Greater Lafayette Culture and Cuisine

Yeah! From last Friday, the "Greater Lafayette (Lafayette and West Lafayette)Culture and Cuisine" class started☆　This class has been provided by Pudue ESOL. Every other Friday morning, we welcome different teachers. At the first half, we learn vocablary about dining, American etiquette, and upcoming events. At the latter half, we go to a restaurant that a teacher recommend. Oh, you are wondering whether it is "a class" or not? Yeah, it's like...a fun meeting!!

The teacher of the first day was Eileen. She is definitely one of my FAVORITE teachers! When I started to study at Purdue ESOL, I was just impressed by her teaching. She has great leadership, originality, and sense of humor. Also, she is very supportive teacher! She has been France and Morocco. So she understands how serious we are about studying local language.
She gave us TGIF(Thank God It's Friday!) newspaper. Uhm...I wasn't aware that so many concerts and festivals were held in this town! Also, it's a football season now.
She explained some custom and traditonal events which were related to football games.

Then, we went to her favorite restaurant...Maize! Maize is also my favorite restaurant. It is located at the center of downtown Lafayette. I think they provide "fancy American" cuisine. Whenever you go, lunch time or dinner time... Maize is always dim, in a chic mood, I think. Can you feel the mood from this photo? After we were seated, a waiter explained today's specials. I love soup! But, that day's special soup was "Indian rabbit and duck creamy soup." Oooops... INDIAN RABBIT!?
"Actually, there is a wild rabbit (or two rabbits, I'm not sure...) in my yard. "
When I said so, my classmate, Erin, who is from Taiwan, said, "So, Have you noticed he disappeared?" and similed.
NO WAY!!! I am a CHICKEN, so I didn't take it. However, Erin ordered the soup.

While we were waiting food, Eileen asked Erin, "So...what do you do here?"
She smiled, " I am doing a housewife job." However, we knew she was SOMEBODY because she was very, very fluent in English!!! We asked her many questions, and gradually she told us about herself. She went to a University in Chicago to finish a program about being an internatinaol lawyer just for two years!
She moved to Lafayette because of her husband's study. However, she already took the exam of international lawyer. I should say an "American lawyer," because her prospective certification was available in New York. Now, she is waiting for the result. If she pass it, she will be an intern in Indiana, and go to New York to get a job. Her major is "the international banking law."
Wow! She must be amazingly smart!! What made me impressed was not only her intelligence, but also her friendliness and humbleness!!

Sometimes I can meet people like Erin here, someone who is AMAZINGLY smart, and also humble and sociable!!
One of my Korean friends, Jing Kyong, is also such a wonderful person.
She was a physician in Korea, and had been studying for the American medical doctor exam. She got pregnant, and she went back to Korea...anyway, we have been good friends!! I think she is very smart person, but she has never bragged about herself. She is always funny, and delicate. She often cared about how my investigations for a wedding job ( I was looking for a volunteer job or something which was related to wedding at that time) were going because she knew how important that was to me.

I admire people like Erin and Jing Kyong. I can't be amazingly smart like them FOREVER, but I enjoy listening their experience! I always learn many things from friends who have achived great results.
Oh! Now, I noticed. Having these people is also Greater Lafayette's heritage!

Deaf Doctor

Friday morning, when I had breakfast, my attention was fixed on TV. It was a Japanese news program provided by TV Japan(Japanese NHK.) The report that attracted me was about " a handicapped medical doctor-to-be."
According to this report, a law about a prospective doctor's condition was changed five years ago. Before that, people who were blind, deaf, and mute couldn't be doctors in Japan. However, many people thought this law restricted physically handicappeds' possibilities. Finally, the law was abolished five years ago.

A reporter introduced a deaf medical student whose name was Mr. Oishi. He is the first handicapped who passed the exam of a medical school as the handicapped.
My uncle is a professor of a medical school. So, I know how hard graduating from a medical school is even for smart students who don't have any handicap!!
Because they will treat people's lives, they have to study A LOT!! Many medical students drop out before the graduation day.
Mr. Oishi has been doing great so far with enormous effort even though he has been in a harder situation than other students. He is always with a sign language translator, but most of the time, he is required to answer quickly because a doctor has to respond immediately. So, he always tries to read teachers' and classmates' lips.
But sometimes it is really hard for him! Some of them don't speak clearly , and they use many difficult medical terms.

Why does he want to be a doctor? The reporter went to his parents' home. He is from a local city in the southern part of Japan. His father is a physician. The father's hospital was located next to his house, so Mr. Oishi grew up seeing his father's job.
The father knew Mr. Oishi had wanted to be a doctor since he was a child... However, he had never asked his son, " Would you like to be a doctor?" and so on because of the law.
On the other hand, Mr. Oishi's determination to be a doctor hasn't changed. He just believed, " This is the best job for me because I can understand how hard the handicap is! I want to help people who are suffering from handicaps or sickness!!"
He had prepared to go to a medical school, and fortunately, the law was abolished.

Mr. Oishi will have the final doctor's exam for certification a year and a half later. Now, he is working at a public hospital as an intern. Although he is very busy, he has been trying to go to his patients' rooms repeatedly. He comes close to his patients to read their lips, and talk without an interpreter to figure out each patient's situation and feelings like the picture. ( I took this picture when I watched TV. The program is "News Nine" on 22nd, privided by TV Japan, NHK.) His patients said, " We hope he will get his certification because there are not so many doctors who try to understand not only our symptoms, but also our feelings like him."

There is no "special case" of being a doctor, so the only way for him to become a doctor is to get knowledge enoughand skills. Do you know how many handicapped medical students there are in Japan? There are just four, including Mr. Oishi. He is the highest level handicapped intern, so if he pass the exam, he will also be the first one who becomes a real handicapped doctor.

However, there are still many obstacles he has to overcome. Because of his deafness, he needs some special equipment. For example, he got a stethoscope that SHOWS a patient's heart tone and rate as a graph from the United States. ( I guess there are more deaf doctors in the United States, but my English teachers said they had never heard, or met them.) When he performs an operation, he can't read his colleagues' lips. Therefore, he needs to ask them to use sign language or gestures.
However, I think he will overcome his handicap because many doctors, classmates, and patients support him, and especially, he has great perseverance.

Mr. Oishi said, "I want to be a docotor who understand patient's suffering and can judge situations approppriately. I am doing my best day by day. Therefore, I believe my dream will come true someday."I won't forget about him, so I wrote about him on my blog. Most of us tend to give up our dream or determination when it is hard to reach, or when we find many obstacles. However, we should believe we have much more potential than we expected. He may be a "special" person, but I think the similar things would happen to us if we believe our potential.

Japonais!

Last Tuesday, when I slipped into the "Beginning French" class, I sat next to a congenial girl, Haidi. Because my seat was at the edge of the desk( we share a long rectanglular desk,) I didn't have enough space to put my note. Haidi made a space for me and said, "Keiko, どうぞ。(please)"
...??? Did she speak Japanese? I must have misheard that...I thought.
"Thank you." I replied in English, and continued to take a note. Then, she spoke to me again. "フランス語は難しいですね.( French is difficult, isn't it?)" !!!!????
"Can you speak Japanese!?"　　
"はい、名古屋に５年ほど住んでいましたので。(Yes, I lived in Nagoya for almost five years.)
Wow! She is very...fluent in JAPANESE!!(In French, Japonais)

After the class, we enjoyed a conversation in JAPANESE. Haidi said she graduated from Nanzan University (南山大学.) Nanzan University is famous for having many international students. Purdue University is one of the "sister schools" of Nanzan University. After graduating high school,she went to junior college in Japan. Then, she transferred to Nanzan University.
Wow! I bet she will improve her French soon because she already knows how to master a foreign language!! Amazing!!

By the way, our French homework of this week is memorizing the conjugation of verbs. MEMORIZING FRENCH CONJUGATION OF VERBS!!!? Seriously?
It was second class, and our class WAS supposed to be for beginners...
However, our teacher Maud, and my classmates are so enthusiastic that we have been making MUCH progress!! I haven't done my homework yet...
I hope I will not be a "dropout" of this class...
Please DON'T ABANDON ME!!!

This picture is the International Center. The beginning French class has been being held here!!

Plumber

When you live in a foreign country, you would experience more impressive & exciting things than you do in your original country. But then, you would encounter more frustrating happenings.

Recently, we have had some housing problems needing to be fixed because it's been three years since we started to live in this home. Some technicians and a plumber have come back and forth to my house. Last week, after the plumber replaced a faucet, my hubby found it was leaking. Therefore, I called the plumber, and asked him to come to my house again. This morning, he came.

HOWEVER!!! His attitude was very, very bad. He was sulky, and said nothing.
I said," Right now, it's OK. However, it has been leaking..."
He spoke loudly,"It's OK? Today!?" He seemed to say," What are you talking about!? I didn't think I had to come here again!"
Because I noticed he was mad, I muttered."I,i,i..t was."
"Huh!?" Again, with a LOUD threatening voice...
I was annoyed by his attitude, and replied, " I woke up just a minite ago. I don't check the faucet all the time. So, I don't know exactly whether it is leaking or not right now, But, it was. Would you check it and set the water filtration system on the faucet again?"
Still, he said nothing, and stood in front of the faucet like to confirm if the leaking ploblem was true or not.
I wanted to say,"What is YOUR problem!? Fix it!! It's your job!!" But, I didn't..Beceuse he was a very tall, big guy like a football player, and we were ALONE in an enclosed space... If I made him very mad, I couldn't beat him!!!
Finally, he started to work. He added a packing in the faucet to prevent it from leaking again. DO IT WITHOUT COMPLAINING!!! I said to myself.

I know, I know, sometimes it happens... I think most American people are more friendly than many Japanese, but I don't know why some people are very impolite. Of course I met impolite Japanese, like a taxi driver or a courier... However, basically, most Japanese, especially business people, are polite.
Whenever I meet such an impolite person here, I feel VERY frustrated because my English is not perfect, so I can't argue with him/her at their speed!
To make the thing worse, such an impolite person wants to insult my Asian accent and imperfect English. Also, when I get nervous, I can't speak in English as usual.
However, I have always tried to tell them what made me unconfortable.
THEY SHOULD NOTICE THAT!!!

Two years ago, a dentist rescheduled my appointment (the same one) FOUR times because of meetings, or his family matters. His secretary didn't even say," I am sorry." When I met him finally, I said to him. " My time is valuable as yours. I don't want to see a dentist who underestimates his patients anymore. So long."
Last summer, when my parents visited here, my mother had her birthday. I had ordered a birthday ornament which was made of balloons and flowers at a famous balloon shop. They were supposed to deliver it on her birtyday morning, so I was very excited... But, they didn't come! They didn't even make my mom's ornament!!
I called them, and said, "This is my mom's first, and may be the last birthday when she is in the U.S! You ruined my mom's birthday! I will never ask you to make one again!!"

I have more frustrating stories, but I should stop it. In today's case, my house owner recommended the plumber to me. So after he left my home, I sent an e-mail to the owner.

You said he was "dependable," but regretfully, I am doubtful about that. When he came to my home today, his attitude was very, very bad. He seemed not to believe the leaking. When he left my home, he said " I am sorry for the inconvenience." like a normal business person. However, I was very uncomfortable about his first attidude. Because a plumber comes to my home when I am alone, I want to have someone who is polite. He doesn't have to be very polite, but I just don't want to feel I might be in danger. Please understand. I don't know when I need to call a plumber next time, but at that time, I need another one.

The owner replied to me soon. "Sorry, he must have been having a bad or a busy day."
I replied again, " Maybe. But, he shouldn't show his childish temper to his customers. He is not the only plumber in this town. If he is the only one you work with, I will find another plumber."

One of the reasons why I want to improve English is I WANT TO BE ASSERTIVE! I don't want them to be insulting!! However, when I told my hubby about this story, he said, "It's scarely! YOU ARE freaking me out... YOU ARE an insulting American!!" Wouldn't you worry about me!?

Golf Lesson

I, Keiko, finally decided to take...private golf lessons! Because? My husband said, " You are SO TALENTED at playing golf... Please learn from a lesson pro! I GIVE UP!! I want to know whether somebody on the earth can correct your swing form or not!!!" He was SO KIND...wasn't he??

Before the first lesson day( last Sunday) came, I was a little bit nervous because my hubby said to me repeatedly, " What will you do if the teacher gives up to teach you?" or "I know my colleague who was told by a lesson pro,"Study how to speak in English before learning how to play golf!"" Don't make me scared!!!

However, eventually, the teacher was kind! Coincidentally, he was the same lesson pro whom my Chinese friend recommended to me before. She said, " The teacher is good at teaching, not expensive, and especially, his name is FUNNY!" Yes, his name is MICKY like the Micky Mouse.

My first lesson started! I wasn't supposed to take a driver from the beginning. Micky told me to learn how to use my shoulder first by doing an exercise as in the first picture. Then, he taught me how to use my waist, how to move my weight when I shot without using a driver or another golf club. Finally, he let me hold a driver, and taught what the ideal "top" of the swing was, correcting (bending) my body like the second picture.
My body is STIFF, so it was hard for me to bend...

However, he was actually good at teaching! My grip and top swing form became much better like the third picture than before! I could "shoot" balls constantly 80 yards! That was a big difference! Before that, I just "rolled" a ball! My hubby was also surprised. " A pro is the pro! If somebody will start to play golf, he/she sould learn from a lesson pro first! Today I fugured it out!"

For golf lovers and mostly for myself, I am going to write what I learned from Micky at the first lesson. Caution: I may misunderstand in some parts...
1. Feet: they should be placed approximately a shoulder's length apart.
2. Knees: they should always be unlocked, and can be bent slightly.
3. The upper part of the body: it should slightly lean forward. Don't bend your back.
4. Grip: The left hand should be placed parallel to a club. However, it overlaps the club. The left thumb extends down the shaft to a point. The right thumb should overlap the left thumb casually. The right pinkie is placed between the left forefinger and the left middle finger. The other right fingers should not overlap the left hand. The right hand is never locked.
5. The top of the swing: When I swing backwards, I should hinge (Micky said "hinge," but many golf magazines used "cock.") my wrist. I should swing more until my right arm is placed at an angle of 90 degrees with my back. (My hubby said it is exaggerated...maybe, Micky wants me to have "the sense.") This is very important: at that time, my left arm shouldn't be bent. (That's why I feel muscular clamps now...) Accordingly, there should be a wide space between both arms.
6. The movement: When I swing backward, my weight moves to the right foot naturally. When I shot a ball, my weight should move to the left foot accordingly.
(I tend to curve too much to the back instead of moving forward to the left because of the force of the swing.)

The lesson was good, I am looking forward to having the next lesson! (I am taking five individual course) But, why did I become SO TIRED!? I need enough STAMINA to play 18 holes...

Sashimi Boat

Last Saturday, my hubby and I intended to spend our time in town. However, when we were shopping in the Tippecanoe Mall (the biggest shopping mall in Lafayette,) he said. "Let's go to the Sashimi Boat!" The Sashimi Boat is a name on the menu of Ocean World, which is a Japanese restaurant in Indianapolis. Actually, we think this is the best Japanese restaurant we have ever had in the U.S. We almost always go out to eat at Japanese restaurants on trips and once every two weeks. Then, we have figured out the best Japanese restaurant is Ocean World because their Sushi and Sashimi are the freshest, biggest, and most delicious!! However...
"Indianapolis!? From now on? Seriously?? It takes one hour from here, and it's already 5:00 pm!" I was surprised, but my hubby already started to drive toward a highway.
It's all right, I know! Sometimes he seems to BE ADDICTED TO the Sashimi Boat at Ocean World. I understand because I also LOVE it!

After one hour of driving, we arrived at Ocean World in Indianapolis. Of course we ordered the Sashimi Boat as usual. Look at the picture! Sweet shrimp, tuna, young yellowtail, octopus, sea bass, bonito, salmon, squid, etc... This is "for two" version. If you order "for three" or "for four," you can get more! Of course you have to PAY more... Can you guess how much is it? This "for two" version is $60. It accompanies two bowls of rice and salads or miso soups. I don't think it's expensive if I consider the quality and the quantity! Because we looked so excited, a manager came close to us. I asked him, " Why are your Sashimis always so fresh?"
He smiled. " Because we import fresh fish every other day from Japan and Chicago!" Every other day!? That's why they are so fresh... If you happen to come to Indianapolis, I recommend you to go to Ocean World! The address is: 1206 W. 86th Rd. Indianapolis The phone number: 317-848-8901

Oh, I almost forgot! Before we went to Ocean World, we stopped by the SAKURA Mart. This is a Japanese food shop. If you live in Japan, the second picture is not so interesting. But for us, this shop is really exciting place!! At this time, we were STARVING. So, we wanted to buy everything... It's not good to go to a food shop when we are very hungry!! However, I tried just to enjoy seeing them, and got " Yakisoba" and "Ramen." Of course they are not instant food♪

After we were satisfied with the Sashimi Boat, we went to our favorite organic food shop, the "Trader Joes." What? Again, a food shop? Yeah, I think we did like an "intense food tour in Indianapolis" on Saturday. The Trader Joe's is an interesting shop! Many imported foods from Europe, their original foods, and sweets... Today, I bought the Chocolate Chip Scones, the Almond Croissants(They are really good!!), the Swiss Milk Chocolate with 30% whole Hazelnuts, and the Japanese Style Curry Pasta(What's this!?)

While we were going back to Lafayette, we saw unusual scenery. Take a look at the last picture! Ii was 8:00pm, the twilight time. It looks like that red and yellow light are spreading from the horizon. It may look like aurora! Wow, it's interesting!
After I took this picture, I fell asleep... Sorry, the driver! It is natural to feel sleep after we eat TOO MUCH!!!

French Class

Last Tuesday, the " Beginning French" class started at the International Center. I know I should study ENGLISH FIRST, but I had wanted to study French since last year! If you look the picture, you would figure out how serious I was. I bought many French reference books in English, and Japanese. Call me an idiot! I even bought a French electronic dictionary when I visited Japan!! However, just after I started to study French, I was STUCK. I couldn't do it just by myself! I needed a TRAINER!!
I had waited for a long time until this class started, and...finally it opened!

Why do I want to study French? From these following reasons:
1. I love French arts, fashion, leather brands, food, and cosmetics!
Even though I never visited there.
2.When I was in Japan, I often went to French restaurants because of my wedding emcee job. Sometimes I explained their menus and wines. Whenever I did so, I thought: I wish I understood French!
3. English is already "the international language," so many people can speak. I thought I should study one more language to increase my possibilities.
4.This is the biggest reason! My husband MAY transfer to some countries whose official languages are French, like Belguim or Canada in the future. We are not sure, though. Since I came here, I have realized SEVERELY that the language is the most important key for me to assimilate the culture. Additionally, mastering a foreign language takes such a LONG TIME!! Therefore, if I have even "a" possibility to move there, I want to learn "their" language as soon as possible!!!!

The teacher of the "Beginning French" class is a 25-year-old researcher at Purdue.
Her name is Maud, and she is from Toulouse, in the south of France.
Mmmm, she was a cheerful, seemed a good teacher! I thought.
The students are from the United States, Korea, Lebanon,Slovakia, Chile, Brazil, Syria, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ukraine, and Japan(me.)
Wow! Except for three Americans, we have different nationalities! That's wonderful!
Especially, don't you think it is great to have Americans, a Lebanese, and a Syrian together in the same class for the same purpose despite the world's situation?
I was excited!

However, as soon as the class started, I got frustrated... Maud encouraged us to introduce ourselves in French! WHAT!? All French I remembered
were:
Bonjour! Hello, Tres bien Very good, Merci Thank you, Bon voyage (Have) a nice trip!, and Je taime I love you!
Shall I say all of those to my classmates!? She gave us exmaples. Needing a lot of effots, I learned these French sentences:
Je m'appelle Keiko Ohashi. My name is Keiko Ohashi.
Pre'nom est Keiko. Nom de famille est Ohashi. The first name is Keiko. The last name is Ohashi.
Je viens Tokyo. I'm from Tokyo.
Je suis Japonaise. I am a Japanese. J'ai trente deux. I am thirty two years old.
Je suis marrie. I am married. Je nai pas denfants. I don't have a child.
Je' tais une organisatrice de marriage. I organized weddings.
J ètudiel anglais en ce moment. I study English now.
Enchantèe de vous! (Nice to meet you!)

As you know, I am always frustrated with my English...but today, I felt like: English is such an easy language to me! Let me speak English to communicate with my classmates! I AM GOING TO BE CRAZY!!!

After I came back home exhausted, I found e-mail from Maud. She told us her e-mail address to encourage us to ask her French questions. I replied:
I'm not sure I can survive in your class... However, I will do my best!
She replied to me SOON! She said," I'm sure you can survive! Next time, I will explain some basic French grammer. Take your time!"
She is SO kind... I am busy, but I know everybody is always busy! So, how can we find the time to learn new things? I have to make an effort to do that.

This is a chance to learn French! The teacher is supportive, the class is cheap( just $30 per semester,) and I have many classmates who have the same interest!
"Be stuck there, don't give up!" I don't know how many times I have said it to myself.
Oh, don't forget the most important thing..."Enjoy!" Aimer!

My First Award

Wow! I can't believe it! This picture is a trophy of the Toastmasters. At the last meeting of the Toastmasters, I made an impromptu speech. Then, I was chosen...the best table speech speaker of the week!!!

Last Monday, I went to my first meeting after I became a formal member of the Toastmasters. When "the table topics" were told, I was called as a speaker! Wow! I just became a member...there was NO BREAK during the Toastmasters' meeting! My topic was "my favorite card game." While I was walking toward a platform, I tried not to be nervous, and said to myself as follows:
1. Smile!
2. Be confident!
3. Speak clearly and slowly with a big voice!
4. Say something funny & possitive!
Then, I made this speech:
" My favorite card game is blackjack even though I have never played. My husband and I love to go to Las Vegas. Last time before we went there, we talked: If we win in a casino there, we would buy a plasma TV! However, when we watched the blackjack games in Las Vegas, we were devastated at the reality. Everybody bet much money! When we saw the game, one coin was $500. A young boy piled up four coins. The amount was... $2,000! That would be our plasma TV! The young boy lost his money soon, we were dissapointed at the reality. However, it was fun to make a contrast between our daily lives and a millionaire's dream!"

I have to say to you. I didn't make this speech fluently! Because I hadn't practiced!! Additionally, I made a lot of grammatical mistakes! Other speakers who did table speeches were Americans except for one Guatemalan girl. Why was I chosen as a best speaker? After I came home, I listened today's meeting tape that I recorded.
Maybe, because... I had dynamics. I have been working on to enhance my vocal range in the Voice for the Actor class and voice trainings from Mrs. Paine. Especially, last Monday, I went to the meeting just after I acted "being robbed" play with vocalizations! Mmmmm, it 's interesting! I have been focusing on what I want to do, so every activity is related to each other? I hope so!!!
What? You think... This award may be "a welcome" award because I am new?
Yeah...could be!!!

"Being Robbed"

Fortunately, I have never been robbed in my life. However, I ACTED as a woman who has " been robbed" in the Voice for the Actor class!

Last Wednesday, Stacie made us into pairs, and said. "The next assignment is acting short drama without words with your partner. Remember, just use your vocalizations, not words!" Now, we have been trying to enhance our vocal range. Very low voice, very high voice... If you visit our class when we are practicing vocalization, you would think we are crazy.

We discussed what kinds of topics were interesting. Then, each pair drew a topic they were going to play. My partner was Ron. His major is music. Our topic was: being robbed!! We should play this next Monday(11th.) We discussed our ideas how to make it interesting.
He said," A person who was robbed could become a robber. Isn't it interesting?"
Yeah, it is! I said," Being robbed reminds me of a scene in the Sex and the City. The main character, Carrie, was robbed of not only her purse, but also her gorgeous shoes. (Look at the photo!) How about robbing a pair of shoes? "

We met outside the class, added some ideas, and practiced the play.
Our "being robbed" story is:
One woman (me) walks like a super model. Then, a robber(Ron) whose head is covered by a hood jumps in front of the woman. The woman is scared, tries to give her purse to him, but he refuses. He wants her gorgeous shoes!! Those are more important for her than her purse, so she refuses. But the robber threatens her, so crying, she gives her favorite pair. The robber turns to run away. However, when she sees he looks very satisfied with her shoes, she gets mad. She runs to him, and kicks him like a Karate athlete! ( Like a second photo: this image is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karate I thought I could take advantage of being Japanese..) She takes a glance at "his" shoes which are sporty sneakers, completely different from "her" shoes. She thinks, "Mmmm, these are also good!" and robbs his sneakers! The robber freaks out at her change, and runs away. She wears his sneakers, pulls a hood of her parka over her head, and starts to walk like "the robber."

We acted this story in the class. Their reaction? They burst out laughing when I did the "Karate kick" (I don't know how to call it in English... a Karate kick, or maybe a turn kick?as we call it " 回し蹴り " in Japanese.) to Ron!! Stacie said we did a good job, but the most important goal of this assignment was to use wide ranged vocalizations. Therefore, she encouraged us to use more vocal ranges. Yes, I know it would be better! It's not so easy to get VERY loud or produce STRANGE voice in front of the audience because I am a SHY Japanese girl... But, every students was told "Even really go further!" from Stacie. Every pair acted at least "take two" after Stacied gave us advice.

However, they are studying "theater" major...so, everybody did a great job! It was impressing that they could immediately adjust after Stacie gave them advice. Their acting and vocalzation were getting better! My partner, Ron, also acted greater than our practice. Other pairs' topics: playground, going a zoo, first date, roommate fight, being late for a class, hair cut, job interview, and getting a puppy. My favorite one was "first date!" A boy acted as a JERK who wanted to look cool, and a girl acted as a quiet girl who followed him reluctantly... I thought this couple was a typical teenage couple! The two actors used their wide vocal ranges effectively! When I watched everbody's play, I thought, "What a fun class!! I am watching comic skits by actors-to-be!!"

However, after the class was over, I noticed. What funny is...myself! What I am doing here!? I am only Asian in this class( There are no Asian, African American, and Hispanic. I heard all of them are born in the U.S, and they are Caucasians,)and I think I am the OLDEST...but I acted as a PIG ( see the "Ideal Voice" section,) and I did a TURN KICK to an American boy!? I think I kicked him over 20 times... including our practice. To make our play impressive, I always kicked him with all of my strength. I'm sorry, Ron!!!

a movie "Step Up"

On Saturday, I went to a movie theater to watch "Step Up" with my hubby. I wanted to watch it because I've heard this movie is full of great dancing, music, and love! This is one of the "American Dream" movies. A rebel became a partner of a beautiful ballet dancer. The rebel has a gift for dancing even though he didn't notice it. He tried to do his best because he liked the dancer.
However, there are many difficulties and differences between them...This image is the movie's poster, from http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809279547/photo/614492
Don't worry, the end is a HAPPY ENDING! Sorry, I told you! But I don't like movies whose endings have NO HOPE... This movie is full of dreams and hope!

Although I didn't know her before, I love the main actress of this movie. Her name is Jenna Dewan. She was also starring in "Take the Lead." I should have watched this!! She has a beautiful, beautiful figure, is REALLY good at dancing, and her fashion sense is...you should check it out!!! She is always wearing clothes that she can dance easily in this movie. However, those are not too casual. Really cool!!
I love this type of movies making me EXCITED as a girl. Like this movie, "Step Up" and "The Devil Wears Prada." I should review the main actresses fashion in those movies!!

By the way, from last weekend, the football season began. Therefore, there were less than ten people including us in the movie theater even though it was a NEW movie. We live in a small city, but we can find MANY ways to enjoy "American culture" on weekends.

Business English

From the last week of August, Purdue ESOL's fall semester began. The Purdue ESOL is an English school which is located on the Purdue campus for international students. There are at least four English schools in this city. I've been every school. However, I love the Purdue ESOL most because each class is not big(maximam 15 students) and they have different kinds of classes for each level. I have taken these classes as follows: Integrated, Grammer Review, TOEFL preparation, Conversation, Presentation Skills, Academic Writing, Book Club, Vocabulary Roots up, Grammer in Action, English for Communication, Pronunciation, Business English, American Culture, and Coffee Talk...
I have taken each class two times, I think... If the textbook changed, I took the same course again because I thought I could learn other things. Taking the same class three times sounds like too much, but I think "taking it once again" was good for me! My English is not perfect yet AT ALL, but if I compare it to myself just after I came here. I think my English has improved a lot! It's because of the Purdue ESOL and my private tutor, Sally.

This semester, I am taking just TWO classes here because I have already taken many classes, and I have other activities outside this school. Which classes am I taking here? "Business English" and "Greater Lafayette Culture and Cuisine!" The second one will start later, so I am going to tell you about the "Business English" class. In this class, we use this textbook(including the CD) in the photo. Because native English speakers use many IDIOMS in business scenes, we learn 20-30 idioms which are frequently used in business scenes in one class. We read dialogues, listen to the teacher's explanation, answer some quizzes, and introduce other idioms, in the class. Outside the class, as homework, we write some sentences or passages using idioms we just learned.

The teacher in the class is Rachel, who was my teacher of Presentation Skills last summer. I know her well, so I made this situation to do my homework . Caution: Pink word are idioms. How many idioms do you know...?

Situation: Rachel, you are my friend. I worked at a Japanese lingerie company.
I send e-mails talking about my job.

Lesson 1:
Hello, Rachel!

My boss told me " Keiko, don't forget. Mum's the word!" but I can't keep any secret under wraps to you!! My company will get a new, amazing project off the ground. It's gonna be a blockbuster!! What is it? It is...a new type of "water bra." I don't remember if there are water bras in the U.S. or not... because you don't have to wear it! A water bra has pads which are made of "water." Why should it be water? Because water looks natural, as if the pads are part of your"real breasts!" You know, many Japanese women have "flat" breasts like me.. But we want to DECEIVE guys, so we like to wear these kinds of bras! However, even though "a water bra" LOOKS natural, when a guy touches it, he would know "these are pads!" Our project team has been researching to solve this problem, then,,, they did!! They found the way to make a new type of water bra, which looks more natural, and "feels" like the real one!
I am soooo excited about this! If my company gets a big win, I will also make a killing !! I can bring your whole family to Todai(Rachel's favorite Japanese restaurant) again and again!! I will talk to you soon !!!


Lesson 2:

Rachel!!

I can't believe what happened!! I said our project team invented a new type of water bra. However, they didn't think enough about the budget!!
They reported their back-of-the-envelope calculations. I was so excited about their invention that I forgot to confirm the budget..but, actually, we have to spend $3,000 to make a bra!!! It's impossible!!! I was the one who gave them the green light to proceed with this project, and I made several presentations to many clients.. Oh my God!! It's too late to stop this project!! It's already going on!! It will be better if my company is just in the red ..I guess, My head is on the chopping block!! What should I do? It blows my mind!! Help me, Rachel!!

How was that? How many idioms do you know? What? What did you say? It doesn't matter? You think... I should pick a more FORMAL topic if I want to use business English seriously? Yeah, you're right!!!

JSA

Last Friday's night, I went to the "callout" of JSA.
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~japanst
JSA is an abbreviation for the Japanese Student Association. The president of JSA is my friend, so I went there to become a member of this organization. JSA welcomes people, not only Japanese students but also any Japanese and those who are interested in Japan or its culture. Therefore, I brought my Taiwanene friend who is fluent in Japanese, and studied at Yokohama National University (横浜国立大学).

When we arrived at the classroom, we were... AMAZED!! The classroom was huge, but there were many people... and, their visual aids were big & clear! Sooo good!! The photo seems not to be so crowded, but after I took this photo, many people came to the room. Finally, the room became FULL!! Later, I heard over 150 people came there to become members. I was VERY impressed because the officers (the Japanese students) did a good job! Japanese community is not very big in this town. However, they gathered so many people! Not only Japanese but also Americans and many international people!

What is the JSA doing? We can become a member of JSA by paying $5 per year. If you become a member, you can get discounts from 12 restaurants and shops in this town: for example, Nakama, Joo Joo, Asia Oriental Market, and China Garden... Also, they hold a tea ceremony event, Japanese flower arrangement event, "Taste of Japan," Japanese movie night event, and so on. I suppose it was not so easy to get many shops to cooperate. I know how hard to be an international student here, so they are supposed to be busy working on their majors... but they are also working hard to introduce Japanese culture in the U.S, and identify their home country!!

Whenever I meet the president of JSA, I am always impressed by his ambition and enthusiasm. He is always eager to improve himself: as a student, as a Japanese, as a cosmopolitan, and as a businessperson... My Taiwanese friend, who was with me that night, is also such a person. She just came here, but she is taking MANY English classes, a Spanish class, and a Japanese class.. to get a job in the U.S. I believe my friends' influence on me is very important. When I meet friends who are always stepping forward, I feel like... I want to improve myself more like her/him!
This feeling always pushes me, and I LOVE to feel it.

The Right To Speak

Last Wednesday, five minutes after "the Voice for the Actor" class started, one girl came into the studio being late. She had never been late for this class. She always looked cheerful, but at that day, she looked pale. When Stacie turned off the light, everybody lay down in a mat to be ready to stretch except for...her. She was next to me. I looked up her, then she said. " My cell phone is on. My daughter is sick, so in the case I need to go, my cell phone would ring." She has... a DAUGHTER!?
I have never imagined! I have never asked her age, but she is a sophomore. She also looks young, so I'm sure she is around 20. But...she has a child.
This day, I just realized some students may have special ( I don't know I can call it "special") circumstances.

By the way, this class's textbook is "The Right To Speak." (The photo!) The author is a British voice teacher. His principle is: Some people believed they have bad voice. However, I have never heard "bad voice!!" They just don't know how to make their voice effectively! Everybody has RIGHT to use their voice effectively to enjoy making speeches, singing, and acting!
In the class, we discussed about the textbook. I love his principle!

Hair Accessories

I LOVE accessories!! I hadn't found my favorite accessories in the U.S. for awhile. But lately, I found a really cute brand! It is a hair accessory's brand. The brand's name is SOHO. http://www.sohoforme.com/index.asp If you go to a big shopping mall in the U.S, you may find a SPARKLING booth. (It's not a shop, but a booth.) If the clerks are Korean girls who wear MANY beautiful SPARKLING hair accessories, that would be "SOHO" booth! Why are they Korean? SOHO originally started in L.A, but the owner of the brand is a Korean.

Since I found this brand, I started to collect the products. The photo is my collection except for a grey flower one. The grey flower stick is a gift from me& some girls to my Japanese friend who will leave this city. Before I wrapped this, I took this picture. Sorry, Noriko-san! When my close friends leave here, I always give gifts to them.
I would give Japanese stuff to my international friends. For example, a Kimono-patterned hair stick, a utensil which is unusual here, or Ukiyoe (浮世絵)-patterned files, and so on. However, when my Japanese friend leaves here, I give the SOHO accessory to her! I think we can't buy this brand products in Japan so far, and a hair accessory is not heavy or big. Therefore, she can bring it easily to Japan, and store it anywhere!

I hope my Japanese friends who are already leaving here remind me and their American lives whenever they see these hair accessories☆

the LPGA tour

The first Monday of September is Labor Day. My hubby's got a day off every year, so we had an excursion to Illinois!! On Saturday, we drove for three hours from West Lafayette. You can see the scenery in the first picture! Look at this! The shape of the clouds tell us autumn is already coming as we say in Japan!! Below in this picture, the golden green field is a cornfield. During our driving, we saw corn fields or soy bean fields all the time. We just said," What if we took the same road again?" We wouldn't be aware of it!! Cornfield, soy bean field, again, cornfield, soy bean field...

Anyway, we arrived at Springfield. Springfield is the capital city of Illinois, but it's much smaller than Chicago. Every year, on the first weekend of September, the LPGA (Ladies Professiolal Golf Association) holds the "State Farm Classic" tour there. My hubby and I have some favorite female golf players, so we look forward to coming to this tour every year!!

Just after arriving there, we started to play golf. The day before, my hubby searched some Web-sites to decide which golf course we were going to play. He looked very serious about that...
"So, what are the main criteria for deciding this course?" I asked him
He smiled. "The name!"
"WHAT?" Yes, we went to "the Lincoln Green".
"Springfield is famous for the hometown of Abraham Lincoln! We should play there!" He looked excited. I understood, the criterion was very simple...but why was he so serious about picking the course?? He is MYSTERIOUS...

"The Lincoln Green" was not a characteristic course, but it had a huge area! There were a few ponds in the golf course. Therefore, we saw many camping cars and tents! (Look at the picture!)They celebrated Labor Day camping in a GOLF COURSE? It was interesting... I played 18 holes with my hubby. But, I don't think I "shot" a ball. Actually, I "rolled" a ball... Don't ask me my score!!

On Sunday, we went to the "LPGA State Farm Classic."
Unfortunately, most of our favorite players did'nt participate in the tour like: Ai Miyasato, Natalie Gulbis, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, Shinobu Moromisato, Rico Higashio(Oh! She is not qualified for this year!)... However, Annika Sorenstam, Lorena Ochoa, and Cristie Kerr participated in. If you had been there, you would have noticed where Annika Sorenstam(The picture is from the LPGA Web-site:
http://www.lpga.com/default_rr.aspx) was soon! She is a STAR player, so she was always surrounded by many galleries. The most impressive thing about her was she was so friendly! Until just before she started to play, she had been trying to write her autographs for many fans.
Uh-huh, she was so kind! I think famous athletes should try to do this if they want many people to support them. It was the third time for us to go to the LPGA tours, so we met many golf players. Most of them tried to be friendly as possible as they could, and it was so nice. Paula Creamer anwered my husbands' comments, Rico Higashio had a chat with me, and Natalie Gulbis was so friendly that she accepted having a picture taken with my hubby even though it was prohibited to bring a camera! Unfortunately, Ai Miyasato was not friendly. She gave us her autograph, but she looked arrogant, and said nothing when we talked to her. She is a rookie, so it is hard for her to respond to so many things... But we thought she could get more fans if she was friendly.

Anyway, we were impressed how Annika Sorenstam was friendly, but we also were worried if she couldn't concentrate on her plays. However... THE STAR PLAYER MADE IT!! Even though she shot 10 under the day before, she finished 19 under( This is AMAZING!) on the last day. She won!! Sometimes we heard many galleries yelling at her several fascinationg shots. She is a genius!!!

After we left State Farm, we drove toward Chicago. We went to an outlet shopping mall in a suburb of Chicago.
The next day, we went to another shopping mall in Shamburg, which is also a suburb in Chicago. The picture is the "Woodfield Mall." Isn't it a BIG fashion mall!?

As you can see, we enjoy our American lives... But we LOVE Japanese food & culture!! The reason why we always stay not in "downtown Chicago," but in "the suburbs of Chicago" is... there are a BIG Japanese supermarket and Japanese restaurants there!! We stopped by the Japanese supermarket, got Japanese food, and read Japanese magazines... On Sunday night, we went to a "revolving Sushi" restaurant, whose name is the "Sushi Station." We enjoyed crabs, sweet shrimps, salmons, salmon roes, tunas... Our Monday's lunch was ramen!! Ramen is originally from China, but we have changed the food to Japanese style. My hometown, Sapporo, is famous for delicious ramen! Since I came here, I have found some Sushi restaurants, but I couldn't find a place which provided the "authentic Japanese ramen." However, one and a half year ago, the Japanese supermarket "Mitsuwa" (former "Yao-han, the same one we went to this weekend) started to have "Santouka(山頭火)" in their food court!! That was exciting!! There were some ramen restaurants in N.Y. and Hawaii, but it was first time to have an "authentic" ramen restaurant like "Santouka" in the U.S!! They also privides salmon roes' rice(in the picture, the left of the below ), and they use the cheek meat of pigs as special roast pork(the middle of the picture!!) Not only ramen noodle, but also these special menus are AWESOME!!

I can enjoy Japanese food, TV, magazines here, and I can communicate with my Japanese friends via e-mails here. What a convenient world!!!

Global Fest

This coming Saturday (September 2nd) is the Global Fest day in West Lafayette. Purdue University, which is located in West Lafayette, has a lot of international students. The Global Fest is the day when international inhabitants introduce their original countries' culture! Recently, some Japanese volunteers have shown Origami works in this Festa.
This year, I will go on a trip at the day because we have three-day-holidays in a row..sorry!! However, when I was a volunteer of the Festa two years ago, I met many interesting people. I will share some stories of them:

1. One middle-aged lady, I remember she said she was from Brazil..probably.., brought her own "Origami" book which was written in Portuguese and her original "Origami" works! These were roses, baskets..really advanced pieces! She encouraged us to TRY to make the same one, but we just couldn't.
2. An American boy, who was 10 years old, was also VERY good at making Origami works. I showed him how to make a hydrangea, and a lily. But he made them faster and better than me. Few minutes after, he became like a Japanese volunteer, and explained how to make these to everybody. Actually, we called him a "chief!" He had been a part of Japanese section for awhile.
3. One handsame boy, who looked in his early 20's, gazed what we were doing first. After I talked to him, he started to fold Origami quietly. A few minutes later, he made a "treasure ship!!" This was also an advanced piece. I CAN'T MAKE IT!!
He said his father showed him how to make Origami works when he was a child.
I don't remember exactly, but maybe he was from Lebanon. He said he was a freshman at Purdue. "Do you enjoy your college life?" When I asked him, he replied with faint smiling, "Yes, because we don't have to fight or kill each other to survive here." Oh, thank God, we can celebrate different cultures here... I thought.

I was supposed to "teach" Japanese traditional culture to evrybody, but at that time, I "was taught" how Origami culture had spread all over the world by guests.
This year, I can't go to the "Global Fest" itself, so I made some Origami works (Look at the picture!) by myself to give the guests of the Festa.
If you live in the Greater Lafayette (Lafayette and West Lafayette,) and if you are available, I recommend you to go to the Global Fest! It will be held at the Morton Culture Center from 10:00am- 9:00pm. You may find some interesting cultures, or revise your own country's culture!!

Ideal Voice

FORGIVE ME!! I never think I am a good painter. My hubby is always TEASING me how my pictures are CREATIVE... But today, I'd like to share my painting to you! Can you guess what I drew about? I know you never know... Actually, I drew about the image of "my ideal voice."

Yesterday, in the Voice for the Actor class, Stacie gave us a white paper and colorful markers. She said, " Let's draw the image of your ideal voice, and share your pictures in the class! This is helpful for you to fugure out what's your goal, and I'd like to know what is your ideal voice!" Then, mine is.. this one. Speaking of "the ideal voice," I immediately imagined fireworks. This image is based on fireworks.
The green bottom is my healthy body. I can't make my "fireworks" sparkled unless my body is healthy. Above that, small dots are my vocal cords & breathing. I can't light the fireworks unless I know the theories of vocalization. At the top of the papar, can you see small horizontal lines? These are audience. Listeners. Colorful vertical lines are actual my voice. I hope my voice could be sometimes energetic, or sometimes persuasive to the audience. So, I drew them with colorful pens. The thickest pink line of my voice lines? That is my "CORE." My ideal voice should have a stable, strong core.

After we shared "our image of ideal voice," we started to act for the first time!
We divided into five groups. One group had 4-5 students. We acted the "Three Little Pigs" story. I explain it shortly: There was a man and three pigs. The first pig asked the man to give him straw to build a house. The first pig made a house of straw very quickly. The second pig asked the man to give him sticks. The second pig built a house of sticks. The third pig asked the man to give him bricks. The third pig built a house of bricks. One day, a wolf came to those houses. He destroyed the first pig's & the second pig's house. However, he couldn't destroy the third one's house.. so he tried to come into the house from the chemney, but those pigs burned the wolf!
Therefore, the three pigs lived happily ever after.

We acted the story WITHOUT WORDS. Just with vocalization and gestures.
Me? I was the THIRD PIG... While I was watching everyone's acting, I was amazed! Almost half of them did it like real actors! Among them, one girl was outstanding.
Her roles were the man and the wolf. Most girls avoided doing those, but she acted the two roles! Bisides, her acting seemed perfect to me. As the man, I could see even the man's character through her acting. Maybe he was a kind of "red neck," and he was a miser..She looked like.. a man!! When she was acting the wolf, she crawled on her hands and knees, jumped up to the boxes in the studio, and jumped down from there!

In this class, most of classmates" majors are theater. So, I have imagined someone would be famous as an actor. Yesterday, I thought she might become famous in the future! Her acting was marvelous!! However, she may not become a "stereotype blond beauty" actress because she WAS a MAN or a WOLF for me...