11/20 しゅくだい: こんしゅまつ

今週末　土曜日に くじに 起きました。掃除を　して、昼ご飯を 食べて、昼寝を 寝ました。ゆうクリを しました。ひまでした。日曜日に にほんごを べんきょうしました。宿題は 難しかったです。フットボールゲームを　みませんでした、そして、りょうしんに 電話を かけました。
りょうしんとわたし：

American and Japanese houses

わたしのアパトは 小さいです。less than 50 square meters. Here are sample pictures of my aprtment:

(open kitchen, rare in Asian housing)

りょうしんの部屋は大きいです。私のアパトは ベッ一ベッドルーム有ります。一リビングルーム有ります。One thing I found unique about American house is the basement. American family tends to live in independent houses, not apartment. A basement is used for leisure time, for kids to play etc. Americans like to eat barbecue, they are likely to have grills out in their yards and enjoy barbecue meat during social gatherings. Unlike Japanese family, American family does not use rice cooker from my own experience. However, they eat rice; they just steam rice in a large pot.

10/30 しゅくだい：free topic

秋 休みに 仕事を しました。学生の秋休みを 有りませんでした。まい日 ノートルダム大学のキャンパスに 行きました。仕事は やさしく有りませんでした。日本語は 難しいです。わたしの生活　忙しいですね。

ガレスホール写真（ガレスホールのなかで 仕事をします):

温泉

               クラスメートのなまえ：アオさん

       かいわ(dialogue)のタイトル：温泉
　　長湯の温泉 写真：

　　アオさん：にほんに　なにが　ありますか。

　　わたし：そうですね。温泉が　あります。

　　アオさん：おお、どこに　温泉が　ありますが。

　　わたし：あの、竹田市に　ありますよ。

　　アオさん：そうですが。竹田市は　どこですが。

　　わたし：大分ですよ。竹田市に　長湯の温泉は　有名です。

　　アオさん：おお、え〜と、温泉に　モンキイ　いますが。

　　わたし：hahahaha, モンキイが　いますよ。

　　アオさん：長湯の温泉は　どんな温泉ですが。

　　わたし：いいですね。そして、大きい　温泉ですね。

　　アオさん：ローさんは　長湯の温泉に　しましたが。

　　わたし：わたしは　しませんでした。アオさんは。

　　アオさん：わたしも　しませんでした。

　　わたし：雲仙市の温泉も　きれい　ですよ。

長湯の温泉のウェブサイト: https://nagayu-onsen.jp/touji

わたしは　せいと　から　きました。せいとは　ちゅごくに　あります。おおきい　まちです。そしで　きれいな　まちです。でも　あたらしく　ありません。ふるいのまちです。せいとは　パンダが　います。シセンなべが　あります。　
これは　せいとのビデオ：

パンダ:

美味しい　シセンなべ：

Before researching Katakana on the internet, I wasn't aware that Katakana can have so many more usages in addition to foreign words.

Here is some strange Katakana words I found:

• zabon ズボン – Trousers (or for you Americans who can seem to distinguish between underwear and trousers, I guess you’d call them pants).
• pinpon ピンポン – Ping-Pong! The sound of a doorbell.
• chuu チョウ – Very/Super/Extra – an emphatic word.
• homusapiensu ホモ・サピエンス – Homo Sapiens. 
• wanpeesu ワンピース – A one-piece dress. Two words combined.
• pasocon パソコン – A PC (personal computer). Two words combined and shortened into a classic 4-syllable marvel.

The Katakana expressions above are 4-syllable words, usually combined by two words. 

• toranpu トランプ – Cards (Trump cards).
• baikingu バイキング – Oh-ho. Those dastardly Vikings. But no, this means an ‘all-you-can-eat’ restaurant.
• manto マント – A cloak or a cape. 
• manshon マンション – An upper-market apartment. Not a mansion.
• anke-to アンケート – A questionnaire!
• hocchikisu ホッチキス – A…hot kiss? Hah, you wouldn’t want to kiss this. It means a stapler.
• noruma ノルマ – A quota (business term, I think).
• panku パンク – Not a punk rocker unfortunately, but a puncture.
• furonto フロント – The front of a hotel. A.k.a reception desk.
• meiku メイク – Koichi’s personal favorite. Makeup.
• renji レンジ – microwave.
• rentogen レントゲン – An x-ray. 

The Katakana expressions above are words from foreign countries. But I cannot recognize which word comes from which country. For instance, renji レンジ is not English. 

• pechakucha ペチャクチャ – A rabble of chattering grannies.
• pikapika ピカピカ – Shiny and sparkly. Most likely where the yellow poke-rat got his name.
• panpan パンパン – A bloated full stomach. Go figure.
• kogukogu コグコグ – To drink in gulps and gulps.
• nikoniko ニコニコ – *Grin*
• perapera ペラペラ – (Italian Voice) I’m-a so pera-pera. Means fluent!
• wahuwahu フワフワ – Floaty-light or airy. Also used to describe sickness when you feel faint or drunk.
• punpun プンプン – Ever seen those cute Japanese girls that fail trying to look angry by puffing their cheeks out? Yup, that’s pun-pun. Anger.
• butsubutsu ブツブツ – Mumble-mumble-mumble. Sources say Koichi does this a lot.
• dondon ドンドン – Rapidly. We’ve gotta get going! Up the pace!
• gerogero ゲロゲロ – Ribbit-ribbit. I love frogs. Anyone know if there are any frogs that are bioluminescent?
• pakupaku パクパク – Chomp-chomp. Munch-much. 

These are some very funny onomatopoeia words. I learned that Pikachu's name comes from pikapika ピカピカ. How interesting!

Source: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/strange-katakana-words/

わたしわ　ごぜん　しちじごふん　おきます。あさはんを　たべます、がっこうに　いきます。まいにち　くらすで　にほんごを　べんきょします。まいばん　うちに　かえぃます。こうひうを　のみません。

こんばんは、はじめまして、Lou です、スタッフです、せんこうは 会計です、どうぞ よろしく。

As I mentioned in my last blog, I really like Nana Komatsu, a Japanese model and actress. Photo courtesy to Google images.

I once read a post about her in Chinese Quora, Zhihu. Someone commented her as having both innocent and evil characteristics harmoniously. In Chinses, we have 天真无邪 to describe someone is simple and naive, but with a little twist to 天真有邪，it is exactly a unique combination that Nana possesses- simple and evil.   If you see one of her movies "the world of Kanako", you will then grasp her unique and irresistible beauty.

I've had a great interest in learning Japanese language and culture. Even though I have never been to Japan (I am sure I will), I've heard great things from people who've traveled there. I know that the history between China and Japan has not all been so friendly, but even my father insisted on buying a Japanese-imported rice cooker. Chinese people have been zealous about Japanese products, from little things like snacks to transportation tools like vehicles. It was amazing to me that after world war II, Japan, such a tiny land, could develop a miraculous economy. It must have something to do with the culture and how society functions. I've read the book 《The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: Patterns of Japanese Culture 》 by Ruth Benedict, a well-known American anthropologist.

It was very interesting to uncover the reasons behind a lot of seemingly unreasonable phenomenon of Japan.

Personally, I enjoy ramen and sushi. Someday when I travel to Japan I can finally taste some real Japanese food! Taking this Japanese class will sure prepare me well of my journey ahead!

Last but not least, I've started to like Nana Kumatsu, a Japanese actress. I just can't say enough good words about her. I've watched one of her movies, Obereru knife. She acted unexpectedly well in that movie. Even though the movie plot was ridiculous, her beautiful face made it all worth it.

I am excited to have the chance to learn Japanese language. I know it's going to be fun!