Homework # 12 Do you agree with the writer??

After listening to today’s presentations and reading what the new Minister of Education in the newspapers. Please read the opinion in the December 6th International Herald Tribune. http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/06/opinion/edkumiko.php

Do you agree with the writer? Why? Give at least 3 examples to support your answer.

I am not so sure, mabey I misunderstand the article, but I agree with the writer, becuase our English skills are behind in Asia. And also, Japanses government started 'Yutori' education (education free from stress), but it made so bad result. Japanses mark was worse in nation-wide examination. What is educaiton free from stress?? why did the government make the system? I don't understand, becasue entrance exam is still stressful to children, but school hour is decreased, so I think it is kinds of contradiction in the education system.

However, I think Japan should start teaching children English in elementary school. but I know a lack of teachers, teaching skills, and so on. However, English education is behind in Asia. When I went to England, I met many Chinese people who are teacher in China. They are not only English teacher but also math, computer, social studies and so on. And they study English in England for a month by goverment's money. Some of them speak very fluent English, the other of them speak low level, but they keep studying English. I know it is hard for Japanese goverment to do like Chinese goverment, but goverment have very different idea to English Education, I think.

In addition, in Korea, many parents want their childen to speak English, so they try to study abroad or immigrate to America when their children are elementary school students. Can you image when you are elementary school student you want to study abroad??? Almost all 80% of students who are at elementary, junior high, and high schools take private lessons to study English in Korea. Each of rate is elementary school student is 84.6%, junior high school student is 88.4%, and high school student is 64.9%. It is rate of 32.6% that their parents immigrate to education. Wow!!

However, I'm afraid to start early education of another language, not just English, because many students avoid Kanji and reading difficult books like Oogai Mori, Souseki Natsume, and so on. There are many difficult Kanji in those books, so some student can't read those Kanji. Inculding me, we should not only English but also Japanese too, don't you think?

Homework # 11 What do you think the article from the Japan Times

This week's homework is to read an article from the Japan Times and five your opinion. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?ek20060110ls/htm

Do you agree or disagree with the author ( who is Japanese). Please explain why in your blog.

I agree with the author, because recently couple are strange for me. I think recently couple styles are too close. I sometime saw some guy brings girl's bag... It is a kind of ladies first?? It is OK to bring shopping bag, but why does he bring girl's stuff?? He wants to be a girl?? It is joke, but if I see those couple, I think some guy is a kind of her servant. And also, it is common to have own cell phone each other, so it is easier keep in touch than ever. However, that things make each other too close. In my opinion, relation of love needs to have comfortable distance, but its distance depends on each couples. close distance give them stressful.

And also, another reason is I think men not only change but also women change too. recently women have jobs and have much money to live by themselves and they are independent than previous women. Then, they enjoy living alone. I think women's spirits are more stonger than ever. It is good for them to be strong, but they enjoy living alon too much, so if she lives with someone, she cannot make a new relationship in life because she already has own lifestyle. However, it is not only women, men enjoy living alon too and he already has own lifestyle too. So it is too difficult to built new relationship in couples, I think.

Homework #10 Table Manners

Today we discussed table manners from all over the world. Please answer the following questions in your blog.

Have you ever eaten in a foreign restaurant? Where? What did you eat?

Yes, I have. I went to China and England. When I went to China, I ate traditional Chinese food. there is 56 race in China, so you can eat many type of food in China. almost people say part of south is very spicy and hot food. Most food is included in many black pepper and red pepper. part of north is salty and acid food. And also, staple diet is different by area.

When I went to England, I ate fish and chips, puddings and something like traditional food, too. Almost all people say British foods are so bad, but I like those food.


Did you make any mistakes? Please explain your experience. Did you learn anything?

When I went to England, I did homestay. then, my hostmother tought me how to use knife and fork. I surprised that a knife was hold like gribing pencil but more softly.
However, I don't know what table manner is in China, but I think almost all manner in China is same in Japan.

Homework #6 Weddings

Weddings!!

Since Japanese weddings are expensive, do you think having a massive wedding like Korea or UAE is a good idea? Eloping?
I think it is good idea!! Japanese weddings are tooooooooo expensive!! I don't want to change dress many times! and I don't want to artificial churchs. This building is only used wedding like ceremonial occasion places. I don't want to pay my wedding ceremony, so I agree a massive wedding. However, I disagree with eloping. I want to be celebrated by everyone, so someone disagrees with my partner, I should talk them and give their assent.

Having it in a foreign location like Hawaii?What is your ideal wedding? What would you definitely do or wear or go to on that big day? Why is that important?
I want to go foreign location as honeymoon. My ideal wedding is simple one because I think it is not important in the wedding, it is important to become husband and wife, it's not just lover. They make a new relationship between husband and wife. so I hold wedding at church or shrine with family and some friends. Then, I hold simple party. I want to spend much money as honeymoon than as wedding.

Homework #5

Superstitions!!

Do you think it is important to talk about supersitions? why?
I think not so important to talk about them, but if somebody go to another country, you should know a little bit what kind of supersition there is in the country. becase superstition is a kind of costom and culture. something is taboo or good things in that country, so you should know what you can do or you can't do, I think.


Is communication affected by superstitions?
I think it is sometimes did, because some poeple has a strong believe in superstitions, but other poeple doesn't have. then believer can't explan what it means in superstitions, but they DON'T do that. probably, people fights in the cross culture situation by superstitions. friends of mine and I fought about standing chopstick in rice. she came from foreign country.I just said 'oh, no! don't do that' ,friend said, 'why not?' I can't explan it, then just said 'it is one of taboo in Japan. ' then I thought why I believe this thing and I noticed it is rude manner for me.
Don't you think??

Do you believe in Japanese supersttions? If so, what superstitions, what do they mean and why do you do, use, or believe in them?
I believe some in Japanese superstitions.
'If a tea leaf stand in a tea, you have a luck.'
'you don't use chopstick to chopstick to pass something.' and I used to believe
when a hearse passed the front of me, I had hided my thumbs.
Reasons of them, a tea leaf is a rare thing, so if I have a chance, I believe I will be brought something luck by a tea leaf. And for chopstick, I think it is rude manner for me. And for a hearse, I don't know why I believed, but everybody had hided their thumbs so I just had mimicked them.

I think superstitions have one of precept from the ancients. so when a hearse passed the front of us, you don't forget caring your parents, or you always think about parents or family. And old the time, some people used to persuade children what you can do or what cannot do by superstitions.

Homework #4

Time
Explain what you think are the meanings of each of the following expressions.

1. Time is money.
I think this is same meaning in Japanese, '時は金なり'. time is important, so you should spend time more usefully. but I think time is more important than money, because we cannot buy time by money.


2. A stitch in time saves nine.
If you have a small snag then you leave the snag, the snag will get bigger. you should keep little by little each time, then you finsh work. It is important to keep little by little. I think this expression is interesting, isn't it? In Japanese, we say '転ばぬ先の杖'.


3. There's no time like the present.
You have a chance to do something and you should do now, because you don't know you have a nice time again.


4. Fashionable late.
I have no idea of this expression, but I tried to find out of meaning from Internet.
if you participate in a party, you'll go to be late on purpose, becasue you can distinguish in the party. this expression comes from fashionable worlds(社交界). I think it is not good habit for me. everybody should go just in time.

Homework #3

The Language of clothes

1. Do you judge people according to what they wear? Why?
yes, because I don't have any idea of people so, I can get information from what they wear, then I guess people's character or what kind of person.


2. Do you think Japanese society puts an importance on clothing when judging other people from another country?
Yes, I think so too, because Japanese communication is gussing culture, I think. so we don't talk so many but we want to get many information about people. I think clothing is one of information to know who you are.


3. What colors are you wearing now? Do they reflect your mood?
Today's wearing is blue. I sometime reflect my mood what I am wearing today. I always reflect weather what I wear. If I wear clothes by my mood, I want to cheer up myself or feel relax.

Next topic: Friends
1. What are some subjects that you will never discuss with a friend?
I almost talk with a friend. but I talk with deeply friends about more personaly subjects, like weight or grade or family problems.



2. Do you have different friends for different parts of your life? If so, how are they different to you? Do you talk about different things? Go to different places? Give me some examples.

yes, they have many energy in their lives. They have job and have husband or wife now, then they have a baby. They have already had a sense of responsibility in social life. They don't care about public image and they have own their life style. I am concerned with appraeances. I get some energy from them.