My friend came back!

My best friend from High School just came back to Japan from New Zealand. Her name is Narumi, and we have been really close friends from our High School days. When she was in New Zealand, I went to see her on Summer Vacation, and stayed with her about two weeks! She had school, but she took me so many places. We had a lot of fun! Now she is in Japan I went to her house and we made Chijimi. We ate a lot. She is staying overnight next Wednesday, I’m looking forward it. (95 words)

CLASSES ENDED

The classes ended! I’m so happy that I don’t have classes anymore! However, we have the tests next week, but I’m still happy because we have summer vacation after the tests. We have no school about a month and half. I got so many things to do like, going to see, going to the trip, going to the softball practice, and I must be working on my Sotsuron. I want to write really nice one, so I will do my best! I also have my friend’s wedding. It is my first time to go to my friend’s wedding. Her name is Hidemi, and we are friends from Junior High School. I can’t believe that she is just going to marry because we are only 22 years old. However I’m really looking forward to see her wedding dress look. (138 words)

Masumi's, Taiki's, and Yu's ESSAY

What’s up my friends and welcome to our essay’s. it is a great essay’s so masumi’s one , taiki’s one and U’s essay. This long Essay is mixed by our great Essay's.
We are going to introduce about my school. The name is Kumamoto Gakuen University. This university is also known as KGU. They have often changed the name. At first, K.G.U. wasn’t called K.G.U. It was called Eastern Language Technical College, and it was built in 1942. Then they changed the name from Eastern Language Technical College to Kumamoto Language Technical College in 1945. In 1952, they changed the name to K.S.U., again, and added the department of commercial science. After that, they added the Economics Department, and when Foreign Language Department and Social Welfare Department were added, they changed the name to K.G.U. Now, we have about four faculties and about thirteen departments. We are in English Department in this university. The unit is necessary to graduate. We must have more than128 units. We have a test in the latter half of July. We should be studying for the exams. There is summer vacation when the test ends. There is summer vacation for about two months. We are looking forward very much. We can learn a lot at the university.
We think the university life is very important time for us.


Our university has a lot of students. We meet different students every day.　Therefore, every day it is fresh. It was able to meet a lot of friends by getting into college, but I can’t move to next class because of the too many people at lunch time. This is a kind of negative point, but a good thing for us is that this university is very cheaper school expanse than other private university in Kumamoto, and it has more charm point.
First of all, circles are famous. One of us joined the circle. His circle is an amusement park research team. They are acting on Wednesday every week. They don't go to the amusement park so much. They drive and play sports. They are also acting with various circles. They have various friends through the circle activities. We think that the circle of the university is important. The biggest event for students who join the circle is TAKUMASAI. We have TAKUMASAI on October 29th and 30th, and we prepare for it from morning to evening. They seem very busy, but they enjoy working with their friends. We have the festival two days, and the student exhibits a lot of shops. One of us, Taiki made the tapioca, and a lot of people bought it. He wants to do the yakitori shop this year.


Next, there is a school cafeteria at the university. There are a lot of menus. A lot of students gather when becoming lunchtime. The box lunch store is crowded. There is Lawson at the university. It crowds with a lot of students includes the G.F. High school students when becoming lunchtime. G.F. High school is our attached school, and they are able to use Lawson, Gakushoku, and the bakery. A lot of women come to the bakery, but there are not so many men. Anyway, do you know croquette-don? This one was famous at KGU’s cafeteria. I often ate it. 4 to 6 years ago, changed the company at cafeteria and my friend is gone. I was very sad also everybody too. Maybe…….


Our university is very beautiful because there are a lot of cleaning members. We think that we should appreciate that. There are some smoking places at the university. This is a good thing for people who smoke and people who don’t smoke, but just now, smoking area is lesser than 4 to 6 years ago. Few years ago, we could smoke in the 4th building and library. I can’t believe why not. It is very important problem for smoker. However I think because of our university is clean. Also, KGU is very convenience, because we can buy some books, there is convenience store into the KGU and close the Kumamoto’s downtown. It is very nice. I often use these stores. These stores are good help for us. One of us smokes, and if he loses his cigarette, he can quick buy this one. It is nice for people who smoke.


Next, I will introduce our schedules for one year. On April 2nd, we have an entrance ceremony, and the classes start about five days later. The three days between the Entrance ceremony and the classes start, we invite the freshmen to join their circles and clubs. I hated that when I was a freshman, but now I understand because I want to have many kohai in my club.
On May 30th, it is the anniversary of the founding, so we have no school, the day. On July 20th, we finish the classes, and the tests start from July 23rd, and the tests end on August 4th, I already talked about the test at the beginning of this essay. Then we have Summer Vacation after the tests. I can’t wait the summer vacation, but I don’t like the tests before that. The tests week is just around the corner.
Next term starts on September 21st, and some students are very busy because they have Sports Festival on October 23rd, and about one week later, they have TAKUMASAI that I already talked about this, again.


I have question to you. How do you think, what famous in the KGU? I think It is the ginkgo.There are ginkgo’s trees at front gate. Autumn is a great season. It is nice view, but they smell very strong. I like it.
I think KGU is better off than a few years ago. For example, they got a new building, clean the large area, very nice library, yummy lunches, the environment to meet various kinds of friends, and so many other things. Pleasure to study here we think. You should come to see our university sometime! (1000 words)

PEST

Do you know a book called, “The Pest” (The title might be “The Journal of the Plague Year, 1722)? Daniel Defoe who was a very famous English writer wrote the book. I read the book to write a paper for my History of English Literature class. Of course I read it in Japanese, and it was sometimes difficult to understand even in Japanese. It took me very very long time to read. I couldn’t read all of it, but it was good for me to have a chance to read one of historically famous book. Also, I hadn’t heard about the ill, plague, so I was very surprised to know that so many people had dead because of plague in 14 century in the Europe. The book is about the surroundings of London when plague struck London, and what Defoe saw and experienced were written. Plague is also known as Black Death because the skin color turns to black!


Some people got out of London and stayed in the country side. Defoe was thinking if he should get out of London, too, but he didn’t because he had his job there. That’s why he stayed there and experienced many weird things. In the city, sometimes the many people in London say that they saw a ghost in the city. Not only one person, but many people who were there said that they can see it, too. Defoe can’t see anything like people saying, and people thought Defoe was strange. It was not just one time. He sometimes experienced that. Also many people were depending on the fortunetelling, and not really nice doctor sold drugs which has no effects with very high price.


The number of the people with plague increases, and government said not to go out to people who are with Plague, and put a watcher in front of the house. Sometimes the people with plague used violence to the watcher. The city was wasted by the illness. Then they killed their pets, too. I remember the resent news about KOTEIEKI. They killed many cows. Isn’t it similar?
＜BR>
Anyway, it wasn’t really interesting book for me, but it helped me to know many things. (369 words)

Essay6-Introduce our school!

I’m going to talk about my university, K.G.U. K.G.U. is at Oe in Kumamoto city, and it is a private university. They have an attached school, called G.F. High School next to K.G.U. At the lunch time, there are so many high school students at the Gakkan and student’s cafeteria.
At first, K.G.U. wasn’t called K.G.U. It was called Eastern Language Technical college and found in 1942. Then they changed the name from Eastern Language Technical college to Kumamoto Language Technical college in 1945. In 1952, they changed the name to K.S.U., again, and added the department of commercial science. After that, they added the Economics Department, and when Foreign Language Department and Social Welfare Department were added, they changed the name to K.G.U. Now, we have about four faculties and about thirteen departments.
Next, I will introduce our schedules for one year. On April 2nd, we have an entrance ceremony, and the classes start about five days later. The three days between the Entrance ceremony and the classes start, we invite the freshmen to join their clubs. I hated that when I was a freshman, but now I understand because I want to have many kohai in my club.
On May 30th, it is the anniversary of the founding, so we have no school, the day. On July 20th, we finish the classes, and the tests start from July 23rd, and the tests end on August 4th. Then we have Summer Vacation after the tests. I can’t wait the summer vacation, but I don’t like the tests before that. The tests week is just around the corner.
Next term starts on September 21st, and some students are very busy because they have Sports Festival on October 23rd, and about one week later, they have a festival, called Takumasai. Takumasai is the biggest event for them, I think. They seem they are enjoying preparing with their friends. Students work from morning to evening, and I don’t think I can do that. Anyway, students in K.G.U. enjoy their club activities a lot.
You should come to see our university sometime! (349 words)

My friend working

She is Sayako, one of my really really really close friends. She is working at an Italian restaurant at Kaminoura Street in Downtown. I knew that, but I didn’t know exactly where it is. I was shopping and walking to go back to my home, and I just saw Sayako working, so I called, Sayako!” She was surprised, too, and asked me, “Wat are you doing here? Why don’t you come inside and eat meal?” I wasn’t going to eat out the day because I was alone, but I said okay. I went inside and sat a table. I ordered pasta which was really nice. I love pasta. I waited for Sayako finishes working, and while that, we talked when Sayako has nothing to do, too. It wasn’t really busy the day because it was a weekday. At nine thirty, she finished working and sat my table then we ate dessert. I love sweets. When I was going to pay for my foods, Sayako said that she already paid for me because she said that I was the first friend who came to eat. I was so happy to hear that! I liked the restaurant, so I will go to eat there often. (203 words)

Welcome Back and Good Luck, My Friends

I took this Purikura about one week ago. They are my friends who go to KGU, and they are in the English Department, too. Their names are Miyo, Sayuri, Airi, Ayaka, and Erika. Miyo and Airi just came back from America. They went to America as the exchange students for about 1 year. I really like listening to their memories in America. When we talk about it, I remember my memories in Iowa, America, too. I want to go back there! I miss America. Anyway, we had welcome back party for Airi and Miyo the day that we took the Purikura. Also it was the party for Erika, too. She is going to Hokkaido for her induction. She said that she will come back to Kumamoto one time before we graduate. I can’t believe it. Only one time? We talked each other a lot, laughed a lot, and really enjoyed the party together. She already left Kumamoto about few days ago. I hate saying good-bye to my friends. I wasn’t ready to say good-bye to her, and I cried at the parting. I want her to take me to Hokkaido, too, haha. I hope that she enjoys and spends good days there. We will take contacts in our future even if we stay far away, I wish. (217 words)

ESSAY 5

20 years later, I hope that I’ve already married with someone really nice, and I also wish that I have two or three children. I will be living in Kumamoto, Okinawa, Tokyo, or somewhere in foreign countries.

Twenty years in my future, I’m already 42 years old. I can’t believe it! The reasons why I want to live in Okinawa are, I really love the warm weather, the culture, the very beautiful ocean, and I also like that time goes very slow. However, I want to live in Tokyo, too. I think that Okinawa and Tokyo are really opposites because people seem very busy most of the time in Tokyo, and Okinawa has very rich nature, but Tokyo doesn’t have them as much as Okinawa. However I still want to live in Tokyo sometime in my future because we can get and do anything we want in Tokyo.
I also want to live in foreign countries, but I don’t know where or how long. Even if I couldn’t live in foreign countries, I want let my children to go to somewhere out of Japan because I believe that it will be really great experience for the children, don’t you think so?

Next, I want my children to play sports because I want to go to watch my children playing sports. If my children are girls, I want them to play soccer, and if my children are boys, I want them to play kendo because I liked that my older brother playing kendo. Anyway, I will let my children to play some sports, and I will also let them take lessons, like piano, calligraphy, or English conversations.

I hope that I’m spending really happy days with my husband and my cute children. I want to be really nice mother for my children. Oh I also wish that my friends and I’m keeping in touch in 20 years in the future, too. (320words)

ESSAY 4

Hello, my name is Masumi Kanamitsu, 21 year old. I’m from Yamaga in Kumamoto, Japan and I live in Kumamoto city now. My hometown, Yamaga is about one hour away from Kumamoto by car. I go to K.G.U., so I stay at an apartment alone near the University.

I want to tell you about my hometown. My hometown, Yamaga is famous for hot springs. Have you ever soaked in any hot springs? It’s really good, and I think the hot springs will ease your tiredness. However I don’t go to hot springs so often because I don’t like that we can’t wear anything in the hot water!

Next, I want to tell you about my family. I have 7 people in my family. There are my grandmother, my grandfather, my mom, my dad, my older sister, my older brother, and me. I’m the youngest of three children in my family. We have some birds and a dog. The dog’s name is Shiro, and she is Chihuahua. Shiro means white in Japanese. She is almost eight years old and really cute! I’ll show you her photos someday. I like walking my dog around my house because they have a rich natural environment. I really love living in countryside, but I sometimes yearn for the city life. How about you? Which side do you like to live?
I also like cooking and gardening. I used to do gardening with my mom at our home. We like going to the florist’s. I specially like sunflowers, so I’m growing some sunflowers at my apartment, too. The sunflower seeds are coming up now. My mom and I used to cook together every weekend, too, but now I stay at the apartment, so I cook alone every day. I don’t really like eating alone, so sometimes I call my friends to cook and eat together. I always cook Japanese food because I don’t know how to cook other foods well, so could you tell me how to cook your country dishes? I would like to cook Japanese food for you, too.

One more thing that I like to do is futsal. Have you ever played it? It’s just like soccer, but the court is smaller, and just 5 people are in one team. Besides, the ball is smaller than the soccer ball. I run a lot, so I sweat from every pore! I like sweating, so I go to a gym that our university has, sometimes. I’m not really good at playing futsal, yet, but I love going to the practice with my friends. Do you like running? I hope that we can play futsal together someday if you like soccer.
I also belong to softball team, but I don’t play softball. I am just a secretary. I think I like watching my friends playing softball more than I play it. Anyway, I love being outside when it’s sunny. I always want to go to the beach on a nice day, don’t you feel so? This summer, I want to try playing beach soccer. Doesn’t it sound fun? However I really don’t want to get suntan! I easily get suntan every year!

Anyway, I’m really looking forward to stay with you, and I want to know about you, your family, your hometown, what you like to do, and more! Please let me know someday. Thanks a lot, and see you soon! (565 words)

ESSAY 3

My hometown is Kikuka in Yamaga, and it is very countryside! It takes about one hour to get there by car from downtown, and you need to take cars or busses. They don’t have train to go to Yamaga. We have no convenience store in our town, so every stores are closed mid night. We have no place to hang out, too, like Karaoke or Bowling. However we have many mountains and rivers.

We have a famous valley called, Yatani Keikoku. You can enjoy swimming and fishing there. They still have rich nature. The water is very cold and clear, and you can camp in summer. You will see many families with little children there.
Yamaga is famous for hot springs. When I say that I’m from Yamaga, almost everyone says, “Oh, the hot springs!” You should come to the hot springs in Yamaga, sometime. Yamaga is also famous for a summer festival, called Yamaga-toro. They have 1000nin-odori, and I think that why the festival is so famous. 1000nin-odori means one thousand people-dance. One thousand of women put something like garden lantern and walk and dance, but it’s not really hard dance. It’s kind of Japanese folk dance. Can you imagine it? It looks very beautiful.

Sometimes I feel like I want to live in a very big city like Tokyo or Fukuoka because they have so many nice shopping stores, restaurants, and more. I’m really jealous! However, when I go back to my hometown and walk around my house, I really love being there because the view is so amazing. I hope that you can come and see my hometown sometime. (272 words)

Miranda Kerr

Have you seen the girl in the picture? Her name is Miranda Kerr, and she is a very famous model. I have many favorite models, but I specially like her these days. She is about twenty-seven years old. I was very surprised to know that! She is from the State of New South Wales in Sidney. Have you been to Sidney? I haven’t been there, and I want to visit there sometime. I really want to visit many countries in the world, and I will! Next summer vacation, I’m planning to go to L.A. in America because my friend is going back to America. Her name is Nanaka, twenty-four years old. She is only 2 years older than me, but she looks like twenty-five or six years old. She is a Japanese girl, but she goes to the university in America. She has been American university for two years, and she has two years left to graduate, so she is going back to America this summer! I will miss her a lot. However I promised to go to see her next summer vacation, and I can’t wait to hang out with her in America. Both of us like exercising, so she said that she would take me to mountain climbing if I really went to America. Doesn’t it sound fun? I’m very very very excited, already! (226 words)

WORLD CUP

Many people watch World Cup even if they are not interested in soccer. Did you watch the game on Saturday? It was Japan vs. Holland! Japan lost the game, but I hope that Japan wins next game on Thursday. People’s feelings in the world over the World Cup run high this season, and I really like it.
I hope that Japan wins next game. (64 words)

B.R.-5 David Beckham

Beckham is a very famous football player in England. There are so many David Beckham’s fanｓ all around the world. However, he didn’t have only good days but the bad days for him.
One of his bad days was the day in 19998. He was twenty three years old, and he was in a game against Argentina. An Argentinean player made David fall on purpose, then David was very angry. He kicked the Argentinean player, so the referee came to him with a red card in his hand. Then the newspaper often said: ‘England can’t win the world cup now, because David Beckham is an angry little boy.’ He was young at that time.
Long time ago, I was watching a TV, and I think it said that David Beckham scored an own goal, and so many England fan got mad. That was one of his bad days, too. However this book didn’t say anything about this accident, but I always remember this story. This book said how Victoria and David got closer. They knew each other on TV at first, and they liked their looks each other. One day Victoria went to watch the football game that David was playing, and they met and talked after the game. After that, they talked on the phone very often and got closer then they married. Victoria is as famous as David, I think. However I didn’t know how they got to know each other. This book told me many things that I didn’t know.
I also felt that I should try harder to make my dreams come true. (268 words)

Typing 13, Vacation Plans

This Summer, I got so many things to do! First, we have All Japan University Softball Competition. It will be the last Competition for us because we are already Senior! I will miss them a lot. Next, I will go to Futsal practice at least once a week. We have practice at nine to eleven O'clock at night time. It's too late, isn't it? Next, I want to try Beach Soccer. It seems very interesting, so I will go to the beach very often. I will get suntan more than last summer. I don't like it, but I can't wait for summer! (107 words)

Typing 12, About Blogging

I think blogging is very good for me because it makes me keep writing my journal by blogging, and I will remember what I did recently. I also like looking at my friends’ blog, and I can see what they are doing. At first I didn't like writing too much about my daily life because I didn't want people who I don't know to look at my blog, and I didn't want them to know. However I don't care any more and I like to read the comments now. I think blogging made me to know how to use computers, and it’s good thing for me. (112 words)

Typing 11, About my Keitai

I think KEITAI is very useful! Don't you think so? I can't think my life without KEITAI because if I didn't have KEITAI, I would have so many problems. For example, I always must be there on time if I don't have it because I can't tell them that I will be late if they already left their home. However sometimes I feel like I don't want to have KEITAI because sometimes I don't want to reply to any e-mails. I also loose or brake my KEITAIs so often! One time, I got three KEITAIs for one year! (98 words)

Typing 10, Using the Computer

I wasn't used to use computers so often when I was a High School Student, but now I use computers almost everyday because I have to type some papers for my University class. At first, I didn't like typing because I wasn't really good at typing, and I couldn't use computers well. However now I think using computers for the assignments makes it easier, so I like using computers now. I like using internet, too. I can get so many informations and watch movies on youtube. I really like it. (94 words)

Typing 9, My favorite movie

I love watching movies. I can't chose just one movie, so I will introduce you two movies that called, "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset". They are love stories, and "Before sunset" is the first one. The beginning of the story, a woman and a man are in a train. Of course they don't know each other, but they are interested in each other, and they get of the train together. They have to leave their next day morning. They walk around and talk about each other until the sun rises. The second movie, “Before Sunset” is more interesting, I think. (100 words)

B.R.-4 The Barcelona Game

The main characters are Holly Hooper, twelve years old, and her older brothers Kev and Trev. Holly is usually quiet and loves reading books, and her brothers love playing out side, specially, football. At first, Kev and Trev were going to watch the Barcelona games in Spain with their dad, but their dad got a very bad cold, so he couldn’t go with them! Then their mom says they can cake Holly instead of their dad. However they didn’t want to take Holly because they didn’t want to take care of her.


The next day, Kev, Trev, and Holly left their home to Barcelona. When they are at Barcelona airport, they notice that Holly’s bag has a big hall, and her books are falling on the floor. Kev and Trev looked at each other, and let Holly to get a new cheap bag there. Then they took taxi to get their hotel.
They have time before the game, and Holly wants to go to some famous places like cathedral or the famous street, Las Ramblas, or the Olympic Stadium, but Kev and Trev are already planning to go to a funfair. Kev and Trev enjoy playing there, but Holly hates them. Kev and Trev look at each other again, and tell Holly to go to the café and wait for them until seven O’clock.


Holly is drinking coffee and reading a book while waiting for them at the café. Then a man sat a table next to Holly, and he had same bag as Holly got at the airport. He drank a cup of coffee, left there. After a while, Holly opens her bag to get another book, and there are some stuffs which don’t belong to Holly. She notices that the bag isn’t hers, and the man took Holly’s bag! She must find the man because the tickets for the football game are in her bag!

Holly stands on the street and looks around, but she can’t find the man. Then a man on a motorbike sees Holly, and asks what’s wrong. Holly explains about the whole thing, and suddenly she finds the man with her bag. She shouts to him, but he can’t hear her, so the man on the motorbike takes Holly to follow the man with Holly’s bag by his motorbike. When they are following him, they pass many famous places and streets which Holly wanted to go. Then finally they could get Holly’s bag back. It was six forty, and Holly has to be at the café at seven O’clock, so the man takes Holly back to the café by his motorbike.


Now Holly is very happy because she got her bag and the tickets for the soccer game back, and she also could visit many famous places she really wanted to go!


I was glad that Holly got her bag back because if she couldn’t, her brothers would be mad at her a lot! However, I think it was very dangerous thing that Holly rode the man’s motorbike because she doesn’t even know him! (522 words)


Rabley Stephen. 2000.The Barcelona Game: Penguin Longman publishing

TYPING 8 FOREIGN COUNTRIES

I've been to Korea, America, Canada, and New Zeeland. When I was a High School Student, I went to Korea for two weeks, and I went to America for 10 months as an exchange student. When I was in America, my host family took me to travel to Canada. It was so wonderful. I went to New Zeeland last spring vacation because my friend from High School is in New Zeeland now. I really loved staying there. Now I'm interested in India or Egypt! I really want to go there. (90 words)

GOLDEN WEEEEEEEK

I went to Miyazaki!!!
When I woke up, I got a phone call, and it was my friend, Nana. She said, “Let’s go to Miyazaki to see MOAI, and eat Chicken Nanban!” I just said ok. However I got phone call from Nana again, and she said, “Why don’t we just quit going to Miyazaki?” She is always like that, so I said okay. Around 13:00, Nana called me and said, “I changed my mind! Let’s go to Miyazaki.” Can you believe that? I didn’t know what she was thinking! Then she came to pick me up and went to Miyazaki by car. It took about two hours and thirty minutes. However we couldn’t see MOAI because it closes 17:00, and it was almost 17:00. Then we went to Udo-Jinja. Udo-Jinja is a famous shrine in Miyazaki. They had a hole on big stone, and people threw small stones into it, and if they could threw the stones in the hole on big stone, their dreams come true, people say. Of course Nana and tried. The stones are one hundred yen for 5. However the hole on the big stone was kind of farer than we thought! I was going to quit, and I throw the last two stone. Then one of them went into the hole!!! I was so surprised and so happy! However I wished nothing because I thought I shouldn’t be greedy. Then we took some pictures and went to downtown to eat chicken nanban! It was sooooooo yummy! You really should try it sometime!! We had very fun time in Miyazaki. (265 words)

B.R.-3 Losing Lucky

A boy named Mouse is the main character in this story, and Lucky a bunny that Mouse is taking care of at his house. Mouse goes to talk to Lucky every after school, but one day, Lucky was dead when Mouse went to see Lucky. He showed Lucky to his mom, and he was kind of angry because Mouse fed Lucky every day and took care of Lucky very well. He can’t understand why Lucky died. Then Mouse’s mom tells him to put some stuffs that Lucky liked into a box with Lucky. Mouse and his younger sister put some toys and a picture of Lucky’s hutch. They cried a lot, and their baby brother cried because they are crying. At that night, Mouse dreamed, and Lucky was there. Lucky could talk in his dream, and Lucky seemed very happy!
I really understand how sad they are because I have my dog, too. I can’t believe that my dog will die someday. I really don’t want to think that. When I was a child, I had another dog, and when the dog died, I cried a lot. I don’t want to feel that again. (194 words)

B.R.-2 Jojo Makes the Team

The main character is Jojo, a girl who likes playing football. However, the boys in her class say that she can’t play football because she is a girl. Then Jojo kicks a football very hard, and everyone includes Jojo is surprised because the football goes very far away! Jojo has an amazing kick. Since that, the boys let Jojo play football together. One day, their teacher Mrs. Ambrose says that their school is going to take part in a football tournament, and they can have only two teams. Boys from top class are going to be in A team, and two kids who are chosen from their class can be in B team. One student that Mrs. Ambrose chose from the class was Ravi. Ravi can play football very well, so everyone agreed. Another one was Jojo. Boys didn’t like that Jojo was chosen, so they are mean to Jojo, again. Jojo is very sad because boys don’t play football with her. Ravi and some of his friends were playing football, and saw Jojo’s very sad face. They weren’t mean to Jojo, but fely so bad because no one stuck up for. They promised to Jojo to stick up for her next time.
I really like this story. I think that we all should have a deep feeling for the sufferings of others. (227 words)

Essay-2, My Treasure

My treasure is my dog, Shiro. She is a Chihuahua, and when I got her, she was almost 5 years old, kind of old, isn’t she? At first, I wasn’t really going to have any dog because I stayed at an apartment alone, so I wasn’t sure if I can take care of the dog. However, my friend from Junior High School was looking for people who can take care of dogs which were unsold at a shop. She takes about ten dogs and cats every time, and she can’t have them because she already has many dogs and cats. Then she took one of them to my room.

My friend already named the dog, Shiro. At the first day, Shiro seemed very sad after my friend left my room. She always waited for her in front of the door. When Shiro hears someone walking outside, she thinks my friend is coming to her then she waggles her tail, and she is sad again because my friend is not coming back any more. However few days later, she attached her to me!
I really loved sleeping together every night, and I liked that Shiro wakes me up every morning. She was very smart. I didn’t need to teach her anything. However, the most difficult thing was walking Shiro. She stayed at the shop for 4 or 5 years, so I think she had never walked outside. She didn’t like walking at all, and she seemed she was scared a lot. However as I walk her, she started to walk a lot. One day, we walked long way, maybe it was too much for her. She just sat there, and didn’t move for while. It was so funny, and I got one more funny story. In the one day morning, I made lunch box, and put it on the table during preparing to go to school. Then when I was ready to go, Shiro was eating my lunch! I couldn’t believe it, but it was funny, too.

Sometimes she makes me angry, and sometimes she makes me very happy. I really love staying together, and I can’t believe that she will be gone sometime. Any way, Shiro is the treasure for me. (371 words)

Essay-1, Advice to KOHAI

I took this class last year, and I think my English writing got better. I also can use computers better than before. You will be able to write English and use computers better than before, too.
What you need to do for this class are, posting to your blog, writing essays, and reading books. You post to your blog three times a week. You can write anything, but you must have at least 40 words each time. You also need to write 6 essays by the due date. You will get the topics for each essay. I told you that you need to post three times a week, but you also need to post book reviews besides the three posts. The library in KGU has many books which are written by easy English, so you read the books without English dictionaries, and write reviews for the books. You can’t write exactly same sentences from the books. When the term ends, you have to have 10000 words and 12 book reviews on your blog. You can get the credit if you do all of them by the due date. The due date is very important! If you can’t come to class, you should send e-mail to Mr. Tomei to ask what to do for next class.
I think writing essays and posting regularly are very good to improve your English writing. I didn’t write regularly, and I didn’t write them by the due date, so I didn’t get the credit, but if you do that, I’m sure that you will get the credit. Good luck! (264 words)

Typing-6, How to study English

I believe that the best way to study English is studying abroad. However I know it's not easy as people say because of many causes. I like studying English by watching movies because I love movies, and they speak real English. When I was in Junior High School, I learned English which was not really useful in foreign country. I always try to watch movies with English subtitles. Of course it is very difficult for me. When I can't understand what they say, I always stop, and try to read the subtitles. (92 word)

Typing-5, Food

I love eating! I like American Food, Chinese Food, Korean Food, Italian, French... any kind of food, but I specially like Japanese food. When I was very young, I hated vegetables and fish. However now, I love vegetables and fish more than meats. I also didn't like Sushi when I was a child, but now, I do like Sushi a lot. When I went to over the sea, I liked their food very much, but I always missed eating Japanese food. I also like cooking. I try to cook every meal everyday. (93 words)

Typing-4, Golden Week Plans

I got so many plans for golden week! First, I have softball practice as usual at Nishigoshi (but I'm not a player), and next, I have futsal practice at night time. These days, I started playing futsal, but I'm not so good, yet. Next, I'm going to go to the sea. I hope it will be sunny! Then, I'm going to Miyazaki, too. I'm so excited. However I want to go back to my hometown, too. I'm going to be very busy during Golden Week. (85 words)

Typing-3, my hobby

My hobby is watching movies. These days, I’ve watched three movies at theaters. The movies are The Lovely Bones, Alice in wonderland, and Konan. I really specially liked “The Lovely Bones”. Have you seen it? The main character is a 14 years old girl, and she is murdered by a man who lives in her neighborhood at beginning of the story. The story was very exciting, and I can’t guess what is going to happen. (75 words)

Typing Assignment-2

I like listening to the music. I always listen to music when I run. I have a song that I specially like. Do you know a song named "unwritten"? The singer is Natasha Bedingfield. I hear the song in many famous movies. I think you have heard the song, too. I like listening to the English songs because they sound cool. I usually find good songs from the movies. However it’s sometimes difficult to find the titles of the songs from the movie. (83 words)

Typing assignment-1

It is April 12th, today, and I had writing class. It was the first time this semester. I wrote an essay. The topic for essay was "advice for Kohai", and I'm still working on it. I also wrote "10ppun ha jubun" I wrote about my English journal. Then I am trying to typing speed homework! I'm not really good at typing, so I’m not sure if I can type 50 words in 5 minutes. (74 words)

Lunch box everyday!

These days, I’m trying to make lunch box, and bring it to school, so I need to wake up little earlier than before. I’m also trying not to buy cooked food because I like cooking, and I want to be good at cooking more and more, so I’m cooking everyday.  Yesterday, I made pudding! It didn’t like pudding which is sold at stores, but it tasted really good. I’d like to make other sweets sometime. (76 words)

B.R.-1 Chance of a Lifetime

The main character’s name is Helen, and she lives in Wales. One day, she gets a letter, and it says, “Dear Mrs. Davies, Thank you for coming to see us. As we told you we need a tour guide for a trip from London to Istanbul. We would like to offer this job…” Helen is glad to get this letter, but not really happy. Helen can speak French and Italy, and she likes traveling around, so this job will be wonderful for her. However she thinks about her boyfriend too much. She is like a high school girl. She is pretty and intelligent, but she can’t decide what she does without her boyfriend, and this is her problem. Her boyfriend’s name is Tom, and he is in Scotland, now. They have been dating from University, but Helen is not sure if he really loves her because Tom calls her mom many times, but he called Helen just one time, and doesn’t want to talk about them.
The next day morning, Helen got a phone call, and it was Tom! He was very excited and said that he got a job to work in a big international company. At first, Helen was happy for him, too, but she was sad to know that Tom has to work in Australia. He said that he was leaving in few days. When she asks Tom if they can see each other before he leaves, he says he can’t, and when she tells that she got a new job, too, he doesn’t even ask about the job! Can you believe that? I’m sure that he doesn’t love Helen, and she should quit dating him, I think. Helen talked about it to Jill, a best friend from university, and she says Helen is just like her boyfriends mother because Helen always thinks about her boyfriends, gives everything to her boyfriends, and did everything! What Jill said was all true. Helen decided to quit thinking about love, and she decided to take the new job!


Helen got a tour group, and there were twelve people in the group. Not all of them were nice, of course. During the tour, one room was given per two people at hotels, but Angela, twenty-one years old girl says she doesn’t want to share the room, and she always seemed bored. In addition, Angela is very mean to Helen. There are some more problems. Three young boys always smoke, and some other tourists don’t like it. As they travel around, Helen gets more problems. Some time some of them quarrel with each other. Sometimes a guy in the group asks her to eat out even when they have to eat with the group at the hotel. He is mysterious because nobody knows where he is or what he does usually. Helen doesn’t think she wants to take this job any more.
The biggest problem happened at the end of the tour. It was Vic trying to pass across the border with stolen passport.


This story was kind of long, but how they solve the problems, and Helen’s decision about the job and her boyfriend were very interesting. I really recommend you to read this book!　(536 words)

My English Journal

These days, I am writing my journal in English. I wasn’t used to write journal because I’m not really good at doing anything regularly. However I’ve read someone saying that if you don’t write anything down, it is almost the same as it didn’t happen. I kind of agree with that because even if I was really amazed or surprised by something, I will forget about it someday if I don’t write them down, so I’m trying to write my journal every day. I started writing my journal on May 1st, and I haven’t missed writing until today. I always bring the journal, and write dawn something when I have time. The reason why I write them in English is because I don’t anyone to read it, and I want to improve my English. I will read what I wrote sometime and I’ll remember what I’ve done. I’ll keep trying my journal every day. (154 words)

last day to see my best friend

It is the last day to see my best friend because she is leaving Japan two days later! She lives in Kikusui, Tamana. She has a test today, so she comes to school. However she doesn’t have any class tomorrow, so she doesn’t come to school tomorrow! Today, it will be the last day to see her. She is going to stay in New Zealand about six months. I can’t imagine what it is like to be separated because we were so close friends from High School days. When I went to and came back from America, she gave me scrapbooks that she made them for me, and they made me so happy. She is like my mother. She always cares for me. Anyway, I don’t want her to goooooo!!!!!! (130 words)

Go to DOWNTOWN in KUMAMOTO

I like to go to downtown because many exciting things are there. When I have time, I always go there even if I didn’t have any things to buy. When I don’t have money, I always go window shopping, and many cute stuff make me want to buy them.
Today, I’m going to go to downtown to eat out with my friend. I usually don’t eat out so often, but sometimes I feel I want to eat really yummy foods. I haven’t decided what to eat, yet, but I’m so looking forward it. I always go to downtown by my bicycle, but I don’t think I’m doing it today because it’s freezing out there! The T.V. said that it is going to be cold again this weekend. I hate cold weather!
Tomorrow I have a test, so I will be home soon, and I will be studying so hard.
I have one more thing to do. It is making a scrapbook! My best friend from High School is going to go to New Zealand to study abroad in end of this month. Then I’m making a scrapbook for her, so I got a lot of her pictures. I will miss her a lot. I hope that she really enjoys there and comes back to Japan soon. However it will be nice experience for her, and I am excited to hear her stories there. (233 words)

Some Interesting Things

I got a book from one of my friend, and the book was about Buddha. It was interesting to read, but some parts of them were difficult to understand. I always read the book before sleeping in my bed, but I always fell asleep soon. These days, I’m so sleepy. I bit I can sleep about two days if I have no school. I sleep too much!
I have read the bible, and it was some times difficult, too. However learning about Christian was very interesting to me. I used to think people go to heaven if they did good thing, and people who had done very bad thing go to hell, but my Christian friend told me that she doesn’t think so because everyone has done some bad thing. It can be small thing or really bad thing, and nobody can judge it. I really agreed with her.
　Today I watched “Hamlet” and “Macbeth”. They are Shake Spear’s works. I watch them to write papers for one of my class. I still need to watch “Twelfth Night”. They are kind of difficult to watch because they speak old English.　However it is good to know about Shake Spear’s works. (200 words)

Journal

It’s getting warm these days, isn’t it? After my part-time job, I go home by bicycle, so I hate cold weather. However it’s warm from last weekend. Maybe spring is coming soon! However it’s still January, so it will be getting cold again. I don’t like that.
Which do you like, winter or summer? I hate getting suntan, but I’m sure that I like summer better than winter because I don’t want to go out and I want to stay in my room or in my bed in winter.
I think my dog, Shiro doesn’t like winter, neither because she always looks cold! Poor Shiro. (105 words)

Sasebo-Burger

Look at this picture! Can you tell what this is? This is a picture of a Sasebo-burger. About two years ago, I went to Sasebo to eat Sasebo burger with my friends. It was very long trip. We didn’t drive the expressway, so it took about five hours to get there. The night before the day, I didn’t have enough time to sleep, but I drove all the way without stopping. Of course I was so tired, but we really wanted to get there soon! Now I could tell that it was very dangerous thing to do, and I won’t do that again. When we got Sasebo city, we went to the beach at first. It was cloudy in the morning, but it was sunny there. The sea was very clear, too. After a while, we went to the zoo. I hadn’t been to any zoo these years, so we had a lot of fun. Then finally we went to get Sasebo-burgers! The most famous shop for Sasebo-burger was close, so we went the next store, but it still tasted good. After that, my friend drove to go back to Kumamoto. Two of us were sleeping on the way, so just the driver was awake. I’m sure that she was very sleepy, too. I felt so sorry for her, but she said to never mind. How nice she is! (229 words)

things I got to do!

Last week, I had to write a paper for one of my classes, called “Nihon-kindaishi”. We learn about three writings of Natsume Souseki in the class. We choose one of them, and read it then write a paper about his philosophy. We had to write at least 1200 letters in Japanese. It’s not so long, but it was kind of difficult subject for me. I read one of Natsume Souseki’s writings again over and over. It made me so tired, so I was very happy when I finished the assignment. However I still have some other papers.
Yesterday, I did another one for my Buraku-kaihouron class. The class is about discrimination. It is interesting class because it’s good to have the time to think about discrimination. Then this week, I am going to write another paper for my Eibei-bungaku-koudoku class. We learn about some literary works of Shake Spear. Sometimes we read the passages or watch the DVDs. We have watched “Hamlet”, “Twelfth night”, “Macbeth”, and one more DVD, I can’t remember how you spell it. I knew that Hamlet is very famous, but I didn’t know the story, so it was good to know. However they speak old English, so it is kind of difficult to understand. (208 words)

Before Sunrise and Before Sunset

I love those DVDs so much. They are not really funny or interesting, but they make me want to watch them again and again.
The main characters are Celine and Jesse.
Celine is a French woman, and going back to Paris because she goes to school, and her classes are starting next week. Jesse is an American and going to visit Vienna, but he has no plans to do, and he just knows that he is flying out of there tomorrow. They are taking same train, and they talk each other on the train and have a lively conversation. Of course they were going to get off the train at different station, but when Jesse was going to get off the train at Vienna, he asks Celine to come with him. At first, Celine was reluctant to go with him, but talking with Jesse was interesting for her, so they took off the train and walked around. They talked about each other like, about their family, what kind of people they like, and what do they hate, or something like that. They talked about each other so much. They went to record shop, a park, an amusement ground, a restaurant, and they also walked alongside of the river. In the night, they didn’t sleep, and they just kept walking and talking. Then it is time to leave there. Jesse takes Celine to see her off at a station, and Celine is going to take a train to go back to Paris. They liked each other, but they didn’t exchange their phone numbers. They just promised to see each other at just where they were about six months later. Then they leave there. “Before Sunrise” didn’t tell us if they really could see each other again, and the DVD ends. “Before Sunset” is the sequel of “Before Sunrise”. As I watch “Before Sunset”, I knew that they couldn’t see each other! Isn’t it so sad? However many years later, they met in Paris, and they seemed to be much older than before. The reason why they didn’t see each other at the station again was because Celine couldn’t be there because of her grandma’s death. Then the reason why they met in Paris was, Jesse wrote a book which tells about their trip in Vienna, and Celine read it then she knew that Jesse was coming to Paris for a talk show about the book. At first, Jesse lied Celine to pretend like he didn’t go there, neither, but later he tells her the truth that he did go there to see her and looked around for her couple days. They walked around Paris and let each other know how they’ve been getting along. The saddest thing in this story was, Jesse already had a wife and a child, and he still loves Celine. Celine still loves him, too. Jesse doesn’t really love his wife, but he loves his kid so much, so he is trying hard to establish a happy home for his kid. I remember that Jesse says something about married life in the first part of the DVD, “Before Sunrise”. He says that people can’t marry people who are really in love with. However people want to believe that we can, right? I like Celine because she is intelligent and an independent woman. (555 words)

MOVIE- No Reservation

The main character is Kate, she is one of the best chefs in the city, and she has a kitchen at a restaurant. Many customers love her dishes. Of course there are some customers who don’t like her food, but she is sure that her food is perfect, so she doesn’t satisfy to their orders. This is kind of her problem. Her boss says, “If you were not one of the best chefs, I would fire you.” One more problem about her is, she is not going to date anyone, and she doesn’t even want to. The best thing for her was working and cooking, so she works everyday.


One day, Kate’s sister was coming to her home with her daughter, Zoe, an elementary school student. When they were driving to Kate’s house, Kate and her sister was talking on the phone. Kate asks her what Zoe likes for dinner, and Zoe’s mom answers, “She eats anything. She is a vacuum cleaner.” However, they had car accident on the way to Kate’s house. Zoe was okay, but Zoe’s mom died. Then Kate’s boss made Kate to take a week off. Kate decided to let Zoe stay in her house because Zoe didn’t have her father.


Kate and Zoe started to live together, and Kate cooks very nice dinner for Zoe every night, but Zoe doesn’t eat anything, and just says that she is not hungry. However Kate said nothing to Zoe because she knew it’s so tough for her to loose her mom so young.
Kate is still on the days off, but Kate goes to see how people are doing at the kitchen in the restaurant during the dinner time. Then Kate sees a guy that she doesn’t know in the kitchen, and they seem they really enjoy cooking working there. Kate’s boss says that Nicholas, the new guy in the kitchen is a very nice chef and many restaurants offered him to work there, but he chose her restaurant because he wanted to work with Kate. However she doesn’t like that. Maybe she felt like he would take the kitchen from her.


About Zoe, she still doesn’t eat. She just answers Kate’s questions yes or no. Zoe knows Kate is trying hard to make Zoe happier, but she doesn’t need it.
Kate is under a lot of stress because at home, Zoe isn’t still attached to her, and Nicholas is annoying for her in the kitchen. One day, Kate takes Zoe to the kitchen in the restaurant during her work. Zoe talked to Nicholas and ate his food! Kate was very glad to see her eating. Zoe starts to talk to Kate, too, and follows her wherever she goes. Zoe goes to the restaurant everyday and enjoys helping them. Kate starts to appreciate Nicholas, too. One day, Zoe asks Kate to invite Nicholas to their home for dinner. Then Zoe made pizza for Kate with Nicholas. Isn’t that so sweet? That made me so happy. When Zoe and Kate just started to live together, Zoe didn’t talk to Kate and showed no feeling, but it was not only about Zoe. Kate showed no feeling to Zoe, neither, and Kate couldn’t make Zoe to do something even when she should because Kate felt sorry for Zoe to loose her mom. However these days they got closer, and talked a lot. They got mad at each other and yelled at each other. People can’t argue if they were not really close, right? They are becoming just like a family finally.


Kate got a phone call from Zoe’s teacher, and told her to stop letting Zoe to work at restaurant together because Zoe shouldn’t be working place at the night, you know. That’s sad that Zoe can’t be there any more, but it wasn’t only bad thing. Kate started to take a day off to play with Zoe sometime. Kate used to work EVERYDAY, but now she is taking some break and enjoys her life!
I thought the story was ending, but they got another problem. In the restaurant, the boss always asked Kate for all jobs, but now, the boss is asking many things to Nicholas. Kate gets mad at the boss and Nicholas because she was loosing her kitchen.
Aren’t you interested how they solve it?
I really recommend you to watch this movie. (731 words)

Sleepy Head

I’m in the Library at KGU and so sleepy because I went to bed at four last night. Actuary, it was almost early in the morning. I was watching “No Reservation” and wrote a review. Then I was going to wake up six O’clock, but I woke up at about ten thirty. I was so surprised. I didn’t hear the alarm at six. I heard my phone was ringing, and it was my friend, and she said that she just called me to wake me up. Last night, we e-mailed and I said to her that I would try to come to school around nine, she knew that I wasn’t awake in the morning because I didn’t reply to her, so she just called me before my class starts. I really appreciated it. Today I had second and third period. Of course the classes were interesting but I was so sleepy during the classes. (154 words)

B.R.-15 Karen and the Artist

The main character is Karen, and she works at an airport. She flies around the world as her job, and her father writes books. Now he is writing a book about arts.
One day, Karen is in Rome, and she is flying back tomorrow morning. In the afternoon, she doesn’t have job, so she enjoys walking around and drinking some coffee in a cafeteria. There are many beautiful pictures on the wall there, and she asks the barman who draws the pictures, but the barman seemed unhappy. He says that the artist’s name is Antonio, and he comes to the cafeteria everyday, but he never pays for the foods then he gives the barman his pictures instead of money. When Karen and barman were talking about Antonio, he just appeared, and said, “Give me some food and a drink.” The barman says no, and they start to argue. Karen couldn’t stand it, and says, “Can I see the picture?” to Antonio. Karen buys some of his pictures and they ate food together. Antonio says that he wants to draw Karen’s picture sometime Karen comes to Rome next time, so they promised to do it. Then Karen flew back to London with Antonio’s pictures and showed them to her dad. She says that she is going to the pictures for Antonio, but her dad says that the pictures are good, but it is going to be difficult because people don’t know the artist. Karen takes the pictures to an art gallery, but the old woman who works there didn’t even look up, and just said she didn’t know the name, Antonio. Suddenly a guy came into there and said, “I got a new Sharman for you! It’s wonderful.” The old woman said, “Who?” The man said, “Oh, you know him, Sherman! He’s got an exhibition at the Galerie Saint Michel in Paris! Then the old woman looks at the picture and buys it. Karen listened to the conversation, and visits next art gallery. There was an old man sitting, and Karen said, “I’ve got a wonderful new Brunetti for you.” Brunetti is Antonio’s family name, and of course the old man in the gallery doesn’t know him, but Karen kept talking and said, “You know him, he has got an exhibition at the Leonardo in Rome.” She talked just like the guy in the gallery she visited. Then the old man says that he will buy it and pay 900 euro for the picture. Karen was so happy, but she acted like she is not, and the old man says, “All right, 100 euro,” and Karen okays it. She is so happy. When she flies other countries as her job, she brings Antonio’s pictures and sells them like she did before. She got a lot of money, and a week later, she flies to Rome and goes to the café to see Antonio. She asked the barman if he know where he is. However he said he didn’t know and Antonio hadn’t come to the café these days. Karen is so sad. Suddenly a boy who was sitting at a table in the café comes and talks to Karen. He says that he is Giorgio, and Antonio’s friend. He knew Karen because Antonio always talked him about Karen. He also says that Antonio is ill, so she asked him to take her to Antonio. She got many food and drink. Antonio hadn’t got money, so he couldn’t eat well, so he is ill and in the bed. Antonio was very happy to see Karen, and Karen is happy, to. It was so sweet that he says to Karen not to leave him again. The book didn’t say anything if they go out, but I strongly hope so.
Also, I learned how to sell pictures which are not famous. (636 words)

Taking Medicines

It’s so cold these days, isn’t it? I got cold, so I take some medicine every day. I always remember one thing about medicine. When I was in America, I got cold, and my mom sent a medicine because I wasn’t sure that American medicine works for my Japanese body. I didn’t know that we can’t take any medicines to school without a special permission, so I brought, and one of my friends was very surprised about that, and told me that I need my host mother’s or host father’s signature then I hided my medicine. Isn’t it’s kind of funny? Every time I take the medicine, I remember that. (110 words)

Into the Wild

I watched “Into the Wild” in my Movie English class. Is this movie famous in America? I had never heard about this movie, but I liked the movie. Actually, I liked almost every part of the movie, but I didn’t like the last part because a boy, the main character, dies, and I couldn’t believe that it is the real story! It’s not fiction. The main character in the movie is bone in a rich family, but he didn’t like everything in the society. He burns all his money and backpacks to Alaska. A teacher of Movie English class told us sometimes it happens that in America. It surprised me a lot. Before I watch this movie, I used to want to be a backpacker sometime, but now, I don’t think I want to be any more because many dangers are there more than I thought! In the movie, the boy didn’t write or call his parents, so his parents were very worried about him. Then long months or years later, they knew there son died in far away. I wanted him to go back to his home, and he won’t die so soon. This movie was so deep, and it made me think something a lot. (207 words)

What I did recently

Until the night on December 30th, I had my part time job, so I went back to my home in Yamaga in the morning December 31st. I was so happy that I could stay with my family on the end of the year because last year, I had my part time job from December 24th to January 3rd, so I stayed at my apartment alone! Isn’t it terrible? So I was so happy this year! In the morning, I cleaned up my apartment, and left. I was very looking forward to see my do, Shiro. She seemed gained weight little bit, but she was still cute! My mother and I dote on Shiro too much, and we think that our dog is the smartest and the cutest dog in the world. Actually, she can’t do anything.
At the night, I went to bed before seeing the old year out and the New Year in. In my family, we usually eat the buckwheat noodles eaten on New Year’s Eve around twelve O’clock just like other Japanese do. Then I woke up late on January 1st, and I visited the grave with my mom and dad. It was so cold and I didn’t want to go out, but I feel weird if I didn’t visit grave on New Year’s Day.
The next day, my dad’s sister and her family came to see us from Fukuoka. We eat lunch together every year, and we talk each other a lot. Then they go back to their home in the evening. It was good to see each other. The next day, I went to see one of my friends from Junior High School. She said she was going to marry her boyfriend on September or October. We are only 21 years old now! Isn’t it too fast to marry someone? However she seemed so happy, so I was happy, too. Then after we talked a lot, I went to get some DVDs to watch, and went back my home. I got two DVDs, Desperate Housewives and Gray’s Anatomy. Do you know them? I really like them because they are funny and little bit serious sometimes. I enjoyed watching them, and I helped my mom making supper then we ate. In the night, I was going to go back to my apartment, but I quit and I decided to stay one night longer at my home. Next day, I finished watching the DVDs, and went back to my apartment. Spending time in my parents gave me a chance to relax. (424 words)

B.R.-14 New York

This book is about New York.
“The big apple” is the famous phrase for New York. I have heard that, too. The first chapter tells us why New York is called “The Big Apple”. However I didn’t understand well…
Many pictures of famous buildings in New York were in the book. They had pictures of the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center, the United Nations Building, and the Statue of liberty. I remembered that I visited there when I was a Junior High School student. When I went there, the World trade center wasn’t there, and I saw many flowers and messages. Some people were playing “Amazing grace”. I was really impressed by that.
This book says that there are 17,000 or more place to eat! I was so surprised by the sentence, “you can eat in New York every night for fifty years and never visit the same café or restaurant twice!” Can you believe that? I can’t imagine it.
There are not only good things in New York. There are dangers, too. The book says, “Don’t carry a lot of money with you. Don’t travel on the subway alone at night. Stay with the crowds late at night. Go into the nearest hotel or shop if you suddenly feel afraid.” These sentences made me scared! However, many people still dream to work in New York or travel to New York because New York is so exciting city! (243 words)

How to Steal a Million

How to steal a million
I watched a DVD, called “How to Steal a Million”. This is really old movie, but I wanted to watch it because Audrey Hepburn was in the movie. She plays the main character, Nicole Bonnet. The story is…


Nicole lives with her father Charles Bonnet. He is very good at painting, and he makes many counterfeits, then he sells them. Nicole really doesn’t like it because it’s a crime. She always keeps telling him to stop selling his fake masterpieces, but he doesn’t care at all, and he gave Kleber-Lafavette museum a loan of his statue of Cellini Venus. The Cellini Venus that Charles made is displayed in a famous museum.


One day, Nicole was alone in her house at the night, and reading a book in her room then she heard a noise. She goes down stairs to check if someone is there, and a thief was there. The stranger was looking and doing something with a picture on the wall. Nicole didn’t call police because of the counterfeits.


Nicole thinks the man who was in her house was stealing the picture, but actually he is not. He is a “private detective, specializing in stolen work of art”, so at that night, he was chipping a piece of the coloring from Charles’ painting.
However Dermott, the private detective, didn’t tell that to Nicole and acted like a thief. Of course he found out that the pictures are not real, but told nobody. Nicole and Dermott didn’t notice by themselves yet, but they were already in love.


Another day, an old man came to the house and said that they insured Cellini Venus against all accidents for one million dollars. He also asks Charles, “Would you like to be present at the technical examination?” He says that’s they are required to insure.
Now they are in big problem.


Nicole contacts to Dermott to steal the Cellini Venus from the museum before the “technical examination”. At first, he wasn’t going to that because the Cellini Venus is under close guards, and he couldn’t understand why she needs to steal hers. However she can’t tell why, but she must do. They dates and think how to steal.
The day to steal it came. They go to the museum, and they stay at the museum after it closed somehow. They hide a tiny space under the stairs, and wait until midnight. Dermott does steal the Cellini Venus with a magnet, piece of rope, and a boomerang! Can you imagine how did he make it? He is really genius. He is detective, so he knows many things to steal! Then they go home with the Cellini Venus, and he tells Nicole everything. He tells that he knew Cellini Venus wasn’t real, he could guess when Nicole asked him to steal it.
At the end of the story, Dermott meet Charles and warns him to never do it, but Charles never learns and he still keeps enjoying it. Anyway, Nicole and Charles are very happy because they don’t need to have technical examination.




I love this movie. The story was interesting and how Dermott steal the Cellini Venus was really awesome. I also liked Nicole in old-fashioned clothes. They were so cute! I really recommend you to watch it. I think girls will like it.　(557 words)

B.R.-13 New Neighbors

A girl, Alice is the main character of this story. It doesn’t tell, but I think she is a little girl, maybe she is an elementary school student. She didn’t like her neighbors because the building was old and something was different from others. Her mom said Alice that she read too many mystery books and watch too much mystery on TV and movies, so her thinking is going wild. It was true that Alice likes to read mystery books and to watch mystery on TV, but she was sure that she thinks the neighbor is odd is not because of that. One day, she saw many people are going inside of the old buildings with boxes or strange shaped packages. Alice was watching that through the window in her bed room. One man was carrying a blanket, and it seemed something was in it. Actually, she saw an arm drop out from the blanket. In the night, she was watching the old building. She could tell what was going on inside because she could see a shadow on the wall through the window, and it seemed someone was breaking something or killing something! The next day morning, she got to check the old building. It seemed no one was there, so she got inside from the window. There are many boxes and some parts of the bodies on the floor, and she screamed. Then four of the new neighbor came and described that they are not real, they are puppet. They say that they are puppeteers and using the room for work.
Alice still felt strange after that, too. I think I understand how she feels. If I were her, I would think they are strange, too, and the image won’t be effaced so easy. Anyway, I think it is interesting that children have so huge imagination.(398 words)

B.R.-12 Marcel goes to Hollywood

The main characters in this story are two French mice, Marcel and Celine. One summer, they are on holiday and went to Hollywood. Then they stayed at a house. There is a family, dad, mom, and their daughter, Lois. When everyone in the house was sleeping, they Marcel heard a noise and looked through the window. He saw two men are taking Lois away. There was a note on a door, and it said, “We have the girl. Don’t go to the police. Be in your office tomorrow at 10. We have the telephone number.” In the morning, Lois’s parent notices that Lois isn’t there and finds the note. Marcel and Celine follow Lois’s dad going to his office at ten O’clock. Her dad seems very worried. Then the phone rang, and he answered it. It was the kidnapper, and he said bring one million dollars to a room at twelve O’clock. Of course Lois’s dad goes to the place that the kidnapper said with one million dollar, so the two mice followed him. At twelve O’clock, there was the kidnapper, and Lois’s dad gave him the money, but the kidnapper says that this is only the first time, and he isn’t going to give the daughter back, then he also says to stay home and wait for a phone call. Then Lois’s dad goes back to his home, but the two mice, Marcel and Celine stays with the kidnapper. The kidnapper calls a guy who was with him at the night Lois was taken, and says that he got the money and he is leaving, so the two mice hide in a big bag which money is in. The kidnapper doesn’t notice them, and goes to another kidnapper’s home. It was old, and Lois was in a room. In the night, the kidnapper fell asleep, and Marcel and Celine decided to help Lois. First, they hid the kidnapper’s gun in the kitchen, and carried the phone to another room, and called police to tell about the case. In the morning, two kidnappers wakes up, and there are polices already. They are caught, and Lois is taken back to her home. Her parents are very happy and the mice are happy, too.


This story was really easy to read. They had a lot of cute pictures, too. I wonder why Lois’s parent didn’t call the police because if I were them, I would call the police first. When I was a child, I always wished that animals could speak, but now I don’t because it weird! (431 words)

M.R.6 Whale Rider

This is a story about Maori culture in New Zealand. The main character is a girl named Paikea. Paikea is also the name to man’s who came to New Zealand on a whale a long time ago. At the very first part of the story, Paikea was born, and her mother and her twin brother died. Paikea’s father lives in Germany, and she stays with her grandpa and grandma. Her grandpa, Koro is really strict about tradition. He wanted a boy to pass the tradition down from generation to generation. Paikea was kind of special. She did many things than other boys do, and she was interested in learning the traditions like taiaha. However Koro didn’t let her do that because Paikea is a girl. Koro always follows the old tradition, and doesn’t like breaking the traditions. I think that it is a really difficult problem. The traditions are important, but sometimes you need to break the traditions to do new things, and it makes things better sometimes. The existence of Paikea shows that to Koro.


At first, Koro wasn’t happy about Paikea’s birth, and he didn’t seem sad about Paikea’s mom’s death. I couldn’t understand that. Sometimes it is difficult to understand the culture for people who have a different culture. However I think it’s really interesting there are so many different cultures in the world.
I liked when Paikea and Koro ride a bicycle together. However the scene was very sad when Paikea was going to leave her grandma and grandpa with her dad.


I also felt the family love as I watch this movie. Even when they couldn’t understand each other, they don’t hate each other. For example, sometimes Koro yells at Paikea, and sometimes Paikea does things which are really bad for Koro, but they still love each other. I believe that the love among the family is the strongest! (314 words)

B.R-11 Christmas in Prague

This story begins with interesting phrases. “Do you know everything about your family – your parents, your grand parents, your brothers or sisters, your uncle or aunts? Does your family know everything about you? All families have secrets.”


There is a family in this story. Jan, his English wife Carol, and his father Josef, and they live in Oxford. Jan has never sawn his mother, because she died when Jan was a baby, and Josef always has a picture of his dead wife in his pocket. Carol plays the harp in an orchestra, so she is going to go to Prague to give some concerts on Christmas, and she wants Jan and Josef to come. Josef says that Prague is a very beautiful place, but he never wants to go there. At a morning, Jan told Josef that Carol really wants to go to Prague to play the harp in the concerts, and she wants them to come, then Josef finally said okay.


Carol is in Prague to have rehearsals, and Jan and Josef is coming two days later. After the rehearsal, she went shopping to get some Christmas presents for them. When she was walking down the street, she saw Jan across the street. She thought, “Why was he in Prague so soon?” She shouted to him, but he didn’t hear her. She shouted very loud, again. “Jan! Jan! It’s me, Carol!” This time, he turned to Carol, but he didn’t smile or speak, and he started to walk away. Carol was very afraid, and felt like she was loosing him. Suddenly Carol runs across the street, but there was a bus, and Carol lay in the snow.


The next morning, the orchestra is having a rehearsal, and soon they notice that Carol is not there, and the conductor finds out that Carol is in a hospital. He goes to the hospital, and calls to her husband. Carol wakes up, and she says she saw Jan on the street yesterday, but the conductor can’t understand what she is talking about because when he talked her husband on the phone, he was still in Oxford. Few hours later, a man, Pavel who saw the street accident came to see how Carol was doing, and Jan and Josef arrived to hospital, too. They are very confused because Pavel is Josef’s son and Jan’s twin brother!


Josef talked about a night at Christmas which was long, long time ago. When Josef was young, he married Jan and Pavel’s mother, Lenka. However, things were difficult in Prague at that time, and they got to leave there. They planed to go to Austria, and then go to England. Josef and Jan could get Austria at night on 24th. Then next day night, Lenca and Pavel tried, but the guards noticed them, and shot Lenca. After that, Pavel stayed with Lenka’s mother. She told him Lenka dies at a hospital, and Josef left and he is having new life in England, so Pavel was mad at Josef because Josef never wrote to him. Then Josef shows a piece of paper. It was a very old letter from Lenca’s grandma to Josef. The letter said that Lenca and Pavel were shot at the border, and she never wants to see him or hear from him, so never come back to Prague. Now Carol, Jan, and Pavel understood. Then the conducter came into the room, and said that he needs her to play the harp in the concert at the night.
At the concert, Carol could play the harp, and Jan and Josef could go to the concert with their new family! They all are happy now.


This story was really interesting! I never could guess what was going to happen. I chose this book because it’s the day before CHRISTMAS! I wished that I could stay with my family.
I remember the Christmas about four years ago. I was in America that year. December the 24th, I went to a Church with my host family at the night. We sang a song, and prayed. They had a very big tree and many candles. They were really beautiful, and it was a very good experience to me.
Anyway, have a nice Christmas! (712 words)