Essay Contest Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the essay contest! The winning second-year essays were titled The Value of Life, Nursing Care, and Building School in Cambodia (sic) . These essays won the first, second, and third place prizes this year. These essays are not yet available to read, but will be published in the Essay Contest booklet soon.

Unfortunately, none of the essays from our class won the top three prizes. However, we have 5 essays in the Honorable Mention (or runners-up) category. These essays are Attitude and Gratitude (by yA), To Realize Small Happiness (by tK), Behind the Surface (by sM), Seeing is Believing (by aM), and Salmon, Pineapple, and Milk Tea (by rS). Congratulations to these five! I think you wrote very good essays, and I think we chose 6 really excellent essays to submit to the contest. I am sure that the winning essays are wonderful, too. These five essays will be published (I think) in the booklet, but before then, they can all be read here on this site.

December 11 Class Notes

It's a cold and wet winter day.

Have you done a Chat Lounge report yet this semester? Have you met anyone new in the Chat Lounge? Please "write it up" and hand it in to me if you have. You can also get the same extra credit by writing blog posts using a PC or even from an iPhone or regular cell-phone. (I think it's very slow to type on a cellphone, though.)

Today I am picking up your homework, a Cause-and-Effect Essay. You have been writing it for two weeks. Last week, you should have got some help editing it and some time to work on it in class. Please hand in this second draft.

I am also returning a first draft or rough draft of the Compare-and-Contrast essay project. As you should recall, we began with brainstorming and choosing something (two things, usually) to compare, and then making a table or chart (probably in Microsoft Word or OpenOffice Writer). Some people then developed the table into a paragraph. The next step is to develop it into an essay. (Some people developed the table directly into an essay already, so they are working on their second draft of the essay. That's great.) Please keep these documents together, as I will evaluate the whole project and process of your writing. Today I am meeting with you individually and giving you an editing sheet. You can find a pdf of the editing sheet in the folder at My Computer, Network Drive, Lecture (L:) or L:\brinkman

For next week, December 18, please develop the the Compare-and-Contrast essay into your second draft and be prepared to hand it in together with the table and other documents that belong to that writing project.

Assignment

Prepare the second draft of your cause-and-effect essay for next week, December 11.

Have you made a Chat Lounge Report?

Are you doing any blogging? It's good writing practice!

An example of reference, cohesion, and using different words for the same thing (not repeating pronouns or nouns)

The Dalai Lama has welcomed a call by U.S. President Barack Obama for the resumption of talks between Tibetan and Chinese envoys.

Tibet's exiled spiritual leader made the comments Tuesday to the Italian news agency ANSA, on a trip to northern Italy.

Hours earlier, Mr. Obama held talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing, where he said Washington recognizes that Tibet is part of China. The U.S. leader said he supports a resumption of talks between envoys for Beijing and the Dalai Lama.

In Italy, the Dalai Lama said he knows the U.S. interest in Tibet is strong, but he understands there are limits to what the White House can say to China. He said he appreciates President Obama's words.

Mr. Obama declined to meet the Dalai Lama when the Buddhist leader visited Washington last month. The White House says the two will meet after Mr. Obama's trip to China. Critics say the White House delayed the meeting to avoid upsetting Beijing before his visit.

The Chinese government considers the Dalai Lama a separatist and often takes retaliatory action against countries whose leaders meet him.

Source:
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/a-13-2009-11-17-voa31-70423322.html

December 4 class notes

Cause and Effect First Draft Editing

Did the writer include a mindmap or brainstorming?
Did the writer make an outline?
Did the writer include their notes?
Is the work in a project folder?

Is the work original, not plagiarized?
Related concepts and skills are:

• Intellectual honesty: Don't claim to write something you didn't write.
• Paraphrase: Use your own words to explain what you know; don't use another person's exact words.
• Cite: Give credit to the person who said or wrote something. According to Mr. John Smith,...
• Quote: If there a a quotation that you would like to use, use it correctly as a quotation.

Resources for the Editor:
__ Inside-front-cover checklist (the bottom half more than the top half)
__ Peer Editing #12, page 183 (somewhat useful)
__ Final Draft Checklist on page 136 (more useful later but also useful now)
__ Your own mind: your knowledge of essay structure, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, format, and your impressions (Very useful!)
__ Essay contest checklist: (most of the points that are in the checklist also can be used for any other essay)


Here are the generic essay contest checklist questions.

Format
Is the paper typed? If not, deduct 50% when calculating the total.
Is the paper typed on one side of the paper, not both sides?
Is there a “header” with a running title and the page number in the upper right corner?
Is the writer's name and student number in the correct place and correct form?
Is the date in the correct place and correct form?
Is the name of the class in the correct place and correct form?
Are the margins one inch (or 2.5 cm) on all 4 sides?
Is the document double-spaced with proper spaces between parts?
Is the title centered, underlined, in title case?
Are the paragraphs indented properly?
Is the essay at least 300 words or 3 paragraphs or more?

Sentence Structure
Is the essay free of structural and grammatical errors?
Is the essay free of confusing spelling errors?
Is the essay free of errors in the use of articles?
Is the essay free of capitalization errors?
Is the essay punctuated correctly?

Essay Structure
Is the essay set out in paragraphs?
Are there at least three paragraphs?
Is there an introduction?
Is there a thesis statement?
Is there a hook?
Is the hook interesting?
Is the body of the essay clearly organized?
Is each point supported by details, facts, and examples?
Are there topic sentences within each paragraph?
Are there effective transitions between each paragraph?
Are there effective signal words and sequencers in the essay?
Is there a conclusion?

Content
Is the essay original? If it is not original, deduct up to 100% from the score.
Are the ideas expressed clearly and unambiguously?
Is the essay interesting to read?
Is the essay informative, persuasive, narrative, insightful, timely, or especially relevant?
Does the essay have a universal appeal to readers?

Class Notes for November 27

Today I picked up the First Drafts and Tables that you made for the Compare-and-Contrast essay. I will try to return it to you later so you can produce a second draft.

We began Unit 6, Cause-Effect Essays, and discussed the textbook presentation up to page 124. We did Cause-Effect paragraphs earlier on endangered species and why they are endangered. This time we are writing an essay with at least 3 paragraphs. Five paragraphs would be better. Please do NOT do endangered animals again. Let's write the essay on a new topic.

We will not have class on Saturday, November 28. Please write a rough draft of your essay. See you on December 4.

Camel News

Camels are destroying a small town in Australia. What are the causes of this strange occurrence? What effects are the camels having on people? (It's just something to think about.)

Topic for Compare and Contrast

Topic Suggestions
for the Compare & Contrast Essay

Look at page 114 and 115 for some ideas.


Sports
Teams
Compare two teams
Look at your favorite last year versus this year
Athletes
Compare 2 athletes
Ichiro and Matsui
Cuisine
Chinese Cuisine compared to Thai Cuisine
Mexican Food compared to Spanish Food
Compare two similar restaurants
Dream Versus Reality
My First Trip on an Airplane
Compare two important people
Obama and Hatoyama
Compare two similar movies
Compare two similar computer games
Compare computer operating systems
Mac OS X versus Windows
Windows versus Linux
Google Chrome OS versus Windows 7
Before and after
cell phones
internet
e-mail
Two professions
doctors versus nurses
Culture
Holidays

Essay Contest Contestants (Class Representative Essays)

For the essay contest, I selected To Realize Small Happiness, Seeing is Believing, and Behind the Surface to represent Class A. Although there were 4 great essays and 7 which got most of the votes, I had to select 3 or fewer.

For Class B, I entered The Importation of the Invasive Species; Salmon, Pineapple, and Soy Milk Tea; and Attitude and Gratitude to represent the class.

Even if your essay was not selected as a semifinalist, it was still a good essay. I hope some of these six excellent essays will win recognition in the essay contest and be published in the Essay booklet!

Seafood supplies will be gone soon

If we do nothing to protect our marine resource, more and more seafood species will vanish in the recent future. Finding a way to maintain a functional ocean ecosystem is the key to make the resource a long-lived treasury. If we look at the whole picture, the situation may not be encouraging. Making overfishing and pollution less is a task to human.

People may show interest in what is written on today’s news paper, and can tell you how serious the problem is, however, back from the audible sign, most people care what are on their dinner table. Fish and oyster are always favorite with gourmets’s stomach.

Many consumers do not worry if the sea will breed us forever, at least now they can find what on the markets are willing to provide the best seafood. The voices from the governments to prevent overfishing seem weak. Making profit and making some people have their jobs to do are the responsibility of the government. If we look at in another angle, we might see people do not hold out much hope for their support too.

Marine scientists call for abstaining from seafood to save ocean. Some researchers say that there has already been a collapse in wild populations of almost one-third of currently fished seafoods. They also say that in south Asia, like Malaysia, the catch has fallen by fifty percent from their highest levels.

Everyday many people come to know how delicious sashimi is, and begin to try this kind of seafood. What do you think if hundreds of million people enjoy their sashimi every week? No, no such luck. We just have one globe, what can leave for our children? There appears to be no alternative. Love is selfish, and the people only love themselves will never think this a big problem.

Meeting People

Future English Education

English was made compulsory at elementary schools from April 2008, and people emphasized communication skills more deeply. Cooperation with junior high schools is important people think, too. But, if English education keeps present style, it may not be able to work together. Now, the most important thing is communication skills. It’s already old-fashioned that we learn vocabulary and grammars along with the textbook.

This time, I will mention about what junior high schools should do specifically in the future when they teach a lesson.

Now, I have 3 points about it. First, they should abolish the education that is tend to focusing text book. Students had to bring the textbook and notebook every class in old-style class. As preparation, they did list-up new vocabularies and grammars, and text body on the note. Then, they read out with teacher in the class. Is it really important? Surely, they might able to memorize words and grammars. But in this way, they can never get skills to communicate and attitude to try to it.

Second, we need to spend more time with ALT. When I was junior high school student, we had only twice a month to have activity with ALT. Actually, we enjoyed game and singing English songs. It was really fun! But now, I think learned not-useful English. So, for the future, I want schools to spend more and more time with ALT, and provide to students useful English, like daily English conversation expressions.

The last point, teachers should not have a sense of ‘having a class’. Usually, in the class, teachers must give a grade to each student. But I think English is a just second language and not subjects that can appraise. The most important thing is their attitude and English can develop by their efforts.

Today, activities using English are changing. Schools should review their learning program to improve it better.

November 6 class

Today is the day that we will read each other's essays. If you don't see your essay here, mail it to me at my Bunkyo address (bb...ell...u-bunkyo.....etc). Also, if there is a formatting error or other error in your online essay, please correct your copy and send it to me with a request and I can replace the old one with the new one.

If you are a super-good student, you may have noticed that the essays went online last Friday (Saturday morning). That means you have had 6 days to read them. If you read them already, hurray for you! If not, we will dedicate 90 minutes to reading essays today. Please start reading at the essay after your essay. That way we will "stagger" the essay being read. I don't want everybody to read the essay at the top of the list and nobody to read the essay at the bottom of the list. If everybody only reads 6 essays, then at least 6 people would read each essay.

I will give you some paper to write your impressions of the essays. You can use this paper or you can type on the computer if you prefer. Please Write your name and today's date, then write the title of each essay that you read, and a minimum of two sentences about the essay. These notes are for you but also to hand in to me. You may write about the good and bad points of the essay, or about the content and your reaction to it. If you have already read all of the essays, write as much as you can about each essay or the best essays.

By the end of today's class please choose which essay is the best from the essays you have read. Write your choice (or vote) on your paper before you hand it in. You can choose a #2 and #3 too if you like.

I will give the results to the Essay Contest Coordinator next week, Friday the 13th! That means I can still take a little time to decide. You can also continue to read the essays online if you have time. There will be an online poll for Class A and for Class B, where you can vote until Friday the 13th mid-day. The poll is open to anybody in the world who is on the internet. In contrast, today's in-class writing poll is only open to people who are here in this classroom today.

Click Class A to read only Class A essays. Click Class B to read only Class B essays.

You can print it out or cut-and-paste the essays into a word-processing program if you would like to make a "hard copy".

Please read essays and vote online as the homework. We will start a Comparison-Contrast essay, so review pages 55-62 and read Unit 5 if you can. We will choose a topic for this essay next week.

Process of World Heritage

There is World Heritage of 890 all over the world. How many World
Heritage

have you seen before?

First of all, World Heritage indicates remains, the sceneries and the nature
etc.

Registered by General Conference of UNESCO based on World Heritage Convention.

689 of 890 registered in World Heritage are divided into the cultural heritage
and 176

are divided into the natural heritage and 25 mixed heritages. There is World
Heritage of

14 in Japan now. I had seen 5 World Heritages before. Those are old town
Kyoto, old

town Nara, shiretoko peninsula in Hokkaido, Horyu-ji temple and Nikko-Toshogu

shrine. I felt magical power from any heritages and relaxed. So I became that
I want to

come again for a long time.

It is not easy to admit as World Heritage. It is necessary to pass the
rigorous

examination. First of all, the person in charge in region or the government
agency

recommends it and the tentative list is submitted. Secondly, UNESCO World
Heritage

Center evaluates and investigated request it. The heritage is divided into
nature,

Investigated respectively, and reported to the World Heritage Center. And it
becomes

Formal registration if judge by World Heritage Center discussed at the
committee. At

last, it is taken as World Heritage by passing the rigorous examination like
this.

There is as a precondition. It reports on
the

maintenance situation every six years and it is necessary to receive the
reexamination

after it registers. If it is judged to no , it
will be

registration erase. It is the Dresden Elba valley that was blotted out for the
first

time in 2009 because this having been judged that the bridge that destroys the
scenery

is constructed.

There are World Heritages like express the racial discrimination and the
damage

Caused by wars . These are called the World Heritage of a negative alias. For
example

in the typical one the Atomic Bomb Memorial Dome in Hiroshima,

Auschwitz=birukenau gulag and Robben Island,etc.

There are counties where a lot of World Heritage registered too and are
38

countries without any. It is advanced to appeal to lose regional bias. Being
registered in

World Heritage has a large influence in the tourism industry in the
surrounding area.

However, the problem such as the number of tourists increases, and the trouble
with a

Peripheral resident occurs too.

I thought that it want you to defend the appearance because it had been
taken as

one of the heritages of the world though feelings of wanting you to visit the
power of

people. The heritages that exists by hundreds of years. I want to go to
the World

Heritage of Japan some time, and all to go also to an overseas heritages.

My Treasure

What is your treasure? Can you answer this question? Maybe this answer is not only one. We have found a lot of treasure in our life before. In my case, I really love my family, friends, darling, my part time job, Japan, time, school …countless things! So, my treasure is my life! I love my life. It’s not a joke. I am not joking, I really think I’m happy now, and I appreciate my mother’s love for me today.

Today, we can eat everything we want. If we are in our house, only one call or by the website, we can get some food. And in convenience stores, whenever we can get fresh foods. How useful Japan is! However, some Japanese think this circumstance is natural and it’s certain to continue forever, or they think that they are not concerned with the case. We must thank Japan for this wealthy life. Don’t think it’s natural. This happy life is my treasure.

In case of family, some people have parents, others not. My parents divorced 2 years ago because of money trouble, and my father is gone. Before it happened, I want to be rich, and I sometimes think my life was boring. I didn’t care about my family, but now I noticed that it was a huge mistake for me. I felt that common 　hardships knitted the family together. I think normal is the best now. Nothing special is okay. Family is also my treasure, so I want them to be healthy and happy forever.

Now, I’m in Tokyo without my family. At first, of course, I didn’t have any connection before, so I feel loneliness everyday and I want to go back to my home town. I didn’t like Tokyo. However, I could soon make so many friends here. At Bunkyo University and at my job, I could make my friends chain. They helped me change from a lonely life! I can laugh with them everyday and I think it’s really happy thing. I think I have fortune on my side. They are my treasure.

Finally, I live with my boyfriend now. I think it’s very good experience for us. He is my best, and I can spend most of my time with him! We cook, talk, wash, watch TV, read a magazine, and laugh together everyday. I really love him so I really enjoy my life. I always think like this “How happy I am!! If I die now, I won’t have any regrets!!” Maybe it’s a little bit much, but he is my treasure.

I think various things made me: society, my family, my friends, my partner, and so on. If one of these is missing, I’m unhappy. All of these are necessary for me to make me, so I must not regard this life as natural and must not forget to appreciate it, it’s very important. I love my treasure and I thank my treasure very much. If I were born again, I would like to be me again.　I love my life!

What is your treasure?

Communication is Important

Now, there are almost very few people who don’t have a mobile phone. Most people think mobile phones are necessary recently, because mobile phones are very useful. For example it can send e-mails, call someone, net surfing, listen music and so on. If you have a mobile phone, you can contact someone every time, every where, when you want to.

However, I think we rely on useful tools too much. One study of people who have their own mobile phone said about 93 percent of people put their mobile phone beside them when they sleep, about 50 percent of people bring their mobile phones in to the toilet, about 45 percent of people keep their mobile phones at close quarters at meals, and also about 18 percent people bring their mobile phones to the bath!!

I think we need face to face communication! It has a lot of good points. First, we can look into each other’s faces. Then we can feel their mood, physical, or other things. Second, we can manage to express ourselves by gestures. When we communicate with foreigners, gestures are very useful. Finally, we can share same time, mood and so on. I think it is a very wonderful thing!

I think face-to-face communication is important for latest people, because it gives us happy time and we can know communicate with other people is very fun! Let’s try taking a face to face communicate.

Love or Work

Do you have a dream? I want to ask every woman in Japan. Is it to get married, give birth to a baby and be housewife or work like a horse to realize a dream without guy? Whatis happiness for women?

When we were children, women definitely dreamed of becoming brides who is dressed in a pure white wedding dress like a princess. After that, women give birth to babies, be housewives, and lead uneventful lives as family. I have been told so many times by a lot of adult women. It is the most happiness for women to lead an ordinary life as woman!! What do you think about it?

In other side, the number of career women is increasing recently in Japan. A lot of women have a dream and work without guys. Although some career women have boyfriends, that is bound to end that is said: Which do you choose, ME or WORK?! Most women are tired of this set phrase. Some married women have a lot of trouble answering the question on this famous words in a world of women, too. The background of this phenomenon is very difficult and complicated, there is a close connection with society in Japan.

To begin with, the origin of this phenomenon is the sexual equality. A lot of women who have been housewives and retired into her shell called home until now advanced the world full of men and changed to fight with men equally. That gave Japanese women great change and increased choices of women's lives. Of course, that gave in charge of pouring tea a lot of dreams. Women are absorbed in job and increased strength more and more.

Then their life plan which women imaged in the old days collapse little by little. Women had finished worthwhile work in succession and have been bright career women and being have high ideal of man as their grown older with age. And they got pay pretty well, bought Chanel bags, Cartier jewelry as a reward for working hard, enjoy a luxurious hour a little after payday. Finally, when they come home, a their dear puppy run up to them who seems to be exhausted, apply a facial pack to all over their face and go to bed. Then they crossed their mind that it's too late. When they looked at theirselves looks like a facial pack monster in the mirror. At this point in time, marriageable age which they imagined is the past. That means accelerable late marriage. And this phenomenon connect with a dwindling birthrate. Some of them there are women which think that although I want to have a child, don't need a husband. Of course, because married women could work free and independent similarly single women, some women choose second life which women say goodbye to husband and raise a child their own.

Women spread width of life and could open a new field and bright future because appeared a new choice called "work" than before. In other words, it is possible that happiness for women is not only a pure white wedding dress but also a black suit.

In Japan, there are about 65 million women and there are about 3232 million women in this world. Every women has each different color, gain various experiences. No one the same people all over the world, every people seek happiness and have diverse dreams. Can you image yourself in the future? You yourself can make your bright future, of course depends on your effort. Therefore, I want to ask you once more again. Do you have a dream?

A cup of Coffee

When do you drink coffee? Morning, Afternoon, Tea time, Night. Coffee is very popular drink all over the world today. I think some of the people drink coffee, but other people don’t. But what in the world do we know about coffee?

Last August, luckily, I had a chance to take part in a coffee seminar. Then I studied so many things about coffee and cultures. First thing I studied was the cultivation of coffee. Coffee is produced between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn. About 70 countries which are almost starving nations make coffee. It is hard to grow coffee trees. Coffee trees can grow over 1000 meters above sea level and the trees grow from 9 to 12 meters. Tall coffee trees need over high trees which are called shade tree to protect from the sun burn. Coffee trees are weak in high temperature and high humidity. And then, it takes 5 years to able to harvest. If you want 100 grams of roasted coffee beans, you have to pick 500 grams of raw coffee beans.

Next thing is coffee is good for our health and daily life. I think most of you drink coffee at study time, that’s because coffee keeps us awaking. Coffee effect not only sleepiness but also fatigue. The smell of coffee has long been known to have an aromatherapy effect. We can relax to smell delightful aroma of coffee. It stimulates part of the brain and produces a good feeling. New research from Oakland, California, says that coffee may protect the livers of heavy alcohol drinkers. The more coffee people reported drinking, the less likely they were either to be hospitalized or die of liver cirrhosis.

I drink coffee casually, but I found coffee is very deep and wonderful drink. If we drink coffee, we can save famine-ridden people. I thinking that being interested in a familiar and livings are important.

Child Care

Almost of the people will get married have a child. I think that that too. A marriage is easier than having a child. Because we just hand in a registration of a marriage to a government office, but having a child and child care is different I think. So I’m going to tell you about difficulty of caring of a child.

First of all, we need a large sum of money. I have heard that a childbirth’s costs are very high. We must go to a hospital to inspection etc. And children grow very quickly, so we give them clothes that fit them. Moreover I think all of parents think they want to give their children a good education. It is said that the average educational expenses is about ten million yen. But it is just a high school and a University.

Secondly, parents should teach morals and manners and so on to their children. Especially things that school doesn’t teach to them are must. When they become adults, they don’t know that and they will shame in a public. It is for that parents need tell that when children is young.

Third, parents are parents all the time and forever. Parents worry about them always. Parents protect their children from something that may have bad affects. For example, playing violent video games, or using the Internet too much. Recently, our life is very useful with mobile phone and Internet, but on the other hand, children have many chances to meet an accident.

Finally, these are difficulty of caring a child. But I think a child care is a wonderful experience. Because we can see a child is growing. They start to stand up, walk, speak, write… A child care has many difficult problems, but many happy things. So I want to have a child in the future.

Works of the Center for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Kumamoto City

Do you know how many dogs and cats are killed for disposal in a year? About three hundred thousand dogs and cats are killed all over the country per year. Dogs and cats that have been caught or have been abandoned due to their owners’ circumstances are taken charge of by the Centers for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of local autonomies. When owners of those dogs and cats became clear, they are returned to their owners. Dogs and cats whose owners didn’t become clear, or which were abandoned by their owners are handed over to new owners. However, if the owners don’t become clear, and also, if they are not handed over to new owners, those dogs and cats are killed by gas. Nowadays local autonomies of all over the country devise various works to decrease the number of dogs and cats that are brought to the Centers. Especially, the Center for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Kumamoto City has greatly decreased the number of dogs and cats that are killed for disposal with some unique works. Let me introduce those works.

First, staff of the Center doesn’t receive dogs and cats that are brought there easily, and try to persuade owners not to abandon their pets. The staffs tell, sometimes with their voice raised, the preciousness of life, owners’ duty and responsibility to owners who brought their pets to the Center, and try to get them to change their minds. The number of dogs and cats that were taken charge of by the Center has decreased from 492 to 52 since the Center began this work.

Second, the Center holds a meeting to hand over dogs and cats once a month. However, new owners can’t receive dogs and cats easily. They must take a course about what owners should know, and must get an interview with a veterinarian to be judged whether he or she is fit to be an owner before they are handed over dogs and cats. Also, new owners must promise to prevent their dogs and cats’ conception or have them neutered after they are handed over them, and must hand in a written pledge to keep their pets until their death.

In addition, the Center discloses information of dogs and cats that it protects on website of the city. The number of dogs and cats that were returned to their owners and that were handed over to new owners has been increasing year by year by beginning to carry pictures of dogs and cats that are protected by the Center on website, and disclose information actively since October, 2002. Especially, the number of dogs and cats that had been handed over became about 10 times, from 28 to 237, over the past 10 years.

In this way, through those several works, the number of dogs and cats that had been killed for disposal in Kumamoto City decreased from 946 to 78 compared with 10 years ago. In 2007, the return rate was about 43% and the survival rate was about 78%, which was the top level in Japan. I think it is necessary to spread those works to all over the country, and to decrease killing for disposal. Also, I think it is important for owners to keep their pets until their death with responsibility. I hope that someday the world will be rid of killing animals for disposal.

Ecology for My Life

Nowadays, we can live comfortable lives because of recent technological advance, while the global environment gets worse and worse. It may be said that these problems which are global warming, acid rain, ozone depletion, deforestation and ocean pollution caused the results that we demand for convenient of lives. We have to know about the global environment and improve our lifestyle.

First, air pollution is caused to be the global warming, acid rain and deforestation. Various chemical substances affect those phenomena and they are made by the exhaust gas from cars, factories. Moreover, smoking can be caused air pollution.

Second, water pollution is serious problem in the world. Children die one in eight seconds because of disease of the water problem. Filthy water can be the cause disease of 80 percent in developing countries. Sharply increasing population and industrialization occurred these conditions. In addition, 20 percent of the freshwater fish of species are threatened by extinction. Moreover, home drainage connects water pollution. Leftovers are bad effect for environment.

Next, garbage problem is serious. Many mountains and tourist attractions become like dump. In Japan, the annual discharge of garbage is said 52,020,000tons. That is the second highest amount to be next to America. Because of these conditions, we live in system of mass production, mass consumption and large quantities disposal. For example, disposable lighter, paper cup, towel and camera …etc. Although 1,000,000tons clothes are dumped in a year, recycled clothes don’t reach 10 percent. In addition, the amount of scrap is 70,000,000tons in a year. This data equals the calorie that an adult man uses one year.

Finally, to solve these problems, we have to improve our lives. For instance, using the car only when it is really necessary, reusing water which was used for a bath for doing washing and when we go shopping, bring “Eco bag” and buy refillable goods. These actions may be small things, however continuing making an effort leads to one step for being good environment.

Why Do I Study English?

Have you ever wondered why we study English? Many people think it is because a
universal language. Some people think they need it for just travel or business.
This summer, I could know the true meaning of learning English.

On July 31, I arrived in Australia and stayed there for 5 weeks to study
English. It was my first time to study abroad, so before I went to there, I
hesitated many times because I worried whether I could do well in a new land,
since I can’t speak English very well. I didn’t know how to communicate with
people in English. However, when I met my host mother for the first time, my
anxiety went away somewhere because she talked to me with a smile, “Welcome to
my home!! If you don’t know something, please ask me anything and help
yourself !!” I found she was a very kind person and her smile made me
relieved. Before that, I had thought that homestay was only for studying
English. However, the more I lived with my host mother, the more I wanted to
know about her and I also wanted her to know about me, like a real family.

Then I started to go to university. I could make many friends who were from
other countries. Some students were from Korea, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. I
always ate lunch and went some places together. Then we began to understand
each other little by little.

I realized that I came to Australia not only to study English, but also to meet
such wonderful people. I found if I use English, I can learn many cultures and
understand mutually even people who live in other countries. Before I went to
Australia, I thought that English was only a tool to communicate with people,
but now, I have changed my mind. By taking communication in English, we can
meet many people who live all over the world and share our emotions and
cultures.

English is just a language but it has great power. My English is like a
property for me. We can do many things even I can speak it just a little. I’ d
like to meet many people who I’ve never met, so that’s why I keep studying
English.

Behind The Surface

“Viva Mexico!” I have developed a great interests in Spanish by studying the history and culture of its countries since I entered into the University. So I was really excited about going to Mexico when I begun to get interested in it and started to plan to study abroad there. My experience there broke the stereotype that I developed in Japan. During my stay, I noticed that the way some people see the world is mainly based on what we have seen in ads and movies. I went through quite opposite things from those in Japan: working in the capital city and teaching in the school called Cajones, a small school for kids living far from the big city, to teach English.

All I was thinking about while in Mexico were optimistic thoughts. I would say to myself, “Mexican people are all friendly and happy” and “I am going to have an amazing time here.” There are some elements that helped me break the stereotypes I developed in Mexico.

I saw many impoverished people who asked for money. I talked on the streets, at some restaurants or some bars with many friendly Mexican people and I saw many active children like in Japan or in some other countries. Some are rich and very happy, but many kids approached me to sell the stuff they made and asked me to give money when I was taking a walk on the street and eating in the restaurant. I was asked so many times to buy one, they would say, “Please two pesos…. Please buy this….” They were asking me this while showing the things they made. Some kids just tugged my t-shirt looking hard at me silently. Those children looked like they were just 6 or 7 years old but they were working to make money to live even though they were at the age to be in school and to go out with friends to enjoy life and grow up. At that time I realized that some people in the world are very narrow minded. The image of Mexico in Japan is different from my experience there.

By the similar case, I understood how easily Japanese people are manipulated by advertisements or information in Japan at the language school where I studied Spanish. My Mexican teachers said to me, “This language school is the oldest school in this town, so, we taught a lot of students and made many memories here. But, unfortunately, this school is going to close next month. Few students come to study because of this economic depression and the flu.” And my Mexican teacher said “Many Japanese students canceled their plan to study here.” I could agree with part of what they said, but I also thought it was sad and ridiculous. The society in Mexico doesn’t have a big problem with the new flu. In fact, those people are living normally. I didn’t think Japanese people need to worry about it that much. I thought Japanese people had some other flu because they worry too much over the media’s exaggerations. Perhaps that is the one of the reason why the number of people committing suicide in Japan is top in this world and the amount of crime is increasing. I came to hate a particular bad characteristic of Japanese society. They are easily manipulated by external forces, such as the media and various propaganda, and then, they get wrong stereotypes about other countries.

Furthermore, I got shocked and greatly shamed when I went to Cajones where some American teachers teach English for Mexican children as volunteers. Those children can’t go to school because they’re living far from the central city. They are teaching and enjoying English all together and all children were studying English eagerly despite the insufficient learning materials. And when I performed Japanese comedy, Rakugo, for them in English and Spanish, they were gazing at me and asked curiously “How interesting! Then, please teach us Japanese!” Their strong curiosity really surprised me. At once, I suddenly felt ashamed because Japanese children don’t have such strong curiosity to study or to know even though there are a lot of materials and opportunities to study. They don’t listen to and follow what teacher says in the class, especially, in elemental school. However, it also holds true for secondly school and university. In some of my classes as well, even university students can’t study eagerly and concentrate. They don’t ask professors, sometimes do not homework and sometimes skip those classes.

All things looked through and considered, maybe now you can understand the reason why I said the realities of life in Mexico broke my stereotype and I came up with some thoughts. There are some difference between what we see our own country and what we see view in other countries. I was thinking of that Mexico is the country where there are many happy people and I can enjoy very much. I didn’t know that there many such children in Mexico. Now, I got start to think about what we can do for them and what we should do by ourselves thanks to those experiences in Mexico. Practically, we should go to see the side behind the wrong side in that country if we can afford to go those countries. However, we can do something by ourselves in our country. We can learn about the reality of other countries from the people who have been to those countries and we can choose right information carefully, not inconsiderately but considering matters from many different angles. If we do so, we can always know the real side behind the surface we are viewing.

Seeing Is Believing

How do you think about China? I didn’t have good images of China because I often watched not so good news of China. For example, poison in dumplings (gyouza) made by China was found in Japan in 2008. Moreover, there were a lot of foods that were rare and unusual like grubs and scorpions for Japan. We don’t have these foods in Japan. Other image was that the air of China was very foul, and the public hygiene was not good. I had these images, so I didn’t like China and I thought that I wouldn’t go to China.

However, I study Chinese in the university, and I went to China and stayed for a month in order to learn Chinese in this summer, as a result, my images of China were changed for four reasons.

The first reason is that there were many buildings and downtowns like Ginza or Shibuya. Last summer, the Olympic games ware held in Beijing, so people there reconstructed many buildings. Before I departed for China, I had thought there were more old and dilapidated buildings or houses in China. Of course, they were many in the town, but there were more beautiful and high buildings, and the towns had such beautiful night views. It surprised me and made me change my image of the towns in China.

The second reason for changing my image is the population of China. Do you know it? It is about 1,345,750,000, and it is No.1 all over the world. The thing I was surprised was the number of people, cars and bikes, and when I came back to Japan, I thought the number of people and cars was small. In China, because the number of bikes is very large, a wide road for bikes is set. On the road, people and bikes passed without stopping, and it’s difficult to cross the road. In Japan, drivers wait for pedestrians till they finish getting across, but in China, people give way to drivers of cars. When I crossed a street, some drivers often blew the car horns, and this is a frequent occurrence.

The third reason that I changed my mind was Chinese food. Do you like Chinese food?　Moreover, what image do you have of Chinese food? I like Chinese food very much and often eat it. My images were that Chinese food was spicy and very nice. Actually, my images were true. Chinese foods we had in China were very spicy. In my opinion, Japanese likes Chinese food because Japanese food is similar to Chinese that in some points and it is famous and popular in Japan. However, in China I had some dishes that I had never seen before. When I went to the booths downtown, though I found the booths selling a skewered insect, starfish and grubs, I didn’t have the courage to eat those. However, I like Chinese food as I have said in the above. Above all things, my favorite point of Chinese food is that the food is very reasonable. I often had a lunch about 100yen in the cafeteria, and we can enjoy having many dishes at a low price in a lot of restaurants, so you can get many dishes and may be not able to eat all.

The last reason is about Chinese. What images of people in China do you have? In case of me, I thought Chinese resembled Japanese in appearance, and always looked angry. The reason that why they look angry is Chinese language has four tones, and it gave me the impression. Actually, they weren’t angry, but kind. For example, the cashiers of the supermarket and shop assistant were often kind, and many drivers taught us Chinese kindly and merrily. These experiences changed my image of Chinese.

Do you know the proverb “seeing is believing”? The meaning of this proverb is that it is more valuable for you not to hear so many times from people but to see for yourself. In this time, I understood the meaning of this proverb. Everyone often says the town in China is very dirty and the smell is bad, moreover China is not good place to stay. Surely I felt that the town was dirty, and the smell wasn’t good, but I had a very good time. Perhaps, I watched only good faces of China, but it was good because it was evidence that I was satisfied with the time at China with my best friends. I didn’t have good impressions and I had prejudice against China until the day I arrived at there, but I went to there and watched the many faces of real China. And more, I had a great experience, ultimately my ideas changed, my days for one month were very excellent, and they gave me things of great value.

One For All, All For One

“Let’s start a union, calling every human. It’s one for all and all for one. Let’s live in

unison, calling every citizen. It’s one for all and all for one.” This lyric is from one of my

favorite song “Union” of The Black Eyed Peas. They wish world peace and advocate us

partiality.



This year I started to study about poverty and peace building in class. It’s difficult to

decide whether one country is poor or not, but there are 42 countries which are

recognized as Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs). HIPCs are developing

countries which are bearing the heaviest debt and are the poorest countries in the world.

In these countries, person dies every 3 seconds from hunger. I learned in class that

although there are enough foods to feed every person all over the world, developed

countries including Japan buy too much food, and haven’t shared with developing

countries. In additions, Japan is the greatest food disposal country. I was shocked and

embarrassed to hear the fact. We have to face this fact and know that our happy life is

based on sacrifices of people who live in developing country.

I’ve heard one of Mother Teresa’s words “There are two poor countries in the world.

One is badly off country, India, and another is that though there are so many people

troubled in the world, pretend to be indifferent, Japan.” Japan is really good country. There are many things to be proud like beautiful natures, long historical cultures,

buildings and so on. However sometimes Japanese are said as poor mind country. I

think it’s too sad.


We humans live on earth together. We’re all the same human. We shouldn’t be divided

by belief, ethnicity and religion. My thought and knowledge may be still shallow, but

why don’t we start something we can do. My favorite singer also sings “It takes one,

just one. And then one follows the other one. And then another follows the other one.

Next thing you know you got a billion…Let’s change and do some powerful things.

Unity could be a wonderful thing.” It may be difficult to change the world by “myself”.

However, nothing changes if no one starts to do something for the world. For example,

I’ll try to not to make leftovers from meals. I’ll save water. I’ll use an eco-bag. I’ll save

electricity… These things are not so difficult, so whoever we can do. It takes one and

one follows the other one. Let’s start a union by the spirit of “One for all and all for

one.”

The Importance Of Reading

Do you often read a book and like it? I guess that many young people may say “No, I don’t. It’s boring for me.” In fact, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology said in the newspaper that people who read books have gradually decreased year by year. I tried to read many kinds of books in this summer: foreign novels, Japanese ones and so on because I thought that reading books would have some effects on me. Then I noticed that there are some good merits to reading books through my experience.

First of all, people can increase their knowledge by reading because books include a lot of information, for example, kanji, idioms, proverbs, words in English and so on. If they suddenly came across a word which they didn’t know in the book, they would need to research its meaning so that they can continue to read it. Have you ever gone through such a situation? If so, you can get opportunities to improve your vocabulary and you should do this action and repeat! As a result of these actions, they will have more information than before when they finish reading it. What we know is that much knowledge is very useful for us in order to write a report on business or an essay, and speak in public.

Secondly, reading books give us calm time. As for me, one day I quarreled with my father, so I was irritated by that incident. However, I forgot about quarreling when I unconsciously started to read my book, and my feelings had been calmed very much before I knew it. I guess that we can enhance our concentration, and forget unpleasant feelings by reading. In addition, many people feel stress or uncomfortable owing to have a lot of trouble in their works, lives and relations in these days. It’s very important for us to spend time without stress because stress heavily damages our hearts and bodies, but in comparison with it, relaxation helps to keep our good health. If you have these problems, you should read books for your health.

Finally, reading books increases people’s imaginations. They imagine magnificent backgrounds, feelings of the characters, and many scenes which were written in detail by an author in their minds when they read each sentence. In other words, many authors want to tempt them into the world of their books so that they definitely tell their opinions or thoughts to readers and give us pleasure. In consequence, many readers can obviously improve their ability of imagination and understand author’s views. These effects give us rich expressions and ability for widely thinking, and I expect those effects to be useful when we talk or write about something. Besides, the more readers can enhance their imagination, the more enjoyable reading becomes for them!

Therefore, if some researchers compare people who like to read with others, they may tell that readers result in having more knowledge than others. I can actually say that what we read in books will surely provide some good benefits in our future because I could experience to improve myself, in particular about handling feelings. I could recognize and understand difficult words in the newspaper more than before. Recently we’re able to meet many kinds of people who have various fields of profession because of plentiful transportation. I think that we need to have many kinds of knowledge to communicate with them. Books can be carried around easily, so people can read them wherever they want to read, that is to say, you can get new information anywhere, for these reasons, I’d like you to read many different books that will be useful for your lives in the future.

Using cell phone

Nowadays, cell phones are very convenient for us. For example, we can communicate by sending e-mail, telephone and video calling much more easily than before. Also we can get lots of information from a cell phone. For instance, we can go to the internet and look up a word in a search engine. We can buy or sell something by using it, and we can check a train schedule…

Like this, cell phones are very useful. However, sometimes it cases a harmful influence for us.

First of all, there is communication on cell phones. As mentioned above, it’s very good to communicate, but the latest young people depend on the cell phone. They sometimes send lots of e-mail to their friends, and make a long phone call. If they have something to do for their friends, they also make contact by cell phone. Furtherer more, I surprised that family in same place－ for example mother in the kitchen, daughter in the her room, but they don’t speak, so they communicate by e-mail. When I knew that, I felt sad because they are family, so they should not contact indirectly, they　should communicate directly. That’s why young people depend too much on the cell phone.

Secondly, we can get lots of information by using cell phone. However not all information are corrects. We have to make sure of the facts. We go to the internet everywhere by using cell phone. These days, minors are implicated in a crime by matchmaking sites, so their parents think about measure to protect their children from harmful sites. For example they use a filtering.

Finally, minors have lots of information tools, but its bad effect for them. Because we look up everything by using search engine, they fear that they can’t search by themselves and ask everything to someone or internet. Considering the circumstances mentioned above they should use it well.

In my opinion, you should think about what they use (e-mail, telephone or directly) and why you use it. I think basic communication is “face to face” and building more human relation is more important than using cell phones very well. Young people mustn’t depend on phones so much! Why don’t you spend a day with out cell phone?

Global Warming

Right now, how we should respond to global warming is becoming one of the serious problems around the world. I think we can hinder the global warming.

Global warming is the increase in temperature of the earth’s atmosphere that is caused by the increase of particular gases, especially carbon dioxide.

What becomes a problem if the temperature of the earth rises? For example, small islands will sink in the sea because the Arctic ice is beginning to melt and the seawater rises. Another example is that abnormal weather such as downpours and droughts increase, and, according to circumstances, there is a possibility that desertification, the shortage of water, and famines happen.

Recently, there are many laws and treaties. For example, “Law Concerning the Promotion of the Measures to Cope with Global Warming”, “Law Concerning the Recovery and Destruction of Fluorocarbons”. These are very sensible approach to the problem, I think.

So, what can we do as prevention measures against global warming? I will take it up from familiar things. First, when driving, remember not to start rapidly, not to accelerate, not to do a brake rapidly, and to keep a proper distance between two cars. However, using public transportation is the best measure. Second, at home remember to refrain from using the air conditioner, and to decrease time to watch TV. Finally, I think, the family spending time in the same room is the best measure. It is because useless electricity will not be wasted, and a very important communication space is created. Also, it is very easy to do. So, I want you to spend time in the same room with your family.

In conclusion, I think the earth to be changed with your consideration. Therefore, let’s decisively save the crisis of this earth by everyone.

Make Life Valuable

Do you know how long your lifespan is? If you know your lifespan, how do you spend every day? What if your heart got old ten times faster than other people? We don’t know our lifespan, so, we spend every day without thinking about it, don’t we? I also spend every day without deeply thinking about my life. However, a girl whom I met on the TV program changed my how to think about my life. I got to think about every day of my life. I had been watching a documentary TV program. It was about a girl. Her name is Ashley Hegi. She is no different from other girls. She just has progeria. progeria is a disease. People who have progeria get old about ten times faster than other people. Their bones are weak, and they lose their hair. It is said that one person in eight million gets this disease.

Her way of life changed my way of thinking about life. Ashley knows her lifespan, so she does a thing that she can do that moment. She loves animals, likes to go shopping and has a boyfriend. There is no difference from us. She said, “The thing which is important about life is not the length but how you spend your life”. I was impressed by these words. She is only 14 years old. I thought she has really strong mind. If I know my lifespan, I’ll be afraid of death first. I think Ashley also was, but she said, “I don’t have any memories of being shocked to know that I had progeria. It’s not a big deal, so I don’t think about it”. She thinks the all things positively, and did things she wants to do. I really like her and her way to live. It is said that people with progeria live for about 13 years on the average, but Ashley lived for 17 years. People around her and her strong mind made Ashley’s lifespan longer. I also respect her mother. She let Ashley do everything she wants to do because she knew that Ashley would be unhappy if she worried about her too much and didn’t let her do anything. I think her mother is a one of the best mothers I’ve ever known, and Ashley is a lucky person because she was brought up by her. However, Ashley passed away on April 21, 2009.

Since I enter this university, I met a lot of people, went to many places and experienced a variety of things. Every time I met something and someone new, my heart was filled with gratitude to people who I met. It is important to keep doing something and planning for the future, but I think it is more important to try and do the things which we can do now. No one knows what happen tomorrow, so, we should think about this moment and try to do our best. I don’t want to waste my time. I’ll live life to the fullest every day. I can say that we owe it to ourselves to make the best of our lives. I appreciate to Ashley because she taught me the importance of living in this moment.

To Realize Small Happiness

Have you ever felt “I was an unhappy”? When negative things happened, I’ve sometimes thought so. However, I’ve been changing negative thinking into positive thinking by a variety of experiences.

This summer, I went to India with 13 people strangers who applied for a tour which contains volunteer activities and sightseeing. It some reasons why I went there, and one of the reasons was that I wanted to do something for people. I think India is not such a wealth country. Some Indian people live in big and beautiful houses and stay at an excellent hotels, but others do not. I saw a lot of people, who sleep outside at night and some Indians including children begged me for some money, foraged for food, and worked on the road. These were shocking scenes for me because I’ve never seen them in Japan. At the begging of the tour, I couldn’t feel comfortable in my new environment, but I adapted a few days later. Especially, I was changed by volunteering.

Second day, I started volunteering at Mother Teresa House. I worked at Shishubawan which is like a home for orphans. In Shishubawan, there are many children and they were in different buildings depending on whether children have a handicap or not. Some volunteers play with them and feed them. Others including me, helped washing with some Indian volunteers. It was a sunny day, so the laundry dried well on the rooftop. Many colorful suits and clothing with cute prints for children were hanged out on the thin wires. After teatime with biscuits and cup of chai, we picked up and folded the laundry, which had already dried. Indians spoke Hindi, so I couldn’t understand most of what they said to me, but I could understand a little by gestures. They called me Anti. Anti means volunteer, so not only sister and adult Indian volunteer also children called me that.

Next day, some of the tour members and I worked at a Brother House. It was located in a different place from Mother Teresa House. I helped children to take a shower and played with them in there and fed men who had handicaps and couldn’t eat foods by themselves. Before they ate Indian chicken curry, we need to cut the chicken into small pieces for them. When I was cutting it by hand, I talked with Indian volunteer. I asked him, “Why did you volunteer?” then he answered, “For my experience.” When I just heard his answer, I was happy because I have thought the same as him. Even though we are from different countries, we were there as volunteers with similar thinking. I remember a man whose hands are handicapped very much. He sometimes looked me with big smile and we made some poses, piece and good luck by hands each other and I began to smile too. I realized then, that although I wanted to give something to people, actually they give me power and happiness.

On the last day of volunteer activities I came back to Mother Teresa House. In this time I took care of ordinary children. They were really cheerful, so I moved around, but I didn’t feel tired so that children who were in there were smiling. Non-handicapped children could be adopted, when they grew some extent up, they start to study English for their future. It helps them to living other countries and prepare for school and more. Actually, Indian came to the orphans’ home to see the children sometimes, when I played with children. Then I thought about the future of the children who were there and I hoped their happiness truly.

After I came back to Japan, I realized how happy I am and how rich Japan is in all. I can live in a strong house with my family, work and make money for myself. I have thought these were natural, and not special, but it might be wrong. Fortunately, I can do that. It’s really happy things and I need to appreciate all. I have an unforgettable phrase from Japanese sister who was in India. “Please find Calcutta in Japan.” Japan looks wealth country, but, on the other hand, too many current scandals happened every day. I realized poor means not only for people who have financial problems and also physical problem. I want to go step by step and make a kind action for someone although it may really small steps. If we realized our small happiness, Japan may become a lovelier and the world may become a more peaceful place.

Japanese food

Eating is very important. We have to eat for life. In other words, eating can’t separate from life.

Food has nutrition, you know. We can prevent some diseases, and keep our health by take foods, but if you don’t take well balanced diet, you get life style related desease. People have to ingest “Protein”, “Fat”, and “Carbohydrate”. They are three major nutrients, called “PFC energy”. American’s main food is meat, so, intake of fat is a lot. Japanese is a well balanced diet of PFC energy. Expert said, it is the reason why Japanese live a long life. However, Japanese who has American style eat habit is increasing now. Why is it?

Now, many culture imports into Japan from abroad. For example in Japan, if you don’t decide your today’s lunch, what do you think at the first? Maybe you will choice Japanese, French, Italian, Chinese, or so. In the remote past, we had Japanese food only. We have used flesh domestic foods, and cooked it.

We can eat many kinds of foods from all over the world even though you stay in Japan, because transportation technique is developing in a surprisingly fast. We can get flesh foods from abroad, and cook it. On investigation, we can eat 75 foreign countries, and 68 regions food only stay at Tokyo and the Kanto district now. Moreover, It is exist which can eat more than 20 countries food only stay at one shop.

We aren’t tired of eating by many kinds of food and taste. It is happy, but we have good food culture adapted to our body and health. We should eat Japanese more.

The Importation of the Invasive Species

About 2000 kinds of species which came from other countries currently live in Japan as invasive species. Invasive species are animals or plants which are non-native, and compete with the native inhabitants by taking over their territory. Due to close relationships between Japan and other countries, the entry of invasive species into Japan was made possible. The existence of invasive species also affected human beings, resources, and ecosystem.

The beetle is one good example of Japanese invasive species. The beetles’ population started a rapid growth is in 1999. They used to be not so popular before, however they gained popularity for two reasons. First, the International Plant Protection Convention, which came into effect in 1950 and restricted the import any harmful species in Japan, was relaxed. This made it easier to import animals and plants, so the number of species entering Japan increased. The other reason is that the image of beetles people had before changed dramatically because of the affection of children to foreign beetle. Surprisingly, this enthusiastic trend has extended to adults as well. Foreign beetles have characteristics that are different from the Japanese ones with respect to their size, shape, and color. For example, the Hercules beetle, which is a foreign beetle, is said to be the biggest beetle in the world. Its wing color is yellow, and it has a big horn. In addition, some TV animations about insects, especially beetles, were broadcasted in a way that gave an impetus to the popularity of non-native beetles from abroad. So the number of beetles imported from overseas to Japan as pets has increased year by year. In fact, the number of non-native beetles imported in 1999 is amounted to 7,000; reached 463,000 in 2000 eventually peaked at 1,923,000 in 2005. When we compare the ratio between 1999 and 2005, it is about 275 times. This exponential rise in reflects the increase in the number of people attracted to small insects.

As a result, many problems have occurred due to the foreign beetles. First, there are possibilities of any microbe and parasite carrying diseases. It is said that imported beetles haven’t brought any disease nor been harmful for human beings in Japan at present, but we can’t declare this will always be the same. Secondly, it could affect agriculture and environment. One of the invasive beetles, the Rhinoceros beetle, feeds on sugar canes, palm, and pineapple trees. And this feeding habit causes damages to farm products. Moreover, the invasive species usually don’t have natural enemies. That’s why their number has increased sharply, so it can be said that “wild invasive species” take away original environments from the native species. The most serious problem is genetic pollution by hybridization. Genetic pollution is undesirable gene flow into native populations. Spreading invasive species’ genes around domestic species has the danger to distinct native ones. Many scientists have had misgivings about the disappearance of native species in near future.

In 2004, Invasive Alien Species Act was enforced. This is the law to limit how many and what kinds of species can be imported into Japan. Although this law has taken effect for five years, we have faced to the issue of invasive species because of the difficulty in removing them. Practically, it has remained difficult to completely reduce the import of foreign insects.

Finally, we need to know the root of these serious problems about invasive species. The people have brought foreign species from other countries into Japan for several reasons such as pets, and also they have spread them over the country. In the beetles’ case, people who can’t breed foreign beetles anymore, they tend to release the non-native beetles into the wild. They do this because they think that it is the best way for living things even though this action has had a bad influence on the environment. We must not forget our responsibility for all of the species as one of the parts on the earth. Japan isn’t only the country that has the issue of these invasive species, this issue has happened in the countries of all over the world too. Nowadays, global warming, acid rain, rising sea level, and environment pollution are well-known as the world issues, and people have made an effort to change them for the better. On the other hand, there are still controversial issues like invasive species on the earth. It is necessary not only to think but also to put these ideas into action to protect all of living things before this problem is more serious.

Transfer Market in 2009

Nowadays, many football players in Europe have been transferred with a great amount of money. For example, this summer Real Madrid and Manchester City invested plenty of money to get some players of the first rank in spite of the global economic recession.

First, I would like to explain the Real Madrid case. In this year, Florentino Perez assumed the chairman of the Real Madrid. He acquired a lot of superstars from another European League’s clubs. Christiano Ronald transferred to Real Madrid for 96 million euros from Manchester United in England, and Kaka transferred to there for 68 million euros from A.C. Millan in Italy. Perez spent 250 million in all, but he is convinced that he can pay back the many and get profits to deal in many kinds of goods such as selling uniforms and broadcasting rights. In fact, Perez acquired some popular and famous strikers who can make the viewers be fun because almost of Spanish supporters love aggressive games which score a lot of goal.

Secondly, I would like to explain the Manchester City’s case. In 2008, a group of investors in the U.A.E. purchased the Manchester City, and the club has become the richest one in the world. Also, the club tried to gain many superstars, but the club wasn’t big and well known in the world. Most of them refused the offer from Manchester City. Actually, the club offered Kaka to transfer for 100 million euros, but the offer was refused because Manchester City hasn’t won the any titles recent year. Some players think that it is important to get titles rather than money. However, the club has done efficient reinforce. The club got many players from the rival teams in the same league without sparing the money because England league is more speedy and powerful than any other leagues, so it is difficult for foreign players to fit in England league soon. Also, the club enticed some players each position. In fact, the club enticed three strikers, two midfielders, and three defenders. The club spent more than 200 million euros in this summer.

Finally, in July and August of every year, considerable money is spent to get hold of football players. Also, funs are excited by the matches of comparable strength like an entertainment. However, Michel Platini, who is the chairman of UEFA, said that “Exceeded the transfer fee will have a harmful influence for all of the European clubs.” Therefore, UEFA has considered restricting the transfer market not to increase the transfer fee. I think many clubs spent a great amount of money to entertain the funs. However, if many clubs have heavy debts, almost of them may fail, so I think the transfer market should be restricted stricter, and put a great deal of effort into raising the young players who live in their hometown.

Do You Know About Drugs?

How many drugs and drug addicts are there in the world? The news of drugs are reported on TV and newspaper everyday. I was very sad when I heard drug’s news. I know many entertainers who are drug addicts. There are many drug addicts in the world, and they are close to us. Therefore we must have knowledge about drugs.

There are a lot of kinds of drugs in the world. If we take drugs, we think that we are strong as a superman or king. Drugs elevate our mind. Thereafter, the effects of the drugs wear off little by little. Then we feel depressed, fear, and confusion. Therefore we repeat to take drugs.

The dependency of the marijuana is lower than kind of other drugs, however endurance is scarce and we feel frustration. There are other symptoms if we take marijuana. Emotional ups and downs are intense, the amplitude of the emotion is very large, our brains are always faint, we fall into a depression, and have hallucination.

We will get hooked on cocaine if we take it. Main symptoms are an increased our pulse, rise in blood pressure, sleepless, and a fit of something. Cocaine destroys the function of the brain that controls the pulse and heart beat, therefore the death may occur.

There are many kinds of drugs which have different symptoms. However, I think all drugs destroy ourselves if we take it. Recently we can get drugs any place easily. We must reject the sweet temptations of drugs. I think if we take drugs, we hurt everyone around us. Don’t forget drugs destroy not only yourself but also circumstance around you.

Realization of Twenty years old

July 25th, my twentieth birthday came around. I did not realize that I became twenty years old for a long time although I became twenty. But, I was realized by one thing. It is a member of the House of Representative election which was carried on October 11th.

Before I was gave the right to vote, I did not know about politics so much and I was not interested in it so much but, I watched news a lot and I studied manifesto of each parties on this occasion and went to vote. I can not express well, but I felt some feeling like nervous or excited when I wrote on ballot paper for the first time.

The night I went to vote, I watched result of the election on TV. I thought “My vote is included in this many votes” during watching TV and then I felt that I have a big responsibility. Through this election, I realized that I became twenty, I was gave responsibility as a member of adults.

In Japan, drinking and smoking are permitted by law from twenty and we start to pay pension from twenty. And we also can various things without parents’ permission or consent. Why these things are from twenty? Because it is probably that twenty is regarded as adult. In other word, twenty is the age which we can take responsibility for ourselves and we have to take responsibility four what we say and do.

I think twenty is very important age because it is start of adult and it is the age which our surroundings change little by little. Through this election, I felt responsibility for myself and I am regarded as a member of adults. I want to take responsibility for what I say and do from now on. I studied many things from this election.

Failure is Mother of Success

There is a person who doesn’t fail in the world. The person who succeeds at what he does repeats failure. On the contrary, a person who doesn’t fail succeeds in nothing. In other words because if we don’t takes action for rear of failure, we have no chance, and we can’t progress.

There is a thing to “be a splendid opportunity to challenge it by a better method with the failure again” are words of Henry Ford. I felt that the words were surely right. If I fail because I end it with having failed and improve a mistake, the failure is smart, and it is failing at an opportunity doing it again. This applies to it well in daily life. For example, I made a wrong remark during a class and felt ashamed. This will be a small failure that anyone experienced. I failed and felt ashamed, but I remember and therefore I never repeat the same mistake. It is uneasy to speak, but can’t understand a correct answer if I don’t do an action to speak. I may repeat the same thing again without understanding the correct answer then if I don’t act for fear of failure with having been wrong. However, I really failed by having acted at the risk of failure, but I obtained a right thing, and I acquired an ability to cope well with a problem when I because the same situation.

I think that the human beings repeat failure, and they grow up. The person who never fails and never does the success. The reason why I think as above is that an action always comes together with the failure, and it isn’t act not to fail. To put it the other way round, the person who isn’t afraid of failure is the person who act. I fail in most when I act, but I experience most and learn most almost as same as failure in that. The success comes over only to the person who acted without being afraid of failure.

A negative image is heated when I hear words called the failure and thinks it is the way which it does not want to go along if it is possible. However, failure is the key which I led to the next success for from becoming my fault. I want to grow up every day with “the failure is mother of the success.”

History of the Television

How often do you watch the television? There is much information on TV, for example, news, music, comedy, TV shopping, and so on. Then, its information is abundant. At present, the tool that is one segment has very useful function. It is a system that we can watch data which we usually watch it. It is added to the cell phone, PC, car navigation system, and so on.

The television came around various ages. Broadcast is the first that WGY television station experimented with broadcasting in 1928. At that time, TV drama is broadcasted too. The TV in Japan was started by Kenjiro Takayanagi in 1925.He is from Shizuoka in Japan and TV technician. Then, television broadcasting in Japan was started from experiment radio wave shot on May 13th, 1939. Since Japan was stimulated that Germany broadcasted the Berlin Olympics, study and develop was advanced in order to broadcast Tokyo Olympics that was scheduled in 1940. Although it was canceled because of the tension of world affairs, television experiment broadcasting was continued until June, 1941. At the beginning of the start of broadcast, the TV was very expensive and not so common, but public TVs were placed at stations, parks, and on busy streets. Then, many people gathered in that place and were excited about sport relay. Color TV in Japan was broadcasted in 1960. Car, Cooler, Color TV were called as 3C. In 1999, TV was expanded that one family has several things at average.

Now, digital terrestrial television system is pointed out among people. Analogue television will end on July 24th, 2011. Then, it will be changed to digital terrestrial television system. We will not be able to watch TV if we do not put a digital tuner on TV, or change to a digital TV that terrestrial television system. There are various features to digital TV. First, we can enjoy clear sounds because noise interference will disappear. Second, it is possible to broadcast data such as subtitles, explanation, and so on. Moreover, it can change speed of sound. Third, we can watch information that is news and weather forecast anytime.

The TV influences various things. Recently, the television is developing more and more. For instance, we can participate in the TV quiz program and enjoy together. It is interesting form. Like this, we can enjoy the TV by watching and listening. It can be created so that our life can be good in future.

Salmon, Pineapple and Soy Bean Milk Tea

I don’t like my family, especially my mother, but I love them. Many articles, like books, songs etc, say, “You are loved” but, they’ve never moved my heart. However, on rare occasions, something makes me notice I’m loved.

One day, when I was a high school student, I was eating lunch with my friends as usual. Unexpectedly, one of them, who we were eating with said “Your salmon is always cooked. Mine is bottled salmon flake”. Definitely, her salmon in her lunch box was ready-made. I saw their lunch, of course mine too everyday, but I’d never noticed it until she said that. Needless to say, bottled one can save time, but my mother chose fresh salmon, grilled it, picked off the flesh of it and boned. It’s because she thought the baked one was more delicious and nutritious than the processed one. These things were all done for me. Abruptly, many pictures of her cooking came up in my mind. She sent me off with her handmade lunch every morning, but I had never appreciated it, because I took it for granted. What my friend said gave me a shock. Suddenly, I wanted to see her. I remember I sent her an e-mail after that lunch: “Today’s salmon was salty.”

I quarrel with my mother over trifles a few times a year. At those times, I don’t listen or talk to her. Also, I shut myself up in my room. Once when I was mad at her, I went downstairs to eat something. In the dining room, there was a pineapple on the table. Packs of soybean milk tea were in the fridge. Yes, they were my favorites. As I noticed it, I thought what a stupid thing I was doing. Whenever she comes home from the supermarkets, her shopping bags are full of my favorites. She remembers what I like and not only at the supermarkets but at other shops. She has me somewhere in her back of her mind, she buys something that I like. At that day, she must have not thought well of me, but she was concerned about me as if nothing had happened.

There must be things around me that I should notice but seldom do. It’s not that I can’t do that, I don’t do that. I’m apt to think people who love me and things that people do for me are ordinary. Especially if it’s my family, I hardly recognize them. I think many people are inclined to take them for granted like me. While I was considering it, I found many loves. I’d like to become the person who never forgets being loved and can notice the love. Then if I can, I’d like to be a person who can say “Thank you” without hesitation.

For Your Smile

When do you think you are happy? I feel happy when I make people happy. I work at a theme park as a part time job on weekends. There are many people from each place. They are not only from Japan but also from all over the world. I can’t speak fluent English, but I hope for everyone there is happy. I think smile is a tool of making people happy. So it is important for us that we smile.

Without other people, your happiness isn’t still completely existed at the point in time. If you are very happy, you tell someone about why you are so happy, and you may be able to make them happy. To make others happy is directly related to your happiness and smile. Please imagine that you are in a theme park, but there is no smile and people who work in there are very tired. I think you are undoubtedly sad and unpleasant. So, smile is essential for spending your pleasant time.

However, one of my friends was said a heartless word by a guest. That was “This is rip-off, isn’t this?” She said she felt no anger but very sorrowful. Did the guest spend good time there? Why did she feel so? I wondered she might have had something an unpleasant thing. So, my friend said she didn’t do anything for the guest and she regretted.

Your smile may make someone happy while you don’t notice that. On the contrary, others’ smile can make you happy when you are sad or depressed. So, I want you to smile, but it is not a forced smile, at any time. Then your happiness can share in with someone. Therefore smile is essential for your happiness. Please remember that your smile makes people happy.

Different culture creates misunderstandings

When I was a junior high school student, I visited Malaysia. One day, I went to the toilet ,There were two kinds of toilet. One was a pay toilet, the other was normal. I chose normal. But, it was very dirty and the most surprising thing was that there was no toilet paper. I heard “some of the local people use their hands.” from been my teacher. I wondered why they use their hands. Ever since then, I have been interested in other country’s culture and life styles. Some differences in culture are small, like this, but some differences in culture can create serious misunderstandings.

First of all, I will examine China. When shopping in China, Chinese throw goods when he or she pass the goods to me. This does not create bad feelings of the person in the shop and they are not angry. It is normal. They do not feel rudeness. While Japanese hand over change .Ｉcompared culture of Japan and other country’s, I think the misunderstanding because of the difference of the culture might lead to the prejudice and discrimination.

I have a friend who has been going to study to the United States for one year. I heard a story from her. When her host family received her, they seemed not to take care of her, because they did not invite her as a guest but invite as a family's member. They did not to have taken care with her. For example, I heard that the key to home was passed to her, and the host family said "Enter the house for yourself when coming home from school." Probably, We Japanese might think "I might have been coldly treated."
For these reasons, I think that the gap of the cross cultural communication is caused because we Japanese invite people from foreign countries as a guest. When we invite the host family from foreign country, we think about "Where will I take him or her?" or "?" what should I make for dinner?” We think about a lot to contact with a foreigner as a guest. However, Americans do not make it like that. They are not doing us a cold-hearted attitude. It is their culture and entertainment.

As a result of examining culture, I think it is very important to understand foreign country’s culture so we can have better communication with the foreigner to prevent the misunderstanding caused by the gap of such a different culture.

I am scheduled to study abroad for America. So I want to learn English and culture of America to prevent the misunderstandings caused by cultural differences.

Attitude and Gratitude

Last spring vacation, I went to New Zealand to study for a month and that was my first experience of study abroad. I think this trip was a very nice experience for me, and noticed many things between Japanese and foreigners.

The most things that I noticed was Japanese students were negative. There were a lot of students from many countries in the language school I had commuted to, and there were two kinds of students, Saudi Arabian students and Japanese students in my class. Saudi Arabian students were very positive for anything, and they didn’t worry about wrong things for English grammar and pronunciation. They were always speaking positively in the class. Opposite to Arabian students, Japanese students, including me, were mostly negative in class.

When I came back to Japan and took class, every student was negative in class. I tried to take class positively, but I thought my answer was wrong…I couldn’t. This is ordinary Japanese.

The other thing that I noticed was that foreigners often express gratitude. For example, they say thanks when they receive something or get off the bus than Japanese. At the house I stayed, my host family often said “thanks” for my host mother every time we took a meal. In my case of family, we never say thanks because we think it is a taken matter of course. However, expressing gratitude is important because it’s simple and reasonable behavior.

A positive attitude to communicate with many people who were from other countries is very important. My own idea or feeling can not be conveyed without expression or speech, so we should express positively when we are asked your idea or things that you noticed.

I think most foreigners are positive. To exchange deeply, we need a positive attitude. Therefore, the conversation will warm up. Let’s improve your positive attitude and widen the circle of our world!!

Precious Place

Do you have a precious place? The place which a man works or lives is the best place for him. A girl likes a place of the memory which someone confessed to her about loving her or she often played with her friends. Also, you just like your favorite shop, a beautiful scene, and so on. I think everyone has important places in each one. I have it too. Precious place is the place which you have a special feeling. I think it is important for me and you to grow up and success, also to become happy.

When I was first year of high school, I belonged to brass band club in my school. I met 8 people there. We are classmates. We practiced the musical instruments in the early morning and afterschool in a music room every day. I liked this place. In the early morning, there were hardly any students in the school building. Only my club members were in the 6 floor, because we could use this floor to practice instruments in morning time, and music room was at there. My tone was heard in the quiet place, and my friends tone was heard too. These, the sounds which sounded were very pleasant for me. Sometimes, we discussed what to do for playing better performances, also we often talked about trivial things in the music room. We could play musical instruments more and more, and enjoyed that time. When we were in 3rd grade, we were all good friends, because we were together almost every day.

In October of 3rd year, my school festival was held. We had several difficulties, so it was a long, long distance to come there. We started to practice for the festival from July, but we had to do practice of a summer competition too, so we didn’t have enough time. Because of this, we were impatient about that practice of each one was at a standstill. .Also, we argued with each other about different opinions about songs, tones, and what should we do to arouse guests frequently. We were getting worried. I thought anxiously this performance wouldn’t be success, but we didn’t give up, and practiced until the last moment.

That day had come. We played a surprise performance at a garden, and also played 13 songs at a hall in my school. Many guests came our show, and they enjoyed listening to our music. When I saw the view, I was very delighted and comfortable! I did enjoy playing the music with my fellows in my band.

Today, almost many people love music as we listen and sing songs. I could learn more deeply things of music. Each of the sounds must not lack. It is important to corporate with the members to make a complete music. It’s not possible to do by oneself. Another important thing is the pleasure listeners and our enjoyment the time with our guests.

I often meet my 8 friends after we graduated from high school. I could make best friends. That music room is a precious place because it gives me many things to learn, people and memories. From now onward, I hope to meet places which become precious for me.

How to Communicate through a Part-Time Job

Communication is indispensable for people to live. I think that it is the reason everyone wants to communicate smoothly. I also want to communicate skillfully. For that reason, I started a part time-job as a clerk in a shop which sells bread and drinks because I am not good at talking. I thought I needed to practice it. It has been about one year since I started to work. On my experience of my part time-job, I have found some techniques of correct communication.

First is to listen carefully what someone says and to understand. I have made a customer get angry by making a mistake to take orders correctly. That is because I mistakenly made a hasty judgment and I forgot to double-check the order. After that, I never forget to double-check and if customers don’t order clearly, I get their correct information by asking some questions. Thought repeating and asking questions take longer time, but the more communicate such as listening and asking, the more smoothly and correctly communicate.

Second, gestures for people who cannot communicate by conversation and for communicate to understand better are important. Non-Japanese visited my shop sometime. When non- Japanese and English speaker visit, I use gesture. For example, I ask customers sizes of cups of drinking but the customers cannot comprehend to say “large or small?” In this case, I show them the large and small size cups. They can choose the size by only pointing at the cup. Besides, I add gestures to explain to people who understand Japanese or English. People understand better. To use gestures is a very useful tool of communication in any circumstances.

Third, I think the most important factor for communication is expression. The first time I worked as a cashier, my operation of the register was awkward and I was stiff expression because I was very nervous. As a customer was leaving, she said “Cheer up!” Of course, I was happy to hear that but I was worried her than what is said that was on my mind. Though I couldn’t help being awkward, my expression made the customer worry more. I decided to keep smiling in any case. Then, I discovered that customers return my smile. Conversely speaking, they become gloomy if I am tired and my expression indicates my tiredness. My expression can change someone’s mood.

The above explains are how to communication which I learned my part time-job. I think there are many hints of good communication anything else which I have met with occurrence until now. I keep to work and I want to learn better communication way through my part-time job.