Ayumi's Trip to America

Birthday!!

2008-11-12T04:35:00.010-05:00

Hiiiii, all!!
Long time no see! I’m sorry that I haven’t written my blog for a long time. I wanted to write, but I had been very busy because of my club activity. As I told you all, my club activity is singing club. We performed at school festival. (Both of Sagamihara festival and Aoyama festival) Sagamihara festival was held on October 12th and 13th. Aoyama festival was held on from November 1st to 3rd. I enjoyed them very much!!

Also, November 4th is my birthday!! I became twenty years old! In Japan, people twenty and over are regarded as adult, so I have become a woman!!

I was celebrated my birthday by many people. November 3rd was Aoyama festival day. After our performance, all members of my club sung a birthday song for me and gave me a birthday cake! I was surprised very much and happy:-D I also got many e-mail from my friends. I think birthday is a wonderful day to feel a lot of thanks:-)

Fukuoka!!

2008-09-16T09:37:00.008-04:00

Hi!!

I had stayed at my parent’s house in Fukuoka for two weeks. Fukuoka is my hometown. Have you ever been to Fukuoka?? I want you all to come to Fukuoka! There are many good foods in Fukuoka, so I got fat!! I have to go on a diet after I come back to my dorm:-P While I stayed at Fukuoka, I met old friends, went shopping and Oita to meet my grandmother and so on. This picture is Fukuoka tower.

By the way, I also put on a long-sleeved kimono. This is my mother’s kimono which she also put on when she was twenty years old! In Japan, people who become twenty years old are regarded an adult. And there is Coming-of-Age day on January every year. Coming-of-age celebrations are held at each place in Japan at the day. Women often put on long-sleeved kimono and attend the celebration. This time, I was taken a picture beforehand because I will have no time to take a picture at the day. This is one of them.

Tokyo International Festival

2008-08-23T20:57:00.004-04:00

As I told you, I joined Tokyo International Festival yesterday. It was not so much big festival, but it was very interesting. I met the refugee who I met the other day. I said salaam and he said salaam. He said he will teach me Persian someday. He has lived in Japan for twenty years, but he speaks only broken Japanese because he couldn’t learn Japanese properly. By the way, look at this picture. These clothes which we put on are minority race clothes of Burmese. It was very cute cloth. I like it. Many volunteer activity groups gathered there. I talked with various people, for example, people who help street children of Pakistan. It was a valuable experience for me!!

Refugee

2008-08-22T04:07:00.003-04:00

Hello, all :-)

Today, I would like to tell you to my volunteer activity. I belong to a volunteer activity group. We study a little the present situation of refugees who lives in Japan or plan Christmas party for them to remove their concern a little. And we are going to join Tokyo International festival tomorrow, and exhibit painting by some refugees. So, yesterday, I met a refugee who came from Iran to get his painting for the exhibition with some Japanese staves. Before I met him, I was taught a few Persian by Joe. So, I used the one, salaam when I first met him. سلا=Salaam means hello.Then, he smiled and said salaam. I was glad to hear the word. After that, he explained the image of his paintings. Many question marks were drawn on first painting. He explained many question marks means his feeling for twenty years since he came Japan. He has thought why he can’t be free. I was sad to hear that. Also, he said that he don’t want money but want to choose his way. I am thinking about what I can do for them even a small things.

Sorry for gloomy contents, but I want to let it be known that there are such people in the world.

I will write pleasant story next time:-)

Thanks a lot!!

2008-08-16T21:57:00.000-04:00

Hello!! After I arrived at my dorm, I went to bet early. I have slept well for ten hours. Now, I feel good, but I miss you all even now.

This trip taught me a lot of things. I would like to practice these things from now on, and I keep studying English hard. Also, I want to go to many different countries because I want to know the different cultures.

Thank you, Nikki, Mike, Joe, Nina, Heather, Mrs. Izaka and AGU members. I will keep writing this blog, and please keep in touch with me.

I you me

2008-08-14T10:39:00.002-04:00

Hello! Yesterday, Heather gave us letters and presents in her class. Thank you very much, Heather!! After that, we went to Hornbake Library. There are a lot of Japanese historical records after World War Two. The staff said that there are 60% of them in the library. I was interested in the fact. After the lunch, we played bowling. It was fun! Nikki told me my name is I you me at the time. In the afternoon, we went to shopping. I have to leave tomorrow. I’m sure I will miss you><

The White House

2008-08-13T09:56:00.006-04:00

It was the last day that we went to D.C. We went to the Capital and the White House. I was impressed the construction of them. I was glad to see them, but I got tired because of long walking. After we had a dinner, we met Joe’s friends, Sachi and her boyfriend. Sachi is half Irish and half Japanese, so she can speak English and Japanese well. Moreover, she is very beautiful. Although some people talk with them, I couldn’t talk with them. I regret it. By the way, we have only two days to leaving Maryland. I want to stay here more.

Nikki's house

2008-08-12T09:47:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, we went to Nikki’s house in the evening. I was amazed that Nikki’s house is very large! The house has large rooms and a large yard. I would like to live in a house like that in the future. I especially liked the hammock. When I lay down on the hammock, I felt good. By the way, Nikki played a trick on me! She offered drinking false lemonade, so I drunk it. I found that it was very spicy at once!! I was neatly taken in by her!! However, it was funny. Nikki’s family and friends are very kind. I had a good time at her house.Thank you for inviting!!

Good Weekend!!

2008-08-11T09:48:00.001-04:00

Good morning, everybody! On Friday, we watched a baseball game. I was excited because I like baseball. Also, I saw American otaku for the first time. I took a picture with them. On Saturday, we went to museums. I selected the space museum. There are many big model airplanes. I have never seen such a museum in Japan. On Sunday, we went to the Washington Monument. We went up to the top of the monument. From the top, the view is so beautiful!! I think the different point between U.S. and Japan is the usage of land. Because U.S. has the large land, but Japan doesn’t have. I was a little tired, but I enjoyed these three days.

American Broadcast

2008-08-07T09:31:00.000-04:00

We discussed the Olympics boycott in Heather’s class, but I couldn’t talk about my idea in English well. I must study harder to speak English and insist my opinion. After the class, we went to the Newseum. I saw old American Newspapers there, and they are interesting. Also, I bought a space ice and a titanic figure. After that, we went to China town. We ate Chinese food there. After we went back to QI, we went to play a ball. It was first experience. It was fun!!

All Day Sleeping

2008-08-06T10:46:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I was sleeping all day because I had a cold. In the morning, I felt a high fever, so I asked Tomoko to call Mrs. Izaka. I decided to take rest yesterday. Mrs. Izaka bought me two bottles of water and two yogurt. Thank Mrs. Izaka and Tomoko!! Thank you for everyone’s concern!

Alexandria&Geogetown

2008-08-04T10:00:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, we went to Alexandria and Georgetown. First, we went to chapel which George Washington went to. I was so excited because I sat the seat which George and his family sat. After that, I had a lunch with Nikki, Tomoko, Misa, Kyoko and Lisa. We shared two pizza and salad. Next, we rode a boat. I could see Washington monument from the boat. I felt good with a breeze! Finally, we went to Georgetown. We enjoyed shopping there. After long walking, we had a dinner in Chinese restaurant. Masatoshi ordered very spicy dish! He fought the dish!! We got tired but enjoyed Alexandria & Georgetown!!

Arrived in America !!

2008-08-02T10:41:00.001-04:00

I arrived in America 3 p.m. yesterday!! I was so excited but a little tired because of my long trip. When we arrived at Washington D.C. airport, we were warmly welcomed by people of University of Maryland. We first met Nina, Heather, Nikki, Joe and Mike. In the bus to hotel, I talked with Joe. After we arrived at hotel, we went to dinner with Joe. We ate noodles, and it was delicious for me. However, Hiro’s noodles were terrible. After dinner, we went to Cold Stone. I ate “Cheesecake Fantasy” ice cream. It was also very nice, but it was high in calories. So, during my stay in America, I must be careful for my weight!! After I came back to the hotel, I went to bet soon. I had a good night’s rest. I want to make my trip interesting !!