October

October 4 2000		Today we started new lesson. There were 7 women in our class. We did BASIC UNIT. Time, number. date, colors, e.t.c. In spring we did same exercise. But I didn't remember that. ROBIN asked us "what is your gaol with English?" We made pair and talked about it . My partner was ROBIN. He asked me "what is your gaol ?" I answered "I want to talk about own country's culture and histry to foriegn friend." It was not good English sentence. ROBIN said "talk to each other." He said me "listen English conversation tape only 10-15 minutes in a day so you will progress by degree."

October 11 2000		I have special seat in our class. It was MICHIKO's seat last month. When we did pair exercise, if there are 5 or 7 person, MICHIKO paired with ROBIN. From last week I paired with him. And today I assisted him with his work. I feared to speak with ROBIN. Because I was afraid to make mistakes. But I didn't have to fear. He spoke slowly and cheked my mistake. "Do you speak to stranger in the park or at the bus stop?"ROBIN asked us. We answered "no." He said he was spoken some Japanese in "Furo-Ikkyu" on the weekend. "Furo-Ikkyu" is a publish bath. Yes, in publish bath, Japanese speak each other.

October 18 2000		Today we learned how to ask to one's work. "What do you do?" is polite sentence. All of us are homemaker. So Robin asked us "what does your husband do?" And he asked us "were you born in Gunma?" NAOKO was borned in Tokyo. Robin said to her "are you miss Tokyo?" I laughed to hear that because I thought he said to her "are you Miss.Tokyo?" But he continued "my friends who were born in Tokyo say missing Tokyo." So I realized my mistake. I flushed with shame. We also learned how to introduce to one's friend to another friend. Robin said "Mr. Kaye is O.K. but not to say Mr.Robin." Last year I made mistake in my diary.

October 25 2000		EMIKO gave us some Japanese cakes. In the short break time, KEIKO asked ROBIN "would you like Japanese confectionary?" He said "confectionary is formal. Japanese cakes or Japanese candies are casual ." and continued "In Canada and U.S.A, azuki is not used for sweets. Azuki bean is cooked with Chili pepper. Azuki is GOHAN. I like pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie." He talked about Halloween. On the Halloween's night, children wearing Halloween's costume knock all door. And say "trick or treat?" People give them candies or cakes. I asked "I have a question, children say trick or treat, and if someone not give some sweets, do children trick?" He asked "people display pumpkin at the door. if candle inside the pumpkin light, it's the sign the house do treat. So children knock the door, candle light." I didn't know the relation between Halloween and pumpkin.