Over the weekend, we had an advanced celebration of my wife’s birthday. It was a welcome relief from the stressful past few weeks I had to have fellow Filipino friends over for a bit of a good time. That’s one of the things we like about Tsukuba, Japan. The Filipino community here, especially those in the University and nearby research institutes, is very closely-knit. We get-together every now and then, sometimes even when there’s no occasion. It’s like having an extended  family in a foreign land.

As usual, my wife was the head chef and she made a sumptuous meal of pad thai, chicken marsala and leche flan (a Filipino dessert similar to creme brulee). I, on the other hand, am the head bartender. I’m in charge of the drinks and snacks. I became interested in mixing drinks and cocktails ever since my wife gave me my first cocktail shaker and jigger as a present last Christmas. To date, this is the fifth time I bartended since December 25, 2008 (I told you Filipinos like to get together). The first four sessions, I made drinks mainly from vodka and gin. But last Saturday, it was my first time to experiment with rum and tequila. It was a big hit! Among the liquors I have, the tequila was the first one to go since I bought only a small bottle. I didn’t expect that there will be a lot of “orders” for Tequila Sunrise. Probably because my wife ordered the first one and our friends were amazed with the red and orange color and wanted to try it too. This was followed by the vodka. Based on experience, many people like vodka compared to gin. It has a smoother taste and does not give you a hangover.

Mixing drinks is a lot of fun. I get to experiment and learn how to make drinks that I ordered during my “bar-hopping years”. Since I am still an amateur, I usually consult a book whenever I forget the ingredients or procedure. However, I already have several basic drinks memorized like Screwdriver, Cosmopolitan, Kamikaze, Black Russian, Sex on the Beach, Martini and Tequila Sunrise to name a few. When I was still in the Philippines, I usually watch how professional bartenders work whenever I am on vacation in a beach resort. I am amazed how they can mix drinks from memory or even without measurements. I think it would take some time before I reach that level. And then there’s flair bartending but I don’t want to try that yet. My wife will kill me if I make a mess in our house with broken bottles and puddles of alcohol!

Another good thing here in Tsukuba is that we just use bicycles to get around the city. That takes care of the problem of drunk driving (in a car) which carries a huge fine and possibly a prison term, not just for the driver, but also for the passengers and the bartender. We just have to brave the cold winter weather but thanks to the cocktails, it’s more tolerable! =)

The past few weeks was quite a whirlwind of activities culminating today when I submitted my dissertation draft. Finally, a temporary sigh of relief before going to a gazillion other things that needs to be done! Hopefully in a few months I can see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
Despite my hectic schedule, I sometimes have the luxury of a bit of rest., during which, I think about what I should write in my Cosmic Diary blog. The choices are infinite and I find it difficult to pick one. Talk about choice paralysis! Finally, I decided to write something that concerns astronomers from developing countries.
Astronomy is considered as one of the oldest branch science. Ever since early man made patterns in the night sky and charted the behavior of heavenly bodies, we have always been fascinated with astronomy. Thanks to the contributions of numerous scientists such as Galileo, Kepler and Newton, we now have a deeper understanding of the Universe. However, when we look at the recent developments, we can see pattern. Most of the astronomers come from developed countries such as US, Japan, EU countries etc.. Very few astronomers come from developing or the so-called Third World countries (I hate using this term). The realm of modern astronomy is dominated by those who can afford to launch satellites or build huge telescopes. What about the others?
The sad reality is, astronomy is not a priority area in developing countries. I cannot speak for other countries but in the case of the Philippines, most students choose courses such as Accounting, Engineering or Nursing. These produce graduates that have good chances of working abroad, a common dream for a lot of Filipinos. Very few take physics or astronomy courses. For them, the common question is “What job can I get after I graduate from physics/astronomy?”. Even in the government, most of the research funding is funneled to applied research. Politicians want tangible and economically viable products.
Astronomy in a developing country is in a dismal state. There are very few students interested in it. The research facilities are very minimal. A university is considered lucky if it has a usable 0.5 meter optical telescope. This pales in comparison with behemoths such as Keck, Subaru, Gemini, etc.. However, I think the more pressing problem is the lack of dedicated people who are willing to do the grunt work and start astronomy from scratch. The job is a tall order and anyone in his right mind would be daunted by the task. Some scientists want to return only if the facilities exist or the salary is reasonable (can’t blame them! We all need to earn a living somehow). But unless someone starts developing astronomy, someone sacrifices to pioneer astronomy, nothing will happen. It’s a risky move but hopefully it would be fruitful in the future. As a Chinese proverb once said, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
A few months ago, I met fellow astronomers from Southeast Asia (two of them are also part of the Cosmic Diary). Since we, more or less, understand the similar plight of astronomy in our respective countries, we decided to form a collaboration of junior astronomers to discuss how we can contribute to developing astronomy in Southeast Asia. But that’s for another entry…

I think everyone, not only astronomers, find it difficult to go back to work after a long vacation. It takes some time before our work gears start to kick in. It might be due to the food, the booze, or the general merriment we experienced over the holidays. It’s like starting all over again.

As for me, I am now trying to write my dissertation which is due by the end of this month. I used to be a good writer when I was younger (ages ago!), but recently I find it very hard to put my thoughts into words. Hence, this blog is a very good exercise for me. Sometimes, I find it easier to write articles than blogs. However, the idea of the Cosmic Diary project is to show that human side of astronomers, so I hope I would do well (but not too well)!

Happy New Year to everyone! I think everyone who works in the field of astronomy is very excited and looking forward to what 2009 has in store for all of us! As for me, it’s another year of living in a foreign country (Japan). Celebrating the coming of a new year here is  quite lonesome. Fortunately my wife is also here and we had a small party with some friends. It was a fun party, especially when I am frustrated to try bartending. I had a lot of “guinea pigs” who drank my brew! Luckily, no one was rushed tot he emergency room. Now, I have to try to get back into work mode, which is always very hard after a long holiday!

So to each and every of you, fellow bloggers and readers, may you all have a fruitful and productive new year! Cheers!