Fluency #7

The best place for trip

I know a place where you should go at least once in your life. It’s my hometown, Osaka. Osaka is the second capital of Japan and it’s not huge but there are a lot of things you can enjoy. First, you can eat popular and famous foods there. Especially, I want to recommend Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki to you, because I have never heard there are people who don’t like them. They are very famous and of course people who are from Osaka like them. So you can find stores or restaurants which offer them wherever you go in Osaka. Second, there are traditional structures in Osaka. The most famous traditional structure is Osaka castle. In spring, many people visit there because there are a lot of cherry trees around the castle. Also it is popular among foreign tourists and they favorably visit there. Finally, you can enjoy shopping a lot. Osaka has some of the best places for shopping, Numba, Umeda and Tennoji. There are various kinds of stores and young people often go there and enjoy shopping. If you go there, you can find everything you want. I have traveled a lot of places in Japan and I enjoyed them very much, but I can say that the best place for a trip in Japan is Osaka. If you go there, you can experience many things there and I’m sure you will like Osaka.

Fluency #6

The Way to Enjoy Japanese Vacation

I like vacation because I have a lot of events. In Japan, we have three big vacations, spring, summer and winter, in a year. We can enjoy various things with each season. First of all, in spring vacation, people are likely to do Ohanami. In Japan, we can see a lot of cherry trees everywhere. The original purpose is enjoying seeing cherry trees, but we can also enjoy talking, eating food, drinking alcohol and singing songs under cherry trees in parks. Next, in summer vacation, we have a lot of kinds of Matsuri, Japanese festival. We usually have them at night. There are many booths and we can buy foods and play games there. Some Matsuri includes fireworks. Most people enjoy them while wearing Yukata and Jinbe, which are Japanese traditional clothes. Finally, winter vacation is not long but it includes an important event. It’s seeing the old year out and the New Year in. We have a custom to go to shrines on New Year’s Day. So many people gather there to make a wish for the new year and, draw fortune slips every year. New Year’s Day is only once in a year so people regard it as an important event and they enjoy it. Thus, there are many traditional events in each Japanese vacation. I wish all vacations were longer or I could enjoy them more.

Importance of Alone Time

I can say that if I don't have time to spend alone, I can' live. Of course, I like to spend time with friends, family or go to places where are crowded with many people. There are a lot of fun and it's essential time for me. But I need time to spend alone as well as time with someone. There are some reasons I think it's important for my life. First, being always with someone makes me tired. Even if I like the person the most, I need to take care of him/her whenever we are together. If the sisuation continues for a long time without alone time, I will feel uncomfortable finally. By spending time alone sometimes, I can also enjoy time with others. Second, I can enjoy some hobbies in alone time. My hobbies are going shopping and seeing movies. I can enjoy them with friends and I do sometimes. But actually, I like do them alone the most because in shopping case, I don't have to care about others' pase of shopping. In movie case, I can consentrare on story more. Finally, making time to spend time alone is good for health. When I'm alone, I can relax and release stress. If I don't make own time, I can't rest mentally and physically. By spending time alone, I can have chances to do what I want to do. It helps me release stress and I can feel better. As I can't be with someones for a long time, it's also impossible to be alone for a long time. Balance between them is difficult and important. I want to enjoy spending both of them equally.

Fluency #5

American Election

Yesterday, a new American President was elected, Barack Obama. In the world, people had paid attention to the election, because America is a big country which has power and can control the world. So we can say that yesterday’s Presidential election not only affects America’s future but also the world’s one. Actually, I had not been interested in politics, but now I’m interested in the election and its background for some reasons. First, I had many chances to learn about American politics. For example, in class, the teacher talked about it and I sometimes discussed it with classmates because the election was approaching. Second, we could see news or TV shows about the election whenever I turned on the TV and Computer. In the news and TV show, people argued or made ironic statements for Obama or McCain. Finally, young people had a campaign to support Obama or McCain at school. In my country, Japan, most of the young people are not interested in politics so they rarely participate in campaign or vote, though they can. So I was surprised that young people were excited about the election. Also, I was surprised that young people made a lot of noise to celebrate the victory of Obama outside of my dormitory after the election was over. Thanks to the election, I could learn about American politics and I came to want to know about it more. Now Obama is the President of America, and I’m looking forward to how America and the world will change.

Being a bride is hard

I want to talk about my dream and problems for it. I have a lot of dreams and the most important dream for me is being a bride. I have to take over many things in making the dream real. First of all, I'm not sure if I can find my destiny or not. The possibility which I can find a good man is not high and it's difficult to continue relationship forever. If I particular about characteristic or appearance too much, it's more difficult to get married. Second, I don't have confidence in housework, because I'm not good at cooking, cleaning and so on. In additon, they are very hard and stressful. But I must do housework every day no matter how I have a job or not for my future husband and children. Finally, the most important fear is that I will get divorced. Nowaday, in Japan, the rate of divorce is increasing more and more. There are various reasons. The number one reason is difference of sense of value. Many people notice that characteristic they haven't known after marriage although they have dated for long time. So I need to see congeniality very carefully. Also, I have to choose a man who suits a marriage partner not just a lover. Moreover, sometimes visions of matrimony aren't realized and some people are disappointed at marriage or partners. It's rare to be able to make them real faithfully. Thus, there are some things I'm afraid of in being a bride. Some are things I can take over by effort, and others depend on my fortune. Anyway, I hope that I will find a perfect man for me, and have a happy life with him forever.

My First Halloween!

In my country, we don't have a holiday like Halloween, so I want to talk about my first Halloween in the U.S. I hadn't known about Halloween well and celebrated it before I came here. However, I have heard that so many people celebrate Halloween every year in the U.S. I was very excited and I looked forward to some things. At first, I wanted to try to wear costumes! It is a main reason why I was interested in Halloween. In Japan, we have customs to wear yukata or kimono on special day, however we don't have occasions to wear costumes or masks. If I wear some costumes in Japan, everybody regards me as a strange person. It was very hard to choose one from so many kinds of costumes. Finally I chose a costume like a magician. I liked it very much, so I was happy to wear my favorite costume. Second, I wanted to curve pumpkins and also I had never seen real pumpkin curved. On Halloween, we had a party in Faner Hall and I tried to curve a pumpkin. First, I drew the picture of face of pumpkin. After that, I curved it with friends. It was not hard, but it's difficult for me. At last, we had a contest of curving pumpkins. Our pumpkin wasn't selected but it became a good memory. Finally, I wanted to join Halloween party. I have heard that people who wear various kinds of costumes gather at bar, so I wanted to see them. On Halloween, I went to a bar with friends with wearing costumes. Then, there were a lot of people and almost all of them wear costumes! It was so funny and I took many pictures. Also, I talked with many people and danced with friends there. Thus, I could enjoyed Halloween than I had predicted. This year, I have experienced Halloween in the U.S. for the first time and it was an amazing event. I wish the event like Halloween in Japan.