Contents in 1989

An Inward Investigation

This summer I've had a very impressive experience. I could be one of collaborators of a big artistic work. I'm afraid it sounds strange. To tell the truth, I went to the theater with one of my friends to enjoy the musical "Les Miserables."

At first I didn't expect so much, because I knew this famous, tragic story, and also because the musical got too much fame. Paradoxically speaking, too much expectation often disappoints me.

But after about three hours, something warm rushed into my heart. It was not the splendid music. It was not the skillful acting. It was neither the marvelous lighting nor scenic design. But it was delight that brightened all faces of actors and actresses after the finale. It was satisfaction that meant to have finished one big work. It was pleasure that meant to take part in the creative team.

And I felt I also participated as one of the audience.
I almost saw the contented smile of the lighting assistant when the effect surprised us, the audience. I almost felt the chuckle of the actor whose dramatic death moved us. When the unique scene changing astonished the audience, I wanted to do the work together.

I think all the members on the stage and backstage knew what we, the audience, felt or thought. That's why they did their best and moved us. And at last they and we could be one in the theater.
Do you agree to my opinion that I could be one of collaborators of the musical?

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My Best Teacher

I can't say who is my best teacher, but who's the most impressive teacher. She is a Pole and my German teacher. I majored in German. She is now about 72 or 73 years old and lives in Nishinomiya in Hyogo.

She always told us she didn't have her native land, because Germany during the Second World War invaded Poland and the people had a hard time. She always looked a little sorrowful and much serious about everything. As she required her students so much eagerness, we couldn't help being strained before her blue eyes.

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My Favorite TV Program

My favorite programs of TV are documentary films especially about excavation. I've been very interested in archaeology since my high school days.

I wanted to study archaeology at university and to become an archaeologist, but my parents opposed my wish. They said that girls didn't need such a study, and that it wasn't useful to a woman's life. I gave up my plan, and I changed my course.

Nevertheless I'm eager to take part in the excavation party even now. Archaeology is the study of ancient things, old buildings, monuments and other remains. Maybe it seems to be an antiquated and fusty taste. But I don't think so. To know the past more deeply will let us think not only about our history but also about our future, and let us imagine even about the E.T. Extra Terrestrial. It's a very interesting and exciting study, I think.

I envied Mr. Shiina Makoto who could take part in the expedition party of Silk Road visiting Roran.

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My Hobby

It is difficult for me to tell you what my hobby is. I have many things that I do with pleasure.

I like playing tennis, theater going, embroidering, and so on. Besides I want to do many things that I've never done before, because I am very curious. For example, I am anxious to ride a balloon, to work in a publishing company.

But I can tell what I want to do all my life long. I want to keep on reading books and studying English and German. In books I'm able to have many experiences and to live other lives. By reading foreign books, I can acquire various ways of thinking and so I can feel me changing. That is my best pleasure.

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After Graduation

After the graduation I worked in a tire-making company. I was a secretary of the head of the technical department at the office in the factory.

Many people worked in a big room, so we mustn't run there. But I always ran around, because my boss was very busy with meetings, desk work and business trips. And he always told me, "Hurry, hurry!" Though he was a good person, I liked him very much, and I loved to work on, I retired after about five months because of marriage.

I don't think that is my career. More than twenty years I've been teaching English to children. I've been trying to let them understand that English is easy and interesting. I want them to like it as much as I do. Sometimes I feel like leaving off the work. But teaching is learning. Thanks to the work I can keep in contact with English.

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Earring

This pair of pierced earring is the present from my elder son. Though my two sons have given many other things to me, it has a special meaning for me.

My elder son worked as a mailman during the summer vacation, and he bought me the present with the money he earned. But that is not what I mean.

For these several years he had a hard time in the spiritual and practical senses. His mind was shut up to the outside world. But recently he found his place at last. His present is the proof of his renaissance (being born again) and it often reminds me of the important lesson that parents or teachers should not try to control children's nature or thinking.
I'll make it my treasure for good.

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Most Impressive Event

I am very surprised but I can't say what the most impressive event to me is. I remember many events in the world and also in my daily life.

Many years ago, in the time of that infamous student movement, I spent my student life. Zenkyoto students blocked the school building up. In front of the school gate the street was crowed with students, policemen and spectators.

Though I didn't want to, I was involved in the trouble because my friends and seniors were on the Minsei side. In the course of the development of the situation I had to sleep out in the neighborhood of our school, in the small temple. When I called up my mother and told her I couldn't go home, to my surprise and to my delight, she said nothing blameful. I was very glad she believed me.

For about half a year we couldn't have regular lectures. Only those who wished to study came together in the meeting room of various halls. It was very hard time for us, but we did take everything seriously and so we became more intimate each other and with teachers. It's my memorable and impressive event in various senses.

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My English is OK?

I have been studying English conversation in Mrs. Ono's class for about ten months.

I wonder whether I can make myself understood enough in Englich by foreigners or not, and whether I can hear their words well or not. I want to know about it too much.

The other day I happened to have a chance to talk to a foreign stranger. I was surprised at myself having the courage I hadn't had so far. Of course my heart was beating so rapidly. I talked with the young woman, a New Zealander, for about 15 minutes or so. I was very glad to know that she was also glad to be spoken to, and that she said at last, "Nice to meet you."

As I like to see foreign films, I sometimes watch TV at night. And I often find out I can hear English films more than before. I am quite grateful for her good lesson.

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Magazine

I have been reading a magazine for a long time more than thirty years. It's name is Kurashino-techo. My mother has been reading it from the first issue. It is published six times a year. As the current issue is No. 323, so many people read the magazine for more than forty years.

I like it in the special meaning. That's why it refuses any commercial advertisement. When I read other magazines, I get tired of a large number of commercial messages.

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Optimism

Everyone has several hard times in his life. So do I. But I have overcome some of them thanks to my optimism, I think.

Of course I've ever disappointed in love, I've ever discouraged by my failure in the examination, and I'm often shocked by my son's poor scores on the test. However I recover myself comparatively soon. I try to forget the past and unpleasant things. I look forward to the coming future and I think over what to do next.

As the changing process inside my heart can not be seen, my mother calls me easygoing. It's not true though.
I don't pay attention to what is over, but only to what to come. I don't want to wear out myself by being attached to the past too much. It's my good points, I think.

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Dream

I am so curious and greedy that I have too many dreams. So I'll tell you about dreams at night.

When I was a child, I often used to have nightmares. I got up crying or feeling so scared. In the dreams I was shut up into the narrow space, or sometimes I was killed without knowing why. Anyway I didn't have happy dreams.

Even now I frequently have dreams, which are different from ones I have ever had. They are full of adventures, romances and wonders. In my dreams I can fly like a superman(a superwoman?). My first love loves me so romantically as if in a movie. I can see and talk with my grandma who died long time ago.

Sometimes I have bad dreams, but I'm not frightened anymore. I know I am just dreaming. Once I was a tiny, helpless thing in my dreams, but nowadays I enjoy my dreams.

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Our English Class

I like studying foreign languages because we can learn different thought and culture from ours by studying them. Then I can think things wider and deeper than before and also I can think things from various angles. It's a very big pleasure for me.

Besides since I joined this English class, I've got one more joy. It is to express my thinking and feeling in English. Making my English sentences, I've found out that I can express myself in a different way from that in Japanese.

Though I don't know why, I can tell what I want to say more straightforward and concisely. Perhaps, I think, it depends on the construction of English sentences. But anyway, I can look into my inside more than usual.

Recently I'd rather write English sentences for this class than write letters to my friends in Japanese. And I became more and more interested in my foreign studies.

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