Education

★Do you agree with the writer Minae Mizumura (“The Fall of Japanese in the Age of English”)　when she says that”, “the dominance of English, especially with the advent of the Internet, threatens to reduce all other national languages to mere “local” languages that are not taken seriously by scholars. The education system, she argues, doesn’t spend enough time teaching Japanese.”Why? Give at least 3 reasons to support your answer.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/books/review/EParker-t.html?scp=1&sq=japan%20english%20education&st=cse　

I agree with her, because I feel my kanji skill is little lower than when I was younger.

First, I hardly write characters directly. As the computers spread, I don’t try to write characters. In general, human beings can’t remember without writing. We always write something and remember it. When I study English, especially remember vocabularies, I absolutely write them. However, I write reports by my computer and I don’t write Kanji by my hand. So, I take notes of lectures, I often can’t remember Kanji, even easy one like “適”. When I was in a junior high school, I always wrote characters, and of course I could do it without going on a dictionary. I think this reason is using computer and not writing characters.

Second, I think cell phone novels are not novel. They are organized very simple sentences. I’m going to give an example. “What are you doing?”, said I. Bang! I surprised and my left arms are starting to hurt. I cried a lot. He apologized to me again and again. Cell phone novels are like these sentences. I scarcely understand what the characters are doing. I can’t get something which we can’t see from cell phone novels.

Finally, I think people today obviously read few books. When I was in a high school, I had a ASADOKU time. It is that students must read a book for 10 minutes before starting 1st class in the morning. I think this rule epitomizes that people today doesn’t read book.

Men and Women

★Do you agree or disagree with the author (who is Japanese). Please explain why in your blog.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?ek20060110ks.htm

I agree with the author. Nowadays, men who are not feel positive about loves are called "Sosyoku Danshi" Also, a word, "Nikusyoku Joshi", is becoming popular among Japanese.
It means women who feel positive about loves.

Not so long time ago, Japanese men gained advantages over women. It is easy to marry for Men (especially rich men) They could choose women. However, women had to go crazy to marry, because it was a only way to live. Women could not work outside. I think characters of
"Sosyoku Danshi" and "Nikusyoku Joshi" are reflected this time. Men the past didn't need to be positive about love, because they could live without wife. So, men today are not positive.

Table Manners

★Have you ever eaten in a restaurant in a foreign country? Where? What did you eat? Did you make any mistakes? Please explain your experience.

I went to Russia with my family about 10 years ago. I remember that the table manners in Russia is almost same as in Japan.Russia is little poor country, so people help their life each other. My mother took some chopsticks as a present to my host family and they were happy to receive them. Children were trying to eat meals with chopsticks. As I said, Russia is poor country, so there are not enough dishes.

★Did you learn anything?

Host family in Russia cooked an easy food for me. It was a cucumber cut lengthwise. They ate it with salt. It was very delicious. I'd never it it before even a easily food. I've ate it and one of my favorite food.

Weddings

★Since Japanese weddings are expensive, do you think having a massive wedding like Korea or UAE is a good idea? Why?

I think wedding is influenced by its country's history, character, weather and stuff like that. For example, people don't have a blast at Japanese wedding. This is connected by Japanese character. Not so long time ago, it is difficult to get married for Japanese women who have a blast and not neat and clean like today's women. So, women in Japanese weddings need to be neat and clean. Like this, since weddings are influenced by its value, I think having a massive wedding like Korea or UAE is a good idea.

★What do you think about eloping? Is it a good idea or romantic? Why?

First, I don't thing wedding is the most happiest thing in my life. On the other hand, I think it is messy, frail or something because love is not forever. I don't want to get married. So, I think eloping is not good idea and romantic at all. If the man who escape with me is rich, it's...not very bad, but if he and I have no money, it's SAIAKU, I mean it's horrible! Some say if they have a love, they could live happily forever. It's nothing but a illusion. Anyway, I think eloping is very stupid acting.

★Have you ever thought about having a wedding in a foreign location like Hawaii? Would you do it? Why?Or Why not?

If I have a wedding in Hawaii, I would not invite not only my family, but also my friends. If I invite them, they have to spend a lot of money to go to Hawaii. If they like to go to foreign country, it's pleasure, but if not, it's just adversity. So, I don't want to have a wedding in a foreign location. However, if I get married with non-Japanese, I want to have a wedding in his country and in Japan.

★What is your ideal wedding?

I have never think of it... this question is difficult.....When I was younger, I watched interesting wedding on TV. It was just like a having wedding in the sea! Bride, groom, their family, and abbe wear oxygen bottle and go under the sea. Of course, they get dressed. Under the sea, there is a small church and they have a wedding. I watched this long time ago, but I remember it very much! It looks fun and enjoyable. I want to do it.

★What would you definitely do, wear or go to on that big day? Why is that important?

This question is also difficult for me....I'd never think of this. Well, I would like to wear "kimono", because it is so beautiful...! I think kimono, Japanese traditional cloth, is the most beautiful cloth in the world. So, I definitely do it. Also, I would like to invite all of people I know. They are my family, my friends and stuff like that, because if I didn't meet them, I am not be here. However, if I do it, I would spend a lot of money! It's a trouble! Haha

★Have you ever been to a foreigner's wedding? What was your impression?

No, I have not, but when I learned about several countries and my country through the cross culture communication class, I thought it looked like everyone who attend the weddings had a great time. Last week, I studying the wedding in Finland. The reseption in Finland is very very long, and everyone can have a good time. However, Japanese reception is austere. It's not interesting. Also, when I watched "My Big Fat Wedding", I thought the wedding in Greek looked very very fun! Everyone enjoyed dancing, singing and were smiling! I envy them. I want to attend the wedding like the movie.

Superstitions

★Which part surprised you the most? What kind of Danish food do you want to try?
It's in her presentation....but I think Ms Denmark's pronunciation and intonation are differ from American English. So it was little difficult to understand for me. I surprised several things about Denmark, but....the most surprising thing for me is she is the most beautiful in Denmark! Hahaha She is exactly beautiful! I want to be her, if I could. Haha Also, I want to eat apple soup. When I heard it in her presentation, I thought " It sounds delicious!" because I like apple very much. When I go to Denmark in the future, I'll exactly try it.

★Do you think it is important to talk about superstitions in cross culture communication class?Why?

Yes, I think so, because every country has different superstitions! Superstitions was invented by human from historical fact, weather, appearance, circumstances and so on. I think superstitions in every countries influenced by them so it is important to talk about superstitions.

★Is communication affected by superstitions?

I don't think so. I've never talked about superstitions with my friends, family and so on.
If so, I will look down on people who believe in superstitions because I never believe in them.

★Do you believe in superstitions? If yes, what superstitions do you believe? Why do you do, use, or believe in them?
I don't believe it at all because it' nothing but an illusion. I think people who believe in it are stupid. In Japan, not so long time ago, left-hander is called "giccyo" and used to be frightened because people believe that left-hander was a demon. It's so stupid! That can't be it! I am a left-hander but I'm not a demon. Like that, I think superstitions are nothing but a stupid thing. So I don't believe in them at all.

Time

★Please explain a time proverb in your culture.
「歳月、人を待たず」「光陰、矢の如し」 -Time and tide wait for no man.
They means passage of time never wait people so we MUST care the time. Both proverbs are almost same meaning. And the latter one is famous proverb in Japan. I like them because it's true. We don't have time machine like Doraemon. I think all of people must keep them in mind.



★What do the following proverbs mean:
☆ Time is money.
Time is money....I think it's a very famous proverb in Japan. It's "時は金なり" in Japanese.
I think it means time is fugacious and important and if we idle away, we would regret like money. So we have to care it very much.

☆ A stitch in time saves nine.
It's "転ばぬ先の杖" in Japanese. It's also famous proverb in Japan. I think it means if we chew up some troubles which we can make prognostications, we would not need to panic.

☆There's no time like the present.
It means it's the best time to do it! Now or Never! This chance is a present from God!

☆Let's meet at 4. If I'm not there by 5, leave without me at 6, and I'll be there at 7.

Is this a proverb? I think it's a verbal promise of yore. People make an empty promise to friends, family and so on because people didn't have any mobile phone. So if they can't meet on time they can't contact with each other. But they don't be worry because they made the verbal promise. Before someone knows its mean transmuted like proverb.

Friends

★Do you judge people according to what they wear? Why?

Yes, I do. Because if someone's taste in clothes is similar, I've feeling that I can get along with the person soon.
Some say that they can't understand why people judge others what they wear. But stop and think. What do you think if you see a woman who dresses up in the red dress when you go to the funerals of your friend? You may think she is crazy and rude one! If you think it, I think you judge people according to what they wear.

★Do you think Japanese society puts an importance on clothing when judging other people from another country?

Yes, I do. Because, it is important what poeple wear.

★What colors are you wearing now? Do they reflect your mood?

Brown. And I think they reflect my mood. I wear this color because autumn is coming.
And during summer, I always wear bright color.

★What are some subjects that you will never discuss with a friend?

I never discuss about difficult subjects such as politics, economy, equity, and medical care.
But with my family, especially my mother, I sometimes discussed them.

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

Yes, I do. My friend loves SMAP very very very much. So she always writes about them in her blog. And she goes to Tokyo and goes to a concert of SMAP. When Kusanagi who is one of a member of SMAP was arrested by cops, she cried very much. But I didn't undertstand her feelings at all.