In 1803, as the story goes, fishermen working in the sea off Ibaraki prefecture spotted an unusual looking vessel in the sea. Curious they towed the vessel to shore. It was like nothing they had ever seen. Circular in shape they report it as being 3.3 meters high and 5.45 meters across, and ‘resembling a wooden rice pit.’ The lower part appeared to be covered in polished metal while the upper section had windows of glass or crystal protected with strong iron bars and sealed with some kind of tree resin.

The nervous fisherman peered inside and were amazed by what they saw. The inside of the vessel was adorned with texts of an unknown language. There were soft carpets on the floor and two bed sheets. They found a bottle containing 3.6 liters of water, as well as some cake and meat. 

Most surprising of all there was a young woman. She was about 20 years old and roughly 150 centimeters tall. She is said to have had a face of indescribably beauty with soft pale skin. Her red hair was very long with light streaks of what appeared to be either fur or white powder. She was dressed in long and flowing garments of a smooth unknown material.  

The men tried to talk with the girl, but she spoke a language they had never heard before. She seemed calm other than she was clutching a small box of a mysterious light-colored material. The box was approximately 60cms across and appeared to be of great value to the woman. No matter how hard the fisherman tried she would not let anyone come near the box. 

It appears that her arrival caused disquiet among the local villagers. It was decided that her presence would be disruptive, so she was put back onboard her vessel and once again set to drift in the sea. 

It is always good to be making more friends. University is probably THE best time in your life to make lifelong friends. At university, we have constant encounters in class and on campus with many people in our peer group. The people we connect with the most we can then easily spend more time with and deepen those relationships. Many of those close friends will be people who are with you all through your life.

Meeting people at university is natural and not that different from meeting people at high school but then there was COVID-19. Suddenly we must do it all online and the rules are a bit different and a bit harder. Here are some hints to help you.  

First, turn on your camera when you can and when it is appropriate. Most importantly, pay attention to your body language on camera. Smile and make eye contact by looking into the camera. Try to have a relaxed body posture. Ask yourself, “Do I seem approachable and friendly?” Offer greetings to others and ask questions when you can. 

Keep the conversation going 

Once you have made a connection in class with others you can make friends outside of class. Privately offer YOUR contact information to others you want to be friends with so you can talk outside of class. Don’t be too disappointed if someone doesn’t follow up. They are probably just busy, and your effort is still appreciated. If someone offers you their contact information, try to follow up soon even if it is just to say it was nice talking to them. 

Don’t give up 

Blog Quiz

1. According to the blog, why is it more difficult to make friends now?

A.    Because the social rules in university are different from high school.

B.    Because Coronavirus means we must interact online.

C.    Because people don't try to make friends anymore.

2. According to the blog, what does 'invite dialog' mean?

A.    Share information about yourself, ask questions and make comments.

B.    Organize a party.

C.    Arrange an online study group.

3. According to the blog, how can you keep a conversation going?

A.    Go to the pub.

B.    Ask for someone's phone number.

C.    Privately offer your own contact details.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. A

3. C

The Internet wasn’t always so popular as it is now. In the early years of the Internet, it was really a very exclusive platform for people to use. Even after it moved from research and academics into the public, it was still only for those curious enough to try. My older brother and I had connected to a local bulletin board system (BBS) using a dial-up modem that was annoying for the family because it used our one telephone line (we eventually got a second phone number for the computer). 

Those times were much more experimental and friendly than what I’ve seen in recent years. You knew that the other person you were talking to was a human being, and the owner of the BBS even hosted some get-togethers in the real world for people who used it. There weren’t people trying to attack and insult others because of tiny differences, but most often things were just talked about. Part of that is because the software wasn’t ready for the general public, but I also think it attracted a smaller group of people whom genuinely cared about what the Internet could be used for.

This slowly began to change as software improved. Chat rooms became a common feature with easier interfaces, and people who couldn’t handle the technical requirements earlier now had access. The Internet became more of a tool to connect people, but it also challenged what was comfortable for most people. That’s when I began hearing more about people who would eventually become what we know now as trolls. While this wasn’t new to me since I had already developed an understanding of the Internet, it began to turn me off a little bit to what the Internet was becoming.

During college, even though the university had cable Internet access (a revolution at the time), I was less attracted to it. Computers also became an expensive business, so the friendliness of building computers was complicated by convenience. After graduating, I worked in developing countries, and getting the newest, most expensive computers seemed silly. I continued to have technology as a part of my life, but I found the changes made to the Internet less interesting than how they were in the beginning.

Now, the Internet is tightly woven in the fabric of society, especially because of more recent events. In the past it was more of an optional, leisure time outlet for people, recently the Internet’s role as a tool seems to have been made more important. The idea of technology just for the sake of more technology seems less interesting when people just need it to work. In a way, things have returned a little bit to the way things were in the beginning because the Internet is taking a more fundamental role in society. It isn’t easy, but, to some extent, the life side of it makes the “tech” side of everything less obvious. Tech is being replaced by living.

Photo Credit: Burst@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. According to the blog what is a ‘troll’?

a) An ugly mythical creature who lives under a bridge

b) A person who intentionally upsets people on the internet by posting inflammatory messages

c) A small spade used for gardening

2. How did the author’s experiences in a third world country change his view of technology?

a) He realized there were more important things in life than having the latest technologies.

b) He decided to donate all his money to charity

c) He became more interested in travel than technology

3. According to the author why is technology becoming less obvious?

a) People can’t understand technology

b) People who build computers aren’t friendly

c) Technology is taking a more fundamental role in society

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. A

3. C

“What is a typical dish from your country?”

Food is a great topic when meeting people of other nationalities. The question above is good for breaking the ice and can lead to interesting discussions. Japanese people have many answers to choose from when hearing this question; sushi, tonkatsu, okonomiyaki, tempura, udon… These are undeniably good examples of Japanese cuisine.

What is interesting is the deceiving nature of the question. This is because the person asking might think it means the same as asking “What food is typically eaten in your country?” Indeed, for Japanese people, the dishes mentioned above could answer either question, so the distinction between the two questions could seem unimportant; however, the point of answering is a little problematic for me.

I am often asked the first question “What is a typical dish from your country?” when Japanese people are getting to know me, and they likely expect an interesting answer that can teach them something new. However, it is tricky because my quick and simple answer cannot carry over as a reply to the second question (like it does for Japanese). Why is that?

The reason is because I am from Canada. What is typical food in Canada? Well, a quick and simple answer is pasta, pizza, hamburgers, steak, dumplings, curry… and sushi! However, surely those are unexpected responses for a Japanese person to hear—especially those who have not been abroad. I am not Italian, German, American, Chinese, Indian, or Japanese. I am Canadian.

The point of difference between “from your country” and “in your country” is what I wish to address, and this can also nudge into the spotlight the feature of the so-called Canadian mosaic.

There is a story I like to tell whenever I get asked about Canadian food. When I was young, after school I often went to a friend’s place. Depending on the day or friend, I might stay for dinner, and over a span of years this amounted to a wonderful introduction to international cuisine because everyone I knew was either an immigrant or a child of immigrants. One day I might eat homemade Indian food. On other days it might be homemade Italian, Chinese, British, and—especially in my hometown of Edmonton—Ukrainian food. Then when it was my friend’s turn to visit my house, my mother would cook Cuban food.

I am not joking when I say that the food I ate as a young Canadian varied among such delicious dishes as homemade spaghetti, Chinese-style dumplings, Ukrainian-style dumplings, curry with naan, roast beef with Yorkshire pudding (from Britain), and fried plantain (a Caribbean dish).

True Canadian food? Look that up on {Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_cuisine]} and I cannot say that I experienced—as far as typical food is concerned—what is listed as examples: poutine, salmon jerky, Montreal-style bagels, ginger beef, and butter tarts. I look forward to trying all those when I return, though. I hear they are more available now than when I was young.

Photo Credit: Social Soup@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. What does the author’s first question usually mean?

A.    What is the most popular food in your country?

B.    What food is commonly eaten in your country?

C.    What food represents your country’s cuisine?

2. Why did the author eat many different cuisines when he was young?

A.    Because there were many restaurants with foreign cuisine in Edmonton.

B.    Because he didn’t like typical Canadian food.

C.    Because his friend’s families were immigrants.

3. Which of these dishes would the author like to try on his next visit home?

A.    fried plantain

B.    salmon jerky

C.    Yorkshire pudding

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. C

2. C

3. B

(continued from last week)

Alternatively, Japanese sports education and culture has quite a long history of basketball. In 1917, Japan entered a basketball team in the Olympic games for the first time. When I first came to Japan to teach English, I was so jealous to realize that much like American children, Japanese children have grown up for generations learning the game that I had grown to love.

In my middle school’s changing rooms, our sports teachers decorated the walls with posters of various famous sports stars. I knew a lot of those faces from watching TV, but there was one poster in particular that caught my attention. It was a photo taken from above the basketball ring, looking down. There was a tall handsome man training on his own, jumping high into the air with a basketball in one hand. In the bottom left corner of the poster was a small red box with the word ‘Nike’ in it. I didn’t know who he was then, but that is my first clear memory of seeing the world-famous Michael Jordan. I wanted to know more.

A few years later at high school, I got my first chance to learn how to play. The school had an old indoor court that had no 3-point line, and three larger spaces in a building that we nicknamed ‘the shed’. I made new friends with other boys and girls, some who knew more about basketball than me, and we began to practice and teach each other. Although the high school had a team, it was nothing like a Japanese school’s sports clubs. Practice was only once a week. Some of the older students told us about a private club that was being run at evenings and weekends by a professional player in the neighboring town called Gateshead. We nervously made the journey over there to see if we could take part. I remember walking onto my first proper basketball court and being amazed by the speed and intensity of the game and the players. I was hooked. I must have played, watched, and talked about basketball every day between the ages of 15 to 22. I was never a great player, but I loved the game and I still do now.

Photo Credit: Markus Spiske@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. When did Japan first enter a basketball team into the Olympic games?

2. What famous sport star did the author become interested in as a middle school student?

3. How often did the author’s high school basketball team practice?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. 1917

2. Michael Jordan

3. Once a week

Football (soccer), as it is called in my native country, is by far and away the most popular sport in the UK, and like other hugely popular sports, football culture is ‘not just a sport’ to those who love it, it is a way of life. The north east of England has a long history of football culture. My hometown of Newcastle upon Tyne, much like many other cities and towns throughout the UK, has thousands of people who loyally follow the various local football clubs, from school teams, to amateur teams, to the big-money big-business teams of the premiere leagues. Of course, there are people who actively dislike football and the culture surrounding it, so when the larger culture is not appealing, subcultures emerge from groups of people who have different beliefs and interests. These days, basketball is a globally popular sport thanks to the NBA, its amazing athletes, and the Internet. However, in 1990’s England, being a basketball fan meant that you were part of a subculture.

I started first (elementary) school in 1985 and I was never very good at playing football. I didn’t understand why so many boys wanted to play it. Equality in sports was still an underdeveloped idea, so in those days, it was very rare to see girls playing football, and even rarer for a school to have a girls’ football club.

At middle (junior high) school, I found out in P.E. class that I enjoyed athletics the most, especially the high jump and the long jump. It was exhilarating to throw myself as high and as far through the air as I could. The school had a football team for which many boys were very keen to play. My teachers suggested that I take part in athletics competitions. However, P.E. classes and serious competitions are two different worlds. It was so boring to sit and wait for my event in the day’s long schedule.

European or American basketball game highlights were only very rarely shown on British TV. I was intrigued by this strange looking game that was played in a small space with only ten people on the court. I didn’t know until I was much older that there was a small but loyally followed English professional basketball league. Also, like many other schools across the UK, my middle school had a very large grassy field with a football and rugby pitch, but it didn’t have a basketball court.

(To be continued next week)

Photo Credit: Markus Spiske@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. What is the most popular sport in The United Kingdom?

2. What sport did the author enjoy playing most in junior high school?

3. How often did the author see basketball on TV when he was in junior high school? 

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. Soccer (football)

2. Athletics (long jump and high jump)

3. Rarely

The Philippines has many young people with passion and enthusiasm to work for their people. In the summer of 2017, I joined a study tour led by an NGO in Kyoto to visit several places in the Philippines to meet local people and to learn about their life under difficult conditions. The NGO has been supporting the local people in the Philippines for more than 20 years and gave us an opportunity to meet them. The average age of the country’s citizens was 23 years old, much younger than Japan. We saw many ambitious young people, and I would like to introduce some of them.    

When we visited the largest disadvantaged area, Tondo District in Manila, we met Jel, one of the energetic young people who came to talk to us about their life. She was a twenty-year-old mother with a two-year-old son. Jel, her son, and her husband were living in Tondo District, close to Smokey Mountain. In the district, many people were making a living by collecting recyclable garbage and selling it. Jel and her younger siblings were raised by their grandmother there. Their life was hard; however, she never gave up learning. She became the best student in the sixth grade and got 13 medals. In junior high school, she worked as a babysitter to support her family. She went to school from seven in the morning to four in the afternoon. After school, she baby-sat four children until eleven o’clock at night. Even though she was very busy, she studied hard and became the second-best student. When she was sixteen, she joined the NGO youth group. She experienced a variety of activities, such as playing sports in a team and working as a volunteer. She learned the importance of human relationships like family and friends and also wanted to support other young people. She said to us, “I want to be a president of this country in the future and help the people in need.” We were quite impressed by her strong will and big smile.

Another ambitious young person was Rommel in Perez, Alabat Island, about five hours from Manila by bus and boat. He was a seventeen-year-old high school student and a youth group leader in the district. The NGO has been working for young students to finish elementary education in the district for about twenty years. In Perez, many fathers are low-income farmers or fishermen who work for long hours, and many mothers are busy working at home and taking care of five or six children. They have a severe financial situation and some of their kids cannot even finish elementary school. The NGO helps them financially with scholarships and also encourages them to engage in learning together through after school activities. Rommel used to be one of the scholars and has been supported by the NGO. Later, he joined the NGO youth group and became a leader of the group. He was taking care of younger members and planning some activities for their physical and mental health. He wanted to go to college and study to be a police officer to protect vulnerable people. We admired his action and friendly smile.

Before visiting the Philippines, I was not sure what to talk about or what kind of questions to ask even though I really wanted to communicate with the local people. However, their heartwarming welcome helped all of the participants, including me, to relax and get to know them. We spent time together and were able to become friends. They were very energetic and full of hope and inspired us to take action to extend our friendship. I want to keep my eye on future young leaders who are determined to contribute to their communities and their country.

Photo Credit: The Author

Blog Quiz

1. Which of these didn’t Jel do?

A.   Earn awards for academic success.

B.   Become a politician.

C.   Work taking care of children.

D.   Volunteer for an NGO.

2. Which of these describes Rommel?

A.   He is a youth group leader.

B.   He supports the health of others.

C.   He wants to study at a university.

D.   All of the above.

3. What is the main idea of the story?

A.   How a young mother overcame difficulties.

B.   What happens on an NGO tour.

C.   How a young man became a policeman.

D.   How people in the Philippines inspired the author.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. D

Is the Color “Blue” or “Green” on a Traffic Light?

Before the invention of the blue light emitting diode, which made the “blue” on a traffic light look much more blue, the color on the traffic light was “green”. In most western countries today, such as the U.S.A., the traffic light meaning “go” is called “a green light”. Today, I’m going to talk about “colors”. There are some interesting differences in the way colors are thought of by Japanese and Westerners.

Let’s start with filling in the blanks with the name of a color:

1. I am healthy = I am in the ____.

2. He isn’t mature enough = He is _____.

3. She is good at gardening= She has a _____ thumb.

4. They are cowards= They are ______.

5. He has bruise around his eye= He has a _____ eye.

Check your answers at the bottom of this page. How many did you get right? I thought number 2’s answer was blue because of “Aonisai（青二才）” in Japanese and that number 5’s answer was blue or purple because of “Aoaza（青あざ） in Japanese. It is a well known fact that the Japanese sense of color differs from that of people overseas. Some say the differences can be attributed to cultural issues, genetic factors such as the performance of photoreceptors inside the eyes or even the climate. Acquiring a certain country's ideology regarding colors can be difficult unless you are a native to that specific country.

There are also cultural differences in the way countries think of numbers. The numbers 4 and 9 are considered bad luck by the Japanese. In the western mind, the numbers 13 and 666 are bad luck or carry a negative image. I hope you have a chance to discover and experience these interesting differences in culture and ways of thinking.

1. pink   2. green   3. green   4. yellow   5. black

Photo Credit: JESHOOTS.com@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. In the United States, what color do they call the traffic light that means “go”?

A.   blue

B.   green

C.    yellow

2. What color represents a person who is not brave?

A.   yellow

B.    pink

C.    green

3. What numbers have bad images in many western countries?

A.    4 & 9

B.    666 & 13

C.    2 & 5

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. A

3. B