Fashion

今月のトピックはファションです。よろしくお願いします。

このしたにある話はファションセンスの無い僕のいろいろな感違え。。。

One thing I am sure of is that I am not fashionable.  My idea of sensible shoes are rubber slippers and dressing up would mean tucking in my shirt, I suppose.  However, when I　lived in Hawaii, I often laughed or smirked as it may have been, at the Japanese tourists parading up and down the beach in there tacky, touristy, neon colored swim wear.  I thought that they were probably the worst bunch of dressers on the planet except for the crazy Germans in their little bikini pants swim wear.
SO...  When I came to Sapporo for the first time I was shocked at all the well dresses fashionable people I saw walking around.  Where were all the neon colors and the pair look thing?  I have to admit that I was a little self conscious about walking around in my rubber slippers, surf trunks, and pretty clean t-shirt.  But that didn't stop me then and it still doesn't now.

Gotta keep those rubbah slippuhs...

Da Bul laia,

pat

Sapporo's Flag

I sometimes do a lesson about symbols.  I　always start the lesson by having the class draw the American flag, following my instructions in English.

I don't tell them what they are drawing, I just tell them to draw rectangles and lines in the appropriate places. After they have figured out what they are drawing, I get them to tell me what the parts of the flag symbolize.  From there the conversation branches out and we discuss different symbols that the student may know.  After the discussion has gained a little momentum, I start asking about Hokkaido, the prefecture's tree, bird, flower and so on.  Finally I ask them to teach me how to draw the Hokkaido flag.  It's a trap!!!  It's far too difficult and most people living here don't know what it looks like anyway.

After we decide to chuck the project and everyone is feeling blue, I zone back in and say, "What the hell? That flag is too complicated anyway.  Let's redesign the flag."

After giving them a few minutes to get their ideas down, everyone presents them and explains why they chose certain symbols for the flag.  Recently, a junior high student designed a flag for Sapporo. The famous Sapporo clock tower is depicted under a branch of lilies of the valley, Sapporo's flower.  There are ten flowers, one for each of the ten wards.  She did a wonderful job of explaining and I now know there are ten wards!!!

Appreciatively,

Pat of the Valley

Life on Mars

It's been a challenge to write here recently.  No excuses but trying to get all the lessons together, the yard cleaned, and keep the family amused seems to be taking nearly all my time.  Recently I used a lesson made by Sean Banville on Breaking News English that introduced a NASA　program to put people on Mars. The catch is that the Mars travelers can never return to Earth. I'm having my students make lists of people they would like to see go. Kind of an interesting  way to get 'em talking.