Christmas!

Today is Christmas day. A few days ago, I recived a nice present from my hostdaughers.I am very happy to received it.

There was a homemade card.What a cute card it was!

Christmas is not a holiday in Japan. But today is Saturday(weekend),so Many Japanese celebrate Christmas.Families and friends and hold parties with cakes and nice food.

Parents with small kids give them " gift from Santa Claus" In my family's case, we ate nice food yesterday.

We will eat cake today. Probably it will be very crowded in the cake shops. I ordered cake in the Inet shopping webpage.

Along with the New Year holidays, it is a big event of the party season!

The weather is very fine in Japan. But it is very very cold.

How do you celebrate in Christmas day,everybody???

surprising Wednesday

I went to Kyoto to visit my grandparents grave alone this Wednesday.I usually go there twice a year( at the begining of Janually and Obon season in August) The weather was very nice on Wednesday so I decided to go. It takes about 1.5 hour from my house to grave. I made use of car and train.

At first I went around on foot near from Kamo river.Kamo river is well known to everyone. There were many people who were running,walking, taking a rest,playing musical instrument.

Second, I went to swimming school club because I had been learning swimmimg from elementary school to
high school student. After I graduated from high school, I never visited there.
I saw an old building. My heart was filled with emotion. I noticed that there was a man near from me.
To my surprising, he is my good friend husband. He is working in the swimming school.
I talked to him about 15 minutes. He also has children who are the same age as my children.
We enjoyed chatting.

Third, I went to Yasaka Shinto shrine because my grandprents grave is located next to it.
There were so many Japanese school trip students and travellers. I saw many red leaves.
I arrived at grave. I cleaned it and pray (talk?to my grand parents).

When I was about to return, I heard someone was talking in English beside me.
I saw 2 foreign female travellers.
I tried to say hello to them."Can I help you?"

One woman is from Germany and another woman is from Australia.
According to them, they got to know each other for 2 hours ago at the train station.
That was amazing. I suggested them to go sightseeing together because I wanted to guide them.
We decided to go around kiyomizu temple.

We saw some Maiko in Gion. There are many Geisha and Maiko in Gion area.
Geisha are traditional female entertainers.The trainees are called Maiko.
I asked them to take a picture together.

☆about Geisha and Maiko☆

They are performers of the traditional arts.　Geisha start out as a trainee.　You can tell a Maiko from a full Geisha by the length of the sash she wears on her kimono.The Maiko wears long,hanging sash and a full Geisha wears a short one.After some years of training, Maiko become Geisha.

After that we went toward kiyomizu temple. There were too many travellers. We visited some souvenior shops, took a rest to have some tea, taking some pictures.

I could not imagine that I was able to enjoy spending time with foreign travellers before I came to Kyoto.

Time went by very quickly and I had to return home.
When I said good bye to German woman, she gave a gift for me.

I was very glad to see them and that was surprising day!  I think that probably grandparents gave a nice present for me...

Talk about my good friend's kindness

Let me talk about my friend. She is one of my good friend. When I was a runner, I got to know her. She is very kind. When I have some troubles and dissappointed, she always helps me.


She runs towards embankment for trainnig. She often finds many homeless kittens. Whenever she finds them, she brings them home. If they have some troubles( injury), she took them to the vet hospital. Then she takes care of them for a while and appeal on her webpage.
”Is there anybody who will take care of this pretty kitten?"

In fact she looked for them and took homeless kittens to their house about 50 times.It is amazing.

http://www.kcat.zaq.ne.jp/aaadd101/nekosan1.html

This is very impressive story for me.

This kitten whose name is Sachi　was picked by her. Its eye was injured. My friend took it to the vest hospital soon.The veterrinarian removed its eye surgically. He got better although he can't see in his left eye.
She looked for somebody who would take care of it.

Fortunately one kind woman who lives in Hokkaido contacted with my friend. "I would like to take care of it" she said.　My friend went to Hokkaido to take it by airplane.
Although it is very far from Kansai area to Hokkaido, she decided to give it to kind woman.

Now this kitten is very happy. I have never met such a kind friend before. Actually she helps and supports homeless kittens as a volunteer.She can't abandon homeless cats.

Recently it is said that some traders bring homeless cats back and sell them somebody to get money.
Cat's skin is used as a Japanese musical instrument's leather.
I don't want to imagine that cats were killed by traders. I know how my friend feels.

Anyway I respect her. What I want to say is we should help someone(something) when they need help.　Supporting others is very important for our life.

English cafe?!

I went to Ryuoh town in the afternoon yesterday to attend a trial lesson.
As I told you, I got to know an English teacher last month, she invited me her English school's lesson.

According to her, English zone is held at her school once a month  on Saturday. It means that students can experience semilar to go abroad to study in Japan.

When I arrived at her school, nobody came. After that one female young student came. I said hello to her and introduced them to  each other. I knew that she was a high school student and the same age as my daughter.

I told her that my daughter had been to Austlalia when she was a junior high school. To my surprised,
she told me that she also had been there and participated in the same program. And she remember my daugher's name and face.That was amazing! What a small world it is!

Next, another young woman came. I said hello to her. She told me that she knew me because teacher yumi
was talking about me to her at first. So we could easily introduce ourselves.
We were talking about our hometown. To our surprised, her hometown is very closed to mine.
And we knew that we were born in the same hospital! Wow! I was very surprised to have an  accidental connection.

Finally, an  English native male teacher came. Although that was my first experience to have a lesson in Ryuoh, I had ever seen him before. That was amazing,too!

I told him that I remembered his face and I am a member of Koka city International society.
He also lives in Koka city and he has something to do with Koka International society.
I was very very surprised to have a lot of in common with him.

He was talking about Halloween.I am a Japanese person,so  I didn't know about it. I was able to know
about the origin of it.We were talking about a lot of topic and time went by very quickly.

The manager who was Yumi's husband served us. We had some tea and cakes.
Now teacher yumi is in china and enjoying her trip.

The teacher gave a small present (snack) to us. What a nice day it was!

I will attend a cafe lesson next month with my friend.

I went to Ryuoh town

I went to Ryuoh town today.Ryuoh town is next to my city.That is because I made an appointment to see an
English teacher whose name is Yumi.


At the end of last September, I went to Ryuoh junior high school to see the group who come from Sault Ste
Marie in Michigan. When I went to Sault Ste Marie and visited Washington elementary school, I knew that
some students and leader would visit in Japan soon.The principal told us about it.I decided to see them after I come back to Japan.　And　at that day, my son was at home, I also decided to take him to there.

At lunch time, I was able to say hello to them and have a lunch together. It was only 1 hour. I enjoyed chatting together.

http://ameblo.jp/teacheryumi/

There was an interpreter whose name is Yumi.
Before I went to Ryuoh jyunior high school , I happened to see her webpage.So I was very surprised.
I was also able to get to know her at school.

After that we sometimes send a e-mail and talking about English and other things.
I went to her English school today and enjoyed chatting.

I think that connection is very miracle.
Ryuoh town is not my city's sister city. Whenever I go to Ryuoh, I use the expressway only.
I could not imagine that I was able to meet a new person in Ryuoh.

I always try to look for good connection(relation)for me. I have to challenge next stage.

I happened to see my friend last Sunday

When I was driving in my car last Sunday, I saw my friend on the street. She is my good friend whose name is Belinda.

She used to be an English teacher in my daughter's high school until this July.

I got to know her 2 years ago when a sports festival was held in her school. At that day, I went to her school alone to see the sport festival. I happened to see a foreigner teacher and said hello to her suddenly.

(It is unusual in Japan.Japanese people don't do this action...)

We were talking about a lot of things although we just met. My daughter and her friends found us and they were disgusted because I talked too much instead of seeing the sport festival^^;

After that we had some chances to go to christmas parties together.
Recently I was told by my daughter that she quit the school and I did not know where she lives now.
So I was very glad to see her on the street.I asked her to come to my house and chat because I was free in the afternoon. I took her to my house and enjoyed chatting for a long time.We were talking about a lot of things.

At first I talked about that trip to Michigan and showed her many photos. I told her that I had many valuable
experiences in Michigan. I also told her that I learned a lot.

She started talking about Japanese life. She has been staying in Japan for 5 years. She loves Japan so much. But she sometimes does not understand something. For example, why don't Japanese people enjoy so much in their life after 5 and every weekend? Why do Japanese people work too much?Why do they have a closed society?And so son.

I know how she feels. I sometimes feel it is boring in Shiga(Higashiomi)
When I lived kyoto for 13 years after I got married, I had many chances to meet new people.
And I was able to enjoy my free time.

( I belonged to running club, Batominton club, excersise club, art flower club,and so on)

I always enjoyed my life.
Actually my neighberhood (housewives) are working as a part time job or full time job.
Only old people stay in their house.I am a very rare case.

Belinda told me that she wanted to meet new people but she could not in Shiga.
So she is trying to decide if she will stay longer or return to Australia. Japan and Australia are very different.

Of course in Japan there are many good places and many good festivals that we can enjoy.
But we have a specific rule and life style and personality. So foreigners sometimes can not follow and are
confused.

We enjoyed chatting and having some tea.
I thought, even though our dreams come true, we face some troubles and difficulties.It is reality.
Her dream was to visit in Japan someday. She is in Japan now,but she faces some troubles.
Is is normal that people have some toubles in our life?

Anyway I was very happy to see her by chance and talk to her.
By meeting people, we can know about many things...

difference

As we know, we have many different things from Japan and America.When I went to Michigan,
I realized a lot.

This was my fourth time to visit America. But all trips were normal sightseeing. I did not learn a lot about American culture actually.

I think that Americans are very friendly.When I had some chances to meet new people and see someone,
I was able to talk to them. And Americans shops staff are also friendly. When I went to the Wal-mart, one of the staff talked to me a lot. I enjoyed talking to him.
In Japan, clerks are not friendly.They seldom make some jokes in front of customers because they care about person's eye.I prefer American style to Japanese style.

I think that Americans often speak well of others. I was spoken well of by them many times in this trip.
I was very glad to hear it. But I was sometimes confused. I was wondering if it is a compliment or not.
"Which is right?" In my case, I sometimes speak well of others. But not very often.

I had some good friends many years ago. They spoke well of me every time. I felt so happy.
But one day, they suddenly reccomended me to buy their pyramid club goods.Or they suggested me to join
the religious group. I was too much dissappointed at that time and after that I always pay attention to the people who spoke well of me. Probably many Japanese people have the same experience before.
But in America, it is common. It is probably American culture.

I think that Americans love to have a party. And the participants are many types of people.
In japan, some people like to have a party. But their members are only their friends and family.
They are a very closed group.

I haven't gotten used to American style yet.  When we had a farewell party in Sault Ste Marie,many participants were there. Probably I didn't know half of them.
I wanted to say hello to new people but I couldn't. Japanese people can't interrupt thier conversation.
We hesitate to say someting to new people and join thier conversation, it is Japanese culture.

They seemed to be enjoying themselves. I always care about my husband because he is very shy and quiet.
I could not leave him alone and stayed with him. After the party I regretted not talking to them.
And I thought. It is very different. When I host to foreigners in my city, city hall staff prepare some interpreters for them.When we have a welcome and farewell party, we always care about guests.
If some guests seem to be boring, we try to talk to them. Japanese people's case, NO1 is not my self.
I am  NO2 or NO3 or...last.We may not enjoy so much.

I think that Japanese hesitate to say no thank you.
Even though we have much patience, we don't usually complain.
When we went to Lake Superior University, the host took us on a laboratory tour. Assistant explained about very difficult things to us(technology, infrared rays,engineering and so on)
We could not understand at all and could not say"it is too difficult for us,so let's see another place"or something.We had no courage to say so.

When we go abroad, we can realize a lot of things.We can't realize the difference in Japan.

I learned a lot in this trip.

homestay in Sault Ste Marie

We moved from lancing to Sault Ste Marie.It took about 6 hours by car.It is located next to Canada.
It was my first experience to stay with hostfamily's house.I was so excited.

The house is like vacation  house.It is very large and there is a Lake in front of the house.So we were able to see the very nice view from the house anytime!

My hostmother is very powerful and energetic woman. She can speak Japanese very well.I did not have to

worry about language

She cooked very delicous breakfast for us.

There are 2 spaces for guests and hostfamily's.My husband and I were able to use our private bathroom.

My homestay's image is family's house.But we felt as if it was vacation house.How lucky we were!

We stayed for 5 days.