WAI

Total words this semester:1,653

How many total posts? 15

How many posts
in September:2
in October: 5
in November: 5
in December: 2
in January:1

(use labels for the following)
How many posts
about books: 6
with links: 1
with pictures/photos:5

How many complex posts? (at least 3 links and 1 photo):1

Sidebar: Do you have:
a labels section: YES
a Kumamoto links section: YES
other blogs: No
(including at least 2 blogs from other classes in the WinK community: YES )

Comments (look in your dashboard):
How many comments are there on your blog? 12

Posted by Rick at 12/05/2006 11:20:00 AM 0 comments Links to this post

Hometown

I went my hometown, Amakusa, last weekend with my sister and her children. I drove my sister's car for about 2 or 3 hours. I was so tired... but I met my parents and grand parents then I felt very happy. Family always make me happy after all and hometown, too!!

book review: The Great Gatsby

I read The Great Gatsby in this week. The book was introduced by Prof. Nakayama in one class. When I heard the title, it seemed funtastic story. However, it actually wasn't such story but just serious story. The book let me think about human ego and difficalty in love. I felt the story which written by Fizgerald is fascinating so I would like to try other his books.

Sushi!!

Yesterday I went to Sushi ichiba with my friend and ate Sushi for supper. I like them but espesially I love Anago. I always eat it first. I tried to eat new Sushi. It was delicious and I like it. But I forgot the name... it's one of shellfish and white.
Sushi ichiba is inexpensive and I like their taste. Of course Amakusa is best place to eat them. I'm going to back Amakusa this weekend so I want to eat Sushi there, too!!!

book review: Sherlock Holmes

I have read book series of Sherlock Holmes written by Conan Doyle. I started to read them when I was in elementary school. I was addicted to them. I liked to guess visions. Especially I like The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Red-Headed League and A Case Of Identity. I like to read crime fictions now, too. I want to overcome the series of Sherlock Holmes .

Nabe

"Nabe" is one of populer cooking in Japan. It's which food boiled in a ceramic pot. The best season of Nabe is winter. It's time to do Nabe!!! I had Nabe party 3 times this season. I want to do more from now. Please invite me to Nabe party!!! I like it very much and also like to drink. I'm happy when I eat it and drink. Nabe makes me so happy :)

Secretary examination!!

Today 11, Nov. I had a examination of secretary (second degree) in the morning. It was my first challenge to take the exam. The amount of study I did for it was not enough so I was under little tension. The workmanship was not good, maybe... I'm hoping that I can pass it!!!

Our favorite place Amakusa!!!

We carry some imformations about Amakusa.
We three have lived there before so we are interested in there so much. It's a so beautiful city and has many nice places to visit. Of course it's a one of place to live comfortably. Especially in those things, we introduce some topics below.

Then, our recommendations...

1. Amakusa Hondo festival. The festival takes place in August every year. It has Haiya which is traditional Amakusa's dance and main event, fireworks(7,000 fireworks!!!) We can see them beside sea where display them so their size are so huge. Impressive!! It's a so wonderful festival. These are why many people visit there the season every year.
You also should visit in the season at least once.
With your best partner. (It will be the best romantic night...)


2. Amakusa's cable TV . Amakusa has a famous person in announcer world. The person is called "Shino chan" by many people. She is 102 years-old now. She works as announcer in Amakusa cable TV. She is very popular and has broadcasted many TV programs (Even a nation-wide TV!!)
We haven't met her yet but want to meet and see her nice smiles someday...


3. Dialect in Amakusa. We talk about Amakusa’s dialog in this paragraph.
Amakusa dialect is classified as the dialect of east of Kyushu. So it’s influenced by the dialog of Nagasaki, Kumamoto and Kagosima. On the other hand, it also had influence by Chinese, Portuguese and Dutch. Because it locates near by west Asia and Dejima in Nagasaki.

First of all, we talk about words influenced by foreign language.
People who live in Amakusa say glass vidro (in Japaneseガラス). But they call just glasswork not glass. It’s from Portuguese. SYABON(soap) and BOBURA(pumpkin) was from Westerners. They have also words ‘OBOJI’ meaning brother and father and ‘CHINGU’ meaning friend. Korean has same words and same meaning.

Secondly, we talk about voiced consonant.
They have many words with voiced consonant. GANE mean crab in Japanese ‘KANI’. ‘-sitogotaru’ mean ‘want to’ and ‘nebuka’ mean ‘I’m sleepy’. voiced consonant is supposed to be characteristic word in west Kyushu.

Lastly we talk about prefix and suffix.
They have many words ‘sye’, ‘nya’, ‘che’, and so on in prefix or suffix.
For examples, ‘syenyan’ meaning ‘should to do’, ‘icchoita’ meaning ‘leave something behind’, ‘oddomya’ meaning ‘we’ and so on. They supposed to like small words.

I formed with Yuka Kawakami and Yuko Hukusima.

Book review: So can you

So can you is a Japanese book originaly. The Japanese title is Dakara Anatamo Ikinuite. I think many people have read the book or have heard the title. I met it when I was high school student and I was impressed by it a lot.

The story was like not real but it was nonfiction. It was wrriten in the book that writer's storong way of life. I couldn't help felling much tears from my eyes.

I recommend you to read the book at least once.

Book review: The Adventure of Tom Sawyer

I read The Adventure of Tom Sawyer. It is the story of brave boy Tom. I think people who read this story will be impressed him.

Assignment: My favorite points of Kumamoto

Kumamoto have many good points, I think. Above all things, Mt. Aso is so nice place. The view is wonderful whenever we visit. If we visit there daytime, we can see the greatest caldera in the world. If we visit there nighttime, we can see many stars. We may see many shooting stars.

Next, there are many hot springs in Kumamoto. The most famous spot is Kurokawa hot springs. I haven't been there yet, but I've heard those are very nice and many tourists visit there. By all means, I want to visit.

My hometown is Amakusa, of course it's one of nice place in Kumamoto, too. The seashores and sun sets are so beautiful, and sea foods are so delicious!!! Especially, I think "Tako mesi" is the best, so delicious. In addition, we can spend a time of ease there. We will feel an expansive mood. I recommend to visit there at least onece!!!

assignment: The perfect man

The perfect man is a love story. I have seen the movie twice. First was in Minnesota in America. I joined Kaigaikensyu last year, so I saw it with my host family. Of course no subtitles. Second was in my house. Because of it was DVD, I saw it with subtitles. Therefore, I could understand the story well.

The story was that a girl who go to High Scool try to got her mother do true love. She made a imaginary man and got him to give her mother flowers and to send love letters. In addition, they was sending e-mail each other. The mother fall in love the imaginary man at last.

Finally, the mother met a nice real guy and could get true love. It may say that happiness through a girl, her doughter. Incidentally, a girl also get a nice boy. It was a nice movie! I have mother and father, so of course I haven't helped their love yet. Probably I will never do that from now. However, it looked very interesting!!! If I have a chance, I want to try that for someone.

Book review: The White Quail

The White Quail was written by John Steinbeck. He often wrote about rich natures in his works and his special sense of value. The heroine in this story also have special sense of value about her garden.

The heroine think '' garden is myself''. Therefore, she treat it very carefully and she let his hasband so. He tried to do so hard because he love her so much. However, her behaviors were not ordinary, so he couldn't stand finally.

He killed a white quail secretly for his wife. It was the quail which his wife said ''that is like myself.'' I think he was limit of his patient. Basides, he want to live her happily together. I felt that he was a sorry lot.

I don't know their life after that, but I hope that they live together happily.

book revew: Little Women

I choose Little Women as my first book to read in wrting class. I love this story because I also in four sisters. I can feel that it is important to being family for me, from this story. this is why I choose this book first.


I have read this book before in Japanese. Therefore, I could understand
almost the story. However, there are some difference of them.
First, the endress of Japanese has ended happily. All the family members
assemble in their home and live there. In contrast, the third girl Beth died
in English story. I was very suprised about it.


Second, Laurie and fourth girl, Amy are married. I thought he will marry with the second girl, Joe. In Japanese story, it ended that he is folling in love with Joe. I couldn't understand their marrige. There are many differences else.


I realize that even if the titles of Japanese and English were same, their stories are not completely same. The differences are sometimes what I can't understand, but I think they are also very interesting points.

First day!!

Hello. I'm Hiroko.
I'm sleepy now...