ESL 096 writing blog 9

The Memory of English Club

It has been almost a year since I have been to Canada. I used be the members of English club at my high school for three years; it was memorable, and wonderful club. The main purpose of English club was to develop the student’s English skills, to get involve into foreign cultures, and to have fun. The member was 30 for total consisted of grade 10-12. English club was lenient and comfortable club: we gathered every Friday bringing one pack of snack to watch movie and chat. There were two instructors when I was there: a Canadian teacher Dougal, and an American teacher Tereasa. They are both wonderful teachers-they encouraged me going to Canada; if I haven’t met them, I wouldn’t be here right now.

One of the most exciting even for members was English Camp to the resort hotel, Karuizawa which happens once a year. The high school which includes any English club, English major course, International classes from all over Nagano prefecture attends to this camping. Usually there are more than 300 students, and everyone is separated into different groups. We get to know each other, and any other language is not allowed to be spoken. If students speak Japanese or other language, instructors shoot them using water gun. It is very fun event. For instance, I met one of my best friends in this camping, and we are still keeping in touch! It is called “romance camping” among the students, which means some students expect to get boyfriend or girlfriend during the camping. We have lots of activities to win a prize in the end. At night, students get very excited-dating with their boyfriends and girlfriends, having girl’s night with friends, spending time with teachers doing silly stuff. This camping brings us great opportunities to get to know each other not only students but also teachers.

English club was also called “music-band club” because all skillfully band people were member of English club! We created a song for us-please check out my facebook video that I’m tagged.

These are part of information about my lovely English club. I’m looking forward to meet with my high school club mates this summer!

ESL 097 writing blog 8

Writing blog 8

The largest, worst earthquake attacked Japan on April 11^th, 2:46pm. More than 12,985 people have died, more than 4,646 people are injured, and more than 14,809 people are still missing. It has been almost a month since the earthquake happened; however, still now, people cannot feel safe. Japan Meteorological Agency named this earthquake, “The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake.” The agency recorded Mw 9.0, the number beyond “The South Hyogo Prefecture Earthquake that used to be said the worst earthquake in Japanese history. The Tohoku Earthquake is counted as the forth-worst natural disaster in the world since 1990, according to United Status Geological Survey.

The earthquake brought other natural disasters such as tsunami, conflagration, landslide, etc. Tsunami took everything away from people: cars, houses, family, and even people’s lives. Japan is well-prepared country to the natural disasters, especially earthquake and tsunami; however, the country has got irreversible damage. For instance, the nuclear plant, which is located in Fukushima prefecture, has exploded and people are still be cautions to invisible substance, which is floating in the air.

Feeling frustrating, I strongly thought that I want to help even if I cannot fly back to Japan immediately. CNC and UNBC collaborated to make thousands of origami cranes to make a wish for Japan and Japanese people to recover as soon as possible. We fold 500 cranes at CNC, and UNBC got over 3000 cranes for total. The canes have been sent to Japanese embassy in Canada. Keiko, Hazuki, and I took turn each day and set up the booth at the college. We saw a lot of people folding cranes, and donating money for Japan. Also, I have seen many encouragements on Twitter, Facebook, and other social network system that people posting them on websites. Each words and comments are strong and hopeful. I felt the world is connecting.

It will take a while to recover perfectly, but I believe the country will be stronger and people are tough enough to get over this memory.

(References)

Wikipedia

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/東北地方太平洋沖地震

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/阪神淡路大震災

ESL 096 writing blog 7

One of my classmate invited me for her family dinner which takes place every Tuesday, and I’ve been join in them since last semester. I appreciate my friend that offered me such a lovely moment. It brings me the feeling of having families because I am away from my family such a long time.

                I was expecting to have family dinner two weeks ago, but the information that she texted me the night before was unclear. On that day, her friend picked me up, and we went to Vanderoof to see all of her family! There was one Japanese girl, Asuka in the car that came to Canada for her two weeks abroading program: the family that picked me up was her host family during the program, so they wanted me to translate some words for her. It was quite surprising but I got rare chance to speak my language. I had fun talking to her during driving and dinner.  After dinner, we went to a first-nation people’s event; it was small local event bur it reminded me about the presentation of Haida people. The lady at the event let us wear traditional costume made from animal’s skin. It was made over 60 years ago: however, it kept its shape as before. She told us a story about on June 11^th, 2008, Canadian prime minister apologized to all the first-nation people in public.

Here is the article that I read

http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=2149

It was such sad story. The children, automatically put themselves into residential school, were neither allow to spend time with their families, nor learn about their native language and culture. Families are supposed to be together during their lives: however, it was definitely unfair. People have to respect each other, and each culture.  I believe; these things should not happen anymore.

Reference

The Prime Minister of Canada

http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=2149

ESL 097 writing blog 6

I am taking Leadership 201 this semester, which is about how to take initiative as a leader, and how to inspire other followers. My group mates and I created a workshop in one of our class activities. The purpose of our activity is to help students who are having trouble of studying anxiety, handling stress, managing time, etc. We had discussion about how to organize the event: requirement, advertisement, schedule, and so on. Our group was consisted two Canadian and three international students including me. We set up the date twice, February 21^st and March 31^st. We had hard time meeting up in a group: some people started non-communication thing such as not replying email, texting, etc. In addition, some midterms were coming up, schedule was conflicted, things were going around differently, etc. Two Canadians organized most the stuff and made some tasks to do each week.

On the first event, which was right after reading break, we got only one audience. It was not enough time to advertise which worked better in second event. However, we could listen to the lecture by ourselves so we could see how the thing goes. We were given almost a month to prepare for second time so it was not that hard, and we knew what we should do and what we have to do. Later on, one of group mates booked a meeting with Radle, who is from communication center, and we got some new ideas for advertisement. For instance, making poster in other languages, announcing events on local TV, sending information to instructors, etc. They turned out effectively. On the day of event, we set up the popcorn machine from Student Union office, and made a last advertising. It called a lot of listeners: we got more than 25 people on the event! I learned a lot of things getting involved into organizing this event, and of course, and from listening to the lecture. It would be helpful a lot in my life. Thank you for coming to my event some of my classmates!

ESL 095 listening log

My Leadership 201 classmates and me, organized stress and management workshop on March 31^st, and it was great successful. We called a lady from counseling office, Tammy, and she gave us a wonderful lecture. It was two hours long including discussion and survey. The main point was about how to manage, deal with your stress, how to organize your schedule, etc. I learned different stress and pressure that other students are feeling through the discussion, and how they deal with their stress. Also, I re-understood the importance of planning ahead for the goals. Tammy spoke quite slowly, calm tone so the lecture was easy to understand. If I get a chance to hear it next time, I will definitely attend again.

ESL 095 listening log

I watched a movie called, “Grown Ups” in DVD acted by Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider. The movie was shown on screen last year; the five elementary basketball teammates, who haven’t met 30 years since their last game, gather for coach’s funeral, and they go to the camping bringing their each family. They get to know about their past, wife, family, and kids as fathers and as husbands. The story refers to our real society, for instance; the kids playing video games, texting to friends all day, not knowing the nature, having awkward couple relationships, etc. The comedy touch story brings tears in our eyes in ending part. I spend my childhood spending time in the outside, so I could tell what the director wants to tell us. However, it became one of my favorite movies so far.

Trailer - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e01NVCveGkg

Picture from IMDb

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375670/

Trailer from youtibe.com

ESL 095 listening log

I watched the movie called, “Tangled” which my roommate downloaded legally. It was such a pretty movie. The 18-year-old princess Rapunzel, who has a magical long hair, spend her entire life in the tower built in the forest, but escapes from the tower being led by the thief, Flynn. She will see the world out of the tower for the first time, experience things happening in the world, and find out the secret reason of being forced to live in the tower for 18 years. The characters are hilarious, especially the horse. The story made me think that I want to have a boyfriend and how the world is beautiful. Besides, Disney movies make the story easier to understand for kids by including musical parts. I could understand most of the parts, and it became one of my favorite movies so far.

Tangled Trailer-from YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN4OKH-zswk

picture from Google-http://zoltanzone.blogspot.com/2011/01/tangled-weak-story-but-deepish.html

ESL writing blog 5

Eat Healthy

There are two popular/famous coffee shops in Prince George, Starbucks Coffee and Tim Horton’s. Both provides variety kinds of coffee and food; however, it is tough to manage our desire for all the temptation, especially who those are on diet. Many people don’t know how much calories they are taking, everyday, and how much calories the food contains. Do you know how much calories of things that you eat? I try to manage the calories which I eat; I look for nutrition guide at store even in a coffee shop.   A cup of coffee without any sweetener and milk is less than 10 calories, but, I prefer different flavor, such as: Mocha, Latte, etc. The calorie jumps up extremely higher when the black coffee changes into special flavored coffee. For instance, I love White Mocha. Unfortunately, its calories is 400, which worth eating 6 inch sandwich from SUBWAY! However, Starbucks Coffee makes customer possible to manage their drink’s calories.  “Skinny” Latte and “Light Blended” Frappuccino reduce 100 calories compared to regular Latte and Frappuccino keeping its taste.  Ordering tea would be another option. Starbucks has variety kinds of tea as much as coffee. Tea costs less than coffee, and has fewer calories than coffee. Using honey would cut more calories than using sugar, and it is healthier.

                Also, Tim Horton’s has better variety of food compared to Starbucks. It could be for breakfast, light supper, or snacks.  Sandwiches, soups, wraps are some of the examples that contains vegetable, meat, and carbonyls. For example, Healthy Vegetable soup, sesame seeds beagle worth only 340 calories, which is lower calories than drinking large hot chocolate! They also have law-fat, fiber contained products such as beagles and muffins.  It could be another option to shift the food in to healthier way. It would be better choice to eat something that has higher calorie, but that is nutritious.

                Managing my health is one of my roles in order to stay in shape and to focus on my studying.  It is becoming one of my hobbies that to check nutrition and calculate total calories for each day.

ESL writing blog 4

Idioms

Give it a shot, what a drag, bite the bullet, that’ll be the day, once in a blue moon, having second thoughts, getting cold feet, be chickened out, mind is wandering round, up in the air, etc. ESL students have got opportunities to learn idioms, the phrase or word that have different meaning. I have learned some of them, I have made sentences, and I have asked Canadian about the use and the meaning of idioms; however, I had never heard idioms which I learned in my daily life until I took Leadership. The idioms didn’t sound familiar to me even though I was learning them. My group mates and I were filming the video for our project for Leadership 101. The video camera stopped working somehow; we tried to figure out the solution. Kristina, one of my group mates said, “Alright, let’s give it a shot how it would work.” The spark came across in my brain and the meaning that I learned came up in my mind! I shouted, “Idioms!!” But, they were like, “What are you talking about? What the heck the idiom is??” Surprisingly, Canadian doesn’t know about idioms! I described it and told them how much I was shocked. By the way, it was my first time that I spoke up in a group. They started laughing and said, “You are English learner Ami.” Later on, they became more understandable about international students, showing their interests what I am learning in class. They always make fun of me because I always get excited when I hear idioms in usual conversation. Does it gunny for Canadian? The time I hear idioms, it helps me to memorize it understanding perfectly. Once I started recognize what kind of idioms do Canadian use, I hear them every day and every conversations.

            The idiom broke the barrier between my classmates and me, and got involve into Leadership class. Happily, the group mates the one said idiom; she is the closest friends in Leadership class. "Give it a shot" is my favorite idiom so far.

ESL 097 writing blog 3

Different TV show uniqueness

I have been watching TV drama over a year, there are quite difference between American romance and Japanese romance.  In American romance, it doesn’t take time to fall in love, get married, to be in a relationship. The main characters get close immediately, and repeat breaking up. It might be showing real society in the country.  For example, glee; there are main characters Finn, Rachael, and Quinn. At the beginning, Finn and Quinn was a couple, but they broke up in first season because of cheating. Quinn cheated Finn’s best friend, Pack and she pregnant his baby. Later, the other girl, Rachael who liked Finn, became in a relationship with Finn. However, Rachel broke up with Finn, and Finn tried to get back with Quinn because he couldn’t get over her. Quinn was in a relationship with other guy, so she persuades Finn to get back with Rachael. These things go over and over during the show. In other words, it shows that people don’t care others whether who had relation with who, or who used to be in a relation with somebody. The decision making is made by one person, “I.”

                Japanese romance is more complicated and it takes long time to get together. The character refers our society; we act as a group. The character cares others – if were in a relationship with somebody, what other people would think about us/me.  Basically, it takes one season to make things happen. The important events cannot be completed in one episode; people have to wait the climax until next episode.   In addition, Japanese dramas don’t last over 1 or 2 seasons.  The story is written in details and dramatically, most of dramas use popular actress and actresses to spark viewer’s interests.

                Personally, I prefer American romance because I don’t have to wait climax until next episode, and it has more variety of story lines.  

ESL 097 writing blog 2

Different value**  

Canada and Japan-these two countries have totally different social, and educational backgrounds. Canada, North American society is individualist; believing in individuality, becoming independent in early age. Japanese, Asian society is collectivist; believing in being one of the members of the society, considering one’s self second. Since spring semester, I’ve been taking Leadership, which gave me an opportunity to think about difference between North American societies an Asian society. Besides, it can be referred education system of both countries. In Canada, teachers educate students in order to create critical thinkers; students are given ideas to think by their own, not only to figure out the answers, but also to think processes to find out the answers. These chances would allow students to be able to think their own opinion, not being afraid of having different opinion from others. Having group works, discussions are some of uniqueness of North American educations. They would assist student to be confident speaking up their opinions, and sharing the ideas.

In addition, there are differences between careers. I see many people who go back to college in their 30^th and 40^th. In Canada, changing one’s job in his/her life is not uncommon thing. Going back to college or university would allow people to be capable, to be skilled, and to be employable. Studying with different generation may bring opportunity to learn different opinions, and feelings. Taking variety kinds of courses may bring opportunity to get to know other jobs, which help people to have varieties of options to choose their jobs. It might be very valuable for some people to change their jobs and start new things again. 

Canada is such a multi-culture country, so people might be flexible adapting themselves into different culture, and different situation. 

ESL 097 writing blog 1

What do I like about Canada/Canadian

I have been here since last summer, and I have been living with the same roommates, Laura and Alan. They have got two kinds so far: 20 months old Blake, and 3 months old Jessica. Canadian people have different way of raising their kids, which surprised me, and I would like to do when I got my kids. They kiss their kids, hug their kids, and tell them “I love you.” My parents love me a lot; however, they have never said, “I love you” kissing and hugging me, including my sister and my brother. Japanese culture doesn’t have “skin-touch”; touching their kids skin by skin like hugging or kissing. The way, kids can feel they are being loved, and comfortable. In addition, many Canadian people let other people communicate with their kids. That would make easier for people to get close with each other.

I like the environment that is surrounded by English. It helps me to learn the language, and to look back my country, which allows me to learn not only new things, but also things that I have been using or haven’t realized. English has way more variety of vocabularies compared to Japanese, especially related with emotion. English speaker can express their emotion exactly what they feel in many ways. For example….

*tired=down, blue, exhausted, depressed, etc

*happy= cheerful, joyful, glad, pleased, etc

Also, people say, “Oh my god!”, “Holy cow!”; when people surprised or people want to describe their emotion. These phrases help word to be more emphasized. In Japanese, we don’t have similar word in order to express our emotion, Japanese people seems less emotional compared to North American people. (in my opinion)

 My favorite part is mostly culture that Japanese culture doesn’t have. Those are the some examples that I like about Canada/Canadian culture so far.

**

ESL 095 listening log

The movie I watched was called “The Emperor’s New Groove”, which is the animated comedy from Walt Disney. A super selfish, spoiled emperor, Kuzco being turned into a llama by his ex-associates (Yzma & Kronk), finds himself and what he should do as an emperor of a country. A peasant-poor farmer, Pacha helps him to turn into human, and to win back his throne-the emperor’s chair again. The main character, Kuzco annoys people around him; he does whatever he wants no matter it is wrong. However, once being llama, he learns what the life is, what is the emperor should be. The comedy scenes made me laugh most of the parts, but made me think about being selfish. Compared to standard movies; Disney movies are easier to understand without subtitles.

The New Emperor's Groove Trailer(YouTube)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQXyJk4o3LI

Listening log esl095

The TV show called "Glee" and "Bones" are one of my favourite. I have been watching Bones over a year, and I started watching Glee since I came to Canada. They are on TV every Tuesday and Thursday at 8pm. Glee is about High school's musical club and how the club member and teachers grow up. The songs in every episode make me so happy and they help me to get motivated. Bones is a little bit more serious TV show; a FBI agent, Booth and super genius science doctor, Brennan cooperate to solve the mysterious crime case. One common thing could be said in both TV shows is, they have human issues, such as romance, and humour. Some parts make me laugh, happy, sad, cry.... I really enjoy those TV show every week. Here are links from youtube, and you can get Glee album from CD shop;)


Glee: Season 2, Episode 8 "Marry you"
In this episode, two of the Glee club's member's parent will get married.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxeZDK_0FnE

Bones; Official website
http://www.fox.com/bones/

ESL 095 listening log

Today, I watched a movie called "Robin Hood"which was two hours long. The original Robin Hood sounds British English; contemporary Robin Hood sounds British English as well. There are also comedy Robin Hood which is making fun of the original Robin Hood. It is better to watch them with subtitles to understand British English easier. The both movies are about the real person exsist in the old  age in England; the guy named Robin Longstride. The movies are about how Robin grew up, how he became the leader of England from his poor childhood. They include adventure,action, drama, and a little bit of romance, so some parts will make you laugh. I found that it is difficult to understand the whole muvie without subtitles, but it worth to study it.

webcite: DVD about Robin Hood
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0955308/