Blowfish

We (Ate and I) ate out Wednesday night with Marie, Pia and TM (friends of Ate). We went to a new Japanese restaurant called Blowfish. We don't know why they named it that way when in fact blowfish is poisonous. Anyway, the place is very nice and classy. It even showed Anime cartoons on TV and had a beautiful Anime painting of a girl in one side of the wall.

The menu gave us a variety of sushi, sashimi and entrees but they didn't serve rice meals. The food was expensive and in small quantities. Good thing the dishes they served were delicious. Twenty minutes after sitting down and numerous visit from 2 different waiters, the group finally decided on the dish to order.

Ate and I ordered The Punch (beef eye fillet with potato rings), Tuna Sashimi, Eggplant something (didn't bother to know the name since I wouldn't be eating it). Marie ordered Salmon Sashimi. It was delicious. I think i liked it better than tuna which is good since salmon here is relatively cheaper and more common than tuna.

After dinner, we ordered dessert. Ate, Pia and I shared green tea cheesecake with green tea ice cream while Mari and TM ordered cake with chocolate ice cream (i'm making it sound ordinary but the name of the dish sounded really delicious.) Guess from the picture which is which. hehehe....

For all of you who knows me very well, I couldn't leave this new place without taking a look at the restroom. :) Look at that faucet!! You press the circle in the middle and the water flows out of the "cube" like a waterfall

Despite the proportion of the food, surprisingly, I found myself full at the end of the meal .

International Business Dinner

Last night, the International Business (IB) Program hosted a dinner for all IB students. This includes Post-graduate students (that's us), Masteral students (students who've finished the post-graduate degree) and teachers. Everyone was asked to bring a plate from their home country and everyone can bring their partner!

I cooked bistek and asked Ate Dodon to come with me as my partner. The bistek was a hit! Some had seconds. I didn't cooked too many cause I was afraid that there would be a lot of leftovers. I guess they liked it since it wasn't such a strange food. Others brought KFC and Pizza hut. hehehe... typical americans. There were a lot of sweets too. A Brazilian classmate of mine brought macaroons!! I can't remember what it's called in Brazil. Other foods were quiche, woody pudding, cucumber and potato salad, indonesian salad (forgot the name), and some puffs. Many really exerted effort to prepare a dish but others just bought food from the grocery and fast food.

I thought dinner wouldn't last very long but I was mistaken. Ate and I had a good time conversing with different people. The group was composed of a Chinese American, 2 from Hongkong, 2 Germans, 1 French, 1 Kiwi and 2 Pinoys (kami yun).

For me, it was a chance to talk to my classmates outside of class. I learned a lot about them that I wouldn't have the chance if we were just in the classroom. There was a debate about national pride and the american dream. We talked about the different driving styles and educational system.

It was a shame that the married people went home early. They missed out on a lot of things. Also, I don't have pictures. I guess picture taking isn't a big thing here. I completely forgot about it too.

Dinner at Portofino, Mission Bay

Last Friday night, I went with ate to have dinner with SFC since their guests from Manila will be leaving the next day. We went to Portofino, an Italian Restaurant in Mission Bay. It rained that night and the wind was very strong. Moreso because we were near the beach.

Ate ordered Salmon Fettuccine and I ordered something I couldn't pronounce hoping that I'd have ordered something different from what we usually have in the Philippines. It turned out that my pasta tasted like pinoy spaghetti but different pasta with bacon and salsa. *sigh* so much for being adventurous.

Here is a picture of the group that I took with my K610i phone. Beside ate is Kuya Alvin. His wife (Tita Cecil) is opposite him wearing blue. Their bisaya. On the right of T. Cecila is Dinah and Sheila, respectively. Their close friends of Ate from SFC.

Finally, here's a decent picture of me and ate taken that same night.

Talking with conviction

Yesterday in class, my teacher requested us to group together and come up with reasons why Pepsi should stay in or leave Burma.

A little backgrounder, Pepsi and other multi-national companies decided to invest in Burma for many reasons (maybe its low cost of business). Many organizations, human rights activists and students protested this move because Burma under a military regime is known for child labor and many or all forced to work with little or no salary. The taxes earned by the Burmese Government are mainly used to support the army and no social programs are in place.(Btw, this is a very interesting topic and makes you examine yourself and wonder what are my ethical beliefs)

Going back, i was assigned to a group that supports the departure of Pepsi from Burma. It was an easy stand. There has been no clear indication that Pepsi made any economic impact in the country except to fatten the pockets of the regime and they actively supported the agriculture industry of the country which uses slaves as laborers. But on the other hand, the time period that the MNCs have been operating in the country may have been to short to really see the lasting effects in social development. We will never know since many have decided to leave.

I was chosen as the speaker of the group. I structured my talk by first pointing out the reasons Pepsi gave for staying in Burma. Then I systematically tried to show that their reasons have no basis by giving facts from what I know and what I've read in the text.

After class, a classmate mine commented that she likes the way I speak because it seems that I truly believe in what I say. I spoke with feelings and conviction, she said. And by doing so, she finds herself agreeing with me and believing the things that I said.

Wow! That was a very good compliment coming from a person I barely know. I was afraid that during the presentation I came on too strong and the others might have felt that they were being attacked. But my classmate told me that it wasn't so. According to Ate Don, people here talk monotonously. They're flat... Guess that's why when I speak, I come on as someone with conviction.

Primary love needs of Men and Women

I attended a talk given by a couple from the Philippines during a Singles for Christ conference here in Auckland. The title of the talk was "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus."

According to the couple, the primary love needs of men and women differ that is why there is conflict in a relationship. The inability of the partner to recognize and satisfy the love need of the other results to conflict and dissatisfaction.

Here are the love needs of men and women.

Women need to receive...

1. Caring
- showing interest in a women's feeling
- being concerned for her well-being

2. Understanding
- listening without judgment but with empathy to a woman expressing her feelings

3. Respect
- responds in a way that acknowledges and prioritizes her rights, wishes and needs
- takes into consideration her thoughts and feelings

4. Devotion
- gives priority to her needs
- supports her

5. Validation
- does not object or ague with a woman's feeling

6. Reassurance
- assuring her again and again

Men need to receive...

1. Trust
- believing that he wants what is best for her
- shows positive beliefs in his abilities and intentions

2. Acceptance
- receives a man without trying to change him

3. Appreciation
- appreciate his efforts

4. Admiration
- regard him with delight and approval
- admire his humor, strength, integrity...

5. Approval
- acknowledges the goodness in a man

6. Encouragement
- showing all six encourages him

Interesting isn't it? So have you done any of these for your partner lately??

(I got this from a hand-out given during the talk. If you know the original source, pls feel free to tell me so I can properly cite it. Thanks!)