Essay 2-03b “Students Now and Then”

Today, I’ll tell you about now university life and the life in 25 years from now. I’ll introduce my present life in Kumamoto Gakuen University in order to explain now university life at first. And, I imagine what university life would be like in 25 years from now. I will make a comparison between the two lives in terms of some same subjects. The subjects are about study and life mainly.


First, I will tell you about university life now. I study English in the university. I get up around 7 o’clock, and I go to university by motorcycle. Students mostly go to school by bicycle, motorcycle, foot, bus and train on weekdays. I go through hardships in the morning in winter because it is so cold. I think that I want to go to sleep for just five more minutes. Everyone may think the same in cold day. Rainy days are also heavy for us. I must put on a rain coat and rain boots in order to ride motorcycle. And I prepare a dried towel and a plastic bag. It’s so troublesome. Moreover, there are many traffic jams in rainy day. People will have difficultys in bad wether.


After I arrive at university, I come in a classroom. There are many classrooms in university. I must go the classroom which be appointed by office. People inexperienced in university life will have some trouble, for example freshmen. A teacher and many students are in classroom. The class that I especially want to introduce is my listening class and my reading class. In the listening class, teacher plays a cassette and a video. We listen to the English, and we answer questions. Teachers mostly use blackboard and whiteboard. In the reading class, we study how to read English-language paper. We study it with textbook and newspaper. If I find the points and my mistakes, I mark and write in points by color pens. I practice memorizing with handwriting.


In the time except classes, I spend time to on having a lunch and reading the library etc. In lunch time, some have a lunchbox which be brought from their homes, others have a lunch in cafeteria and bakery and buy a snack lunch in convenience store. I often go to the library. I read books and find books about subjects that I learn in classes. There are many books in library, but I sometimes have troubles with searching for books. And in the library of KGU, there aren’t many novels, despite there are many books. I want to read novels. I want to add to many genres books. I don’t want to add only books for study, but also books for entertainments. They say that young people do not read as many books as they did in the past. Books give many knowledges, educations and pleasures. I can especially feel the texture of thickness and weight from paper books. I think I can spend time well when I’m reading books.


In 25 years from now, university life will probably change significantly. The science and technology in the world will improve, and university life may be influenced with the evolution. I think that student will study on the Internet. Teachers make examinations with e-mail, and students answer with e-mail. Those all processes will be made in internet. Students have own PC or iPad with micro camera and microphone. Teachers and students talk each other with them. And students will chat with students all the world easily. Students will have to study English and other languages harder than now.


Students study in internet, so they need not to go to university every day. Their university life will greatly change. There are only a few buildings, because many classrooms don’t need any more. In the buildings, there are offices. Students study at home, so they won’t go through hardships in the morning in winter. But students may lose chances of exchanges, so they go to school once in a while for the sake of exchange with other students. I think clubs and circles become important activity.


Library will change too. I think that electronic books will become popular in the world, and library of university will come to have many electronic books. A download area is in the library and the library’s web site. Students download free from library’s PC in the library, or from web site at home. But on the other hands, they read paper books too. People notice the important of paper books with electronic books.


As you can see, I imagined and compared between university life now and 25 years from now. I think that the present life and the life in 25 years from now will very different, because life in 25 years ago and present life are very difference. I imagined all people will come to use computer devices and internet anytime, and student’s life will be influence with them. I want to go to university in 25 years from now. I want to go to the library. I think that library will change significantly too. But nobody knows what the future in the world will be. Perhaps progress of technology may exceed my hope. I’ m not a student in 25 years from now, so I want to see my children’s university life if I have children.

[886 words]

Essay 2-03a “Students Now and Then”

Today, I’ll tell you about now university life and the life in 25 years from now. I’ll introduce my present life in Kumamoto Gakuen University in order to explain now university life at first. And, I imagine what university life would be like in 25 years from now. I will make a comparison between the two lives in terms of some same subjects. The subjects are about study and life mainly.


First, I will tell you about university life now. I study English in the university. I get up around 7 o’clock, and I go to university by motorcycle. Students mostly go to school by bicycle, motorcycle, foot, bus and train on weekdays. I go through hardships in the morning in winter because it is so cold. I think that I want to go to sleep for just five more minutes. Everyone may think the same in cold day.


After I arrive at university, I come in a classroom. There are many classrooms in university. I must go the classroom which be appointed by office. People inexperienced in university life will have some trouble, for example freshmen. A teacher and many students are in classroom. The class that I especially want to introduce is my listening class and my reading class. In the listening class, teacher plays a cassette and a video. We listen to the English, and we answer questions. Teachers mostly use blackboard and whiteboard. In the reading class, we study how to read English-language paper. We study it with textbook and newspaper. If I find the points and my mistakes, I mark and write in points by color pens. I practice memorizing with handwriting.


In the time except classes, I spend time to on having a lunch and reading the library etc. In lunch time, some have a lunchbox which be brought from their homes, others have a lunch in cafeteria and bakery and buy a snack lunch in convenience store. I often go to the library. I read books and find books about subjects that I learn in classes. There are many books in library, but I sometimes have troubles with searching for books. And in the library of KGU, there aren’t many novels, despite there are many books. I want to read novels. I want to add to many genres books.


In 25 years from now, university life will probably change significantly. The science and technology in the world will improve, and university life may be influenced with the evolution. I think that student will study on the Internet. Teachers make examinations with e-mail, and students answer with e-mail. Those all processes will be made in internet. Students have own PC or iPad with micro camera and microphone. Teachers and students talk each other with them. And students will chat with students all the world easily. Students will have to study English and other languages harder than now.


Students study in internet, so they need not to go to university every day. Their university life will greatly change. There are only a few buildings, because many classrooms don’t need any more. In the buildings, there are offices. Students study at home, so they won’t go through hardships in the morning in winter. They go to school once in a while for the sake of exchange with other students.


Library will change too. I think that electronic books will become popular in the world, and library of university will come to have many electronic books. A download area is in the library and the library’s web site. Students download free from library’s PC in the library, or from web site at home. But on the other hands, they read paper books too. People notice the important of paper books with electronic books.


As you can see, I imagined and compared between university life now and 25 years from now. I think that the present life and the life in 25 years from now will very different, because life in 25 years ago and present life are very difference. I imagined all people will come to use computer devices and internet anytime, and student’s life will be influence with them. But nobody knows what the future in the world will be. Perhaps progress of technology may exceed my hope. I’ m not a student in 25 years from now, so I want to see my children’s university life if I have children.

[741 words]

Essay 2-02b: Encounter with Languages

I think that learning language is difficult, especially foreign languages. Foreign languages differ widely from mother tongue in spoken language and written language. But mother tongue is also difficult. I think that speaking and writing decency is lifelong learning. Now, I will introduce my language learning experience. I have studied Japanese, Spanish and English.


First, I’ll tell you about my Japanese learning experience. Japanese is my mother tongue. I have heard Japanese since I was a baby. So I can speak and write it. Before I went to an elementary school, I learned “hiragana” and “katakana” from my mother. I liked reading picture books in my childhood. I have an elder sister. I wanted to read correctly like my sister, so I memorized with all my might. I like to watch “hiragana”. Hiragana has many curves. And I think that the shapes are so unique. In elementary school, I learned “kanji” at the first time. The impressive thing is the writing order of “kanji”. I learned from my teacher that we can write beautifully if we write the correct order of kanji. And I often read aloud. I read to parents every day, and my parents paint a graph of reading every day. I was happy in that time.


In junior high school, I learned Japanese classics at the first time. And, we recited them in my school. Recitation is difficult for me. But I owe it to the recitation that I remember famous phrases of Japanese classic. In high school, I study them deeply. I read many writing for examination. So I disliked reading at that time. But now, I enjoy Japanese. I like reading books very much. Once I begin to read, I can’t stop. So I often bring books into bathroom. When I read a book in a bathtub, I am so happy. Japanese is profound. I think my favorite kanguage is Japanese.


Second, I’ll tell you about my Spanish learning. I studied Spanish last year. I chose it as a second foreign language in university. I was interested in studying Spanish, because I liked Brazilian music. Brazilian music is sung in Portuguese. I knew Portuguese is alike Spanish. My favorite point of Spanish is the pronunciation. Spanish is difficult, but when I listen to the speaking and singing, I feel comfort. I have known Brazilian music since I was a junior high school student. I have a favorite Brazilian musician. He is Antônio Carlos Jobim and Caetano Veloso.


I think that Spanish has unique rhythms and sounds. I cannot take Spanish class this year due to other classes, but I want to study deeper and speak well, so I’m going to take Spanish class next year, and I want to go to Spain and Portugal someday.


Third, I’ll tell you about my English learning. I began to study English from a junior high school student. At first, I studied Alphabets. I found my then English note the other day. It seems easy, but I studied hard at that time. In high school, I studied for an examination. I memorized hardly many words. And I practiced reading English sentences speedy. I enjoyed studying with favorite textbooks. After I entered Kumamoto Gakuen University, I enjoy studying English more. It is because I can study English freely in University. I made this blog, and I write about many events. I can write officially home works and privately events in this blog. So I can enjoy in freely mind.


And I have four classes this year. They are Writing, Reading, Speaking and Listening. I like Writing and Reading. I especially like writing class the best. I like writing my diaries and essays in my blog, and I am poor at Speaking and Listening. In Japanese, I’m poor to speaking and listening. For example, I dislike speeches and memorizing after listening. On the other hand, I usually like reading books and writing compositions and essays. I think I have awareness of weak points about speaking and listening in all languages. I want to stop the awareness. If I stop the awareness, I can study English actively. English is so difficult for me. I cannot speak English well. I want to study English hard.


And I also want to challenge new language. I want to study Italian. It is because I like classical music and arts. The origin of classical music and arts is in Italian. So I study it.


I already explained my language learning. I have been studying Japanese for 20 years, and studied English for 9 years. Setting Spanish aside, I have been studying for long time in my life. In spite of that fact, I'm not good at Japanese and English. For example, I cannot speak Japanese honorific words and fluent English. I think afresh that learning language is difficult and lifelong learning. I want to have many interesting things, and I study in my whole life.

[819 words]

Essay 2-02a: Encounter with Languages

I think that learning language is difficult, especially foreignlanguages are difficult. Foreign languages differ widely from mother tongue in spoken language and written language. But mother tongue is also difficult. I think that speaking and writing decency is lifelong learning. Now, I will introduce my language learning experience. I have ever studied Japanese, Spanish and English.


First, I’ll tell you about my Japanese learning experience. Japanese is my mother tongue. I have heard Japanese since I was a baby. So I can speak and write it. Before I went to an elementary school, I learned “hiragana” and “katakana” from my mother. I liked reading picture books in my childhood. I have an elder sister. I wanted to read correctly like my sister, so I memorized with all my might. In elementary school, I learned “kanji” at the first time. The impressive thing is the writing order of “kanji”. I learned from my teacher that we can write beautifully if we write the correct order of kanji. And I often read aloud. I read to parents every day, and my parents paint a graph of reading every day. I was happy in that time. In junior high school, I learned Japanese classics at the first time. And, we recited them in my school. Recitation is difficult for me. But I owe it to the recitation that I remember famous phrases of Japanese classic. In high school, I study them deeply. I read many writing for examination. So I dislike reading at that time. But now, I enjoy Japanese. I like reading books very much. Once I begin to read, I can’t stop. So I often bring books into bathroom. When I read a book in bath tub, I feel happiness.


Second, I’ll tell you about my Spanish learning. I studied Spanish last year. I chose it as a second foreign language in university. I was interested in studying Spanish, because I liked Brazilian music. Brazilian music is sung in Portuguese. I knew Portuguese is alike Spanish. My favorite point of Spanish is the pronunciation. When I listen to the speaking and singing, I feel comfortable. I think that Spanish has unique rhythms and sounds. I cannot take Spanish class this year due to other classes. But I want to study deeper, so I’m going to take Spanish class next year.


Third, I’ll tell you about my English learning. I began to study English from a junior high school student. At first, I studied Alphabets. I found my then English note the other day. It seems easy, but I studied hard at that time. In high school, I studied for an examination. I memorized hardly many words. And I practiced reading English sentences speedy. I enjoyed studying with favorite text books. After I entered Kumamoto Gakuen University, I enjoy studying English more. It is because I can study English freely in University. I made this blog, and I write about many events. I can write officially home works and privately events in this blog. So I can enjoy in freely mind. And I have four classes this year. They are Writing, Reading, Speaking and Listening. I like Writing and Reading. And I am poor at Speaking and Listening. In Japanese, I’m poor to speaking and listening. For example, I dislike speeches and memorizing after hearing. On the other hand, I usually like reading books and writing compositions and essays. I think I have awareness of weak point about speaking and listening in all language. I want to stop the awareness. If I stop the awareness, I can study English activelier.


I already explain my language learning. I have been studying Japanese for 20 years and studied English for 9 years. Setting Spanish aside, I have been studying for long time in my life. In spite of that fact, I'm not good at Japanese and English. For example, I cannot speak Japanese honorific words and fluent English. I think afresh that learning language is difficult, and it is lifelong learning.

[682 words]

Essay 2-01b: Favorite Place “My Burrow”

I have my burrow, and I like it very much. It is my house, of course. Now, I will introduce my house. My house is two-storied high and a detached house. There are a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, a bath room and the other three rooms on the first floor. And, there are my room and the other three rooms on the second floor. And there is a garden. My house has a roof of black tile and white walls. The exterior is a Japanese style house. There are four peoples in my family. I have father, mother and an old sister. My sister works in Tokyo, so this house is used by three people. Now, I’ll introduce the points of my house.


First, there are many books in my house. All my family likes reading books. My father likes especially reading. But sadly, we don’t have a library, so books put everywhere. There are about one thousand books in my house. I think the reason why we have so many books is that we like different books each other. My father likes books about business, IT and history. My mother likes books about health and mystery. My sister likes books about fantasy and comics. And I like books about SF, romance and literature. In the first floor, there are three bookshelves. And in the second floor, there are five bookshelves. The bookshelves aren’t bookshelves to be accurate. We use an old cupboard and an old desk for children as bookshelves. I like the lukewarm way of my family.


Second, I like the lavatory of my house. The lavatory has some gadgets. It is the door that it opens automatically, because the door is put in a big spring. After someone open the door with hand, it closes by the power of the spring. This was put by my father, because he thought that closing the door is a tiresome work. Moreover turn on and off the light automatically too. The light can recognize moving things. It was put by my father for the prevention of forgetting to turn off the light. The lavatory is a little narrow, but it is comfortable space for me. The lavatory is like a contraption room. And my father is like a Ninja.


Third, the garden is a main feature. The garden is like a letter of “L”. My parents like gardening. They plant many flowers and vegetables without discrimination. In the garden, a pomegranate tree, a kumquat tree, many flowers (amaryllises, roses, pansies and sunflowers etc.) in planters and plant pots (mini tomatoes, baby leaves and beefsteak plants etc.), kitchen garden (lettuces, parsleys, and Welsh onions etc.) are planted. My garden is always crawling with their. Moreover, we hang out the washing at fine days, so the garden has little space. I think the more simply garden is good, but my garden which has many greens is nice too.


Finally, I will introduce my room. My room is on the second floor. It is a six-tatami room. There are all essential things in my room. They are my laptop computer and my bed. It is a computer of DELL. When I have free time, I lie down on the bed and do net surfing. It is a blissful moment. When I study occasionally, I carry a desk and a chair from the corner of my room. This desk is a desk of my high school. I get it when I was a high school student. When I sit on it, I can concentrate on study. And I like a curtain of my room. It is drawn trees with blue and green colors. I gather things of blue and green for interior of my room. So in my room, there are many blue and green goods.


I stated the main features of my house. I have seen fine houses in European countries in TV and magazines. And I know that my house is not stylish. The bookshelves, the springs of the lavatory, the chaos of my garden are far apart from stylish. But I like them very much. I wanted to live in stylish and cool house like foreign countries. But now, I am satisfied with this living space. If though it is not smart, it has all necessary things. And before everything, living with parents always relieves me. This place is just “My Burrow”.


(742 words)

Essay 2-01a: Favorite Place “My Burrow”

I have my burrow, and I like it very much. It is my house, of course. Now, I will introduce my house. My house is two-storied high and a detached house. There are a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, a bath room and the other three rooms on the first floor. And, there are my room and the other three rooms on the second floor. My house has a roof of black tile and white walls. The exterior is a Japanese style house. There are four peoples in my family. I have father, mother and an old sister. My sister works in Tokyo, so this house is used by three people. Now, I’ll introduce the points of my house.


First, there are many books in my house. All my family likes reading books. My father likes especially reading. But sadly, we don’t have a library, so books put everywhere. I think the reason why we have so many books is that we like different books each other. My father likes books about business, IT and history. My mother likes books about health and mystery. My sister likes books about fantasy and comics. And I like books about SF, romance and literature. In the first floor, there are three bookshelves. And in the second floor, there are five bookshelves. The bookshelves aren’t bookshelves to be accurate. We use an old cupboard and an old desk for children as bookshelves. I like the lukewarm way of my family.


Second, I like the lavatory of my house. The lavatory has some gadgets. It is the door that it opens automatically, because the door is put in a big spring. After someone open the door with hand, it closes by the power of the spring. This was put by my father, because he thought that closing the door is a tiresome work. Moreover turn on and off the light automatically too. The light can recognize moving things. It was put by my father for the prevention of forgetting to turn off the light. The lavatory is like a contraption room.


Third, the garden is a main feature. The garden is like a letter of “L”. My parents like gardening. They plant many flowers and vegetables without discrimination. In the garden, a pomegranate tree, a kumquat tree, many flowers in planters and plant pots, kitchen garden are planted. My garden is always crawling with their. Moreover, we hang out the washing at fine days, so the garden has little space. I think the more simply garden is good, but my garden which has many greens is nice too.


Finally, I will introduce my room. My room is on the second floor. It is a six-tatami room. There are all essential things in my room. They are my laptop computer and my bed. When I have free time, I lie down on the bed and do net surfing. It is a blissful moment.
When I study occasionally, I carry a desk and a chair from the corner of my room. This desk is a desk of my high school. I get it when I was a high school student. When I sit on it, I can concentrate on study.


I stated the main features of my house. I can say generally that my house is not stylish. The bookshelves, the springs of the lavatory, the chaos of my garden are far apart from stylish. But I like them very much. I wanted to live in stylish and cool house. But now, I am satisfied with this living space. If it is not smart, it has all necessary things. And before everything, living with parents always relieves me. This place is just “My Burrow”.

(624 words)

Essay 1-01c: Dear host family

This file is a letter of introduction myself. I wrote this essay how to introduce myself if I stay abroad and meet my host family. I am going to stay six weeks at the host family's house. And I especially introduce my hobby.

The file below is a recording my voice. I read this letter.I introduced my hometown, my hobbies and interests.
Please listen to the file.







I'm not good at speaking English smoothly, so I hope for getting along with my host family though hobbies and interests.My hometown is Kumamoto. My hobbies are reading books, fashion, shopping and arts.
I wanted my host family to know myself.

If I go abroad, I want to go downtown with my host family. I want to see many architecture and a row of house and streets.
I think that they are kinds of art and culture. Through my visual interests, I want to know me.

Could you know about me? I' m glad to know me.
Below links are the texts of this essay.
Please read them. And I want you to leave comments.


Essay 1-01a
http://nonomimizu.blogspot.com/2010/04/essay-homework.html


Essay 1-01b
http://nonomimizu.blogspot.com/2010/04/essay-rewrite.html


(182 words)

Essay 1-02b [COMME des GARCONS]

I think that fashion is a view of the world. It is not looks, but a way of life. One day, I met a fashion brand that pursues it. The brand is “COMME des GARCONS”. I will introduce my favorite brand “CDG”.



●○History and Sprit○●

CDG was founded by Rei Kawakubo, Japanese designer in 1969. CDG began to attract international attentions since the early 1980s. She has expressed a collection that black stand out overwhelmingly at the show in Paris. It is called Impact of Black, and the pros and cons were equally divided. At that time, black was the color of ceremonial occasions. People did not usually wear black clothes, but black clothes became international boom after that collection. Kawakubo still goes on challenging about “What is black?”


CDG continues to provoke oneself. It has released collection of punk in 1991 and 1997. The collection in 1991 is “Chic punk”, and it in 1997 is “Adult punk”. The most impressive clothe is “Rebel”. There is a big word of “Rebel” in the clothes. CDG advance with spirit of punk, and it always overturn existent common sense of fashion. This spirit is a origin for Kawakubo who did not go to school of dress design. The principle which rebels existent things are sticked completely.








●○Printing matter○●

CDG publishes great direct mails and flyers. Kawakubo herself takes part in the production, and she sticks the texture of the paper, the size and the shape completely. I am interested in season’s visuals. They is not printed CDG’ clothes, but works of artists and messages etc. are printed. I think that they show a view of world in exchange for do not advertize clothes.







●○Shop○●

In addition, the expressible place of CDG is stores. CDG has more than 200 stores of direct management. Apparel shops generally uniform the design of shop, but CDG is exception. It consider the requirement of countries, districts and environments. Kawakubo herself usually plot the concept, on the other hand she request of artists and architect too.





As has been mentioned, CDG has a unique view of the world. I think that CDG has something. It is not fashion. Those who put on CDG’s clothes are demanded the attitude how to face up to the intense message of executors. All the time, the clothes proclaim new sense of value. I think CDG don’t connote fashion but fantasy.




+++2010A/W Paris collection+++


Revisions for all of your comments

Asuka...
Thank you! I love clothes.

Yumie...
I don't have clothes of CDG, because they are very expensive.
I admire them.

taku...
I know you like fashion too, because you always wear a hat.

Chikako...
Thank you. Your blog is cute too.
Hello Kitty is good!

haruka...
There aren't CDG shop in Kumamoto.
I hope CDG shop is open in Kumamoto some day.

(456 words)





Reference URL

Japanese street. . Retrieved , from
http://www.japanesestreets.com/fashion-brands/391/comme-des-garcons.

Essay 1-02a [COMME des GARCONS]

I think that fashion is a view of the world. It is not looks, but a way of life. One day, I met a fashion brand that pursues it. The brand is “COMME des GARCONS”. I will introduce my favorite brand “CDG”.

CDG was founded by Rei Kawakubo, Japanese designer in 1969. CDG began to attract international attentions since the early 1980s. She has expressed a collection that black stand out overwhelmingly at the show in Paris. It is called Impact of Black, and the pros and cons were equally divided. At that time, black was the color of ceremonial occasions. People did not usually wear black clothes, but black clothes became international boom after that collection. Kawakubo still goes on challenging about “What is black?”

CDG publishes great direct mails and flyers. Kawakubo herself takes part in the production, and she sticks the texture of the paper, the size and the shape completely. I am interested in season’s visuals. They is not printed CDG’ clothes, but works of artists and messages etc. are printed. I think that they show a view of world in exchange for do not advertize clothes.

In addition, the expressible place of CDG is stores. CDG has more than 200 stores of direct management. Apparel shops generally uniform the design of shop, but CDG is exception. It consider the requirement of countries, districts and environments. Kawakubo herself usually plot the concept, on the other hand she request of artists and architect too.

As has been mentioned, CDG has a unique view of the world. I think that CDG has something. It is not fashion. Those who put on CDG’s clothes are demanded the attitude how to face up to the intense message of executors. All the time, the clothes proclaim new sense of value. I think CDG don’t connote fashion but fantasy.


(307words)



Reference URL

Japanese street. . Retrieved , from
http://www.japanesestreets.com/fashion-brands/391/comme-des-garcons.

Essay 1-01b: Dear host family

Dear host family,

Hi! My name is Nozomi. I’m looking forward to visiting your house and spending six week there. I am still poor at speaking English, so I am going to introduce myself here.

I was born in Kumamoto. Kumamoto is situated at the bottom of Japan. Kumamoto has many green fields and clear water. I have pride in my hometown.

My hobby is reading books. I read books, especially belles-letters. My favorite author is Yukio Mishima. I am interested in his aesthetic sense. I want to read American books in English. Please tell me some of your recommended books.

My other hobby is fashion. I read magazine, for example VOGUE, ELLE, and NYLON. Everyone of them is written by English too. So I will read them when I stay in America. I am interested in American high fashion and casual fashion. I want to study about them, and I also want to enjoy shopping. I want to go to thrift stores. I read about them in a magazine. I think that they are a wonderful system. I like old American character designs which are at used clothing and goods. I want to find them at thrift stores.

The most interesting thing of me is art. I love American pop art, especially Andy Warhol. I think that the theme and motif of his art makes new forms of art. I want to see not only drawn art but also sculptures and performance art.

I want to speak English well as soon as possible. And I want to chat about various things with you. Could you know about me? I want to get along with you. looking forward to seeing you.

From Nozomi.


(328 words)

Essay 1-01a: Dear host family

Dear host family,

Hi! My name is Nozomi. I’m looking to visiting your house and spending six week there. I am still poor at speaking English, so I am going to introduce myself here.

I was born in Kumamoto. Kumamoto is situated at the bottom of Japan. Kumamoto has many green fields and clear water. I have pride in my hometown.

My hobby is reading books. I read books, especially belles-letters. My favorite author is Yukio Mishima. I am interested in his aesthetic sense. I want to read American books in English. Please tell me some of your recommended books.

My other hobby is fashion. I read magazine, for example VOGUE, ELLE, and NYLON. Everyone of them is written by English too. So I will read them when I stay in America. I am interested in American high fashion and casual fashion. I want to study about them, and I also want to enjoy shopping. I want to go to thrift stores. I read about them in a magazine. I think that they are a wonderful system. I like old American character designs which are at used clothing and goods. I want to find them at thrift stores.

The most interesting thing of me is art. I love American pop art, especially Andy Warhol. I think that the theme and motif of his art makes new forms of art. I want to see not only drawn art but also sculptures and performance art.

I want to speak English well as soon as possible. And I want to chat about various things with you. Could you know about me? I want to get along with you. I’m looking forward to seeing you.

From Nozomi.

(283 words)