My Coming-of-age Celebration

Hi, how are you? I had caught a cold since I came back to Japan. So I was very sad that I could not see my great grandmother because of it. However, I can visit her now, I am glad of it!

Anyway, I went to go to my hometown's celebration. I mean I live in a different city which is next to my hometown now, but almost all my friends live in my hometown. I was glad to see many classmates there. Girls wore kimono and some boys wore hakama. Everyone is beautiful, pretty and cool!!

First, I saw the performance of Japanese drums. It was soooooooo cool! Then the mayor of my hometown spoke to us and I heard the performance of my high school's brass band. It was beautiful, but I had lost interest in the Japanese pop music. :-(

After that celebration, I would like to take a picture with my friend, but he came back to his home before I catch him. I was very sad but I took pictures with my best friends. I was surprised that I see my housemate who lived in same house in MFWI. She is a education student. I was happy to see her again.

So, how was your coming-of-age celebration?

Snow on The Block of Paper

Hi, how are you? I spent mild warm Christmas and New Year at my home. Even it could be said rude…

By the way I want to write about last days at Spokane. We started packing and cleaning our houses to leave America. It meant we produced a great amount of garbage! At that time we couldn't save our living wares at MFWI unlike at regular program, so we had to throw away or donate things we didn't need or couldn't bring. A dump yard was filled up soon. In addition, cold wind blown and brought much snow in the yard in no time. I’m worried about trash men. They would be in trouble… I hope they are used to work in snowy season. We had to leave no personal thing at our houses. We couldn't bring and ship all of them. These are reasons why many trash were produced. Anyway, I tried to remember what garbage I saw most was. It would be paper. I've seen there were boxes to recycle paper in many places such a library, Weston house and school buildings. We must to use them if we can. I don’t want to produce so many wastes.

This Wednesday will be a day for recyclable paper garbage in my town. I tightened magazines and newspapers.

Life in Japan

Hi! How are you? I really enjoy my life in Japan. I ate Sushi four or five times after I came back to Japan, so I'm almost tired of eating them now. However I think Japan is the best country about food. I love Japanese food!

By the way, tomorrow is our aging ceremony. I'll perform some songs in the ceremony with my brass band club in junior high school. In December, I saw some members after long time and practiced. I was so happy to see them. Actually, I spent the time for talking not practising. I'm also looking forward to seeing my friends in elementary school and junior high school. I'll publish the blog about the ceremony soon! See you!

Still now...

Hi, How are you doing right now? Now I don't have school so I almost always do part-time job. Also I'll go to car licence school soon and I joined a volunteer which is part of UN so I think my life in Japan will be busy.

After came back to Japan I 'm still in return shock if I don't hear even one English sentence, I feel nervous so I'm and was often soaked in my memories of America but it is bad for going ahead from now. Then I decided to be positive so I looked for foreigner who study Japanese so we can help each other to learn language. So thank you for them I can continue to study English.

And next my small goal is taking TOFLE in May, again so everyday I memorize at least 10 words. Is it few? But it's certain way for me so I'm doing my best.

I can't use English at work as Shoko but I could find own way what should I do so I'll continue them. Anyway I have to read Pride and Prejudice due is Feb 10th. Today I got my big baggage from US so finally I can start to read it. However I have a grudge snow because it prevented my planed due to finish (HaHa) .

Anyway I hope nobody who is in MFWI don't catch cold. Take care!!

Delightful smile

To success was my one of my goals in America. Therefor I have searched about my topic which is a furoshiki since summer very hard in Japan. Also I prepared books about it for going abroad to MFWI.To search about Japanese culture was very difficult for me because there were only few sources. Also thinking is different from Americana's so sometime I was in trouble. At that time I wanted to explain about Japanese culture but even I tried to explain about it teachers couldn't understand it. But I didn't know how I can explain it. During before our presentation week many people cooperated with me even they are not our Extension teachers. So I really appreciate them. Also Tomomi, Misaki and I everyday practiced from 10 p.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 a.m. Usually if I stay up late, next day I would be sleepy but I thought that I have to prepare well and don't want to worry my partners so I didn't feel sleepy.But when my turn started I didn't feel nervous I don't know why but I hope that I did do my best in classes everyday. If other person see me, my efforts might be not enough. When our turn threatened Tomomi looked so nervous so I really worried about her. But actually during our presentation we could keep our smile very well. Actually one of audience said that my smile was so delightful. Sometime I was stuck but I think I did the best presentation of all our practices which I did.After my presentation, many people said to me my speaking speed, interval between sentence and pronunciation were the best. So I was really happy to hear about that. Also my last host family and new host family came to MFWI for me and after it finished they came to me and said good job so I moved very much. both of them live in far away from MFWI but they came bother to hare so I think I am blessed person who are my host family. Also teachers give kind and beatitude words so I was really really happy to come here and could study English.I want to thankful for everyone who are my parents, friends, presentation partners and teacher.I could keep smile from the beggining of this presentation to the ending. Anyway I'm realy happy!

Day Before New Year

A Happy New Year!!

I want write about my day before New Year.

My day before New Year is almost same every year, and it was almost same this year (2008) too. It was kind of traditional way to spend time at the day.
In the morning my parents cooked New Year dish. My brother and me cleaned up own room and wiped all windows in my house. At this time I wiped mainly outside of it, because I am better balance to stand on roof than my brother. It was good time. Weather was fine. Our neighbors found us and greet us. Sometime my brother locked me out. I enjoyed all of these things.
In the after noon, we were tired to wipe and clean up. At that time my mother asked me to go to shop with her. I was glad to go anywhere to escape from clean up. But the shop was closed because it was day before New Year. My mother asked me to go other shops, but I refused it to go to my grandparents’ house secretly. Then I went to my grandparents’ house to take nap. My grandparents and brother welcomed me. My brother also escaped from cleaned up. We took nap about 1 hour in kotatsu.
At the evening I return my house to help my parents to make rice cake. I like to make rice cakes. I don’t know why. Actually, the machine cooked it, we only watch and kneed a little. We kneaded and ate it. I like to eat rice cake which just after cook. Then we ate dinner. It was soba (noodle), but I couldn’t eat so much because I ate too much rice cakes.
In the night, we watched the TV. It was comedy. It called “ガキの使いやあらへんで（笑ってはいけない新聞社）””I am not ambassador of kids (don’t laugh in news paper company)”. It was sooooooooo funny. We laugh so much. When we see the watch it was already New Year.

It was my day before New Year.

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EXTENSION STUDENTS!

It's 4:30 AM in Spokane (I know, I know), so I just wanted to wish you all a great and happy new year. We shared a lot of experiences in 2008, and I was thinking about you all right now. Your memories are always strong in my mind .

I hope you are all happy, safe, and continue with your successful lives. NEVER GIVE UP!

Love,

Christopher