July/August 2023

GRAPEVINE

Sports and Angry Parents – Michael Henderson

Issue No. 15Homesickness – Katelyn Sondereker

Lately, I have been watching many Daini sports

Lately, I have been feeling very homesick (ホームシgames. Basketball, water polo, baseball, and of courseック) for Ohio. Homesickness is a feeling of longing

the class match. I’ve had an amazing time cheering(切望) for home when you are far away. Even thoughwith students, watching them play, and learning aI enjoy my life in Japan very much, there are somelittle more about sports than I did before. However,things that are irreplaceable (かけがえのない).

during all these sports games, I have noticed one big

One of the things I miss a lot is hugs! In Japan,difference between America and Japan. While people

people don’t really hug each other, even if they are

in both countries cheer loudly for their teams,

close friends. Back home, I would get hugs from myJapanese spectators never argue with the referees or

mom and dad every day. Also, I usually hug my friends

coaches about the game’s result. However, at youth

as a greeting when we meet up to hang out (遊ぶ). In

sports games in America, it’s not uncommon during aJapan, I don’t get as many hugs, so I miss them!

game to see an angry parent begin yelling andAnother thing I miss is the variety of food at grocery

disagreeing with the referee. Often they are told tostores. Because people of many different cultures live

either be quiet or leave, but these incidents continue.

together in America, there is a really unique mix ofI think this happens for a few reasons. One, iningredients that are available to buy at the store. For

America, we often question things and express ourexample, sometimes grocery stores have whole aisles

opinions freely. Americans believe that talking about(通路) just for cheese from different countries! Onthings to resolve them is important. So in cases likethe other hand, in Japan, I have to go to specific stores

this, the parent may think the referee or coach islike Kaldi or Costco (or even Amazon!) to find somewrong and they want to tell them so. Two, parents areof the food that I want to cook.

often very involved in their child’s sports. Parents will

I also miss not standing out (目立つ) in public.

often drive their kids and teammates to and from

Because so many different people live in America,games and practices. So maybe they see their childeveryone’s appearance ( 外 観 ) is different. But innot doing well, and feel angry about it because it feels

Japan, everyone can always tell that I am a foreigner.

very personal to their own efforts as parents.

Even though Japanese people are very polite and kindOn the other hand, I talked about why Japaneseand usually don’t treat me differently because of mypeople don’t argue with the coach or referees with myappearance, I miss blending in (溶け込む) and not

ALT friend in Kumamoto. His dad used to be a PE

being noticed all the time.

teacher in Kumamoto, and he said that people inOf course, what I miss the most about America isJapan acknowledge that coaches and referees do thismy family. I have never lived away from home for thisas their jobs, so spectators respect their authority andlong, so sometimes it is hard for me not to be near mythe decisions they make. I thought about how in Japanfamily. For instance, my youngest brother and hispeople don’t want to disturb the peace of a situation,

wife just had a baby on 七夕! She is so cute andeven if they think differently.

wonderful, but I was a little bit sad that I couldn’t be

If you ever go to America, you may notice people
loudly disagreeing with the referees! Why do you
think this difference in culture exists?

(裏にある単語リストをご覧ください！)

there when she was born.
I love living in Japan, but sometimes it’s difficult tobe so far away from home. If you lived in anothercountry, what do you think you would miss aboutJapan?

Vocabulary List (Michael’s Article)
Cheer - 応援する

Question something – 何かを疑う

Spectators – 観客

Resolve – 解決する

Argue – 論議する

Involved – 関わる

Referee – 審判

Acknowledge – 認める

Coach – 監督、コーチ

Respect authority – 権威を尊重する

Disagree with someone – 人と揉める

Disturb the peace – 和を乱す

Incident – 出来事

Exist – 存在する

S’mores in the Summer!
Have you ever heard of a “s’more”? It’s
something that every American knows and has
probably eaten. It’s a very popular summer
snack that we make when we have bonfires(焚き火する) or when we go camping(キャンプする). You roast a marshmallow on
the fire (火でマシュマロを炙る) using a stick,and make sandwich using chocolate and twopieces of graham cracker. That’s it! Only threeingredients. You can try it at home by using a
microwave instead of a fire!

Happy 4th of July!
Have you heard of the 4th of July? It’s a major holiday in America. It’s the day America
became independent from Britain, and became its own country! (イギリスから独立し、独立国となった日) That’s why the 4th of July is also called “Independence Day” (独立記念日). On this day, we light many fireworks, and have parties and barbeques. It’s one of
the best parts of summer!

Peanuts Comic“Little Women” is the name of a very old and famous American book!