoil me with what I need but discipline me to not to ask people for everything I want. Now I have to do everything myself.

      2 months is still a short time to express everything, as I still have 8 months to go before I can really go home. I still have to walk a long road, meet more people, learn more things, and survive more. As they say, its still a long way to go. :)

Into the Corporate Sage’s Eyes: Japan Business Trends

             Business is the common language of the world, as everyone would say. It doesn’t matter what country you live in, as long as you know the language of money, investment, partnerships, and stocks, survival is easy globally.

As a business major in the Philippines, I have been fully observing business trends and competition in the businesses around the country. I could say that I have a fair knowledge about it. But that is not enough. To be a great businessman someday, I must also be aware of business trends in other countries for me to think globally, also so that I could apply global trends in my country when I plan to set up a business.

Being privileged to study in Japan as a foreign exchange student, I did not miss the opportunity to expand my knowledge in business trends. Since my arrival in Japan, I have started observing businesses, how they earn, how they sell, and many more. The result of my observations were a lot, but I would just like to specify this post to business trends, surviving in Japan’s corporate world, and competition among other corporate rivals.

Here’s my one phrase description of businesses in Japan: Needles in a haystack. Difficult to get in it, difficult to stay in it. Yes, that’s an unexaggerated description of businesses here. I have two points to discuss here. Going in and Staying in.

First point: Going in. Very difficult. For a country with such high prices of goods and services, only few people could afford to set up a business to earn profit while being able to maintain the business’ shape in tip-top condition. If you are that inspired to set up a business but has no easy access of capital, well all I can say is good luck with that. You’ll need extra hard work, extra work hours, and extra creativity and resourcefulness to be able to get the amount of investment you’ll need. Once you have the money, what you need right now is the plan on how to make it work. All kinds of businesses are already here, everything you can think of selling and serving, yes, and they’re here. What you need is the plan to attract customers and gain credibility. May it be sales or bargains, the choice is yours. Once you have the money and the plan, well its time to set it up. And so we move to my next point, staying in.

Second Point: Staying in. Much more difficult. Countless businesses have already set up their names in Japan, from microbusinesses to Corporations and all.  They are also everywhere, literally speaking.  But do not fear, you still have a chance! Of the millions living in Japan, you should be able to grab some customers. In my observations, Monopolistic businesses here are quite few, so competition is somewhat easy. And businesses in Japan are customer-centered, which means that you, as the businessman, must think of every way to please your customer and treat them like your masters. Still, one must see to it that you get the right publicity and employees to stand out from other businesses.

Sun Road, Kichijoji

To give an example, I’d like to describe competition in Kichijoji’s sun road and Akihabara’s Electric City. These two are some of the most crowded places in Tokyo, the Sun Road selling mostly food, and Electric City with Gadgets and electronics (duh). Because of the population crossing those places, it results to high business competition in those areas. In sun road, different food establishments can be seen: from small businesses to Internationally known businesses (Like McDonalds, Shakey’s, etc.). Food can be one of the goods that are the most easy to sell. But when there are hundreds of businesses in the same place, competing for the same hungry customers, how should you handle it? From my observations, businesses gets customers through employees standing outside, bringing with them the menus and discounts (if there are any) and they call people with their loudest voice to try to attract customers. Exceptions are the establishments with known names; the people go to them willingly. But I also observed that some businesses sometimes gets more customers from the rest, sometimes they can beat the famous ones. How did they do it? A presentable shop, with a presentable employee outside, and with a reasonable price. The same goes with Akihabara’s Electric city, businesses gets more customers if they showcase their best offers and all.

Electric City, Akihabara

These are just some of my observations in business trends in Japan, since I will be here for a year, I could update this post and talk in an in-depth description of businesses here. Maybe on customer-business relations, and customer service. :)

The Problems of Rich and Poor Countries

A First World Problem

           “First World Problems”: a joke to generalize how people living from the First World Countries are struggling with “Problems.” Lines go from funny issues like “My Internet is too fast, I can’t read hints in games” or “I want to turn off the lines, but my bed is too comfortable for me to stand up again” to lines that are a bit discriminating like “I hate my Government, but I live too comfortably and peacefully to complain anything” to “My fridge is too dark, because its filled with food that blocks the light.”

Privileged to be a foreign exchange student, I have been living in Japan, a first world country, for almost 2 months now. Ever since I’ve arrived, I’ve also experienced these so-called First World “Problems,” too fast Internet speed, too orderly place, too clean environment, and all the other things.  At first I was enjoying these things, being exposed to a life befitting someone living in a first-world country. But as I continue living here, I see great flaws in this so-called “First World” country.

I am a Filipino. Born Filipino, made Filipino. The Philippines is the country I consider my homeland. A country considered “Third World” by international standards. Yes, think of any Third World problem you can think of, it’s all present here: Crimes, Corruption, Lack of Education funds, Environmental problems, Scarce resources, and more. This was the environment I grew up in. for 17 years now, I have accustomed myself to live in this difficult life. Struggling for survival, at the same time dreaming to make a change. Yes, I have survived a great struggle and never gave up. I have learned to survive, to make do with scarce resources, to conserve energy and resources as much as I can. With these, I am now starting to realize my dream. Now, I am exposing myself to the whole world.

But I never realized a First World country could have many problems. These problems, as observed from someone from a Third World, are not the same kind of problems from my country. Rather, the problems are in the people living in the First World country. Yes, these problems are morals and values.

I may have a biased opinion on this issue, but I have similar statements from other people living in the same Third World countries, so I may not be far from the truth. Observing how people live in Japan, it’s a life full of wasted things. A lot of clean and drinkable water is wasted everyday in homes, schools, and apartments. Foods that are in excess in homes are being thrown away that easily. Furniture and appliances with simple and repairable problems are being disposed immediately. Huge amounts of electricity wasted: not removing chargers and sockets for days, not turning off appliances even when not used. Every time I see people do these things, it hurts me a lot. I can’t imagine how people here could waste these precious things when other people from other third world countries are suffering from lack of resources. It hurts me to think how I could tolerate these things when I have lived a life far from this. I have lived from a country where everything is conserved to its extent. Where we are taught to unplug everything when appliances are not in use. Where we are strictly told to save every single drop of water and every single grain of rice.

Im not pointing these problems just on where I'm staying right now. This stated problems might be applicable at other first world countries as well. Now I can compare life from opposite social stratifications. Funny how a poor country could have good things those rich countries couldn’t have, and vice versa.  It just goes to show how equal we were all made.