On November 25th, as you know, the day was Thanksgiving day!! It was my first experience so everything was brand new for me. Rob invited me to his house and introduced me how to celebrate Thanksgiving. Rob’s family and I started to cook at 10. First of all, we made stuffing which consisted of breads, Italian sausage, mushroom and parsley. Rob taugh me that ingredient in stuffing are various and depend on families. I’m interested in different stuffing, so please tell me about your home’s one.

Next, we filled the turkey with stuffing and then put into a oven. While we waited to finish baking a turkey, we ate cranberry muffins for snack and sandwitch for lunch because it took 4hours. All cooking were finished around 5. Finally we ate really a yummy Thanksgiving meal, Turkey, stuffing, sweet potatos, cranberry sauce, green beans, mashed potatoes and apple crisp as dessert. All of them were so delicious that I ate more than usual. After dinner, we played card games with lots of conversation.

I had a wonderful and unforgetttable moment. Thanksgiving  became one of my favorite holidays. Therefore, I appreciate what Rob and Rob’s family have done for me so much. How was your Thanksgiving? I can’t wait listening your stories!

I was so sorry that I missed a Thursday classes because of my sickness. But I have recovered completely, so from tomorrow I’ll start to go to TCS, study with you and learn a lot of things again!

Now, I’d like to suggest my plan for next week. I’m thinking of making “Origami” with 7th and 8th graders. “Origami” is Japanese traditional art. “Ori” means folding and “gami” means paper. Just by folding a piece of small paper, We can make thousands kinds(actually it is unlimited) of shapes! It is simple but really fun! If you are interested in “Origami”, Please let me know.

For 5th and 6th grader, I hope to hold Japanese traditional Tea Ceremony because 7th and 8th grader and I succeed in holding this ceremony and had a good time. Therefore, I want to share with 5th and 6th grader as well!

I’m interested in national holiday in US, especially Thanks giving Day which is coming soon. I found American and Japanese have same holidays such as New Year’s Day and Labor Day(but different date) However, We don’t have Thanksgiving Day. I heared from several teachers and students about this holiday. Usually, they gather their families, relatives and friends to hold a big meal meeting and eat something like a roast turkey together. I think it is different ways to celebrate that depends on people. Therefore, if you have other ideas and experiences, could you share with me?

Now, I’d like to introduce my country’s holiday. Here is some general information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Japan. Actually, in Japan today was national holiday, Culture Day (文化の日　Bunka no hi). November 3rd was day that the Japanese Constitution was proclaimed. Besides, today was celebrated as a Meiji emperor’s birthday. This holiday is dedicated to the love of freedom, peace and the promotion of culture. That is a reason why this holiday’s name is Culture Day. 

Next time, I want to share my personal experience of Japanese national holiday with you!

To be continured…

Today, 7th and 8th grade students and I held tea ceremony. I do believe today’s activity was awesome!! I was impressed with their sincere attitudes and curiosities. Many students told me their impressions and questions.

I couldn’t answer one qusetion at that time. Therefore, now I’d like to answer. Do you remember a mixer made from bamboo which we used? That name is “Tyasen(茶筅)”. We used “Tyasen” in order to mix maccha and hot water and make fine bobble.

In conclusion, Thank you so much for allowing me to hold tea ceremony and their cooperation. I think I succeeded in doing tea ceremony thanks to 7th and 8th grade students, Rob and Carwai. I really appreciate them. I wish I can share another Japanese culture soon.

I was so glad that many students agreed with my plan of holding tea ceremony! I’m excited at tomorrow.

Did you see youtube movie? We already watched this but it is helpful for tomorrow. Therefore, if you don’t, please check it up. We will pass the process of staining the maccha powder and transfering it through tea container.

The steps to the ceremony are quite simple: divide into two groups, I explain how to make and drink maccha, you try to make maccha, eat sweets and then drink maccha. The flavors of the sweets and bitter maccha compliment each other. This is a perfect harmony!

I can’t wait tomorrow!

Today, I also want to write down about Japanese game, I introduce you Kendama(けん玉). Kendama is a Japanese toy which consists of a wood handle connected by a string to a ball. The bottom of hammer are cupped so that they can catch the ball. It is Japanese traditional toy, but still now Japanese people continue to play it. When I was an elementaly school student, my grandmother taught me how to play Kendama. I can play basically but I don’t have high skill such as the man of youtube movie.

Kendama has rankings. The lower level goes from 10 to 1 kyu(award name), and the higher level goes from 10 to 1 dan(award name). Each level requries the satisfactory completion of all the tricks. Each trick has paticular name. You can see some of them in the movie. 6 dan is high ranking, so I’m sure they need to practice a lots in order to get 6 dan. There are more than 100 kinds of tricks, and now it is getting to increase the number because players try to invest new tricks. Thus, Nobody can count the number completely.

Kendama just consists of one hummer and one string and one ball. It is really simple. However, it attracts Japanese people because its trick possibilities are unlimite.

Today, I played mac and cheese with 5th and 6th grade students. It was my first time to play, but the rule is so simple that I could understand easily and enjoy it! We don’t have a game such as mac and cheese. However, There are some similar games in Japan. For example, hide and seek(Japanses call it “Kakurenbo”) and tag(“Onigokko”). Both of them are really popular among Japanese chidren.

When I was child, My favorite game was “Darumasan ga koronda.” Here is some information that you can get the rule. 　→http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darumasan_ga_koronda This game also simple and much funner if you try strategy as you see on website. If you interested in this game, why don’t we try to play together? It should be fun!

To be continued^^

Today is rainy day, so vollyball and football games were canceled. I felt so sad but we don’t have any choices because we can’t stop the rain. At that time, I thought that nature is great and I was awed by nature. Today I’d like write about the relationship and Japanese and nature.

I think that Japanese have a particular sense toward nature. Long time ago, in Japan, our ancestors didn’t have enough knowledge and technologies in order to prevent from natural disasters such as flood and drought. Therefore, they felt scared and prayed for nature. They developed this feeling and then finally they created one religion named animism. For example, there are a few rainy days during summer, so they prayed nature’s god to give rain for agriculuture to peole. They always tried to coexist with nature.

However, we have many high technologies and information which can control nature now. I guess our particular sense is getting to disapper. The more technology develops, The less we feel this sense.

Yet, I do believe we still have this sense. Here is one example. This video is “My Neighbor Totoro.” Have you ever seen this movie? It is one of “Giburi” movies and producted by Miyazaki Hayao. If you are interested in this movie, you can see some information(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Neighbor_Totoro). I think Totoro is a symbol that show our relationship with nature, Because the movie shows relationship between Totoro who is forest fairy and two children. Two children tried to be his friend and they cooperated and helped each other. As a result, they coexisted together.

In cause of Japanese background, we got special sense. Nowaday, because of developing technogies, almost all Japanese forget about this and attempt to control nature. But I want to remind our particular feeling and  prefer respect nature and live toghter such as Totoro and two children.