Coming of Age Day

Yesterday, I went to coming age ceremony in Kumamoto city. Yes, I have belonged to adult since yesterday!! I can't feet that, but I have to behave as an adult since now.

Iwent to the city gym with my friends. Of course, I wore Furisode. You know, we seldom to wear it in our life, right? So, I was happy. Everyone look so nice in Furisode. After the ceremony, I took many pictures with my friends. There are friends who I have not met for a long time. I was glad to see them because I had a lot of things to talk to them, and I could hear many friends' story. Of course, I met university friends and exchange students!! Exchange students also wore Hakama and Kimono. and they looked cool!

After that, I went alumnae meeting, Junior high school's, and see many old friends. Some of them lived in other city, so we can't see them so often. However, I was confused whether I go or not at the first time, because I had been to that school for only one year. I thought most of people didn't know me. But a few people who I know recommend to go there, so I made my mind. It was right decision!! I had a great time there. Of course there were many people who I didn't know, but they became my new friends!! I ate, drunk and chatted a lot.

I have to feel gratitude of my parents. I had a graert time yesterday because of them. It they didn't raise me, I couldn't be twenty. I have to repay for them in my life!!

New Year!!

A happy new year!! How have you been. I was very busy... but had a great time in new years day. Today, I will talk about it!!

On December 31, I invited two exchange students to my house. They had never experienced Japanese New Year life, so I thought it would be great time for them and me. I took them at dometory, and went my house by train. One of exchange student rode train for the first time in Japan. I taought how to buy the ticket, and got on the train. After we arrived my home, we went supermarcket near my house, and bought some foods for dinner. My mother already had cookced some food, but they cooked food that was tradition in thier country. There were many foods on the table, and we could enjoyed many kinds of countrys' food. They were delicious!!

After that, we watched TV, Kouhaku, and enjoyed Japanese songs. They knew some Japanese singer, and liked them. Before the midnight, we ate toshikoshi-soba. Other counrty doesn't have this culture. It is only Japanese habits!! They were interested in the soba, and we stay together at night and did count down!!

In New Years day, we ate Osechi, and watched TV. I explained some foods, and they liked them. After that, we went to Youme-town and bought some Good Luck Bag. There were many good clothes. We sutisfyed and went dometory.

I had to prepared for the two days. It was so busy. However, teo exchange students liked Japanese style, and I had a great time, so I was so happy. I could learn other country's culture and food, besides I could learn our own culture. It was difficult to explain, but good practice for me!!

[296 words]

Christmas will come soon

Christmas will come soon, you know!! Will you do something special for the day? I will spend with my friends. Anyway, you can see Christmas color everywhere. Yes, they are red, green, and white. I wonder why are they known as Christmas color?

First, Chrismas Red is color of apples. Christmas is Christ's birthday. When Christ was born, many apples ripened. That is the reason why red is one of Christmas color. Holly fruits is also origin of Christmas Red. Second, Christmas Green is color of the fir tree. Fir tree is regarded as tree of hope and has been cherished by people for a long time. It means color of the fir tree is special color for the people. Finally, Christmas White is color of snow. Of course everyone know it!!

However, Christmas color is not only three. We musn't forget one more clor, gold!! Everyone decolate a gold star on the top of the tree, right? That's why gold is also important color for the ancient people. Gold is the color of star , "Betsurehem", that appeared when Christ was born. The star is simble of nobleness, importance, and so on.

Therefore, I have to correct my saying. Christmas colors are red, green, white, and gold!! I could know about Christms more than before. And, I made the Christmas Arrengement. Of course, I used Chistmas colors!

[230 words]

Turkey!

Today, I went to the exchange student dormetory after the TOEFL class. The Thanks giving party was held at dorm. When I arrived there, the party had already started. However some food were left. Then, there was a turkey!! I had never seen it before. I wa really surprised when I saw it. An exchange student bought it in Fukuoka for only thanks giving. I learned thanks giving day is really important for them. I tried the turkey, and it was soooooo dlicious!! I was really happy to eat it. Thanks giving day is great cross cultural event, I thought.

[100 words]

The last day off

Today, I went to Tokai University, the department of agriculture campus, in Aso. I had never been there. My flower arrangement teacher invited me to go with him. Tokai university has the department of flower arrangement, so I went to see many arrangement.

There were beautiful flower. I had never seen "dry pasta arrangement". It was so cute. Of course, there were blizzard flowers, flower arrangements, and so on. The most beautiful thing was "Wedding Cake" flower arrangement. I mean it was the flower formed of wedding cake. The tpo pf picture is that.

I could really enjoy the culture fastival. I could see many good exhibitions, and learned a lot.

[111 words]

Horible Acident ~News Review~

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Halloween-Killer-Feared-Robbers-Quentin-Patrick-Shot-Trick-Or-Treater-TJ-Darrisaw-In-South-Carolina/Article/200811115140193

This is the news I am interested in. It is too sad news about Halloween. Halloween is so famous even in Japan, so I have only good image. This news makes me sad. A little bot was killed in Halloween night. The killer misunderstood that the boy was a robber. Halloween is great traditinal culture, but visiting others house is kind of dengerous when the accident like this is happened. Many American people have guns. They can get them easily. If you are pounced by unknowen person, you can shoot it anytime. However, can we say that it is safe surely?? I don't think so.

Similor incident were happened in 1996. A Japanese boy was shot by a American guy. He thought the boy was robber, so he said "Freeze!!" However, the boy listened to him and made a mistake. He thought the guy said "Please", so he entered the house, and he is killed. Maybe, he was looking forward to visiting many houses. We can't enjoy if the incident is happened again and again. Is it difficult to continue the culture in the gun society??

[188 words]

I love Disneeeeey!!

How many times have you been to Disney Land?? I love Disney Land so I always go there when I visit my friend's house in Tokyo.I went there in summer vacation. It is known to many people as a dream land. I think so, too. I am never tired of there. All of things in Disney Land makes me happy, and I can enjoy all day because of three good points about Disney Land. That is the reason why I like that place. Therefore, I want to explain the three points.

First, there are many attractions. It makes me exciting. I always get "fast pass" in order to ride popular attractions. Especially, the three best of mountains is great. In the "Sprush mountain", you can see many cute characters, but you can't be relived because it the boat that you ride fell down suddenly at last. "Space mountain" is speedy roller coaster. You are in the space, so you can see only so much stars. the coaster go around in the situation. You can't think ahead which direction the coaster go. And then, you can see all around of Disney Land when you ride "Big thunder mountain". The landscape is so nice both of day and night. You should ride this one the last.

There are not only roller coaster but also shows, ghost house, and so on. My favorite is "It's a small world". t is a good unknown spot. There are the people not so much. I mean you can ride it soon without waiting. And then, you can learn about culture in it. You travel all over the world, and the many dolls, that wear cultural uniform, play tradition instrument, sing a song. You can be relaxed in it!!

Second, I can eat many delicious food there. Do you know that there are two kinds of spot where you can eat? One is restaurant, the other is small shop. In the restaurant, you can eat many tradition food, Chinese, Italian, and so on. It is a little expensive, but you can feel rich. They are so delicious. You can eat with characters in some restaurant. In small shop, you can buy light meal. It is less expensive than in restaurant. It may be good idea that you call at many shops and eat many kinds of foods. I will give you some recommendations. When you want to eat at restaurant, how about "Polynesian Restaurant". There are Riro and Stich and they show you their performance.

Third, you can see many interesting, cute, and beautiful view there. Do you know about "Hide Mickey Mouse"? In the Disney Land, there are many Mickey you don't notice. For example, figure on the wall, shape of the tree, and so on. They control even shadow!! The shape of shadow is Mickey. I was surprised when I know the existence. I never find it, so I try to find it next time. And then, of course, there are many characters and they are so cute and funny. They sometime appear, so you should take pictures with them. You can see many characters also in the parade. I recommend you night parade. It is so beautiful. Many lights twinkle, and I admire it.

Why do you feel that Disney Land has fantastic view? Because there are no garages on the ground and all of flowers is not die. They care about detail point, so we can enjoy the environment. Besides, we can see many type of world in each area. I mean you can see traditional building in Western Land, cute building in Fantasy Land.

These are the reason I like Disney Land. It makes me happy, so I forget my trouble in daily life. Especially, I like around Cinderella castle. I can see many parade, fire works, shows, and so on. And then, I feel that I come to dream land there the best. I really want to go there again and again!!


http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/tdl/
[661 words]

Busy Monday

Yesterday, I was really busy. I had five classes. Actually, I had six classes on Monday, the class was canceled in the fifth period. However, I had a class in the sixth period, so I could not go home...

The first class was psychology. It is not my major, but I like it so much. Psychology is the study that we learn about human feeling by studying scientifically. I had not thought human's feeling can be understood by science, but now, I know we can do it in some of the case. It is so interesting.

The second period was American Literature. I watched the movie whose title was "The Great Gastby". I have read the book before. It was a sad story. It is a good story as a American literature, but Gatsby was too pure and poor. I prefer happy end story to it.

I had a Intercultural Communication Theory in the third period. It is important class for me, because how to communicate with foreign people is necessary skill when I go abroad. I learned about Culture shock at that time. We will face to it when we experience more cross culture. However, I know it is not bad effect. I want to overcome it, and adapt to life of Canada.

The fourth period was English linguistic. It is one of the most difficult subjects. However, I like it . It let me to notice what I have never thought. I learned semantics yesterday. The word have deep meanings so I will write this blog more seriously. I have to pick up the words that much with what I want to say.

The Last class is Japanese language teacher's seminar. I have taken the class since spring semester. I studied about phonetics. How difficult to understand Japanese language pronunciation!! Do I have to explain to the students?? I need more efforts.

Finally, I went to exchanged student dometory after school because the welcome party was held there. There were many people, and we could enjoy eating, talking, listening to music, and so on.
I could talked to many new friends. They have wonderful skills each of them. I want to know them more!!

Yesterday was busy day. However, I could enjoy at the party. I went home at ten o'clock, but in fact I wanted to stay there longer. Most of my friends stayed there more time and kept enjoying. Next time, I will enjoy more.

[411 words]

Seven Flowers

bushclover a pink kuzu vine

Do you know "Seven flowers of autumn"? They are famous among Japanese people. They are ornamental plants. They are bushclover (hagi) , Japanese pampas grass (obana) , kuzu vine (kuzu) , a pink (nadeshiko), Patrinia scabiosaefolia (ominaen), wort (fuzibakama), and a belflower (kikyo).

Japanses culure has "Seven harbs of spring". We eat "nanakusagayu" in spring. Japanese people have believed that it remove bad things from our body. Actually, it is good for our health. Nanakusagayu make up the less nutritions. So, we can prevent from catching cold.

On the other hands, seven flowers of autumn does not have special event. We just enjoy watching it. Ancestry people often read Haiku watching these flowers. It become because of Yamanoueno-Okura. He read the Haiku about that seven flowers at first. Then, people strated to enjoy seing it.

I can't explain all of seven flowers, but I will explain about my favorite. My favorite flower of seven is a belflower. It is so cute, isn't it? It is called also balloon flower, because it looks like balloon before it bloom. We can see it from June to September. Gardening flower has pink and white but it is perpul generary. It is used as good medecine. we sometimes put it in the bath tab.

Autamun is beautiful season. There are many color in the nature. Why don't you attend to the nature? Maybe, most of people are not interested in it. However, the flowers are good cultures . We should not forget about it.

[255 words]

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%83%E8%8D%89

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AD%E3%82%AD%E3%83%A7%E3%82%A6

http://www.hana300.com/aki777.html

Flower Arrengement

Today, I went to learn flower arrangement. I have not done it. I mean I did it for the first time.
the reason why I tried is I want to learn one of Japanese culture. It is important when I go abroad. I have to explain about Japan. However, I noticed I don't know about Japanese cultures. So, I tried to experienced to do it.

I was nervous because I have never seen how to do it. My teacher taught me one by one. Today, I made round arrangement. It is a round flower bouquet. At first, I was afraid of stuck on the flowers, but it was so interesting. It took about one hour. However, I felt shoter. I could made one my own flower arrangement, so I was really happy.

To learn culture is not easy. It was included many Japanese feeling, traditional thinking, and so on. I want to tell about it in Canada. I try to explain how japan is good country.

[167 words]

Lovely Tales(BR 1-15)

This time, I read "American Folk Tales". The reason why I chose this book is I was attracted by this book cover. This is funny, isn't it? This book was written by George Gibson. There are three short American tales. I could read easily. I will talk about it!

First tale is "The legend of Jhonny Appleseed". This title is so funny, but I couldn't understand why George Gibson tiled like this at first. However, I noticed soon. Johnny's real name is John Chapman. He planted apple seeds all over America. He loved tales, animals, and their adventure. He liked people, and everyone liked him even animals. He traveled all over America and helped many people. I was moved by his life.

Second story is "Pecos Bill". Pecos Bill was boy's name. He separated from his family in the forest when he was a baby. However he was raised by coyote in the forest. That mean he spoke animal language, ate food like coyote, walk with his arms and feet, and so on. One day, he was found by a cowboy. He told to Bill that Bill was not coyote but human. Bill was so shocked, but he decided to live as a human. The cowboy traveled with Bill and Bill hoped to be cowboy. In the end, he could be a king of cowboy because he can talked with horses and he have courage more than other people. He thanked his coyote family.

Third is "The Tale of Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby". This was a battle of wits between a Rabbit and a Fox. Their exchange was so funny. Rabbit always ticked many animals, so the Fox was annoyed. One day he made his mind to revenge to Rabbit. He made a "Tar Baby", it was a strange doll. He put it on the road, and waited for the Rabbit. Rabbit through the road, he spoke to the doll, but of course, it didn't speak anything. The Rabbit got angry, and attacked it. The doll tangled him, and the Rabbit couldn't move anymore. The Fox was happy because his operation succeeded. However, the Rabbit wanted to ran away, so he told the FOx, "Please don't throw me into the briar patch!" . However, in the fact , he wanted to do it because he could ran away. The Fox thought the behave was terrible for the Rabbit, so he did it! As the resalt, theRabbit won the battle.

This book was made for children I think because the tales funny and maybe many children like them! It makes me heart warming, happy, and pleasant. my favorite is first one. He was alive for the others and he could live full of life. Many people were saved by him, and happy, I thought. Besides, this book has many extra pases. I could learn aobut American life in this book. This book has many pictures, colors, diagrams. I could enjoy reading all of this book. For example, about American food, Settels, Foxs, Cowboys, and so on.

I didn't know about America before reading this books. If you are interested in American history, culture, life and so on, you should read this book. I can recomend this book all of my friends!!

[548 words]

Halifax!!

I will talk about Halifax in Canada today. I really want to go there. I'm taking the test in order to go abroad. I apply to "SMU" in Halifax. I will tell you why I am interested in there.

First, Halifax has many nature, history and modern buildings. I can see Halifax in many point of view. Nature and history is connected with culture. I can see thinking of Canadian by them, especially history. Halifax is oldest city where speaking English in Canada started. I mean when I see Halifax history, I can learn to start of Canada.

Second, Halifax is near the Prince-edoward island. It is model place of "Anne of Green Gables", written by L.M. Mongomeri. The picture is Anne's house. It is nice, isn't it? There are beautiful nature and I can see the view in the novel. It seem to dream!!

Finally, people are so friendly. There are many races in Canada, so they are generous even Japanese. Besides, they often hold volunteer. I want to attend it and communicate with many people. I think I can fell Canada on my body through my experiences.

I want to learn cultures, natures, history, and how to communicate with people. It will be hard life, but it will be good for me. I keep trying!!

[221 words]

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%97%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%82%A8%E3%83%89%E3%83%AF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89%E5%B3%B6

The Letter Written by Peper Crane

Do you know what this is(Two pictures on the right side)? This is paper cranes!! There are 1000 cranes and they make one letter. This length is one meter and width is also one meter. It is so big, isn't it?? My sister and her friends made this today. They are member of soft tennis club, and the tournament will hold on Sunday. They made it for their senior. They wish their team mate win the tournament making the crane. However, why Japanese people make "senbazuru"?? I checked it today.

In Muromachi period, making "senbazuru" started as a game. And then, it speared commoner in Edo period. People think crane is auspicious bird because there are old saying, "crane is one thousand years and turtle is ten thousand years". That means crane and turtle is long life animals. Crane is easy to make by paper, so people start to make it for sick people with to wish on the crane. People believe "senbazuru" has the power to heal disease.

There are a famous story. There were a girl who was damaged by atom bomb in "world war Ⅱ" . She had terrible disease, leukemia. She kept making paper cranes, with package of medicine, in the hospital. She liked to run, so she wanted to run thoroughly. She had never given up to live. However, her dream didn't come true. Her name is Sadako Sasaki. There are her stature in the Atomic Bomb Memorial Dome in Hiroshima. It is sad story, but we mustn't forget her. I think "senbazuru" is also symbol of peace.

Now, people send it with their wishes. The crane was held piece by piece, so the cranes have much warm heart. The people who receive it will be so happy. When you want to cheer your important person, why don't you make "senbazuru" and send it? It surely make them happy.

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8D%83%E7%BE%BD%E9%B6%B4

http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/kids/KPSH_J/hiroshima/sadako/sadako_a_1.html

[316 words]

Shopping★

Today, I went to You-me town with my friends. Of course, our purpose was shopping. I bought two things today. I spent much money, but I think it was not waste.

First, we looked for our clothes. We tried on many clothes even if we will not buy. There are many cute new summer clothes, and it made us excited!! We walked around there for three hours. At last, I bought the clothes that my friends chose for me. It was summer wear, so I am looking forward to wearing it.

And then, we looked for mother's day present. I had not decided what I bought at that time. Eventually, I bought a pot plant. I knew, it was not interesting. However, my mother likes flowers, so I bought it. It was small, but cute flowers.

I gave her the flowers at once. She was surprised but looked happy. I could express gratitude for her. I lost much money, but I could get a many happiness.

[168 words]