Washing Your Body in New Zealand

When you take a shower in this country, your time to take it is limited. It is about ten minutes. Town gas are not spread in New Zealand, so many families keep hot water. They heat tank which is full of water. Therefore making such a rule is natural. If you stay with a big family, you have to care more. If you use much time and water, the family members couldn’t have enough water to take a shower. When you use up hot water, wait for a while. Water in tank will change to hot water! In Japan, it is rare to take a shower is limited.
So be careful in New Zealand!

Washing Dishes in New Zealand

In Japan, when people wash dishes after meal, people use detergent (cleaner, soap) and then flush bubbles. It is very natural and a lot of people do so. However in New Zealand it is not. How to wash dishes in New Zealand is surprised for us.
First, they store hot water in the kitchen sink and add detergent. They wash dishes in there. By this step, it is not so strange, but the next step is the problem. They don’t flush bubbles! They dry dishes at now or they wipe them without flushing bubbles. People from other countries are surprised and ask them, but they say just ‘No problem! It’s OK.’ It may be not easy for us to accept this custom. In fact people in other Western Europe countries do same.
If you want to know more, please click here! You will find very interesting information, I am sure.

Festival

Hello! I’m Mayuko.
I will tell you about general information of Nagoya festival. Nagoya festival is held in fall and this is one of the biggest festivals in Nagoya. This year, it was held on October 11 and 12. Next year will be held on October 3 and 4. If you missed this year, I recommend you to go next year. This festival holds around Nagoya and Sakae. We can see exciting parade. Do you know Nanachan which is in front of Meitetsu department store? This year Nanachan took part in this parade wearing special cloth. The famous general Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyoshi also take part in it. In addition, some special guests participate in this festival. Do you know Doara? He took part in this festival this year.

When the parade holds, the transportation is limited so you have to be careful.
During Nagoya festival, you can see some famous places for free. For example Nagoya castle, Higashiyma park and Tokugawa park. If you go these places, you can enjoy more, I am sure.
Let’s look forward to next Nagoya festival!

Movie

I will tell you about this movie ‘The Nanny Diaries’. This is an American movie and it is based on popular novel. Japanese title is ‘私がくまにキレた理由’.

This movie is about a young woman. Her name is Annie. She graduated from university, and she is looking for her job. Her parents want her to become an elite, in the same time, she hope so. One day, she met a little boy in the town. The boy was about to get accident, but she saved him. His mother Mrs. X was looking for a Nanny(who take care of children). Annie said her name to Mrs. X, but she couldn’t listen to the name. Mrs. X thought that Annie was Nanny! So eventually Annie work as a Nanny. She met many accidents and problems however she got over by her way. If you lose your way, you should watch this movie. This movie will give you energy and hints to solve your problems, I am sure!
If you click here, you can read some complains for office which many women feel usually.

Leading actress of this movie is Scarlett Johansson. She is very beautiful. In addition, her performance is great. If you want to know about her more, please click here. You can get much information.

Anyway let’s go to theater!

Summer Vacation

My summer vacation was very exciting but also a little disappointing. At the beginning of the vacation, I worked part-time. On Thursday and Saturday, I came to NUFS for club. The last practice before the Bon festival, an accident was happened! I broke my little finger’s bone! This was my first time, so I couldn’t believe it. I went to see a doctor. He said to me “Don’t sport and part-time job for at least 4 weeks.” Unwillingly I took break and went back to my home town in Ishikawa.

However this fracture may have been good for me, because I could be at home longer than schedule. I met friends in my high school days and had a good time with them. I also had many conversations with my family.

In this summer I took very big event with my best friend! On August 16, around at 12:00 we decided to go to Kyoto. The next day at 3:00 in the morning, we left for our town by her car. We took a train in Kanazawa station, and then changed train three times.

On August 17, around at 12:00 we were in Kyoto! It was amazing! Kyoto was beautiful city. We went to some good places. The first day, we went to Suzumushi-temple. If you want to know click here! It was a very unique temple. In this temple, there were a lot of “bell-ringing” crickets. The chirp was wonderful. A stone statue of jizo in this temple was also unique. This jizo wears straw sandals. Jizo will come to our house on foot and make wishes. So when we wish, we have to say our name and address. It was very interesting for me. At night, we talked each other for a long time. This is my favorite time!

The next day, we went to Kinkaku-temple. If you click here, you can know more. Kinkakuji was beautiful. I was very excited because I could see it with my own eyes. In this temple, we met an old couple. They asked us to take pictures, so we also asked them to take pictures. When we take pictures, usually we say words for sign. However they said nothing. Instead they used gestures. At first, we didn’t mind this thing, and then we took pictures of them as always. After leaving them, we noticed! The old couple was deaf. We felt that was difficult and I want to know these situation next time.
In Kyoto, there were many foreigners. When we took bus, a foreigner smiled and talked to me. He studies Japanese. We talked a little. I was very happy, but at the same time I really thought that I have to study harder. I won’t forget this great trip. I want to go somewhere with my friends next summer.

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Diet

A calorie counter:
This site has the 88 least healthy foods. Trans fat is very big problem and many people are interested in this issue. This site teaches us how dangerous trans fat is. This site has a list of fast food which includes high trans fat. When you eat out, it is very useful to choose food. In addition, this site has FAQ so if you have some questions, you can solve it here!
I really recommend you this site. Please click here!

Vegetables:
Vegetables are healthy so they are good for our health. However, sometimes eating enough vegetables is difficult. This site shows us much information about vegetables. We can learn about the importance of vegetables and well-balanced meal. In oeder to eat enough vegetables, this site gives us advice. There are also some recipes, too. When you are in trouble to make dinner, you can check this site and make healthy food including many vegetables. Let's click here!


Dogs:
Overweight is a problem not only for human but also for dogs. If you have pet, you have to care about its weight. These sites are about dogs. In many cases, the cause of their overweight is human. People give their pet many foods, and they become fat. This site cautions you so if you have pet, you should go these sites. Please click here first! If you want to know more, please click here!

Laughter

These are my favorite sites and please click them!


Laughter Coach:
It is a web site which teaches us how to laugh. Laughing is good for our health. For example, as we laugh, we can make our cheeks more strong. We are able to think more positively. We will become more merrily. Laughing is necessary for us to live happy and full time!


Jyaponikarogosu:
This happened at a feast. One man sang a song. However he sang with wrong words. When he heard this song, he mistook hearing the words and memorized them. He mistook the word, but this mistake is natural! The exact words and the wrong words are very similar! This is so funny for me.
There are different songs and you can see on you tube. Please try another one! You must enjoy, I am sure.


Anjyasshu:
It is a short comedy. They are comedian whose name is ‘Anjyasshu’. He takes pictures by cell phone. They make natural situations, and audience expect what will happen. (Audience expect what pictures will be taken.) However pictures are far different from what audience expected. It is very funny! I like picture of horse is the best. He says ‘I will take my girl friend on horse’, but of course, it is very strange.