Asia Across the Disciplines: UP Asian Center's 9th Graduate Student Conference

- December 7, 2013, Saturday.

- After my conference-slash-vacation in Korea last October, I had the chance to be chosen as a paper presenter in another international conference here in Manila, and in my university. The UP Asian Center annually holds its graduate school conference, and this year's theme was "Asia Across the Disciplines." The paper I submitted was my paper for my first major class, and was about the Sindhis in Manila, their language use vis-a-vis social mobilization; the Sindhis are a group of South Asian migrants whose ancestors come from the Sindh region, now located in Pakistan. However, Sindhish mostly claim to be Indians, especially due to twice-migration (their grandparents for example, migrated from Sindh to India, and later on to other parts of the world.) Language use was chosen to be discussed alongside this, because a big part of people's identities are formed through language use; Sindhis have a big problem because younger generations are not interested in learning the Sindhi language and/or any other Indian language, and may have also learned a corrupted or a "Bollyfied" South Asian culture.

Wayne and his vanity.

Yay Asian Center students!!

Me.

- Since it was one of my earlier papers, I felt the paper was not as polished, although I thought of reserving my better papers for international conferences abroad, if in case an opportunity comes. True enough, my paper was grilled when Dr. Michiyo Yoneno Reyes, the commentator for our morning panel, was giving her critiques of my paper. Well, doesn't matter, had presented anyway.

- I also had fun going around the conference during breaks and catching up with graduate school classmates and friends, most of them in their nice Filipiniana attires, or any other costume. Ny friend Wayne was wearing my golden Maranao polo. He also presented on a comparative study of the Ramayana, Ramakien, and Maharadia Lawana, a topic I longed to do a study on, but still cannot figure out how, and what perspective or framework to use.

- I had to leave shortly after our early dinner to attend a friend's birthday celebration, but despite staying in school for around 11 hours, half-sleepy, tired, and all that, I had fun in the conference - it was also a good excuse to wear my kurta and my Nehru coat.