The graduation speech

Last week I studied English in Philippines for one week.
Today's entry of my blog is the graduation speech.

Here is my speech.


Good evening lady's and gentleman.
First of all,
I'd like to share that I celebrated my birthday and my wife's birthday here in Langrich.
I'd like to thank all the staff and students of Langrich for the warm welcome and for celebration with us.
And also I'd like to thank all the teachers for imparting their knowledge to me.
They inspired me to study English more.
So I promise to all my teacher that I will continue to learn English.


Let me introduce a little about myself.

I am just 42 years old.
I am an old person.
I have never studied abroad.
I have never lived in a foreign country.
I am just an ordinary middle-aged business man.
I don't need to use English at work.

Why do I study English?

Because of a simple reason :  Globalization !
The world becomes closer and closer.
I think in the near future it will be quite difficult for Japanese to live and work in Japan without English ability.
This is why I embrace English as if it's my nature language.

I am 42 years old.
Is it too late to study English?

Nooooooo !

I beg to disagree.
It's not too late.

Japanese average life expectancy is approximately 80 years old
So, I still have 40 more years.


So, young people, please lend me your ears.
Don't give up in studying English.
Never never give up to fulfill your dream.

Study hard !
Keep practing !

So, your dream will come true.

Thank you.
Da Ghang Salamat, Maayon Gabie.

Bar-hopping of Japanese Sake

Two weeks ago, my wife and I including her friend participated in a bar-hopping event called 'Zig Zag'

Participants must buy the wrist band for 500 yen.

Those who wear the wristbands could drink sake at 500 yen each Izakaya , Japanese-style pub, which joined this event.

It was a good event because we can find new Izakaya I have never visited.

We enjoyed eight kind of sake at eight different Izakayas.

I recommend this event to sake drinkers.

The report of Volunteer Tour

Last month, my wife and I participated in the Volunteer Tour of Debris Removal in Tohoku area which was devastated by the massive earthquake and Tsunami last year.
I have already joined the event thrice.


I suppose we had about 40 people, about two-thirds of the group were comprised of women.
Everytime I participate in the event, there is always more number of women compared to the males.
I realized that women are more sociable and altruistic than men
I think that if women's social advancement is improved, Japan would become a better country.


Back to the concept,
I will report the situation of Tohoku which I saw that day.


It is In Rikuzen-Takata City, Iwate prefecture.
This is the 'miracle pine'  

Copyright: jetalone , Tokyo, Japan

The tree is the sole survivor among the 70,000 pines in the area.
It may be just a chance, but we believe it might have another meaning.
We prayed to this pine for the early realization of rebirth.


Rickuzen-Takata City was in a devastated state.
As far as I can see, there was nothing to look at; only the color gray.
There were many mountains of rubble, which cast shadows on our hearts.
I hope that many people will witness this sight in order to share the reality of the disaster that occured in this area.


Then,
In Kesen-numa City, Miyagi prefecture,
A big ship was washed up from the port to the center of the city and has been there for more than one year and three months.

This made us realize the grave situation that city is under because of the catastrophe.
It costs about a million dollar to remove this ship.
However, it costs about a hundred thousand dollar per year to keep this. 
So the government doesn't have any idea what to do.


In Kesen-numa city, we worked as volunteers to remove the debris in the fishing port where it was hit by the tsunami.
Removing the debris was a laborious job because of the tremendous amount of rubble but it was understandable because it's a volunteers duty to remove job it.
Finally, we were able to remove the rubble by our sheer force of number.

People that were affected by the catastrophe said that the most necessary thing to do to reverse the situation in Tohoku is to have human relationships and bond.

They are encouraged and hopefull whenever they see a coming bus full of volunteers.

It's been over a year since a massive earthquake and tsunami destroyed Tohoku area.

The Japanese people and some of the business companies keep on supporting and helping each other to recover from the terrible incident that has happened.

Even though extra efforts were being given by the people, the reconstruction and recovery of the nation is taking too long because of the lack of human power and resources.

What our country needs to have a faster recovery from the disaster, is massive human power and government support.

I want many Japanese people to visit Tohoku, and realize the present situation.

And I want them to tell their experience and something to see to their family, friends and acquaintances.

All Japanese people should not forget this.

On my way home,

I saw the moon from inside the bus.

The moon is bigger than usual.

This is called "Super Moon"

Photo by S.S my friend

In this precise moment, 

people in disaster area also saw same moon that I saw ,

people in Tokyo, people in Japan.

people in China, Korea, and Phillipines…

In this precise moment, 

In this precise moment…

We are not alone.

Go for it Tohoku!

Go for it Japan!  

and

Go for it myself !!

Star Wars Day

“Star Wars Day” is this coming Friday.

Why?

Answer is ... that

“May the 4th Be With You” 

Oh, I see !

To commemorate this day, 
I copied Star Wars poster using Photoshop.

Recently, 

I watched EPISODE I  in 3D.

This is very amazing !

Especially, my favorite part is the battle between Darth Maul and Jedi.
It was very exciting.

I am looking forward to EPISODE II.

Hanami in Japanese garden

Spring has come in Japan and Cherry blossoms are again in bloom. 

As had been the tradition for years, 

Japanese people go out to watch these cherry blossoms while eating, drinking, and generally having fun under the tree... 

this much valued event which we call Hanami.

Last Sunday, I went with my wife to Shukkei-en, a Japanese traditional garden in Hiroshima, for Hanami. 

This place was built by Ueda Soko, a famous master of tea ceremony. 

Whenever I am in a Japanese garden, I feel comfortable.

 It reminds me how thankful and happy that I am Japanese.

Choko and Parabo

Today is the one-year anniversary of the March 11 earthquake and Tsunami.

I pray for all victims.



Last year, in September 2011,
My wife went to animal relief center in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture from Hiroshima.
She took care of affected pets as a volunteer for about two weeks.

After volunteering, she brought back two cats to our home,
Choco (left side of the photo) and Parabo (right side of the photo) 

Choco

Parabo

They may have had a terrifying experience of earthquake. 

We swore that we would make them happy.

A short-time tour in the north Hiroshima Station

The other day, my wife and I went for a walk as a short-time tour in the north Hiroshima Station.

I climbed the stupa.

It was my first time in 4o years that I visit the place.

There is Buddha's ashes from Nehru the prime minister of India.

The stupa was built in 1954 by the monks all over Japan for the victims of the Hiroshima in World war II.

Aside from Stupa there are a lot of things in North Horioshima station like

the statue of Mr. Yamagata , Jumbo kettle , Tree of passing exam and so on.

The statue of Mr. Yamagata is in Tsuruhane shrine.

He is the first Japanese to successfully flew a plane in somersault.

Jumbo kettle is in Toshogu shrine.

This is like 12 drum put together.

In the time of Samurais the jumbo kettle was used for making swords and bathtubs. Now, people visit Toshogu to pray and eat the soup made from this kettle only new years day.

Tree of passing exam is in Owari Tenmangu , a shrine to a god of learning.

Those leaves doesn't fall from tree.

I recommend walking once in a while and you will learn a lot of interesting discoveries.