3. August

Today, I got up lately. I heard tapped sound from next door. It's Ayumi's house. Anita's relations children came there. They were very beautiful. 
We went to carve festival, it was strange things. I saw many strange things. I enjoyed it. Band came there, they were very cool. I love one of them. I shake hands with one of them because he is Anita's friend.
After that, we went hamburger shop to have launch, very good!! 

[76 words]

2. August

We learned about American marriage. It very differ from that of Japan. American marriage celemony need a lot of money like can built a house. People don't lental dress, they bought it.。
Afternoon, Japanese who lives in Minnesota talked with us. Her name is Naomi, she was cool.
Today, after school, we went Japanese restaurant. It was Fujiya. It was stylish and cool. I ate tenpura appetizer. It was very good, I was excited. 
And we went to have ice cream, izzy's ice cream. It was very yummy, very very yummy. Thank you Tom and Lisa!

[96 words]

1. August

Today, we went to beach. Everyone enter in the sea, but I didn't do that.. There were playing valley place, so I was enjoyed there. After that, we rode a horse. I worried very much whether I fall or not. It was ok. My born is pushed, so it was hurt. Oh my god! And I stared mascle ache because of playing tennis.
Dinner was pasta with shrimp and bread, it was very good! I was happy. I helped her making salad, ut it was difficult to cut and peering.

[90 words]

31. July

Today, we talked with American who lives in Japan. She had been stayed in Tochigi.
At launch, I had a nun.
We did family panel discussion.
At night, we went to watch a baseball game with Ned's family. I lent a cap and a T-shirts of Twins from Lisa. She wore pink stripe, Tom wore black stripe. There were many caps in stadium. It was very cute, but very high price. Even if not holiday, many people went there, so I was very surprised. I had never gone to watch pro baseball game in Japan, so it was very exciting. Surprising, twins got a homerun, very great!

[107 words]

30. July

I learned about college, university education. After launch, we did panel discussion with college student. There was a girl I have ever seen. She is a student who came my class when I was 1 grade. But she did't remember me. 
We played tennis in Bethel. Mark taught us, and he is good at playing it very well. I came home, and I took a shower soon.
Dinner was fish, rice and mini cabege. I was exciting for rice, but it was yellow like a paeria. It was good, but I wanted to have japanese rice. Today, I have a dessert. It was cake with berry sauce, biscket and whipped cream and ice cream. I definitely get fat. It was really delicious. Tom used spice like a tabasco, was witten death something. There was a picture is tabasco beside my room.

[140 words]

29. July

Today I learned about education. I was taught condition of students depending on boys and girls.
At launch, Joel and Linda took us viking, they are very kind!! I ate a lot, so lot. I definitely gain weight. After that, we went to castle and church in Seintpoul. It was great, but it was a little different from my imagination and I bored a little. I thought that I can listening corus but there was very silent.
Dinner was meatroaf. I helped her cooking. Bread was hand making. And when I added sauce into a boul, I dropped sauce front of Lisa. I thought it run a little like tabasco, but that's no. I felt easy because sauce was not dropped her. I had something a bad feeling. Meatroaf was very good, it's like a connected humberg.

[137 words]

28. July

In morning, we went maryroad to have a breakfast. I had a omlet but it was very big. The omlet is used 3 eggs, sausage, hum, bacon and cheese. Very good! Potato was too much. I was surprised to water was very friendly.
After that, we bought famous donuts. We thought to eat it later because we are full now. 
And we went highking too, it'a little tired. After that, we came home soon.

[73 words]

27. July

After I got up, I went Tom and Lisa's house. It 9:30 a.m. I felt time was waster. My cab was just beside of lake, so it was nice view. There was fire place under the steps, it feel good. Lisa and Anita made breakfast, are pancakes, sausages and cherry. It was really delicious! Syrup was fantastic!
After breakfast, we went to highking and we saw a waterfall there. The waterfall's name is devil's cketle. 
We had razania at dinner. Anita made it. She is began, so she doesn't have animal. Razania she made has tomato and tofu. That's so good.
We went beach, lake was very widen like sea. But very clean, so it's like a big water.

[119 words]

26. July

Today, we went to a big bank. We had to bring a passport ought to enter in a bank. We saw much money, robot carried it. I flashed back vio-hazard. After that, we went to bill everyone looks like yellow.
At launch, I ate Lisa's sandwiches. There were chips, like cookies and peer. The peer, is condition of fruit of a tree, so I had a it with peel. My friend had peel too. American eat vegetable and fruiit with peel, and they eat flesh vegetables.
After that, we went to farm. I saw many animals and the farmers are stereotype, so it was funny. I didn't know that was real or fake. Two cows carried student, are 19 people. We ride dolly. It great, I thought cow's power is too great.
After I came back school, I went lake Superior with Ayumi, Ned and Anita. I went there with Ned and Anita's car. Temperature was 9 on along the way. It was surprised cold. On the way, we dropped in Subway. I was nervous to order sandwich. But a staff man was very kind. I was said by him "Have a fun America". I thought what happened because Ned said the man "good bye onion boy".
We arrived a cab about for 5 hour. Near the lake, cab was woody and very cute. There was fire place, so stylish. Tom and Lisa came here late, so I stayed with Ayumi. I slept watching a DVD which is Monster's Ink. I slept before I knew.

[252 words]

25. July

Today's ESL was about adoption. Lecture was about adoption too. A teacher said us that "please teach me if I speak fast.." but she speaking was really fast. She gave a big example, spoke about it for a long time. So I couldn't understand much and I slept.
Launch was beef burger, beef stew has a little taste and salad. 
Afternoon, teachers and host-families came a college, and we did panel discussion. I thought that everyone feel rough.
After coming back home, I rode a harley-davidson, I lent it by Bob and Becky who are neighbor. Bob looks like driver of bike indeed. He wore denim total body and has regent hair. He is so cool. Bob drove a bike and I ride his back. It was really enjoyed for me! I wanted to say it's a nice breeze but I didn't know so I couldn't say it. American riding a big cool bike has cool fashion. they pull wearing leather jacket and jeans. Bob wore jeans, I thought I mistook my fashion. I just enjoyed it! It might reason which rose my tension.
I ate pizza at dinner. I went pizza shop with my mother, the shop is different type from that of Japan. I ordered favorite topping, shopper made it on site. Price was differ depending on topping. Shopper rolled out the dough, putted sauce and topping. We took away it, baked in my house. American oven is very big. Oven makes dishes appetizing. The pizza was very very big and it was very good. 

[257 words]

24. July

Today's ESL was about self esteem. American and Japanese way to educate was very different.
A lecture was very interesting and I could understand what teacher told and listening was easy because a teacher spoke slowly. We learned about various problems of teenagers. We were taught about suicides and school with comparison of guys and girls.
I ate pizza, chauder, bread and salad at launch.
In afternoon, we went rose wood mole. It is like Kurea. I bought pants and T-shirts at forever21. Whenever I went shops, stuff talked me and I couldn't understand what they say.
At dinner, I ate dinner stuffed chicken salad into bread and chips. I was said today's dinner is light meal, but it was no light meal and very delicious. Especially, chicken salad has a flavor which I have never had. Maybe the flavor is no in Japan. Hating celery was in the salad, but I could eat it and it was very delicious.
After that, we watched movie outside in Minneapolice park. The movie was English, but English caption helped me much. I could not understand English very well. It was story of Vampire and a boy and it was funny.
I ate chips, popcorn, cakes and cherry watching a movie. I knew why Americans are fat.

[214 words]

23. July

I eat breakfast myself to use in the kitchen because host familiy's job start late. I ate salad and banana.
Today, I went to school, we attend ESL and learned history of Minnesota in midmorning. And various idioms too, there are "you betcha." which is used only Minnesota, it is used when people assent something.
Lecture was conducted by Mark Norlander. I watched presentation which is culture preparation of Japan and America. It was interesting. Especially, wedding form is differ from Japan. In Japan, people lend a wedding dress, but in U.S. they buy it. So it takes more money than Japan.
We went to viking to have a lunch, I ate too much meal. I feel so bad because of that.
After that, we backed to school, we played games with Joel and Linda. I made my friend mummy using toilet paper. And then, we did scabander hunt of Bethel.
I took a lot of nerve talking foreigners. Ladies who I first caught was very beautiful and kind, so I talked easily them after that. We took picture with that ladies. Because of lack of time, we couldn't finish all questions, but It was very interesting.
Dinner were basil pasta and salad. It was very yummy. This was first pasta in this summer. This basil was grown by Ned and Anita who are next-door neighbors and they too make it every years. My mother made jam using berries which were cropped yesterday, we ate tube cake with whipped cream and the jam. I didn't know why it was no berry pie, but cakes were very good. Ayumi and Ned and Anita came my home, and they ate these cakes together.

[282 words]

22. July

Today was first going to school day. We went to school with neighbor to ride cab. We went on the highway, it takes about 1 hour. Bethel university is big like not college. There were a lake which is as large as the university in the college. We were leaded the way to school. I saw valley ball player, they has long legs and are slim. I thought all American are fat but I knew it is only adult. There were boys playing baseball, they are very cooler than Japanese. I took a picture them automatically.
After school exploration, we ride a big cruiser on Mississippi, with nice breeze. We took a picture with baby and children. They are very cute. Because I could receive water with flee, we went to receive it, but some were listened again them pronunciation. Second floor was very hot, but first floor was very cool because of cooler.
Dinner was salad, salmon and asparagus. Salad are all fresh vegetables and olive was in salad. It was very good. After dinner, Tom and Lisa went a garden to pick berries. They said that they will make berry pie tomorrow. I was very looking forward to eat it!!
Ayumi's house is same construction with my house, so I was taught that how to turn the hot shower. I could turn hot shower, I was very glad.

[229 words]

21. July

I arrived Minnesota! This is my first trip to overseas. I am very exited and nervous. In plane to Minnesota from Japan, I was surprised  to mechanics. For the mechanics, I could watch movies, lisning to music and any other things. I have thought that it is boring in plain. I ate airline food for three times. I was able to choose some foods. It was good. And flight attendants spoke so fast that I couldn't follow them.  On the way in plane, violent jolt occured. I thought I may die and very scared. 
When I check in, I was very nervous to talk with person in gate. But they were kind, only looking was fear. We arrived the air port and thorough the gate, our host families were waiting. I was worry because I have not ever seen them picture, but I felt easy when I saw my host family because they looks like kind. I was laughed because Akira, is wrong name was written on welcome board they were handing. And then, we came home with next house, Ayumi's family. On the way, we ate ice cream. It was very sweet, creamy and with hot chocolate sauce. The sauce piled up about 2cm in the cup. But it was delicious. I found America to start with. In U.S., car driving seat is in left, when person sitting passenger seat was talking face rounding, so I thought it was very dangerous. After that, every families went a park and ate hot　dog or hamburger. It was really big. Host families talked and laughed each other but I could not understand it. Some student drunk red beer for presentation. Children ate natto. A little child ate it hard. I made Origami but it was difficult to explane to children. Through Origami is not good, children was glad. They were interesting in it.
I arrived my house. It was very cute. My room is very stylish, there are closet, wall is dark green, white desk and blue and yellow bed. American house has a guest room at least. Toilet and bathroom is in the same room, I was very surprised. There were bath sink, but no cock of sink, so they don't have custom to soak in sink. And then I gave souvenirs, are okonomiyaki, yakiniku sauce, takenokonosato, jagabi and etc. I was a little angry because my mother packed extra things in suit case without my knowing it. I was in hell to pack my baggage. And  I gave towel of Kumamon, and my mother decked it, a dog barked to kumamon well. I forgot what I ate, but it was good. Shower was water, so it was very cold and I was very shivering.

[456 words]

Reflections in 2013

I learned many things in 2013. I read many American literary works which included  Adventures of Huckleberry Fin, Last of Mohicans, The Great Gatsby, The Old Man and the Sea and other novels. I think it was good chance for me because I don't like read books. 

Also, I went Minnesota for study abroad for a month. I learned about American culture, custom and little grammar there. I went Bethel University to study English. I attend classes of a grammer and lectures in midmorning. It's very interesting. In afternoon, I attended lectures or went sightseeing. I stayed in my host-family's house. A circumstance what there is no Japanese is a good experience for me. I was very enjoyed the study abroad, but my English was lacking. I think I could have been enjoyed more the study abroad if my English had been good. I could listen to real talking of American, I didn't know most of that. So I have to study English more. 

[163 words]

About housing in Kumamoto and MN

1.      Introduction

Everyone lives in a house and there are many kinds of houses. They differ not only by the type of house but also inside the houses depending on circumstances and places people live in.

This report is about housing in Kumamoto, Japan and Minnesota, U.S. It was done by Google questionnaire directed at college students who live in Kumamoto and Minnesota. It was taken on June 3, 2013 in Kumamoto and September 4, 2013 in Minnesota. There were 89 people from Minnesota (55%), and 73 people were Americans, (45%) survey said.

2.      Questionnaire results

In Kumamoto, according to Fig. 1-a, 19 people (22%) answered they live in a one-story house, 34 people (39%) live in a two-story house, 7 people (8%) live in a

 

Fig. 1-a What kind of housing do you live in? (Kumamoto)

condominium, 23 people (26%) live in an apartment, 4 people (4%) live in a three-story house, and one person (1%) lives in a dormitory.

In Minnesota, according to Fig. 1-b, 6 people (9%) answered one-story house, 47 people (69%) live in two-story house, there are no person who live in condominium, 7 people (10%) live in apartment, 3 people (4%) live in three-story house, 4 people (6%) live in dormitory, 2 people (2%) live in another kind of house, this survey said.

 

Fig. 1-b. What kind of housing do you live in? (Minnesota)

         People in Kumamoto live in different type of houses like one-story house, two-story house, condominium, apartment, three-story house, dormitory.　On the other hand, most people in Minnesota live in two-story houses. Only a few people live in apartments and no one lives in condominiums probably because American family is big and to buy a house is part of the American dream.

             The next question was “Are your bath and your toilet in the same room?” In Kumamoto, according to Fig. 4-a, only 8 people (9%) answered bath and toilet are in the same room. 81 people (91%) answered they are not in the same room. In Minnesota, on the other hand, according Fig. 4-b, 63 people (90%) answered that the bath and toilet are in the same room. 7 people (7%) answered that they are not in the same room. It is just the opposite result. American people does not custom to immerse in bath because America is not rich in water[m2].

 

Fig. 4a-b. Are your bath and your toilet in the same room?

             

In Kumamoto, according to Fig. 5, 37 people  (41%) answered they had a garden with trees, 34 people (38%) answered with flowers, 27 people (30%) answered with grass, 12 people (13%) answered with vegetables/fruit, and 30 people answered they had no yard or garden. In Minnesota, 52 people (71%) answered they had a garden with trees, 43 people (58%) answered with flowers, 56 people (76%) answered with grass, 20 people (27%) answered with vegetables/fruit, 5 people (6%) answered they had no yard or garden.

Fig. 5. Do you have a yard or garden?

              In Kumamoto, 30 people did not have a yard or garden, but in Minnesota, only 5 people had no yard or garden. As for yards with grass, American answers were twice as high as the Japanese answers probably because gardening is a hobby of many American people.

To heat their homes, in Kumamoto, according to Fig. 6a, 30 people (35%) answered space heaters (electric), 16 people (18%) answered space heaters (gas or propane), 23 people (3%) answered central heating, 31 people (36%) answered wall air conditioners, 2 people (2%) answered none, 5 people (6%) answered other. In Minnesota, according to Fig. 6b, 7 people (10%) answered space heaters (electric), 10 people (14%) answered space heaters (gas or propane), 49 people (66%) answered central heating, 5 people (7%) answered wall air conditioners, there is no person who answered none, 2 people (3%) answered other.

Fig. 6a. What kind of heating do you use? (Kumamoto)

   

Fig. 6b. What kind of heating do you use? (Minnesota)

     On the other hand, for cooling, according to Fig. 7a, 29 people (34%) in Kumamoto answered they use electric fans 48 people (57%) answered wall air conditioners, 5 people (6%) central cooling, 1 person (1%) answered none, 2 people (2%) answered other. In Minnesota, according to Fig. 7b, 13 people (18%) answered electric fans, 14 people (19%) answered wall air conditioners, 45 people (62%) answered central cooling, one person (1%) answered none, and no one answered other.

Fig. 7a. What kind of cooling do you use? (Kumamoto)

Fig. 7b. What kind of cooling do you use? (Minnesota)

  For heating in Kumamoto, electric space heaters (34%) and wall air conditioners (37%) are used a lot. In Minnesota, central heating is the most used heating system. Two people in Kumamoto have no heater, but there were no person like that in Minnesota probably because Minnesota is very cold. In Kumamoto, wall air conditioners are most used for cooling, and the second most popular is electric fans. They occupy 90% of the answers. In Minnesota, 62% use central cooling, and the rest use wall air conditioners and electric fans. Also, there are few people who have no coolers. In Minnesota, many people use both central heating and central cooling, but people in Kumamoto doesn’t use it much at all.

           As to the age of their house, In Kumamoto, according to Fig. 8, 10 people (12%) answered less than 5 years old, 13 people (15%) answered 6-10 years, 39 people (45%) answered 11-20 years, 17 people (20%) answered 21-30 years. 5 people (6%) answered 31-50 years, 2 people (2%) answered more than 51. In Minnesota, no one answered less than 5 years old. 6-10 years old are 9 people (12%), 23 people (32%) answered 11-20 years old, 22 people (31%) answered 21-30 years old, 11 people (15%) answered 31-50 years old, 7 people (10%) answered more than 51 years old.

Fig. 8. How old is your house?

   In Kumamoto, 11-20 years was the most common answer, about half. The others were less than 5 years, 6-10 years and 21-30 years. 8% of people live in houses which are more than 31 years old. On the other hand, in Minnesota, 11-20 years and 21-30 years were the most common answers. Though there were few people who answered their houses were more than 31 years in Kumamoto, twice as many people in Minnesota answered they live in houses more than 31 years old. Also, there are no people who live in houses less than 5 years old, probably because used houses are popular in Minnesota.

3. Conclusion

            Through this report and my experience, I learned about differences between American houses and Japanese houses. In each country, people live in houses which suit the environment. For example, most American people use central heating or cooling because their houses are big.

From observation, it seemed that American people like to decorate houses and gardens more than Japanese. In Japan, there is no grass in gardens compared to America, where most yards have grass, flowers, and trees.

[1031 words] 

8. me and my friends doing something together

2. my house

 This is first gate in my house. Name plate is written my grandmother's name. So some time guest don't know whether this is my house or not.

 This is real gate ahead of first gate. If go straight, there is garden.

 This is Rose, recently my mother bought.

 This is Rose too, recently it blossom.

 Here is road to garden.

5. A typical Japanese bathroom and typical Japanese toilet

 This is bathroom in my house. Wall is green.

 This is typical bath in Japan.

 This is typical hot spring in Japan.

This is toilet in my house. This has a bidet and if someone stand up, toilet a flush is given.























This is typical toilet in Japan.

3. my kitchen

 Wall, floor is white in kitchen.

 No living, only kitchen and dining.

 There are big windows. We can go out to garden from here.

 This is my kitchen, very old.

 This is TV I like. It's big.