Momentarily, this person served as his
Rizal’s Life Abroad
(1888-1896)
US EXPERIENCE
JAPAN’S EXPERIENCE
 After the advised from Governor
General, his family and some of his close
friends, Jose Rizal decided to leave the
country where he sailed from Hongkong
to Yokohama on February 22, 1888
aboard the ship "Oceanic."
 After a short stay at the Grand Hotel in
Yokohama, Rizal visited Tokyo where he
met the Spanish Attaché in Japan, Juan
Perez y Caballero. He extended his
invitation to stay at the Office of the
Spanish Legation. Jose Rizal accepted
the offer because he knew that he will
be closely watched by the Spanish
authorities. His acceptance was
prompted by two reasons:
(1) to show that he is not afraid of being
watched as he had nothing to hide
and
(2) to save more expenses for the hotel
accommodations.
 In his brief visit in Tokyo, he met Seiko
Usui (O-Sei-San) who oftentimes
passed by the gate of the Legation in
Tokyo. He introduced himself and
eventually became good friends, in his
diary, he mentioned how intense his
love and affection towards her:
“Your image lives in my memory; and
undoubtedly, I am always thinking of
you. Your name lives in the sight of my
lips, your image accompanies and
animates all my thoughts"
LONDON
 After his journey in Japan, Jose Rizal
decided to visit United States of
America. He boarded the steamer
"Belgic" on April 13, 1888 where he met
Tetcho Suehiro, a Japanese writer.
companion throughout their voyage to
San Francisco until their arrival in
London on December 1, 1888.
 After a long journey, Jose Rizal arrived
in San Francisco on April 28, 1888 but
they were not allowed to disembark
because the health authorities placed the
entire ship under quarantine because of
an alleged cholera outbreak in the Far
East; until they were allowed to land on
May 4, 1888. His impression of United
States was not good because of the
prevailing racial discrimination, the
inequality and prejudice of the white
Americans towards the black African
Americans.
 He stayed at Palace Hotel in San
Francisco until May 6, 1888, and then
decided to trip in New York by an
overland train. The train passed
through the states of Nevada, Utah,
Colorado, Nebraska, and Illinois. On
May 12, 1888, they stopped over to see
the famous Niagara Falls and described
it as the most splendid falls he had ever
seen.
 After a week's journey, he arrived in
New York City on May 13, 1888. He
described New York as a great city where
everything is new. He was able to visit
the relics of George Washington and saw
the majestic Brooklyn Bridge as well as
the huge Statue of Liberty.
 After his visit in New York, he boarded
the "City of Rome" going to London.
 His visit in London was prompted
because of his intentions to learn the
English language and to annotate the
book of Antonio de Morga, the
"Succecos de Las Islas Filipinas",
History of the Philippine Island.
 In London, he came to know of a
Filipino resident, Dr. Antonio Ma.
Regidor, a wealthy man and a
practicing lawyer who was exiled on
1872 because of the Cavite mutiny,
where they became good friends. He,
likewise, met Dr.
 Reinhold Rost, who was introduced to
him through a letter by Dr. Ferdinand
Blumentritt. Dr. Rost was the Director
of the Library of the India Office and
the best authority of Malayan customs
and languages.
 Jose Rizal devoted his time by
annotating the book of Dr. Morga. He
rectified some important points so that
the Filipino people will know and
understand the history of their country.
Rizal wrote in the prologue of his work
that:
"If the book succeeded in awakening the
consciousness of our past, which have
been erased from our memories and if it
is able to rectify the falsehood and
calumny that had been committed, then
I shall feel that I have not labored in
vain."
 The annotation of Jose Rizal on Dr.
Morga's book was later published in
Paris on 1890.
 Still in London, Jose Rizal heard the sad
news from Calamba that his brother-in-
law, Manuel R. Hidalgo was deported.
He was deported by order of the
Superior Government in the town of
Tagbilaran, Bohol in the Visayas because
allegedly, he was filibuster, a
representative of Jose Rizal and was
spreading anti-religious and impious
ideas. Though, he (Manuel) believed
that the accusations against him were
baseless and illogical.
 On March 1889, Jose Rizal decided to
go in Paris, France after his short stay
in London. His arrival was in time for
the opening of the International
Exposition in Paris which was intended
to commemorate the French
Independence.
 After eleven months of stay in Paris, he
moved again in Brussels, Belgium on
January 28, 1890 with his uncle Jose
Alberto where they stayed in a rented
house in #38 Rue Phillipe Champagne
owned by the Jacoby sisters.
 His intentions to visit Brussels were to
write his second novel entitled El
Filibusterismo, a sequel to his Noli Me
Tangere; to assist in a local clinic to
make a living; to attend to his
correspondence with his family and
fellow propagandists and to write
articles for La Solidaridad.
 While in Brussels, he also experienced
the persecution of his family and town
mates back in Calamba because of
conflict in the Calamba estates. In a
letter of his brother Paciano, he was
informed of the petition to evict the
tenants filed before the Justice of the
Peace. His brother told him that at first,
they were hoping for a favorable
judgment but the case can only be done
in the Supreme Court in Spain. He was
a bit hesitant to attain justice.
 In a letter from his sister Lucia, he was
given an account of how his family and
townmates suffered. The letter reads:
"Concerning our town, perhaps your
heart would ache because of the
blindness of our compatriot. You can
then imagine what would happen. When
the lay brothers go out riding, the
Lieutenant of the Civil Guard sits on the
little bench of the carriage and the
Acting Lieutenant goes over the curate.
When the lay brothers have some orders
 for the Hacienda, they sent out the
Captain"
 Unfortunate news came from his sister
Saturnina on June 2, 1890.
Saturnina's husband Manuel was
deported again, and worse, was
arrested while he was eating with his
family on the very day of Christmas.
The last Letter received by Jose Rizal
before moving in Madrid came from his
brother in-law Silvestre Ubaldo. The
latter sent papers on the eviction issued
by the manager of the Calamba Estate
against his family.
BACK TO SPAIN
 After Paris, Jose Rizal travelled to Spain
and visited Madrid and Barcelona.
 His trip in Spain was prompted by his
desire to contact his comrades; they
were Marcelo H. del Pilar and Mariano
Ponce. These two were forerunners of
the propaganda movement in Spain. It
was also his intention in visiting Spain
to study the present political climate in
relation to the campaign for reforms in
the Philippines. After his brief visit, he
returned to London to celebrate
Christmas.
 Days after he returned from London, his
Filipino comrades in Spain met him on
the eve of New Year's Day in Barcelona.
The prurpose of the gathering was the
formation of an association which they
named as Asociacion La Solidaridad
(Solidaridad Association).
 This association was established to unite
the Filipinos in Europe in their quest for
reforms in the Philippines. Galicano
Apacible was elected as the president of
the association while Graciano Lopez
Jaena became the vice-president;
Manuel Sta. Maria as secretary; Mariano
Ponce, as the treasurer; and Jose Maria
Panganiban as an accountant. But
despite that he was not elected, he was
chosen as the honorary president.
 To realize the objectives of the La
Solidaridad, the members decided to
put up a publication of the same name.
As a result, many propagandists
including Jose Baron Fernandez
described this fortnightly as the "most
important paper of the Filipino abroad
and their most significant work in
connection with the propaganda
movement."
 However, the La Solidaridad publication
was not realized immediately. On
February 15, 1889, the first issue came
out. The publication was led by Graciano
Lopez Jaena, the vice-president of the
asociacion, who was also the editor of
the paper.
 As the honorary president of the
asociacion, Jose Rizal wrote several
articles that came out in the different
editions of the propaganda paper.
Among these were the "Letters to the
Women of Malolos", "The Truth for
Everyone", "Barrantes and the Tagalog
Theater" and "The Indolence of the
Filipinos".
 Prior to his visit in Madrid, he wrote a
letter to Marcelo H. del Pilar,
requesting him to stand as a lawyer for
his family. He even sought helped from
the Asociacion Hispano-Filipino and
even went to the Minister of Colonies to
present their grievances against the
injustices committed by the friars and
Governor General Valeriano Weyler.
All his effort remained futile because
they lost in the case in court.
 In April of 1891, Jose Rizal returned to
Brussels, Belgium where he stayed at the
Jacoby's house, same house he used to
stay. His returned was because of his
desire to finish his second novel, El
Filibusterismo since he started writing it
four years ago.
BOUND FOR HONG KONG
 A month after his second novel was
published; Jose Rizal decided to go in
 Hong Kong. However, prior to his
departure, there was confusion in his
mind as to whether he would go home
to be with his family or to proceed to
the British colony.
 He wrote to Blumentritt:
"I still don't know exactly whether I
would go to the Philippines or establish
myself in Hong Kong. My country draws
me near, I want to embrace my parents
and brothers, but my friends and
countrymen are against it."
 On October 18, 1891, Jose Rizal made up
his mind and left Europe via the S.S.
Melbourne. After a month long trip, he
arrived in Hong Kong where Jose Maria
Basa welcomed him. While in Hong
Kong, he practiced his profession as
ophthalmic surgeon through his
colleague Dr. Lorenzo Marques, a
Portuguese doctor. He rented a house at
No. 2 Rednaxela Terrace which served
as his clinic and his home.
 It was in Hong Kong also which gave
him the opportunity to reunite with his
family. On December 6, 1891, his father,
Paciano, and brother-in-law Silvestre
Ubaldo arrived in Hong Kong.
 In his letter to his sister Maria, Rizal
expressed his profound joy on seeing
some of his family and talked about his
father's improvement and at the same
time revealed how he missed his mother
Doña Teodora. The letter reads:
"Father, Mr. Paciano, and Bestre
(Silvestre Ubaldo] were already here,
thanks God. Father has put on weight
and his cheeks have become pinkish; he
is cheerful, he always walks around, and
he is very much pleased in Hong Kong."
"Tell mother that I have very great
desire to see her and to operate her eyes,
if this letter should find her there still!"
 Finally, his mother together with sisters
Lucia, Josefa, and Trinidad arrived
also in Hong Kong. Their family was
reunited just in time for Christmas and
New Year.
 Rizal wrote to Blumentritt on December
30, 1891, telling him of his profound
happiness that his family was with him
in Hong Kong. The letter reads:
"They are now here and thanks to God
that they find themselves in a free
country. Life in the Philippines has
become impossible: without courtesy,
without virtue, without justice!"
 While in Hong Kong, there were ideas
of his plans to go home, in fact, before
his mother and some of his sisters
joined him in Hong Kong, he wrote a
letter to them on December 1, 1891 of
his desire to return back home but
instead to his surprise went in Hong
Kong to see him.
 Another opposition came from his
brother-in-law, Antonio Lopez who
informed him that everyone doesn't
want him to go home because of they
fear that he (Jose) will be persecuted. He
wrote:
"I’m glad that you have abandoned your
plan to come here, well, almost
everybody is opposing to your coming
and I am also of the same opinion, as I
have already told Tatay and Senior
Paciano in my letter last month not to let
you come home to avoid greater evils
and displeasures, which you already
know. I believe that from there, without
coming here, you can do all you want for
the welfare of the Philippines."
 Aside from his family, his friends and
contemporaries likewise do not want
him to go home because they feared
that with the novels he wrote, his
attackers (friars and authorities) will
surely looked after him.
 that he had nothing to hide with his
arrival. At the same time, just in case
the Governor General will summon him
ARRIVAL IN MANILA (SECOND for a meeting, then he can easily be
HOMECOMING) located.

 Despite the opposition of his family and

friends, Jose Rizal firmly decided to go
home in the Philippines from Hong
Kong. In his letter to Blumentritt dated
September 22, 1891:

"I have to return to the Philippines. Life

here is a burden to me, I have to give an
example to show that we do not fear
death, terrible though it may be.
Besides, there has been many
complaints about me. I have secret
enemies. I want to leave so as not to
hear anything anymore. With my
political enemies, I have my destiny. If I
die, you shall remain. It is better to die
than to live miserably."

 Before his scheduled departure, Jose

Rizal wrote two letters, one was for his
family and the other was to his fellow
Filipinos. Both letters were dated June
20, 1892. He entrusted the letters to his
good friend Dr. Lorenzo Marques and
told him to open the letter only after his
death.
 Jose Rizal left Hong Kong with his
sister Lucia back home to the
Philippines and at the same informed
the Governor General of his return.
 On June 26, 1892, Rizal and Lucia
arrived in Manila at 12:00nn where
they were met by soldiers; one of them
was a major, a captain and a sergeant
of the constabulary who were in
disguise.
 After going through customs inspection
at the port, he went straight to Hotel de
Oriente to check-in. In the letter of Rizal
to his Excellency, he mentioned Hotel de
Oriente. It was probably his intention
to inform where he would stay so that
the Governor General might realize

ADDITIONAL
INFORMATIONS
THE EL FILIBUSTERISMO
 Before the printing of the second novel,
lose Rizal faced the same problem
during his first novel. He ran out of
money, that is why, he wrote Jose Maria
Basa, informing him of his situation and
eventually sent him money and another
helped came from Rodriguez Arias as
royalty for the book sale of Dr. Morga.
 However, the amount of money he
received wasn't enough to print because
of the high cost of printing. But with full
determination to print his novel, he
moved in Ghent from Brussels for a
cheaper printing. In Ghent, he met Jose
Alejandrino, a Filipino engineering
student at the University of Ghent.
Alejandrino agreed to share a room with
Jose Rizal.
 But when everything seemed to fall
apart, good news came from Valentin
Ventura where he agreed to loan him
money for the completion of the
printing. Thus, the printing of the
second part pushed through and finally
the El Filibusterismo was published in
Ghent on September 18, 1891.
 Jose Rizal immediately sent two copies
to Basa and Lopez in Hong Kong while
to Valentin Ventura, who was very
instrumental to him, the copy of the
original manuscript of the novel.
 The El Filibusterismo was sequel of the
Noli Me Tangere where Jose Rizal
dedicated it to the martyrs of the Cavite
Mutiny, they were Marciano Gomez,
Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora. The
execution of the three priests was
significant to the title of the novel.
According to Jose Rizal, in his letter to
Blumentritt, explained the meaning of
the title of the novel:
"The word filibusterismo is little known
in the Philippines. The masses do not
know it yet. I heard it for the first time in
1872 when the tragic execution took
place (execution of the GOMBURZA]. I
still remember the panic that this word
has created. Our father forbade us to
utter it, as well as the words Cavite,
Burgos etc. The Manila newspaper and
the Spaniards applied this word to the
one whom they wanted to make
revolutionary suspect. The Filipinos
belonging to the educated class heard
the meaning of the word. It does not
have the meaning of free brothers butt
rather means a dangerous patriot who
will soon be hanged as well as
presumptuous man."
 It was his good friend Ferdinand
Blumentritt who wrote the introduction
of the novel. From the message written
by Blumentritt, one can discern that El
Filibusterismo is more intense than the
Noli Me Tangere in terms of the political
ideas. The introduction reads:
"The policy of the pro-friars and
retrogrades led to the growth of
filibusterism and convinced the
Filipinos that there was no other
salvation but separation from mother
Spain."
 He even admitted that the El
Filibusterismo was inferior to that of the
Noli
 Me Tangere. In his letter to Marcelo del
Pilar, he wrote:
"For me, the El Filibusterismo as a novel
is inferior as compare to the Noli Me
Tangere, so that received com gravo salis
[with a grain of salt] the opinion of those
who tell me that the El Filibusterismo is
superior to the Noli Me Tangere.
 Blumentritt and all those in Paris and
Barcelona, for their benevolence
towards me, said it is superior. I
attributed it only to their benevolence.
You are the first one to tell me the truth
and you coincide with the manner of my
thinking. This flatters me as it proves
that I still know how to judge myself."
MEETING WITH GOVERNOR
DESPOJOL
 At 4 o'clock in the afternoon on the day
of his arrival, Rizal went immediately in
Malacañang Palace to seek courtesy with
THE LA LIGA FILIPINA
Governor General Eulogio Despujol but
he was advised to return at 7:00 in the
evening. The first meeting was short and
lasted for only three minutes. Though
brief, his contact with the Governor
General produced a positive result. The
Governor General lifted the deportation
of his father. However, he received no
pronouncement yet as to the fate of his
brother Paciano and the rest of his
family. The Governor General set
another meeting with him on June 29.
 While waiting for the second meeting
with the Governor General, Rizal visited
some of his sisters. The next day after
his arrival, he went to Bulacan,
Pampanga, Tarlac, and later to Cavite to
visit some of his companion.
 Afterwards, he returned to the Palace for
his scheduled meeting with Governor
General Despujol on Wednesday but he
met him at half-past seven, almost the
same time during their first meeting.
Although his interview with his
Excellency lasted for more than two
hours, he did not obtain a pardon for the
deportation of his brother. After the
meeting, the Governor General
requested Jose Rizal to come back the
next day.
 As instructed, he returned in see
Governor General Despujol on
Thursday.
 This time, the Governor General granted
the pardon for his brother. Again, he
was instructed to come back for another
meeting.
 On Sunday, he returned again to
Malacañang Palace and extended his
gratitude for the lifting of the
deportation of his father and brother. In
this meeting, Governor General
Despujol asked whether Rizal wanted to
go back in Hong Kong and he answered
affirmatively. After the meeting, he was
asked to return on July 6.
 On the night of Sunday, Jose Rizal called
a meeting at the house of Doroteo
Ongjunco in Tondo to create an
organization where he called La Liga
Filipina. Some of his companions
attended, they were Pedro Serrano
Laktaw and Timoteo Paez, Apolinario
Mabini, Teodoro Plata, Deodato
Arellano, and Andres Bonifacio, and
some of his mason friends.
 The La Liga Filipina was part of his plan
back in Hong Kong because he knew this
would help unite the Filipino people and
eventually would pave way their
problems on agricultural, educational
and financial conditions. In fact, the by-
laws of this organization were written in
Hong Kong. But this meeting brought
suspicion from the authorities, the
Governor General on July 5 or two days
after the meeting, ordered Constabulary
to search all houses that Jose Rizal
visited. The suspicion was further
aggravated because most of the houses
he (Jose) visited were owned by the
masons.