Canadian

 I have been impressed for Canadian's kindness.

 Actually I am a slob person, so I often lose something, forget something and so on.
2 weeks ago, I lost my phone for the second time in a row.

 First, I lost in the University. After sent off my friends at the bus station to got my room, I seemed losing it.  I always put my phone in a pocket on my coat. After I realized that I did not have it, I went to seek it, but then no one took it to lost found office at University center. Then I was not able to find my phone at the time. But after I got my room, my host father sent me a massage "someone found your phone, and she or he will take it University center."
 Next day, it was taken there. I really appreciate that.

 And the next week, I lost my phone again. I went Korean store and went my friend's house by bus. When I leave the house at night, I realized that I lost it. My friends guessed the losing point was in the buss.But I noticed that I touched my phone when I got off the bus station a nearby Korean store. And since I was a child I have a habit to check my seat before I get off train, car buss, anything, so I was pretty sure that I did not lose it in the bus.  Then I pulled my memory, I recalled that after I and my friends had run a nearby Korean store because we almost miss our bus. So I went to the Korean store again after I left my friend's place, but it was not there.
 I gave up about it. But about 5 days later, I got information about it from my host father again.
Someone found it, and the person has been keeping, and told me a telephone number. I called the number and I talked to a man. He was very kind, and he told me that his daughter found it a nearby Korean store. He told me house address, it was near my residence. I went to there. and she gave me it!!! I gave her a STARBUCKS coffee card. I really appreciated.

 As a other experience, a woman had given me small coins when I bought a juice by machine at school. Did I look like poor?, but I heard it is not unusual.

 I think Canadian people are very very kind!! Do you have any experiences like that?

STUDIO GHIBLI

 Do you know STUDIO GHIBLI?　This is one of Japanese famous animation companies. I grow up with watching STUDIO GHIBLI movies, so I really love it. I think that I am an animation geek of STUDIO GHIBLI movies.




 Today, I will talk about one of my favorite STUDIO GHIBLI movies, Kiki's Delivery Service. This story about a girl who is a witch. The main character Kiki is a witch under training.
 There  is a social code that girls whose mothers are witches have to go training journeys for 1 year at the ages of 13. She likes flying on a broomstick. When she got to her age 13,she decide to go training journey with black cat Jiji.


　Then she will have not only pleasant time but also sadness or feeling blue. For example, one day, she suddenly will not be able to fly, and she will not be able to talk to Jiji. But she will somehow find the strength to endure the tragic burden, and develop through friendly competition with supportive her friends, people who met there and Jiji.

 Since I came to Winnipeg, I had thought that it is not preferable to watching Japanese movies in Canada. But I got homesick last summer, I missed my family, Japanese friends everything of Japan hopelessly, and I felt that don't want to study English. Then I watched this movie, but it is dubbed in English.
 I realized that I am in the similar environment with Kiki, like without　any acquaintances and living new environment. So thanks to this movie, I could overcome the problem. So I recommend to watch this movie especially when you battle with troubles or obstacles.

My dear Canadian parents

 My host family was very kind and treated me as a real member of their family when I lived with them. But since I moved out in residence, It is difficult to see each other often.

  But finally I spent time with my host family for the first time in years. Because my host parents asked me and my friends to go  the Festival du Voyageur.  My host parents go to the festival every year since they moved to Winnipeg. So I was really happy to be in the annual event with them like when I lived with them.

  I was really looking forward to see them. On Saturday, I went to buy small gifts for my host parents. My host parents really like to drink wine, and when I lived with them, it was special and memorial time for me to drink wine with them. So I bought a set of cork opener and bottle stopper for them. And I bought a very cute wine glass which colors come out beautifully for my host mother as a her birthday present. My mother likes colorful, so I decided to buy it right away. 

.   

 On Sunday, they picked us up at residence. We had a lot of catching up to do, so on the road to go the festival, we talked a lot of things in a car.
 

 The festival was really interesting. we enjoyed to see beautiful snow sculptures, historic lifestyle and music bands and so on. My host father knows everything!!!!!!! So when I asked many things, he taught them clearly. The most exiting thing was we drunk wine with ice cup.

 

Time did fly really fast.
We planed to meet again before I go to Japan. And my host parents gave me big hugs, and that she said 'how sweet you are' as I was about to leave and she seemed to be happy gave me big pleasures ❤

My special nightlife

 Hello, my friends.
 Many couples enjoy the night view of my city Yokohama. Because the view at night is so beautiful and romantic, Yokohama is famous as a spot for taking photographs and as a place to walk around on a date. So, I have always liked to go for a drive at night to good spots for night viewing.

 Today, I will talk about my nightlife I am familiar with. It is going for a drive at night to Yabitsu, which is a mountain path, is also famous for night view.
 This place is parking place at half way of the mountain path.  There are not only couples but also many male and female pairs including friends.
 To go Yabitsu, you have to make about an hour drive a long narrow mountain road.And the road is really dark, so you also have to drive through the total darkness with only car lights. If you look carefully, you may encounter wild animals such as deers or racoons in the darkness. But the road, witch leads windingly down the side of a mountain to the place witch you can see the night view, make you carsickness. 


 But when you see the night view at there, the night view is going to make you forget everything even carsickness. haha
 The air is really clean, the place is very quiet, dark, and you can see sky bespangled with stars from there.

 

 The beauty of Yabitsu with it is many glittering colors is amazing.I am pretty sure that you are going to be fascinated with the beautiful night view of Yabitsu, and this night view makes you want to stay more.

 This is my favorite nightlife.

different country, different culture, different people

I have been Winnipeg about 10 months for learning English in IEP. Today I will tell you about some differences between Japan and Canada.
 Since I came to Winnipeg, I have had a lot of culture shock or culture gap between Winnipeg and my city Yokohama, or Canadian and Japanese. At the beginning, those intercultural gaps gave me negative impressions such as upset or shock, so I had a lot of funny or ashamed experiences because of different culture. But as I started to know Canadian culture, I have discovered reverse culture shock which I had thought it is usual, and I can now see Japan from a foreigner's view point. I have come to find delight in finding different culture.

 First of all, I will talk about life style. There are a lot of differences of life style between Canada and Japan. For example, we laundry hung outside to dry, we drink green tea every day, or almost Japanese bring own hand towel and so on.
  I already had culture shock the first day. My first culture shock was about toilet. Many Japanese like to spend time alone, and actually I am the person of them. For example, it is not unusual to go restaurant, Karaoke, or watching movies alone in Japan.  I think this is one of reasons that many Japanese worry about what others think of them. So they get tired easily to spend time with other people.

 For Japanese, the place of toilet is very important because there is the only space which we can be alone. And Japanese toilet is as known as high level. For example, in Japan, even a public washroom, a toilet is very warm, and they have bidet, and toilets which have sounds system and deodorant system for removing any sound or smell became common.

  When I arrived in Winnipeg, so I was very upset. Because Canada's washroom door is very small and wider than the doors in Japan, and similarly, in my home stay the toilet room has no keys. So I was uncomfortable because someone may see me from those gaps. I was always wondering Canadian don't care about it. In Japan, washroom is a space where people can be relax, but in Canada, people don't think so much, so it took long time to I got used to Canada's washroom.

Second of all, I am a University student in Japan. My Japanese University is Women’s University, and there are kindergarten, elementary school, women’s junior high school, and women’s university. So U of M and my Japanese University is very different. This University is huge, so to me it is like a big maze. So first 3 months to came here, I was always late may classes to change class room. And I could not understand why there are too many coffee shops in this University, and two Tim Hortons in the same building. But now, I go to Tim Hortons almost every day.
 In Japan, it is impossible that women and men live the same residence, so those things are very new to me.

 Finally, I think Canadian are very kind. In Japan, there are also many kind people. But I have felt that many times, and many IEP friends also say that. For example, when I don’t have small coins to buy coffee at Tim Hortons, clerks use money from coin box.  And recently I lost my phone somewhere in University. I attempt finding it, but it did not show up. But the same day my host family, I had lived before, told me that “someone who is a University student found your phone at school, and the person will bring the lost and found office in the University center. The next day, I got my phone. I could not say “thank you” to the person directly, but I really appreciate. And other day, one beautiful woman gave money. Then I could not understand why she gave me money. But then I realized that Canadian like to be kind to others.

I really rely on IEP leaders and teachers. They are very close to me and other students. Now, I live in residence. I have met many Canadian, and people who are from other countries in the residence. People who live here are also warm, friendly, funny, and many times they have helped me, so even though they can speak English well, they listen to my talking. When I can talk to them, I am really glad and happy. And it is also decrease to get home sick.

In Japan, people never greet strangers. It is usual that when we are children, we are taught that you must not talk to strangers by mothers or teachers. And usually people who are working don’t greet such as bus drivers or clerks in superstores. Because Japanese think working people should work hard and more seriously. So even buses don’t come on time, I like to take buses, and go to superstores in Winnipeg. So after go back Japan, I will feel that Japanese are unpleasant and cool.

For me, those culture gaps, or culture shock have not only negative meaning, but also those words have positive meaning. Thanks to finding different culture, I formed an attachment for Winnipeg and Japan, or Canadian and Japanese more and more.

Earthquake in Japan

 We have a lot of earthquakes in Japan. Today I will talk about the earthquake Northeast which happened on March 11, 2011.

 Then I was on my way to go to University for guidance for studying abroad students. I was walking a street, so I didn't feel the earthquake strongly. But when I stop walking, the car nearby shake. The first thing I thought was I have to go University. There were many people because all railways are suspended. I felt several big earthquakes. Then I heard a woman scream. I was really frightened, so I tried to call someone, but cellphone connections are poor. So not only calling, but also people could not get any information from phone. We could not imagine What’s happening?. And People are forming long lines to use payphones and formed long lines waiting for taxis.

 And instantly we got information that a heavy earthquake hit Sendai city in Japan. But the information made me a panic. Because Miyagi city is my father's hometown, so my grand mother and many relatives live there, so I was extremely worried about their safety. The night my father and my sister could not come home from their working place. But the night we finally confirm that my grandmother and some relatives survived. The news about earthquake was broadcast live hours a day. It felt like I am in a movie. I was clutching the money immediately went to the station to raise money. And I think many people too.

 Next day, my father and my sister finally got home. It seemed that they spent hard night.
My father attempt calling his relative, and his friends. But still phone connections are poor. He managed to confirm their survival except one of my cousin. But a couple days later, we confirm her survival on the internet. She left a massage on the Disaster Message Board. My uncle lost his house, and he and his family could not find any shelters which have space. There were fulled up too many refugees, so they had to live in their car for a while.

 When I arrived in Winnipeg, I expected new life in Winnipeg, but I was also really worried about whether another earthquake will come. I am going to visit there to see my grandmother and relatives.
 It's been about 1 year since it happened. Until today the death toll from the earthquake reached about １,6000 people. And many people still live shelters. I still can’t believe that such a terrible thing has happened. But we will never forget the day.

Wedding Ceremony in Japan

 In Japan, there are four kinds of wedding ceremonies, Shintoistic, Christian, Buddhist and non-religious styles. It doesn't necessarily match with one's religion. Many people are not that particular about religion so wedding style depends on what the couple feels like. For example, non-Christian couples often have their weddings at chapels in Japan.
 In general, weddings are held only on so-called "lucky days".
 

 Japanese traditional wedding ceremony is Shinto-style. It is held at shrines. Brides who choose to have a traditional Japanese wedding at a shrine wear a white kimono, called "shiro-muku". It means white and pure and also symbolizes that the bride will give up her family and become the color of her husband's family. 

 Actually I have never attended Shinto-style wedding ceremony. Because Christian-style wedding is more common in Japan. I think this is because many brides want to wear a wedding dress. My brother got married last year, and they also chose a Christian-style wedding.
  

 When I attend my brother's wedding ceremony, it was held at church in the hotel in Motomachi where is famous for night view. Then they Exchange of Wedding Rings and Exchange of Wedding Vows in the a million‐dollar view. kk

  After wedding ceremonies, reception parties called "kekkon hiroen" are held in the same hotel. There are relatives, friends, and co-workers are invited to wedding receptions. Usually people who attend wedding ceremonies bring cash for a gift. 

  And it's important that the cash is enclosed in a special envelope called shugi-bukuro, and your name is written on the front. It's polite to use new bills with no creasing.
 

 Female guests wear dresses or kimono. My mother wore Kimono. Then people MUST NOT wear white dress. Because the Brides wear a wedding dress, so if people wear white dress, the Brides cannot be conspicuous. And male guests commonly wear black formal suits.

 During a wedding reception, the my brother and his wife sat on a stage, enjoying the guests' speeches and performances. Many people sang congratulating songs for them. 

 

　It's typical for the couple to cut a wedding cake and to walk around the reception room, lighting the candles and greeting guests. We ate a full course meal that was very delicious. And my brother gave a teddy bear that has as the same weight as my brother was born for my parents, and his wife too.

My parents (left) and her parents also cut a wedding cake. 

  And the bride and groom went to change costumes a couple of times. Then my brother wore his job costume, and his wife wore yellow wedding dress. They were looked different.   
  After the ceremony, guests got gifts from my brother and his wife. It was gift catalogs from which guests can choose gifts are popular for "hikidemono" such as food, clothes, dishes or accessories whatever you want.

 And newly marries couple usually go to a honeymoon. My brother and his wife went to Australia.
 I really enjoyed their wedding ceremony... ❤