November 7

I held a birthday party and drinking session of bytes of colleagues. I decided to shop as the master of revels. The name of the shop is Ku-ten. The number of people there were many so I've ordered a course cuisine. There was also Motsunabe is in it. Finally we ate birthday cake.



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November 1 to 3

　I went to Fukuoka Kitakyushu. My friend lives there. It is second time go there.
　The first day I went to Chacha-town and buy　umbrella, because that day was rainy.  Umbrella was 700 yen. And I went to River-walk. My friend bought bed sheets there. After shopping we went to buy foodstuffs dinner.
　The second day we went to Marinoa City. There is a shop of outlets. I bought a knit and pants. The day I ate a tomato pot.

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MR 4 school of rock

I like this movie. I rarely watch a comedy movie. So I'm glad there is a chance to watch a movie of these genres. It has the word rock in the subject. At the beginning of the movie is where the hero is playing. Although Dewey is a rock band member of a band that does not sell, one day he was fired because of his selfishness. He goes home and his roommate yelled at him to pay the rent because his roommate's girlfriend says so. At that time, a telephone call came to Ned for substitute teacher. Dewey answered the phone and he pretended to be Ned because he needed rent money.

He is responsible for elementary school classes. This is a comedy movie so he does not have to teach seriously. He gives students the time to play. But one day he can see that there is music talent in the students, so his thinking changed. He then decided to compete in the band competition by using the children.


 This content is a story that does not happen in reality.This story is impossible because we cannot believe he is pretending to be a teacher. Definitely a person who does this is very sharp and will be a real success or he would have made a goof somewhere otherwise. This is why I think Jack Black is perfect for the character of Dewey.

 I think this movie can be enjoyed  by children to adults. Children think that it is a fun movie. I think adults can also enjoy from a different point of view. . Many people will think and feel nostalgic about songs, band names and clothes. I did not feel nostalgic because it is not from my generation. I think that parents and children can  watch together and say their impressions to each other.


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October 22

That day I have drinking session with my colleagues. It was fun. I was drinking at 6 people. Girls was 2. My workplace girls is less. There are 6 people is a woman and 17 people is a man of the people.
I got a birthday gift from the driver. It was tights and 'cup of fuchiko-san.' I was very happy.

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October 21

I bought 9 books of manga. It's 'magi, flat, April is your lie, Red of the world, Kiraboshi no gotoku, Busshi no bussin and The Rose of Versailles.' The Rose of Versailles has been released a new book in 40 years since.

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October 18

I went to Saga with my family. In there, I was shopping. Saga has Outlet Mall in Toshu. I bought a knit, three socks and a pair of shoes.

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my mail3

my third mail.

Hi.

It will go to America soon. It is very pleasure. However, I have uneasiness too.There is no confidence which can take communication with you, but I try to communicate well! 

Hello Arisa!

Yes you will be here very soon. I am looking forward to it. Don't worry about being able to speak English with me. It will come with time. The first week is hard because you are so tired from school and jet lag. But each night you will have home work That we discuss and you will show me pictures of your family, home, and life in Japan. The first weekend I will give you plenty of time to rest. On Saturday we will go to a place where you paint pottery with my friend Kim and her Kumomoto student. The. On Sunday I always go and get my nails painted, if you would like I will take you to get a manicure and pedicure. Very relaxing. 

That is our first week. You will have lots of fun at school. The first day you will go to the campus at Bethel, then on a Riverboat ride on the Mississippi River, then to a zoo. Each morning I will drop you off at a coffee shop. A van will pick you up and take you to school. I will pick you up at the same coffee shop in the evening. It's all very organized. 

See you soon and don't be afraid to ask me any questions this week as you get ready. 

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October 17

I went to the dinner and cake bar with my colleagues. We went to 'Dining Haru.' There was very good place. And cake bar is good too. Is a plate of cake, sorbets and fruit I ate. You can choose your favorite cake and sorbets. I ate the cake that "whim of Erie." It was a Mont Blanc. I chose the sherbet of "lemon-lime." They were very delicious. We talked a very long time. 

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October 5

That day was my birthday. I'm 20 now. I worked as a part-time job the day. In addition I worked other shop not my one. We went to help the other shops. It was tired.
After the job, colleagues bought me a cake. It was delicious.


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my mail 2

My second mail is this.

Hello Arisa,

I am about to leave to visit my parents in Oregon so  I thought I would sent you an Email and let you know about things to pack. I have plenty of towels that you can use, so you don't need to bring any of those. I have a washer and dryer for clothes which you are free to use whenever you need. I do laundry once a week so you can save things until then and I can wash them when I do my clothes. I have a hairdryer, so you won't need to bring that either. Although it will be hot outside, high 20's to high 30s, the classrooms at Bethel are air conditioned and can be cold, so I suggest you bring a warm sweater or sweatshirt. You will almost certainly go to "Feed my Starving Children" and place that puts together packets of rice, soy protein and flavorings as well as horseback riding. For those activities you will need shoes that cover your feet competely. No bare toes or heels. they should be comfortable for walking or standing on a hard surface for a long time.

Can you tell me some of the things that you like to eat or perhaps more importantly what you don't like to eat. I always have tea, green and black, MIlk, and juices to drink. I like toast and cheese for breakfast and I work for the company that makes Big G cereals, Lucky charms, Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch are some of the most popular cereals. You will eat lunch at Bethel most of the time, so then we just have to eat dinner. What meats do you like, what kinds of vegetables etc.

Hi,Veronica

I'm sorry that I did not reply to you sooner. I appreciate having explained your house in detail. Is about the likes and dislikes of my food, but there is little that can not eat. I'm looking forward to eating your dish. However, I am a light eater. If you are not troublesome, I want to teach cooking. I would like to become skillful about cooking. 

I heard that Minnesota is the birthplace of SNOOPY. I like it very much. Is there any shop where the goods of SNOOPY are sold there? I want to go there if there is it. And also interested in art museum I like to draw a picture.I would like to go, if an art museum is near the house. 

I heard heavy rain has fallen over there the other day. It seems that damage also came out, but were you OK? I hope the reconstruction of your city as soon as possible.

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my mail

I sent a e-mail for my host mother first on June 14.

Hello,Ms. Veronica

              My name is Arisa. I’m nineteen years old now. My birthday is in October. There are four people in my family, my father, my mother, my older sister and me. My father is working in the company of Electrical. My mother's job to teach a child to study. My sister is twenty two years old now. She is a Child minder. How many people are in your family? I'm thinking I want to get along with your family. Do you have any pets? I like animals. I like dogs, but I also like cats, but my mother hates animals so we have no pets in my house.

              My hobby is to watch movies and drawing pictures. I am not so good at movement. This is not the first time that it goes abroad. I have studied abroad once when I was a high school student. I went to Australia. Do you know Cohuna of Australia? Although that was in the country, it was very good place. I had a home stay for seven days. This is a home stay for a month this time. I am looking forward to staying abroad for a long time because it is the first time for a long home stay. I am shy so I may seldom be unable to talk at first. 

And from Veronica
Dear Arisa,

It is so good to meet you. I am looking forward to having you come and stay with me. My immediate family is very small, it is just me and my dog Jenny. My parents are retired (finished working) and they live in Oregon on the west coast of the United States. I have a brother who lives in Kentucky, who is married and has 3 sons (all in their twenties) and two grandchildren. I don't see them very often as it is an a trip I have to make by airplane, it is two days drive to Kentucky and 3 days to Oregon.  I have a dog named Jenny, she loves it when we have visitors. She especially loves to come downstairs with me and wake up my exchange students when I bring them their cup of tea in the morning!

I live on the Northside of Minneapolis in a suburb called Champlin. I have another friend named Kim Iaquinto who will also have a student from Kumamoto, so you should ask among your friends and see if any of them are staying with her. We will probably do things together. I live in a house with a big yard (for Jenny) in a very safe neighborhood. We have a couple of parks nearby and a big dog park where dogs are allowed to fun free. Jenny loves that too!

I work for General Mills, we make food, and in fact we make Haagen Dazs Ice Cream for the international market including Japan. We also make soups, yogurt, mixes for cakes, cookies and brownies, Cereal (our most famous is Cheerios) and snacks. My job is to help the food scientists to make product that people will like so I taste products and test them with people. my title is Sensory Scientist. Right now I am working with the Yoplait Yogurt team and Haagen Dazs.

I also like to watch movies and take photos and scrapbook, but my life has been so busy that I haven't done much scrapbooking recently. I don't move well either, but I am trying to learn Zumba, because I really need to lose weight. so hopefully you won't laugh at me. I am also trying Yoga again.

Tell me some of the foods that you like, I am a pretty good cook and I can make a wide variety of foods. I can even make Oyakodon for you if you get really homesick and we have a new sushi restaurant that has opened up here recently.

Please tell your mother that I will take very good care of you while you stay with me and don't worry about being shy, it will just be you and I most of the evenings and the homework that you have every night will give us things to talk about to start and then I am sure that we will find other things to talk about after that.

Let me know if there are any words or phrases in this not that you don't understand also what you like to eat and most importantly what you don't like!

I am looking forward to seeing you in July!!!!

She is very kind woman.

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July 29

Although it was due to go shopping to the 'grand ave' today, we went other place. I bought two postcards there. For my grandparents because my mother said to send postcard from Minnesota. The building in the United States is too large. I can't understand what is where at all.


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July 28

Today, we played tennis. I had not played tennis. I was not good at after all. There were only seven rackets in that there are 20 of us. I was dissatisfied about it. We watched other person's play. Today's dinner was very good taste.

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my yearbook in America

I wrote yearbook in the United States.

I was able to get a precious experience by this homestay. My biggest surprise is that everyone is very friendly. When passing by me, they greet or are smiling. In Japan, this does not happen. When I went to the restaurant, waiter asks whether the dish is delicious. It is common occurrence. Going to the Saint Paul Cathedral and Minnesota State Capital was most enjoyable for me. It was a very beautiful place there. I wished to be there longer time.

                   My most interesting lecture is Law Enforcement in America. A policeman called Matthew Kennett came to talk on that day. He showed the police car and tools. He has not shot a gun at people. I think this place is peace. I want to continue to study English when I return to Japan. Now I’m in America so I can understand English. I think that my command of English skill will go down if there is not an opportunity to listen after returning.

                   I came here and realized a lack in English skill. Until I come to America I thought that communication could probably be taken even if I’m not good at English. And I could have a conversation by “simple word.”  However it’s not enough. Host family talks slowly because they know I’m Japanese. Americans’ conversation is too fast to understand. So I need to study English more.

                   Coming to the United States what I appreciated most is that host family accepted me. The life here is very pleasant and I like it because I had a good host family. I was full of uneasiness at first. I am not so talkative. I didn’t talk too much, so possibly my host family may have been made to feel uneasy. Also I worried about meals. I don’t eat much. I think that American eats very much, but actually they are average. I also appreciate having made various things to eat. I ate many kinds of food, such as meat, a fish, pizza, sushi, a hamburger, curry and home cooking of Minnesota. It was all delicious. Especially I liked pizza, so I was glad to have eaten a lot of it.

                   My most enjoyable moments are watching TV with my host family. I like drama of a criminal thing. I and host mother like the common drama a “criminal mind,” so we watched together several times. However, I can’t understand the content. It’s very fast. I attach subtitles but it does not catch up with the speed to read at first. But now, I can understand about half of the content.

                   My experience was impacted by going to South Dakota. It took 10 hours from here to there. We had a fun time going to Rushmore and the Badlands, but there was difficult. It is the first experience to have gone into a car for such a long time. I was able to live a realistic American life because it was a homestay. I’m very grateful to be able to experience a lot in a short period of one month. Thank you.          

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My favorite season

My favorite season is spring. I think the four seasons is wonderful, and it of Japan likes. I like spring among them. Because I love cherry blossoms. It is very beautiful although it is very short transitory during the period when it is in bloom. I do not really like hot weather. It is difficult to spend because there is Humid in the summer of Kumamoto in particular. But crop is rich in countries and regions where there is a season. We can also enjoy a variety of scenery. And enjoy the color of the trees of the change is because there is a season. Also, I enjoy unique play of the season. Surfing and swimming in the summer. Snowboarding and skiing, skating in the winter.

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My favorite color

My favorite color is blue. So my wristwatch, my bracelet, my back pack and my bicycle is blue. Only blue things were collected unawares. I liked the black before. So stuff of black are also many. I would choose only black bag. I do not really like orange and yellow in reverse. I am not good at color that looks like a fluorescent color perhaps. I do not like so much also pink in addition to it. But there are a lot of things pink around me. My wallet is pink. Also my cushion,futon, bed cover, pillow cover is the same color. These things are very mysterious. I use about 8 years of my wallet. And thought I want to buy a new one indeed. Next I want blue or black one.



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BR2-4 Aesop's Fables

He might have been a slave... or a king.

Do you know Aesop's Fables? I know of course. But I did not know it what the story is included. The turtle and the rabbit is a very famous story. I was thinking of thing in Japan this story. This is the story of the hare and the tortoise to compete. The tortoise said "I may be slow but I can reach the end of this field before you." Rabbit has jumped faster than turtle competition begins. It will take a nap at ease and no longer see the figure of the turtle. Turtle was likely to goal it woke up a few hours later. It chase in a hurry, but it was too late. The moral of the story is "Slow but sure can win the race" Interesting story is included many more in this book.

Carol Watson(2003) ; London : Usborne

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BR2-3 The Shocking story of Electricity

They thought lightning was a punishment, sent by their gods.

This book is the content very useful.This is the best book children to learn about electricity. I liked it so are explained clearly. Once upon a time, people did not know why lightning is falling. So it was believed to be the work of God. Benjamin Franklin also appeared in this book. He is a man who proved that lightning is caused by nature. They will not be able to live human electricity runs out in this day and age. The method that electric experience is made simply is written on the last of a book. Please try it.

Anna Claybourne(2006) ;London : Usborne

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BR2-2 The House of Shadows

Without warning, a radio on the bed cracked into life.


I liked this book because it was exciting and interesting. The book was very mysterious. I really liked the cover of the book. This story begins when Kit and Ned is moving to a new home. Strangely begins to occur in the new house. My favorite part of the book was when they found the box in the attic. I didn't like Mr. Hubble because he was a cruel and wicked man.Mr Hubble was a horrible evil man. Finally end with a happy ending. It is the content that can be read even in children.

Karen Dolby(2004) ;London : Usborne

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MR 2 Mission: Impossible 1

It’s the first time for me to watch Mission impossible from beginning to end. I have seen only several parts of it. Famous actors have appeared in this film. First, the hero is Tom Cruise. He is a very famous actor. He has appeared in the movies Top Gun, The Last Samurai, War of the Worlds, and Oblivion. Most movies in which he appears are successful. I like "Top Gun" which is one where he is appearing. Jon Voight in the role of Jim Phelps is also a famous actor. He has appeared Anaconda, Tomb Raider, and National Treasure. My biggest surprise was seeing this movie I seeing that Jean Reno was appearing. Although he was a famous actor, I had seen only one movie in which he is appearing. The movie is The Da Vinci Code. In that movie, he spoke French. So I was mistaken in thinking that he would only appear in the movie where he spoke French. The cast of this movie are really great actors.

This movie also contains suspense elements even though it is an action movie. Mission: Impossible series, is a movie which is based on the TV drama "Supai Daisakusen". Its original title was MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. There are four movies in this series. The theme song of this movie is famous enough there are no people who do not know it. This story is about the main Special Operations section of the Impossible Mission Force of the CIA. The IMF team led by Jim Phelps, including Ethan Hunt who is the hero, is running the strategy. Strategy seemed to go well, but all members except for Ethan Hunt were killed one after the other somehow. Ethan survived so he is suspected of being a traitor from the CIA. He has to find the traitor to prove his innocence. The real culprit is found in the second half, but there is not the end. If it is an ordinary movie, a criminal becomes clear in the end. It is spectacular deception of each other to the last part just because it is a spy movie. This is a masterpiece which can be seen any number of times, even if years pass.

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BR2-1 The story of Heidi

She licked up to oozing drips of cheese, crunched the toast and drank the milk to the last drop.

Probably there will be no Japanese people who does not know girl Heidi of the Alps. Anime is very famous. This book is the original of it. Heidi was raised in Dete of aunt, will be at the convenience of her work, it is deposited I live alone in the hut of Ulm in Ulm Otoji is the grandfather of the real paternal. Heidi grew familiar with the life there gradually, and was living on good terms with the grandfather. But they become separated for the convenience of Dete, she to be taken to Frankfurt. So she encounters Clara sickly girl of the same age. Heidi was supposed to go back to the Alm because of the sleepwalking then. This book is very readable.

Johanna Spyri(2006) ; London : Usborne

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July 27

I painting and shopping today. I was painting the cup although I don't know how to explain it. I was very happy because I liked drawing pictures.
I ate pizza at lunch. It was very delicious. Pizza is burned at high temperature and it is done i 90 seconds. Pizza of this shop was earnest.
I bought clothes by forever 21. There was much cheap and lovely dress.

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July 26

Today is Saturday! I slept until 1:00 PM. I thought "Oh, my goodness." We went to the Walker Museum. It's modern art museum. Although it was interesting, I was seldom able to understand it.  I was spoken to by Chinese there. He was good at English. I couldn't understand a little English so I was irritated by me. I was able to talk to him somehow. Finally he hugged to me. There was also something about Yoko Ono there.
I ate bean paste baking of a codfish at dinner. However, it was not the Japanese meal store there. It was good, but the one was different from Japan. Asparagus was delicious.

I and Veronica watched DVD at night. It was "White House Down." It was interesting. I could understand a half of the contents.



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July 25

We went to the farm. It is history farm. The name is 'Oliver Kelly History Farm.' I don't think that it is nice place. Smell could not bear to me. There were children who are experiencing besides us. There were cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens in there.

We ate lunch prior to the farming experience. We ate pizza there! It was Domino pizza. It was pizza for the first time this day to come to the United States. Pizza in the United States was simple compared to Japan.
Also, I ate dinner too. The restaurant name is 'BROADWAY.' I and my host mother took a meal with Izumi and her host mother. My host mother and her is friend, so we ate together. Then, I ate the pizza of the pineapple for the first time. It was good. I ate the ice after diner. The sauce of the caramel was very sweet.

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July 24

The today contents of lessons is Issues Youth Face. We talked about struggle, most enjoyable and important memories in high school. Today we have writing lesson. I'm not good at writing, so it was very hard for me. The content is "Have your hopes, fears and expectations changed after your first few days with your host family? What worries you the most? What is better than you expected? What your biggest surprises and your most enjoyable moments? What are your goals for the coming week?"It is a statement that this was written at that time.

I worried about a meal before go to America. I don't eat much. I think that American eats very much, but actually they are average. My most enjoyable moments is watching TV. I like drama. But I can't understand the contents. It's very fast, but I want to understand the content. My goal is making dinner with my host mother. Now, I don't help her anything. She said "It's OK. I don't need help." But I want to help her.

After the writing lesson, we took Education Panel. It was discussion about the difference between Japan and America. America has some types of education. It is Home-school, private and so on. There people came the University and told us. I think that day lesson will be good for me.


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July 23

In the morning, we took lessons. The contents was the difference between Japan and the United States in everyday life. For example, no helmet, big car and so on. Teacher were Joel and Linda. At Lunch, we went to Old Country Buffet. There was food of many types of which include the rice there.
And after the lunch, we went shopping in Rosedale Mall. I bought cosmetics and bracelet. Cosmetics is present for my sister. I liked bracelet very much.
Dinner was BBQ. We went to the 'fanatic BBQ & Grill.' BBQ was different from what I had imagined.


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July 22

Today, I was in University all the day. During the morning, we took  lessons about America and Japan. After the lesson, we went to the school cafeteria. Menu of the day was a cheeseburger. It was good.

From the afternoon, we played the game. It was Bethel Scavenger game and Cooperative game. We walked around the university by the first game. Game was very difficult. And second game, we were divided into four groups and competed. It was fun. Also our group won.

We went to Target. It is very big supermarket. There are not only groceries also medical supplies,  clothing and stationery.
Today's dinner was poke chop.


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July 21

 It is a second day. Today, we went to the Bethel University for the first time. It was so big! We were taking a recreation during the morning there. We looked around the inside of the university.

We went to the Mississippi from daytime and took the ship. Ship was very big and we ate lunch there. After that, we went to the Como zoo. It was no charge there. The day was very fun, but I was tired. That day was very hot.

I ate a curry at dinner. It was good taste, but it was different from Japanese one. It was Indica rice. I didn't like the rice.

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July 20

　I will wrote a a diary of overseas training.

　I came to America. It was so long trip. I was on an airplane about 10 hours. I'm very sleepy now. It's 9:54 PM in America. In Japan, it's 11:54 AM. My host mother is very kind woman. So I want to get along with her. I have to speak English more! Host family had already arrived when we got to the Minneapolis Airport. My host family was waiting for me with a placard. We went to Minnesota Park with Izumi and her host family. In there we ate lunch and go to Minnehaha Falls. The welcome party was held today. The presentation was also carried out here.

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