The last day in 2008.

In general, Japanese people reflect on the way we have behaved in a year when before the New Year's coming. For me, everything was changing for my life this year. I moved to NY and became a student. They were very excited. I can't imagine my future now. However, I believe in myself. My effort will flourish in my future. I'm going to go to my friend house after finished my work and we'll have a party tonight. How do you think about you have behaved in this year Elaine?

Christmas Day

In Christmas morning, I was awakened by my friend. She said, "it's time to open the gift from Santa Claus." I prepared only her daughter's gift. However, Glenn(my friend husband) gave me a shirt and a hat and my friend, Hiya gave me a DVD. I didn't prepared for them. I bought only Christmas cakes. We opened each gift while we listen to Christmas songs. It was really happy time. After that we went to River Head where Glenn's parents house.We had a wonderful Christmas dinner. I drank a eggnog for the first time. It was little bit too sweet for me.
I got hand made necklace from Glenn's sister. It was a very nice one. I was so happy to get it. My friend daughter, Neda , she is 2 years old. She made her own stage and showed dancing for everybody. We were enjoyed watching her dance.
It was my first Christmas experience in NY. Next year, I have to prepare the Christmas presents for everybody.

Wonderful day!!

I went to piano recital at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan last night.
The pianist is from Japan, but she learned piano technique in England for 2 years.
She played number of Mozart and Liszt.
Before I went to the Carnegie Hall, I had a dinner at The Russian Tea Room.
The restaurant is very old and famous.They serve very expensive meals such as many kind of caviares. I felt as a rich.
And I saw a big Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center on my way to home.
I had a wonderful time.

Santa Claus

Every year Santa Claus is coming to me. He always sends me good present. I found a baggage which have my name on it. It was a gift from my Santa Claus. I was very happy to see it.
It was from Japan. I 'm glad that Santa Claus doesn't forget about me even though I live far away from him. I'm going to say thank you to him.

My first skiing this season !!

I went skiing at Windham Mountain and stayed 2 nights.

I stayed B&B. They have opened since 1863. They have a very good German restaurant.

I enjoyed to eat German sausage, soup, and beer.

They have individual rooms. Each room has different furniture and bed covers are kilt patchworks. And they have a sulfur hot-spring. It makes me very very happy.

Also, I enjoyed skiing 2 days.

Kiss

I told my friend about culture of wedding ceremony in my class discution. It reminded her the story in Okinawa. When my friend(Hiya) brought her husband(Glenn) to Japan for the first time, they saw a one of the wedding ceremony at the hotel in Okinawa. The bride and groom had a American style ceremony. The minister said, "You may now kiss the bride." The groom kissed bride's cheek. At the time, Glenn screamed, "Oh, no!!" Glenn couldn't understand why the groom kissed bride's cheek. Hiya explain to him that usually Japanese people don't like to kiss(mouth to mouth) in front of their parents and audience.

When Glenn and Hiya had a wedding ceremony in Okinawa, they couldn't kiss in the ceremony because they had a traditional Japanese style ceremony at the Japanese temple. However, Glenn didn't know there is no kiss in the ceremony. He was waiting for kiss time and asked Hiya, "when we can kiss?" during the ceremony.

Now, they have a girl named Neda.(2 years old.) When she plays with friends and leave from them, she kiss friend's mouth. American mother don't say anything but Korean or Chinese mother say,"Don' t kiss his mouth!" It is a culture gap.

Skiing

I will go skiing at Windom mountain on Friday.
May be I will stay a B&B for two nights.
I have been there last February and stayed same B&B. When I stayed there, I was surprised because there was a natural hot-spring. I felt so good when I took the bath.
In general, Japanese people love to go hot-spring in winter season. The bath remained me Japanese culture. I can' t wait to go skiing and to take a hot-spring.
If I brought my snowboard from Japan, I would be able to snowboarding. However, I will enjoy to skiing with my friend family.

Snow Man

I made a Snow man with my friend's daugter. She was very happy when she played in the snow.

My Snow Man was Japanese style which has only two parts; head and body. Friend's husband said American Snow Man has three parts. I didn't know that. I made his face with sells, carrot and banana's skin. I did it very good. Friend's husband asked me "when your last day made Snow Man?" but I didn't remember that. Do you remember?

However, I enjoyed making Snow man.

After that, I went to Thai restaurant where Kay has worked with my friend's family.

We ordered many kind of food such as Thai salad, spicy shrimp soup, beef appetizer, Thai fish cakes, Thai noodle, sauteed shrimp with black beans. These were very delicious. I love spicy food and Thai food. When I ordered Thai noodle, Kay recommended medium spicy. I really wanted to eat very spicy but Kay's advice was right. It was very spicy even I ordered medium spicy.

Because we ordered the food too much, we took out our left over the food.

And I tried to remake a plate which was sauteed vegetable with shrimp and Thai fish cakes.

It was good, too. I had good time all day today.

The end of the year

I cleaned the basement in my house because the freezer which my friend's husband bought coming yesterday. Then I remembered Japanese custom.
In Japan, we have to clean the whole house at end of the year even a company or school, too.
We don't leave any a dust or a grime for the new year.
I didn't like it when I lived in Japan. However, it is very good custom I think.
Cleaning the house is to think about thanks to my happiness life in a year.
Do you have any good customs at end of the year in your country?

Tradition

I saw a movie in class. I remenbered another movie. It named Fiddler on the Roof.
It is very famouse story in the musical. In Japan, many actors play this story on the stage.
The story was that one of Jewish family's life.
Father wanted to keep traditional life with his family but his 4 daughters didn't want to obey their father as today's movie.
The father restricted the daughters with traditional rules. Sometimes it is annoying but it maked me jealous becauseI lost my father when I was 11 years old.
Both of movie gave me to think about family.
Anyway, I really enjoyed to see these movies.

Serious Story

My sister sent me email this morning.
It is very serious situation that is Japanese economy. Many big company are on verge of collapse. In consequence, a lot of people will lose their job.
It is coming soon the New Year Holiday. In Japan, you have to prepare many things for the New Year celebration. You have to spend a lot of money for at the time. Many Japanese people worry about this economy situation.
Who will be able to stop it?

Last day

Today is my last day of working restaurant.
I have worked for 6 months and I made many friends there.
All of co-worker say "I miss you so much." I'm glad to hear that.
I'm going to say "Thank you very much so far, I had good experience here" to owner even I really don't like him.
I will keep to have gratitude for everybody and everything.

Thanks givingday

There is a Thanks givingday in Japan.
It named Kinro-Kansha-no-hi is that Lobor Thanks giving day.
It is national holoday and takes place annually on November 23.
The law establishing the holiday cites it as an occasion for commemorating labor and production and giving one another thanks.

I invited my friend and made for lunch.
We enjoyed talking, eating, and drinking for 9 hours.
I had good time.

Happy day

I went to Manhattan for making application form of the right of permanent resident today.
Before I leave Mahasset station, I called my friend who lives in Manhattan.
I made a promise with him to meet in front of Pen Station at 1 o'clock and went to Korean restaurant. I love to eat Korean food during winter.
I ate a spicy seafood hot-pot. It was delicious. While we were eating, I listened to his worries.
The trouble was that he disappointed in love.

After eating lunch, we went shopping at Soho. I bought a jeans and some sweaters.
And we went to a bar for cheering him up. We drank some cocktails and I gave him good advice about love.
He is going back to Korea next month. I wish he will be able to get his happiness soon.

New Job

I'm going to quit my job for end of month.
I love waitress's job, but my restaurant owner is really ruthless.
He has a lot of complain to the employees and customers and yells to them everyday.
I don't want to listen to it anymore, but I have to put up with him 1 more week.
Coming in December, I would be happy.

International students

I was interested in today's program in school.
I was surprised that all of students who sat in front of audience were speaking English fluently.
They are still LINCC student. I was lost my confidence to enter the college course.
I've thought I want to enter the college course quickly so far, but I need to improve my speaking skills more. However, the program cheered me up because I thought I might be good English speaker in the future. I made a decision to study hard.

New Friend

Elaine gave me conversation lab today.
She has known I need to improve my speaking skills.
I have already taken it 3 times after she became my teacher.
However, I met pretty woman who lives near by my house.
I can go her house by walking for 5 minutes.
We exchanged each cell phone number and I brought her to my house after scool.And I introduced her to my friend.
She is very friendly and kindly.
We would be good friends.
Thank you Elaine for making good opportunity.

After school

I felt very sad because I had to go to my friend funeral today.
However, he lived to be 90.
It is amazing.
I could say good-by to him and I was thanked by his family.
I feel calm down now.

I went to there with my friend family who are living with me.
The place where my friend funeral was in Manhattan.
After we went to there, we went to Metropolitan Museum.
I think my friend made me confortable.

I had good time with my friend family. Recently, I didn't spend time with them because I have been very busy.
I wish, it would be great day tomorrow for everybody.

My older friend

I've visited my friend house every Thursday and Friday since August.
He was 90 years old and could speak both English and Japanese perfectly.
When I went to his house, we were eating lunch and watching Japanese TV together. However, he passed away last Thursday.
I plan to attend his funeral tomorrow.

At the time ,I met him 2 weeks ago, he seemed fine.
However, the next day, he fall down in the bathr00m.

His wife is flower arrangement teacher.
She has many students and classes.
She looked for person who can take care of her husband because she've been very busy.
Then I was introduced her by my friend.

I feel very sad.
However, I was pleased that I could help them a little bit end of his life.

Ankou-Nabe

I made Monkfish hot-pot for dinner today.
I didn't have work today.　Then I made dinner for my friend family.
In Japan, we call Nabe is that hot-pot. Monkfish is called Ankou in Japanese.
It is a traditional food.
We usually eat that particular place in Japan.
I have eaten it only once so far.
However, when I went to Japanese grocery store after school, I found good Monkfish.
I decided menu for dinner to hot-pot.
I also bought Monkfish liver.
It is taste like foie gras.
I cooked them garlic saute. It was delicious.
I'm glad because my friend and her husband loved them.
I had very happy dinner tonight.

New President！！

Some of my friends sent me email this morning.
They were also interested in presidencial election because they believe that this election affect Japanese economy.(Japanese economy is very bad now.)
One of my friend said "Obama's speach was very emotional. however, McCain's speach was discriminating."
I didn't know what they said yet. Then I saw Obama's speach on internet.
I want to believe that Obama's words.
If he can keep his spirit all the way, he would be great President.

Backache

I have had backache since Saturday morning.
I don't know why.
However, I had to go to work Saturday night.
I took madicine and wore corset for my back when I went to work.
But, I had hard pain this morning.

I wonder if I could go to school tomorrow.
I hope, it will be getting better tomrrow.

I had a flat tire this morning.

Usually, I leave my house 7:25am.
My car is very old but it is very cool.
I need to warm up engine of my car before I start moving.
While I was driving , I felt something wrong such as sound and handle working.
I stopped and checked it out.
It was flat tire.
I went back my house and asked my friend's husband to fix it.

So, I'm living at my friend house.
My friend is like my mother.(She is only 2 years older than me.)
She has husband and daughter.
They are like my family.
They support me a lot.
I always appreciate their kindness.

Second session

I was very excited to start second session.
New teacher's name is Elaine.
She gave us discussion about presidential election.
I was depressed by myself because I didn't have vocabulary about political words.
I couldn't explain about political system of my country in my class today.
I have to study hard every day.
I know I need to increase vocabulary in English.
But, it is very hard for me.
Please give me a good advice if you have a good method.

Halloween Party

I went to my friend house today.

She had a Halloween party for children.

I don't have my child yet.

But, many my friends have children.

She invited me and I played with children.

They were so cute because they wore pretty costume.

I had a very good time with them.

Radhiyah

I'm going to introduce my best friend in Japan.
She is an Indnesian and is nemed Radhiyah.
She has lived in Japan since she was 5 years old.
We met one of the restaurant in Tokyo.

She had worked travel company until she has had a baby.
Now, she is a good house wife.
We are very different about natinality, religion and custom.
But, we are so proud of each other.

Sometimes we went to short trip at the hot spring.
Then we talked about dream, personal problem,etc.
She has helped me a lot in my life.

Now, I'm living far from her.
But, I will keep in touch with her forever.

My friend

My name is Nozomi.
I'm a Japanese.
I'm a not good writer in English.
But, I will try to write my blog from today.

I went to my friend live show in Manhattan last weekend.
My friend is a pianist and a vocalist in his band.
He has a beautiful voice.
Also, the song which he made was wonderful.
I hope, he would be famouse soon.