New Years in Tokyo お正月は東京で！

My wife and I went to visit her family living in Tokyo for New Years. I was shocked. Tokyo was so quiet and empty, it was like we arrived in some other city. The trains were comfortable and always had seats for one thing. We went to Yomiuri Land on the 1st, and the park was pretty close to empty. I have to say, if you're looking for something to do during New Years next year, Tokyo is a lot more laid back. On the other hand, a lot of the smaller shops are closed... just like everywhere else. It was nice to get out of Kochi for a change of pace, but I'm glad to be back.

正月に妻と一緒に　 妻の実家、東京に行って、家族で正月を過ごした。東京は　静かで　空いていて、まるで他の町のようで　ビックリした。電車も空いていて、どこに行っても特に込んでいなかった。元日に、読売ランドという遊園地に行った時も、空いてて、たくさんの乗り物に乗れた。もし来年のお正月、時間があれば東京に行くことをおすすめする。もちろん小さい店はしまっていたが、それはどこでもそうだと思う。旅行に行ってリフレッシュできてよかったけど、やっぱり高知に帰ってきて嬉しい！

American Football アメリカンフットボール

It's been a long time since I watched a game of American Football, but Autumn always makes me think of it. American Football has been described as chess played in real time by gladiators in suits of armor. I think that's a pretty good description of it and it explains why I find it fascinating and exciting. I'm sharing the basics of American Football with students at Elementary School this month, I hope everyone has fun!

アメリカンフットボールの試合は何年か見てないが、毎年、秋の頃懐かしく思ってくる。アメリカンフットボールは「鎧を着ているグラディエーターがレアルタイムでするチェス」というように説明されたことがある。その説明の中で私は面白いと思う理由がある。今年の11月は小学校でアメフトを紹介している。生徒の皆が楽しめたらいいなと思っている。

The Value of Experience

I recently read a book about business.  One of the points that they made was nothing is ever perfect on the first try.  But you still have to have a first try.  Then you can look back on it, recognize points to improve, improve them, and try again.  And this cycle doesn't ever end, instead your work just keeps improving.  My work as an ALT is like this too, and this next school year I'm going to try using my tablet instead of flashcards, I'm adjusting my lesson plans, and I have a new plan for memorizing the names of the students who I haven't yet!  It's going to be a good year.

経験の大切さ
最近ビジネスについての本を読みよった。ポイントの一つは初めて何かをする時は完璧にならない。だが、まずやってみなければなりません。それから、悪い点を顧みて、改善できる。それで、またしてみたら、また改善する。このサイクルは繰り返して、仕事がいつも前よりよくなるはず。ALTとしてしている仕事もそうやき、今年度は絵カードの代わりにタブレットを使ってみる、レッスンプランを復習が楽にできるように並べかえる、そしてまだ名前の覚えってない生徒の名前を覚える計画を行う予定です。いい年度になるやろう！

Breaking out of the Bubble

Breaking out of the Bubble

When living abroad there is a tendency to create a cultural bubble or shield around yourself.  Especially in the beginning, the new culture is scary, difficult, and easier to avoid than embrace.  You might spend your time reading books from your native language, talking to other foreign friends, and buying groceries you already know how to cook.  The problem is you're missing out on all of the wonderful culture surrounding you.  Still, even after years of living in a foreign country that culture bubble can reappear.  Sometimes I have to remind myself to go and try something new, get out of the house, or make a new friend.

バリヤーを倒す

外国に住む人はよく文化のバリヤーを作ってしまう。とくに始めての頃、新しい文化が怖い、難しい、対処するより避けるほうが楽。例えば、母国語の本を読んだり、母国語を話す人と会話したり、知っている食べ物ばっかりを買ったりするかもしれない。問題はまわりにある素晴らしい文化に参加していないこと。数年間外国に住んでも、そのバリヤーが戻ることがある。時々新しいことを体験したり、わざわざ家から出かけたり、新しい友達をつくったりしなければならない。

Nanowrimo ・ 11月は、小説を書こうの月

(Image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Power_of_Words_by_Antonio_Litterio.jpg)

November is International Novel Writing Month.  It's a month-long Internet festival celebrating writing by writing.

In the past years I've spent November laboring on long works of fiction in my free time after work, before work, and while I should have been sleeping.  This year it's time that I go back and revise one of those, and hopefully turn it into a good story.  I may be very sleepy if you see me during November, if you see me at all.

１１月は、小説を書こうの月！（NaNoWriMoと省略される）。一ヶ月間のインタネットで行われた小説の祭りです。どうやって祝いすると聞いたら、もちろん小説を書くことで！

以前の１１月に仕事の後も前も、それで寝たはずの時も小説を書いていた。今年は、以前書いた作品を改稿しもっと面白い作品にしあげるつもりだ。もし１１月に私に会えば、とても眠そうに見えるかもしれないです、もし会えばね。ご理解くださいね

Matsuyama Bound!

お正月の大勢の人がもう帰った後で2日間に松山へ行った。そのタイミングはぼっちりでちょうど安い旅館も道後温泉も空いてきた。行くのは長くないけど、山を越えるとすぐ冷やくなったような気がした。日本では道後温泉が夏目漱石の坊ちゃんという小説で有名と聞いたが、私はジブリの千と千尋の神隠しというアニメをみて、そのなかに出る温泉は道後をもとにして描かれたと聞いて興味を持った。本物の道後温泉を見ると宮崎駿の作った温泉のインスピレーションをはっきり分かった。短い旅行でとてもよかった！

I went to Matsuyama for two days after the big New Years crowds had already left.  This turned out to be great timing, as both Dogo onsen and a nearby cheap Japanese inn weren't crowded at all.  It didn't take long to get to Ehime, but it felt as though the temperature dropped significantly as soon as we passed over the mountains.  In Japan Dogo onsen is mostly famous from Natsume Souseki's famous novel, Botchan, but as for me I found out about it upon hearing that the onsen that appears in Miyazaki Hayao's famous anime Spirited Away was based on Dogo.  Upon seeing the onsen for myself, Miyazaki's inspiration was pretty obvious.  Overall it was a really great, short trip.

添付のビデオは道後温泉の前に雪が降っている。

Giving of Thanks

November is one of my favorite months, the leaves  change colors and we celebrate Thanksgiving.  I am thankful for many things.  I'm thankful that I teach English to wonderful students in Hidaka.  I'm thankful for my friends and family and their support.  I'm thankful that I have an oven.  I'm thankful for apple pie, pumpkin pie... and baked birds!  What are you thankful for?

Halloween

October is the month for Halloween!  For Americans this means pumpkin carving, costume wearing, and giving candy to trick-or-treaters.  The sad story of the Japanese youth that was murdered at Halloween is a reminder of how difficult people of other cultures can be to understand sometimes.  Halloween is a time for fun in the USA, but not everyone wants to participate, or play nice.  We typically follow the custom of turning our lights on and decorating our house if we are okay with trick-or-treaters coming by on Halloween Night.  If a house's lights are off then that's seen as a "no-go".  Many parents only take their children to their friends and families houses, just to be safe.  For adults we often go to costume parties like the one at Hirome-ichiba, and show off our creative costume making prowess. Happy Halloween, stay safe!

Summer

Yosakoi is here! It really is summer in Kochi isn't it?  I've been going to the rivers and swimming, and enjoying the water on these hot days.  One weekend in late July I went with some other Yakuba employees to Sasagamine to do "Sawa-nobori", a Japanese adventure sport involving swimming, hiking, climbing, and waterfalls!  I'm going to be enjoying Yosakoi this week with a friend from Tokyo who has come to see the festival.  Another ALT I know from Sasebo is coming to dance as well.  Everyone, stay cool and drink plenty of water!

JLPT

I took the Nikyuu of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test at the beginning of July.  I will get the results in September.  The first two sections, language knowledge and reading comprehension were just out of my reach.  I doubt I scored many points at all there, but I did quite well on the listening comprehension.  Unfortunately, I'm fairly certain I didn't pass.  Actually, I wasn't expecting to pass.  I only took it this time for practice and to see what I needed to spend time working on for next time!  Do you have anything you're studying or working on?  Keep it up!  We'll pass next time!

Totsuzen Tottori ni Itchotta!

I was invited, out of the blue, to Tottori prefecture for a one-night trip on Saturday morning, right before my friends' wedding.  After the ceremony we left and made it to Tottori city by half past eight at night.  We had a chance to meet up with a good portion of the Tottori ALTs and CIRs at a party they were calling Tottori Idol.  It was great fun.  On Sunday we ran around barefoot at the sand dunes, rode camels, ate 20th century pear ice cream, had bad luck with restaurants, and had a rainy drive back home.  It was an action-packed, enjoyable weekend for sure.

The Internet

The Internet is a very important part of my life in Japan.  I use it to keep up with my family and friends in the U.S.A., organize my schedule and lessons, communicate with other ALTs and CIRs in Kochi and elsewhere in Japan, and for fun.  Recently I started recording a podcast about Kochi and teaching English here.  It's all in English, but if you want to have a listen check out http://kochiperspective.blogspot.com.  A podcast is like a radio broadcast over the Internet.  You can also read all of the English versions of this journal at http://hidakaalt.blogspot.com.

 僕は日本で生活することの中ではインターネットがとても重要である。アメリカの家族や日本にいるALTの友達とコミュニケーションのためにもスケジュールもレッスンプランをオーガナイズするためにも楽しむためにも使っている。最近高知県のこととここで英語を教えることについてのポッドキャストを作り始めた。全部は英語だけど興味があったらhttp://kochiperspective.blogspot.comでダウンロードできる。ポッドキャストとはラジオ見たいなオーディオレコーディングだけどインタネットで聞ける。そしてこの日記の英語版はすべてhttp://hidakaalt.blogspot.comで読める。

Tosaben Musical

These are my first tabi.  They are part of my Okappiki costume for the upcoming Tosaben Musical.  It's a musical performed by Kochi JETs like me (ALTs and CIRs), and it's all performed in Tosa-ben!  I will be in two dances and I have quite a few lines of dialog, but I won't be singing.  Please come see the show, it will run from April 17th to April 25th all throughout the prefecture.

これは僕の始めての足袋 。もうすぐ私が出る土佐弁ミュージカルの岡っ引きの衣装の一部。このミュージカルは高知県のALTとCIR達が土佐弁でパーフォマンスする。僕は二つの踊りをしたり、かなり多い台詞も言ったりしているけど、歌に出ない。ぜひ見にきてください。公演は県内で四月十七日から四月に十五日までの土日に色んな会場で行う。

秋葉祭り

I went to the Akiba festival in Niyodogawa town on February 11th despite the rainy weather.  I'm glad I did!  I parked at the bottom parking lot and enjoyed walking all the way up to the shrine at the top.  It was a nice short little hike and good exercise.  The two most amazing things to me were the pole throwing and the shaking of the portable shrine.  I was also surprised that so many people made the trip out to Niyodogawa town despite the rain.  A lot of the stories meanings of the festivals are very difficult to understand across cultures, but are still very interesting regardless.

二月11日仁淀川町の秋葉祭へ行っちょった。すごい雨が降りよったのにこじゃんと楽しかった。下の駐車場で止めて神社まで登ったことがいい運動だった。長い棒を投げることもお神輿を振ることもあまり信じられなくて、すごかった。それに雨でも場所はとてもにぎやか。こんな祭りの元の話とか、神の話などは文化的なことだから私は分かりにくいのに、おもしろいとおもう。