1RUWK6HD/RRNRXW 
1RWinter 2013

The Brock Program
because I would like to see the falls with a rainbow and blue sky.
In class, there were a lot of Chinese and a few Brazilian and Japanese. Classes
were very fun, so I enjoyed going to school although I had to get up early every day.
I made some new friends, and I keep in touch with them through Facebook andLINE even now. Also, I had a Korean roommate. She was very kind and she taught
me many things such as about school and the house. She and some of my Chineseclassmates took me to a Japanese restaurant just before I went back to Japan. I was
surprised by their unexpected behavior, but I was very happy.
In these three weeks, I learned some important things. First, I learned theimportance of making words. My host mother taught me this. I couldn’t say what I
wanted to in English at first, so I didn’t say a lot. I tried to do my best, however, I
could communicate with my host family well at last. If I don’t express my feelings
in words, the listener may not catch my feelings, so it is important for us to express
our feelings in words if we have something we want to say. Second, I learned to act
positively. I may waste time if I am passive and in a defensive attitude. I took partin some events and activities held at university. Finally, I learned to enjoy
everything. In fact, I wanted to stay longer in Canada because three weeks was too
short. But I would like to use what I learned at Brock University in the future. It
was a really good experience for me.

Brock

Shuichiro Aiki
This was my first experience going abroad to study English as a member of
Hokkai University at Brock University in Canada. The first thing that I felt about
studying English in Canada was it was too difficult for me to do that. However, I
had been looking for a chance to join a challenging English learning program.
Therefore, I decided to go to Canada.
In Canada, I had so many great experiences. For example, at the Niagara Falls, I
was overwhelmed when I looked at the falls, and then I rode Maid of the Mist,
which is a boat that goes near the falls. In Toronto, I saw many high-rise buildings
and experienced that aspect of a developed country.
In the International Center at Brock University, I had 5 classes which included
speaking, listening, writing, reading and grammar. The classes started at 8 o’clock
and finished at 4 o’clock. In the classes, I needed
to make efforts to join the discussion because if
I waited for my turn, I could not have a chance
to say anything while others were talking. This
was the most difficult part of my studying. At
first, I didn’t used to be outspoken, so I was
confused about when I should say my opinion.
However, little by little as I spoke in thediscussions, I could join in. I didn’t speak sosmoothly, even if it were basic conversation, but
after about a week passed, I could speak a lot inall of my class.
I made some friends at Brock. They camefrom China, Korea, Brazil, and other countries,
so my stay became more enjoyable. Talking
with other students was very fun. One
of my Brazilian friends and I often
talked about culture, customs and otherdaily topics. I learned a lot of differences
between each country, and what otherstudents thought about Canada.
In conclusion, my 3 weeks in
Canada will be a great memory in mylife. To make use of my experience, I
will study English hard.

Awesome Days…

Anna Hiyoshi
I had a great time at Brock University in Canada. The most interesting thing I
did was visit Niagara Falls. At Niagara Falls, I rode a big boat and approached thefalls. It was not so much the splashing of water as the rain that I got so wet,although I wore a raincoat. The falls were so big and beautiful, but the weather wasa little bit bad that day. There were also a lot of shops in the area that attracted me.
I did some souvenir shopping. I would like to go to Niagara Falls again one day

My Great Experience in Canada

Rina Kanenari
Before I went to Canada, I was really afraid because it was the first time for me
to go abroad. I felt sad not to see my family every day and I worried about whether
or not I would do well in Canada. The day before I left Japan, I cried almost all day.
But in Canada, I really enjoyed myself. I think the best thing about my stay in
Canada was the homestay. When I left Canada, I wanted to stay with my hostfamily and my roommate longer. I didn’t want to go back to Japan. In fact, I felt I
wanted to stay in Canada longer. It was a very big change for me. Before I went to
Canada, I was really afraid and worried about staying in Canada for three weeks.
I really enjoyed my homestay. Especially, I enjoyed daily life in my host family’shome. For example, I liked to go to the grocery store and go to the shopping mallwith my host mother and my roommate. Because I had a lot of conversations withthem, I could experience real conversation. I found new things which I’ve neverseen in Japan. Also, I enjoyed dinner time at my host family’s house. My hostmother was really good at cooking, so I looked forward to having dinner every day
and to chat. When I couldn’t understand the meaning because my host family’s
conversations were too fast or using difficult vocabulary, my host mother and myhost family would always explain the contents of conversation to me by using easierexpressions in English. I really enjoyed conversation at dinner time. I was very glad
my host family treated me like one of the family. On a national holiday in Canada,
I went to my host mother’s parents’ house and had a dinner with them, and thenwe had my host mother’s father’s birthday party celebration. I joined the birthday
party like a member of the family. I couldn’t speak English well, but I could dosome good communication with my host family. I also felt glad my host family androommate made an effort to understand my English and what I wanted to tellthem.
After I came back to Japan, I keep in touch with my host mother and myroommate by e-mail. I’m happy because I feel I have a new family in Canada and I
have a really close friend. I really want to visit Canada again to see my host family
and go to Brazil to see my roommate. If you have a chance to do a homestay, I
want you to enjoy it very much. I think homestays are a very good way to improveyour English. At the same time, it is also a good way to learn about a different
culture. I think the time which you spend with your host family may be a great
memory.

2No.10 Winter 2013

Haiku
He made a snowman
Today’s morning is so cold
It melted at noon
Ryoma Kanauchi

The Snow Festival
Twinkling illumination
Makes happy eyes shine
Yuki YoshidaIn the big mountain
The cab fell over the cliff
Maples drop at once
Yuki Takayanagi

Snow covered the ground
Go to sleep for a long time
Creatures of nature
Maaya Saito

Under the large sun
The snow sculptures are shining
While a cold wind blows
Yuri Murata

Snow Festival starts
Many people come to see
Sculptures of ice standAyame Saito

They are enjoying
Speed skating and ice hockey
In Kushiro town
Suzuka Takahashi

Leaves fall from the trees
Singing “bell ringing” crickets
It sounds beautiful
Haruka Tannyu

Kitami’s harvest
Curry rice marathon held
A slight chilly day
Nana Shibuya

Today is so cold
Biting wind skimming along
I blew on my hands
Yame Nakamoto

My Favorite PhotoThis picture was taken in Kitami. I have been playing baseball for
eleven years. I was captain of this baseball team. This is a picture of thetournament from 2012. I hit a home run in this game. The pitcher on therival team is famous in Hokkaido. I gave the home run ball to my father asa present for Father’s Day. My team won this game. The score was 7 to 1. I
treasure the memory of this day. I believe my baseball life influences mypersonal development. The teammates in this picture are still very
important to me. They helped me make this great memory.

Kota Sugawara

My favorite photo is this picture of me doing a live concert with myband. It was taken in the spring of 2013 in a church in Japan. It was a big
event, and a lot of people took part. My drum teacher also came. I am theone sitting at the drums and my brother is playing the guitar. My brotherand I are wearing suits that my father bought for us. It is a big theater, andthere are a lot of people in the church. I have practiced the drums for eight
years. Looking at this photo makes me want to do a live performanceagain. I would like to continue playing from now on. Keisuke Ichikawa

This time 4 years ago, I went to Universal Studio Japan with myfriend. Universal Studio Japan is in the city of Osaka. Universal Studio
Japan is the second most popular amusement-park in Japan. This is a
picture of the USJ symbol, which is royal blue and gold shining in thesun. This picture was taken from the in side of a store, so there are a lotof other people in this place. Many people take a picture in this place.
Apparently, it is one of the most popular locations for taking pictures atUniversal Studio Japan. This picture is my favorite. Looking at thisphoto makes me want to go there again.
Risako Henmi

No.10 Winter 20133

Gadgets
Anywhere Bracelet
Do you wish you could go anywhere in three seconds? If so, thenhere is the solution to your problem: the Anywhere Bracelet. It helps you
so you aren’t late for school in the morning. It’s easy to use and is a cutebracelet.
The Anywhere Bracelet is a special device. If you put it on your wrist,
you can go anywhere anytime. You don’t have to use a car, a bus, a train,
or a plane and you can enjoy your commute if you don’t have enoughtime.
The Anywhere Bracelet is easy to use. First, put it on one of yourwrists. Second, say the place where you want to go three times. The
bracelet has a microphone. Then close your eyes and in three seconds
open your eyes. You will be in the place you wanted to go to. However,you can use this ability only three times in one day.
Mai Hishida

Instant-strong Gloves
Do you wish you could lift heavy weights easily? If so, then here is thesolution to your problem: the Instant-strong Gloves. Easy to lift withand safe, the Instant-strong Gloves are an excellent aid for lifting heavy
weights.
The Instant-strong Gloves are special devices that give you safety andpower. They look like ordinary work gloves, but a very powerful motor ispounding in them. They automatically regulate the power of the motorby the weight of what you are lifting.
The Instant-strong Gloves are easy to use. First, put them on yourhands. Second, push the button on the wrist. There is no danger ofdropping heavy baggage when moving, and the risk of hurting your backwhen lifting heavy baggage is gone.
Kei Ueda

The Automatic Hair Styling Chair
Do you think it is troublesome to set your hair every morning? If so,then here is the solution to your problem: the Automatic Hair Styling
Chair. The Automatic Hair Styling Chair makes the hair style of yourpreference.
The Automatic Hair Styling Chair looks like a normal chair, but it isequipped with a straight iron, curling iron, and hair dryer. Furthermore,
it is equipped with an LCD screen on the armrest, and you can choose
the hair style of your preference on the screen. Sitting in the chair is very
comfortable because it is made of a soft cushion material.
The Automatic Hair Styling Chair is easy to use. First, you sit down
and relax. Second, various hair styles are projected on the screen and you
choose the hair style you like. After that, it will set of your hairautomatically. You can even eat breakfast while it is setting your hair.
Your ideal hair style is completed in about 10 minutes. You can eliminate
the need for troublesome hair styling every morning with the Automatic
Hair Styling Chair.
Akane Chida

Housework Robot
Do you wish you didn’t have to do housework? If so, then here is thesolution to your problem: the Housework Robot. This robot is made ofartificial skin. Therefore, it looks like a human. The Housework Robot isa very convenient robot.
The Housework Robot cleans all rooms, prepares breakfast and does
the washing in the morning. At noon, this robot prepares lunch anddries clothes in the sun. In the evening, this robot prepares a delicious
dinner. The Housework Robot can also have conversations. When I am

nervous, this robot cheers up me. When I am in an embarrassing
position, this robot gives some advice. This robot is friendly, so it’s like afamily member.
The Housework Robot is easy to use. This robot can grasp what
people are saying in all languages. Therefore, all we have to do is tell therobot what we want and it does it.Atsushi Kinoshita

The Pen Which Can Write a Character
NeatlyDo you wish you could write clearly? It’s hard for me to write
characters neatly. Handwriting becomes troublesome. The charactersthat I write are sometimes not readable. I am disgusted with this. Whenanother person reads my writing, if the characters are not readable, I am
ashamed. This pen helps in such a situation.
The pen which can write a character neatly writes characters neatly.
This pen looks like a common pen. Therefore, you can use it oblivious
to your surroundings. There are two kinds, the ball-point pen type andthe mechanical pencil type. Therefore, you can use them in various
situations.
This pen memorizes and writes all characters. You can write neatly if
you hold this pen and remember a character in your head. With thispen, you usually write characters. You don’t do anything special. You canwrite a character neatly. This pen always writes clearly for you. You cancome to be able to really write a character neatly.
Narumi Fukui

The Memorize Bracelet
Do you often lose your important things? For example, your wallet,
your cellphone, or your commuting pass. I often lose my important
things. If you also have the same problem as me, here is the solution to
our problem: the Memorize Bracelet. Easy to use and convenient, theMemorize Bracelet is an excellent aid for remembering where we lost ourimportant things.
The Memorize Bracelet is a special device that reminds you where
you lost your important things. It looks like a stylish bracelet, but it isequipped it with a very small memory chip. This amazing tool is madeof leather. In addition, it is adjustable to your wrist size. It can be
adjusted to fit almost anyone.
The Memorize Bracelet is easy to use. First, put it on your wrist.
Second, the memory chip tells you where you lost your important things
when you lose then. Therefore, you can return to the spot where you lostyour important things. You will never be troubled if you have thisconvenient bracelet.
Miho Ishikawa

The Speaking with a Dog RecorderCan you speak with a dog? Of course, we can’t speak with a dog.
However, here is the solution to our problem: the speaking with a dog
recorder. It is an excellent aid for speaking with a dog.
The speaking with a dog recorder is a special device that allows you to
speak with a dog. It looks like standard recorder. However, it is atranslator. It translates a dog’s barking, and translates your voice tobarking.
The speaking with a dog recorder is easy to use. First, record a dog’sbarking. Second, play back the recording. After you use the speaking
with a dog recorder you can understand your dog’s thinking. You canspeak with your dog.
Amiyu Sato4

My Way Home from Work by Tomoki Takeda
The happiest experience of my life happened in a taxi. I was returning to
my home after working at Sapporo Dome. My job was to help remove thestage that was used for the Exile concert. It was late night two years ago on
December 24. The day was also my birthday, and I told that to the taxi driver,and he said congratulations to me. Then he parked the taxi in front of aconvenience store and gave me some money and asked me if I would like todrink some coffee. I was surprised because that was the first time we met, but I
thanked him for his kind offer and accepted. I went in and bought two cans ofcoffee: one for me and one for the taxi driver. When I returned to the taxi, I
tried to hand him one of the cans, but he refused to take it. He then told methat he had chronic diabetes. I felt sorry to hear that, but the only thing I could
say was, “You are in a difficult situation, I’m very sorry to hear that.”
After that, we continued toward my house while talking about various
subjects. Time passed and we finally got to my house. I paid him and said
thanks again. He said good-bye and drove off into the dark night until I could
no longer see his red tail lights. After watching him drive away, I went into myhouse.
That was the end of my birthday, but the story doesn’t end here.
The next day, I noticed that I had forgotten my wallet in the taxi. Sometime after I had realized this, the taxi driver called me; he found my number inthe wallet which he had also found. He told me that I had forgotten my walletin his taxi, so he would bring it to me that afternoon. I tried to refuse the kindoffer because I felt very sorry to be causing so much trouble. I told him that I
would go and get it, but he told me not to worry and then brought it to myhouse.
When he got there, he had my wallet in his left hand and an envelope in
his right hand. Then, he gave me my wallet and after that, the envelope. I
didn’t know what was in it, so I asked him. He answered by saying, “Happy
Birthday!” I opened the envelope and there was ¥10,000 in it. I was very
surprised because we had just met for the first time the day before. I expressed
my gratitude and felt very happy. Since that time, we have been mailing New
Year’s cards to each other.
This is the happiest experience that I have ever had.

Goodbye My Friend by Mao SatouThe saddest experience of my life happened in 2007 when I was 14 years
old. I was living in Tokyo and I was a junior high school student. I enjoyedschool life, but I was shocked when I heard this news. It was about my friend
Shuto’s serious illness which, until then, I had no idea about it. He wassuffering from a serious disease. He had osteosarcoma, which is a type ofmalignant bone cancer. I could not get over the shock. He had treatments
again and again. He also had an operation, but it was all too late.
After being diagnosed, he still sometimes came to school, but he had lost a
lot of weight and he had lost all of his hair. I can not forget the last time I saw
him. Two months later, he died. His death was a terrible shock to me and ourother friends. We were all genuinely grieved at the loss of our good friend, but
especially me.
We knew each other because we became friends when we were on the samebasketball team. He was a good boy and we always sent e-mails to each other.
We also exchanged summer vacation souvenirs. Once, he gave me a Shinshyu
apple key ring and I gave him a Stitchy key ring from Tokyo Disneyland.
These are just a couple of precious memories I have of him.
When he died, I felt so sad and I always cried. However, I thought that hewould feel sad if he knew I always felt sad, so I decided to enjoy my life again
while sometimes remembering the good times with him. This is the saddest
experience of my life.

An Immature Boy’s Story by Shota Araya
When I was 9 years old, a classmate told me that she liked me, but I didn’t
think that she was pretty or charming. Actually, she was fat and I didn’t like

No.10 Winter 2013

her. My school was in a rural area, so it was very small, and my class had only
10 students. The event that happened between she and I spread through thewhole school quickly.
On February 14th, Valentine’s Day, I went to my school as usual, and I
thought because it was Valentine’s Day that someone may give me chocolate.
In Japan, males get chocolate from females on Valentine’s Day; of course, some
single females give chocolate to males and request that male to become theirboyfriend, and it was the same in my school. Some girls give chocolate to boys,
but usually just as a friendly gesture. No one usually gives chocolate tosomeone with the meaning of love at that age, but on that day, that was not
the case. I went to my classroom, and that one girl approached me, andsuddenly, she declared her love for me and gave me a big heart-shaped
chocolate. I was completely surprised, because I never expected such a thing tohappen. However, the reason why I was very surprised was not only that.
There was another reason. Astonishingly, she did this in front of all of ourclassmates. Everyone was watching us. It could be pretty rude to say, but her
declaration shocked me. I was sad, angry and embarrassed at that time,
especially because it happened in front of all my friends. Even now, I get a little
upset when my friends from elementary school mention it.
That evening, I wrote a letter because I also got a letter with the chocolate,so I thought that I would reply with a letter. My answer to her was simply ‘no’,but what I wrote in the letter was not simple. I wrote very bad things. I wrote
every bad word I could think of. I hoped that the girl would feel hurt. The
next day, I tried to give the letter with all of the foul words in it to her,however, when I got to school, I couldn’t find the letter. I searched for it in myschool rucksack, but it wasn’t there. I knew that I had certainly put it in mybag, but it was not there. Finally, when I met her, I couldn’t say anything toher. I wondered all day long about the missing letter. Later when I got home, I
found that the letter was there, and then I understood what my mother had
done. She had hidden my letter, and I was fairly angry about it, but in the end,
I did nothing. Some time after that, I said that I was sorry to the girl forrefusing her offer, but without the bad words.
Now, the girl and I are very good friends. We usually meet and go out toeat at a restaurant when we have a long vacation. We often spend a very longtime talking, and I’m very thankful that my mother took the letter because I
didn’t hurt my friend. On that Valentine’s Day back in elementary school, I got
angry with the girl and my mother, but now the girl is one of my importantfriends and my mother is the person who understands me the best. They are
two very important people in my life.

Pete by Yoshikazu Hameyama
This is a true, surprising experience of mine. When I was 16 years old, I
was a high school student, and I was an average student. Teachers at my highschool always asked me things like “What kind of career are you pursuing?”
Or, “Do you have any dreams for the future?” I always answered with “I don’tknow,” or “I haven’t decided yet.” It was a dull time of my life because I had no
ambitions. Then one day, I found a certain advertisement near Sapporo
Station, and it was the beginning of my surprising experience.
Three weeks after seeing the advertisement, I was in a dance studio and I
met Pete who was a dance teacher there, and he said that he had actuallytaught Michael Jackson a dance move! The advertisement I found allowed me
to meet him. He is a black American and had just come to Japan. Of course,
he couldn’t speak Japanese, so he always spoke English during lessons. I was
not able to speak English in those days, so I was not able to understand mostof what he said, so I was often very sad. I wanted to talk with him about
dancing, but I was not able to communicate well. This is when I decided to
study English. Looking back now, it was aturning point in my life, because thisexperience saved me from a dull time of
my life.
Now, I study English at this university.
Of course it is because I want to talk withpeople all over the world. This experiencechanged me.

No.10 Winter 2013

5

Movie Reviews
Hair Spray

I like to watch movies, especially musicals. I think, oneof the best musicals ever written is “Hair Spray”. This
movie is very funny. I love this movie because many
famous actors appear in it, the movie has great charactersand the plot involves the problem of racial discrimination.
Firstly, I like it because the famous performers are
dancing and singing very well. For example, Zac Efron
who has appeared in the “High school musical series” doesa good job. Another person is John Travolta, who played amother’s role in this musical. Michelle Pfeiffer acts as Velma Von Tussle, the racist
manager of station WYZT and Christopher Walken acts as Wilbur Turnblad, Tracy’s
father. All of these actors are famous and act well, which makes the show very
interesting.
Secondly, it has great characters. Each actor has a unique and interesting character.
For example, the central character is very fat girl named Tracy Turnblad who sings anddances very well and she didn’t show any fear. Another person is a gorgeous womennamed Velma Von Tussle who dislikes all black people. She thinks that her daughter isalways number 1. The differences in all the characters makes the show very funny andentertaining.
Thirdly, the plot deals with the problem of racial discrimination. This story is set
in 1962, in Baltimore where many African American people live. During this time,
white people and African American people appearing together in public was banned.
However, African American people had many demonstrations to fight for their rights.
They had a dream that all people can be together openly. The plot of the story and theera is interesting.
I really like to watch “Hair Spray”. I think, it is one of the best musicals everproduced. This movie is quite funny. “Hair Spray” has many famous actors appearing
in it, it has interesting characters and the story involves the problem of racial
discrimination, that’s why I love to watch this movie.
Mai Tatsuzaki

Toy Story

I like “Toy Story” produced by Disney and Pixar. It
is the best animation movie I have ever seen. This
movie has three interesting points. There are many
individual characters, deep friendships, and a secret toy’srule. For these reasons, it is my favorite movie.
Firstly, this movie has many individual characters.
The leader of the toys is Woody. He is an old cowboy
talking doll and a main character of “Toy Story”, and also he is my favorite character.
Woody is the favorite toy of Andy, the owner of the toys, so he is the most popular toyof all Andy’s toys. Buzz Lightyear is also a very key character in “Toy Story”. He is the
new style toy for Andy. He has plenty of confidence in himself and he has a verystrong heart. Besides, there is a timid dinosaur named Rex, Mr. Potato Head, threeeyed little green alien men, and a piggy bank called Ham. All the toys are of an
entirely different nature. each one is very interesting for me.
Secondly, there is a deep friendship in this movie. The toys sometimes have aquarrel but they get through the difficulty and deepen their bonds of friendship.
Woody and Buzz have a rivalry with each other. However, they gradually get to befriends because they help each other. I think “Toy Story” is a movie the shows greatfriendship.
Thirdly, the toys don’t reveal their secrets to humans. It is the toys’ rule. They areliving and can move by themselves. Of course they also have feelings, but this is asecret between them. The people in the movie never see them move and they move
only when there is no one in Andy’s room. Therefore, it is a movie that keeps me
constantly entertained.
In conclusion, “Toy Story” is my favorite animation movie. This movie has threeimportant points. There are many unique characters, strong friendships, and secret
toy’s rule, that’s why I really like this movie.
Riho Asano

The Wind Rises

I saw “The Wind Rises,” which is an animation movie
produced by Ghibli Movie Studios. This is a story about
Jiro Horikoshi, who is the designer of the Zero airplane.
This movie illustrates half of his life. I like this movie
because it is a good story, for example, it is about his
dream, it is a love story and his efforts in this story really
impressed me.
Firstly, this story is about his dream. He wanted to be apilot when he was a child, however he had bad eyesight, so
he tried to be a designer of airplanes. He studied aeronautics in Tokyo University andhe became a designer of aircraft. His dream finally came true.
Secondly, it is a love story. When there was the Great Kanto Earthquake, hehelped a young girl. They met again several years later and they were married. She
contracted tuberculosis. After they were married and in love, but she passed away.
Thirdly, his efforts in this story impressed me. He made an airplane for use in war.
However, Japan couldn’t make a strong fighter plane compared to other counties. He
worked hard to make a strong airplane and he made the Zero airplane. The Zero was

the Japanese fighter plane that was used in World War 2.
In conclusion, I like this movie because it is a good story. It shows Jiro Horikoshi’s
dream, it is a love story and his efforts in this story moved me, for these reasons, I
really like this movie.
Maya Takahashi

The Devil Wears Prada

I like to watch movies. My favorite movie is “The
Devil Wears Prada” because I like the character in the story,
the setting is very attractive to me and in this movie
everybody is fashionable. I like the character called “Andrea
Sachs”. She is always scolded by her boss, but she stands up
to her boss. She never gives up. She is very upright at heart,so I like this character very much. This movie is located in
New York. I think Japanese girls are attracted by the New York setting because we feelthe lifestyle is cool and glamorous there. Everybody in this move is very fashionable. I
like clothes, so I enjoyed watching this movie because I want to be a fashionable
dresser like them too. Every character in this movie wears very cute dresses, carries
fashionable bags and wears high-heel shoes every day. I like this style and fashion
sense. In conclusion, watching movies is enjoyable for me. “The Devil Wears Prada” ismy favorite movie because I enjoy the main character in the story, the setting is very
attractive to me and in this movie everyone has a great fashion sense.Shiori Fujimori

Armageddon

I always see a movie in my free time. My favorite movie
is “Armageddon”. The movie is very famous all over theworld. When I saw “Armageddon”, I was moved. The
movie has a nice theme, the main characters are very cooland it has great music. For these reasons, I love
“Armageddon”.
Firstly, “Armageddon’s” plot is about people trying tosave the earth. Some astronauts fly into space to try andstop a big meteorite from colliding with the earth. They
made a hole in the meteorite and buried a bomb and exploded it. Although many
people died, eventually the earth was saved.
Secondly, the main star in “Armageddon’s” is Bruce Willis. He acted as thecharacter named Harry. Harry is a very cool guy. He is also the leader of the astronauts
but his real job is drilling for oil on the earth. He flew out into the space because he
had to dig a hole on the meteorite. Their team succeeded in digging a hole, but hedied on the meteorite. He is the hero of the movie.
Thirdly, this movie’s title song is sung by the famous band, “Aerosmith”. The main
theme song is “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” This song is nice ballad. It becamefamous in the world. I love this song so much that I had to hear the live song in
Sapporo Dome 2 years ago when “Aerosmith” came to Sapporo. I was really impressed
and got goose bumps.
In conclusion, I think “Armageddon” is a great movie. The movie’s story, the main
characters and title song are excellent. I recommend this movie to you. If you see thismovie, you will also get a good impression as I did, that’s why I love this movie.
Shohei Mita

A Cinderella Story

I would like to introduce one of my favorite movies
called a “A Cinderella Story”. This movie is based on theclassic fairy tale “Cinderella” and occurs in the present day
United States. It is a 2004 American, teen, romantic
comedy film. The film stars are Hilary Duff and Chad
Michael Murray, and Mark Rosman is the director. I likethis movie because the story is heart warming andinspiring.
Firstly, the film starts with a ten-year-old girl. Her
name is Samantha Montgomery. Her parents died when
she was a child. She is employed as a worker at therestaurant where she is tormented by her boss Fiona and Fiona’s two dim-witted
daughters. Their treatment to Sam was terrible. One day, she met a pen pal called“Nomad” online. His real name is Austin. Actually, they met at their school’s
Halloween dance party. Then, she was wearing a mask, but he never forgot her
beautiful eyes. When she leaves the party, she drops her cell phone. He picks up her
phone and begins a desperate search to figure out who his “Cinderella” really is. He
continues to search for her. At last, he finds her when he plays in the school’s final
football game. The movie ends with Sam and Austin officially a happy couple.
Secondly, in this story, we see that a poor, but good person gets love, money andhappiness in the end. This type of movie is very important for us because it gives us
hope for the future. I thought this movie was entertaining, funny and romantic, and it
makes me feel good. If you are bored one day, go to the video store and check thismovie out. It is very interesting to watch and you’ll enjoy it.
In conclusion, “A Cinderella Story” is a modern American, teen, romantic
comedy. The film’s main stars are Hilary Duff, Chad Michael Murray and it isdirected by Mark Rosman. The story is heart warming and gives us hope, this is why I
really like this movie.
Yukari Myo

6

No.10 Winter 2013

Problems Problems
English Education

English is the most important language in the world, so Japanese also have to
study English. However, there are three main problems in English education in Japan.
First, elementary school students had to study English in Japan since 2011. However,there are not many teachers in education school that can teach English andelementary school students can’t understand English because they are too young tostudy it. Second, reading and writing are important in Japan, so Japanese do not speak
English. We also don’t learn listening. Third, we don’t learn practical English in Japan.
Although it is considered that English exams are important in Japan, we still don’tknow practical English.
In order to solve this problem, two solutions have been suggested. First, thenumber of English teachers and ALT teachers in elementary school should be
increased. ALT teachers in junior high school and high school should be also
increased. I think elementary school students will have to enjoy English class. If the
English class is very fun, elementary school students probably want to study English
more. Second, by moving away from the teaching of reading and writing in Japan,
speaking and listening should improve. I think Japanese should speak more English,
so we can speak English more. Finally, more practical English should be taught. I
think the most important thing in English education is practical English, so we wantto learn practical English.
Hayato Umezawa

Eradicating Alcohol Harassment

As everybody knows, we Japanese are allowed to drink when we become twenty
years old. So university students especially get opportunities to join drinks parties.
Then, the problem which should be considered seriously is “alcohol harassment”. Thisis one of the Japanese-English words and it is the generic name of human rights abuse
about drinking, for instance, forcing people to drink at a single draught, pushingpeople to drink who don’t like alcohol, and other annoying behavior. It is a big
problem in Japan now. For example, there was a terrible accident in the BBQ party of
the American football club in Otaru University of Commerce last year. Nine people
were taken to the hospital urgently because of drinking too much and one of themdied of acute alcohol poisoning. Like this case, alcohol harassment leads people to be
sick or to die at worst.
There are some potential ways to deal with this problem and I suggest three ofthem. First, stop forcing drinking by using advantages in an organization. It is very
difficult for juniors to refuse demands from seniors, so we have to check that nobody
pushes someone to drink anytime. Second, we all must appreciate that drinking at asingle draught is very dangerous. It’s essential to kick out this terrible custom
resolutely. Finally, we have to take people who don’t like drinking or can’t drink into
consideration. We mustn’t forget that not everyone can drink. It is very important that
we drink safely.
Reina Kusajima

Older Drivers

In Japan, the number of traffic accidents which are caused by older drivers has
increased five times in 2005 compared with 1990. In general, traffic accidents whichhappen at intersections are the most frequent. This pattern is the same for older
drivers. But older drivers often cause traffic accidents at the curve too. There are threereasons. First, older people’s eyesight fails with age and reaction speed is slow. Drivers
need fast reaction for sudden situations when they drive. Second, older drivers step on
the accelerator in mistake for the brake. Third, some older drivers cannot quit driving
in under-populated areas because driving is the only transportation way for them.
There are few people in these areas, so there are not many trains and buses.
In order to deal with the problem, three approaches have been suggested. First,
older people should decide the age when they quit driving. I think that they should
talk with their family about it. The family must persuade older drivers to quit driving
before they cause traffic accidents. Second, insurance companies should carry out
regular tests to check eyesight and reaction speed of older drivers. Older drivers canunderstand their ability to take this test and they can judge whether or not theyshould quit driving by the score. Third, older people should change their lifestyle. Incase of under-populated areas, sharing a taxi is effective. Older people do not have towalk so much if they use the taxi and they can save money. It is important for older
drivers to manage their ability to continue driving.
Haruka Hoshiba

The Dark Side of the Pet Boom in Japan

A massive pet boom is coming to Japan these days. According to a report in 2012,
more than 90 million families have dogs, and more than 50 million families have catsas their pets. However, it is also true that there is a dark side to this pet boom in Japan.
First, there are problems of cruelty to pets. Not only the direct physical abuse, but also
giving up on taking care of them is included as a form of cruelty to pets. The second
problem is that many people throw away their pets, for example, because they have to
move out of their houses or their pets have babies. Furthermore, many dogs and cats
are destroyed in the animal shelters every year. According to a survey, sadly, about
17,500 dogs and cats were killed in 2010. They were once pets loved by their owners.
To deal with these problems, I suggest these three solutions. The first is to educate
the owners of pets. A lot of owners have poor knowledge about dogs or cats, and end
up giving up on taking care of their pets. They should know both good sides and badsides of having pets beforehand. The second solution is taking in dogs and cats fromanimal shelters when you want to have pets. Then we can save the lives of dogs andcats which would be destroyed. Finally, the third solution is that if members of the
public become aware of cases of cruelty to pets, we shouldn’t hesitate to report it to thepolice immediately. Animal abuse is a crime. Your action and courage will save thelives of innocent pets.
Anna Sato

The Problem of False Charge

Could you imagine how serious a false charge is? A false charge is a social problem
where innocent people are arrested and are found guilty, even though they didn’t
commit any crime. In 1967 in Ibaraki prefecture, a man was arrested as a murderer,
and the police forced him to confess guilt in a closed room, by threatening him withthe death penalty. The man was kept in prison for 44 years, until he was released in
2011. The problems are that the police use violence to make suspects confess theircrime, and the interrogation room is closed. The police want to find suspects guilty by
any means because the police’s job is to arrest suspects and get confessions. Moreover,the interrogation is going on in closed rooms, so we can’t see how the police behave. If
we can’t see the police, we never know if the police act violently or not. The false
charge is a serious problem in our society.
I suggest some solutions in order to avoid false charges. First, the Japanese
government should make the police install video cameras in all interrogation rooms.
We will be able to see how the police examine suspects. Some people say that if theinterrogation room is visible, true criminal will not say anything and the police can’t
find the truth. However, if the room is closed, the police can make lies and doanything horrible because no one can see the room. Another possible situation is thatsuspects should be allowed access to lawyers in the room. The lawyers could protect
suspects from the police’s violence, and give advice during interrogation. The mostimportant thing is to show the truth to everyone.
Hiroki Murakami

Smoking

Smoking is one of the most serious health problems all over the world, despite thefact that people know that smoking affects our health and causes diseases. According
to a survey from WHO, smoking is the second highest cause of death and one tenthof smokers die because of their habit every year. Also, WHO’s survey says that about
half of smokers (about 650 millions people) will die of disease caused by smoking andthe harmful chemical substances in cigarette smoke. Non-smokers may suffer theeffects of second-hand smoke if smokers are not separated from others. Also, nicotine
makes people depend on smoking, so they cannot stop smoking cigarettes or cigars.
Passive smoking is more dangerous than first-hand smoking, so we need to separatesmoking space from others or public places.
Nowadays, smoking is the most preventable cause of death and there are several
ways to deal with the problem. Firstly, there are many campaigns to reduce thenumber of smokers, and there are courses of treatment to help people quit smoking at
hospital. Doctors can give some medicine to make you feel better when you sufferfrom lack of nicotine. Secondly, separating smoking spaces from non-smoking zone isalready beginning in many places but there must be more non-smoking zones.
Thirdly, I think that to educate children about smoking in school is an effective way
to reduce the number of smokers because all children have potential to be smokers. It
makes them understand why smoking is bad for our health. Finally, social factors arevery effective. For example, if the government should increase the taxes cigarettes, so
people will hesitate to continue wasting their money on this poisonous weed and theamount of smokers will decrease. Now is time to stop smoking.
Shuichiro Aiki

S TAFF
Lookout, no.10
Editor-in-Chief
Assistant Editor◆◆◆

Winter 2013
B. Bricklin Zeff
Patrick O’Brien◆◆◆
Publisher:
Faculty of Humanities
Hokkai-Gakuen University
Printed by i-Word◆◆◆
The views expressed in Lookout
belong to the individual contributors,
and do not necessarily reflect theviews of the editors or HGU.

No.10 Winter 20137

In My Opinion
Bikes
People need a license to drive a car or boat. Cyclists should also be required
to get a license to ride a bicycle on the road.
In my opinion people should not need a license to ride a bicycle on the road forthe following reasons. Firstly, if everyone uses a car instead of a bicycle, it will cause
heavy traffic jams, which will also delay public transportation. Secondly, if we needto get a license, we have to pay money. However, it’s a waste of money because kids
can learn how to ride a bicycle safely from their parents, or brothers or sisters. In
addition, nowadays the world oil price is increasing, so we should save money byriding a bicycle. Thirdly, riding bicycles is good for our health. However, if we need alicense to ride it, we may lose the opportunity to exercise very much. This will cause
many people to become unhealthy. Furthermore, if the street becomes full ofvehicles, it will cause air pollution.
For the reasons given above people should not need a license to ride a bicycle on
the road. It costs money, so people may decide to use a car instead of a bike. Thismay cause traffic jams, and people might become unhealthier if they don’t use bikes.
Keisuke Tanaka
In my opinion, people who ride a bicycle on the road should be required to get alicense. In this essay, I will explain my reasons for this opinion. First, people who ridea bicycle on the road are dangerous because they often cause accidents. For example,
they often collide with a car because they aren’t paying attention. Also, people whoride a bicycle on the road don’t follow rules because it is not a crime. For example,
they talk on their cellphones, hold their umbrella, and listen to music while riding.
Because of this, they are not concentrating on riding and can’t hear surrounding
sounds. In addition, they also ride together with someone else on one bicycle.
Second, if they bump into pedestrians, they will be cause big accidents, especially
if they bump into children, which would be very dangerous. I think people who ridea bicycle on the road should be required to get a license because they are dangerous,
they don’t follow rules, and they can cause big accidents.
Satomi Abe

Courses in English
Content Courses Should Be Taught in English
I think that teachers should use both Japanese and English to teach content
courses, depending on the situation. In this essay I will give my reasons for thisopinion. Firstly, some students don’t like English and prefer to study in their native
language. There are a variety of students in the school. Some students are notinterested in English and don’t like to read the materials which are written in
English. They also find it difficult to read English materials easily. Therefore teachersof such students should usually teach in Japanese. However, teachers can’t teach wellusing only the materials that are written in Japanese. Therefore, I think that teachers
shouldn’t use Japanese materials all the time. In particular, in culture or history
classes, the teacher should also prepare materials that make the students understand
why things occurred. In other words, they need to provide materials in English that
express the nuance of the things they teach, in order to make their students
understand clearly. Finally, almost all Japanese students are required to be able to use
English when they seek a job. In Japan, Japanese students don’t have enough time toacquire English skills. Almost all people who live in Japan can live without using
English. For example, we can read any signpost in Japanese when we go out, so weare able to go to many places without using English. However, if you want to work
at Uniqlo or Rakuten, you have to acquire English skills. In fact, the official
language in these companies has changed from Japanese to English. These are big
companies in the world and are very popular with many people. Therefore, staff
working at such companies have to use English at their workplace. I guess that a lotof people who work at Japanese companies in the future will have to use English,
because the companies will seek new foreign markets.
In conclusion, teachers should use both Japanese and English, depending on thesituation. They should use Japanese more when teaching to students who don’t like
English, but they should also use English to describe things well, or to make theirstudents become accustomed to using English for their future jobs.

Kazutomo Yoshida

English Lounge

Seats on Buses
School and university students should have to give up their seat on buses
and subways to adults.
I think that school and university students should not have to give up their seaton buses and subways to adults for the following reasons: Firstly, student buses andsubway fares are not cheap. Generally, there is a student discount system in Japan,
but it is only a little. So, there is no the advantage for students. Secondly, there aremany priority seats on buses and subways for elderly, injured people and pregnant
women. For this reason, I think that they can find seats easily. In addition to this,usually most Japanese give up their seat if those types of people come.
On the other hand, even if they try to give up their seat it is sometimes declined,
because there are some people who don’t want to be given their seat. In addition,
students usually have many textbooks and most textbooks are very heavy. Therefore,
it is sometimes difficult to stand for a long time. Furthermore, the time when astudent takes buses and subways is almost always in the morning and evening.
During these times, young people such as office workers also usually ride on buses
and subways, so I think students can sit down at these times because such people
don’t need seats. I think that students should not have to stand because theysometimes need to sit down for the various reasons explained above. However, I
believe that they should give up their seat if necessary. I think that it is important toboth give and take.

Eri Terayama
School and university students should have to give up their seat on buses
and subways to adults.
I think that school and university students should have to give up their seat on
buses and subways to adults. In this essay I will explain the reasons for this opinion.
Firstly, people should take good care of the elderly. Also, if a child who is injured
gets on buses and subways, you should have to give up your seat. Secondly, people
must look around them on buses and subways. Perhaps, there are sick people orpregnant people. At these times, school and university students should have to giveup their seat. Thirdly, a healthy person should have to stand up on buses andsubways so that an unhealthy person who wants to sit down can have a seat.
In conclusion, I think that people should have to give up their seat on buses andsubways to adults. People must have a kind attitude and take good care of theelderly, children, and unhealthy people.
Yukari Saito

Walking and Texting
I think people should be banned from walking and texting in subway stations
for the following reasons. Firstly, if people walk and text, they may fall from the
subway platform. This has actually happened, and the people who fell were run overby a train. If it happens, the train must stop and many people may be late for work.
Secondly, they may run into a stranger in subway stations. When they use cellphones
or smartphones they only look at the screen, so they can’t notice children or old andphysically handicapped people walking toward them. Perhaps, they might run into
each other. Thirdly, they may not see and hear things around them because they areconcentrating too much on their cellphone or smartphone. Therefore, they may nothear an important announcement, or the departing or arriving of the train. In
addition, they may slip on the stairs and fall down.
In conclusion, if people walk and text they may fall from the subway platform,
run into children or old people, or not notice important things happening aroundthem. For these reasons, I think people should not walk and text in the subway.

Chihiro Yonemori
I think that people should be banned from walking and texting in subway
stations for the following reasons. Firstly, if people concentrate on their cell phones
too much, they may collide with people coming from the front. Also, they may
injure people who have a handicap.
Secondly, if you use a mobile phone on stairs or escalators, you might miss yourfooting and be injured by falling down the stairs. Finally, you may drop your cellular
phone on the floor when you bump into people. If you drop it, the screen may
break and it will stop working. The repair charge of a smart phone is very high. In
my opinion, people should be banned from walking and texting in subway stations,because you may injure people and miss your footing. Also, you might drop andbreak your cellphone.
Misaki Abe

Bring your lunch and come and enjoy a chance to chat in English
12:10-12:35

8

No.10 Winter 2013

The Brock Program con’t
Niagara Falls

Kento Umetsu
During this summer vacation I went to Canada and studied at Brock University
for 3 weeks from September 1 to September 22. I visited some tourist attractions,for example, the Niagara Falls and CN Tower in Toronto while I was there. My best
memory was of Niagara Falls. Actually, it was raining heavily and cold when we
went to see Niagara Falls. The wind was blowing strongly too. Although theweather was bad, I was very touched with it when I saw the falls. I could hear thefalls flowing making a big sound. I clearly understood that it was magnificent andbeautiful when I was approaching. We also rode on a boat and road close to thefalls. The sky was filled with rain clouds. We were on the river. We were surroundedby the falls. I felt I was in a water world. All my clothes got wet, but I was very
excited. I want to go there again someday on a sunny day. I will never forget thatmemory.

I learned many things during my stayin Canada. Most especially I learned
about different cultures. For somepeople their own culture is very
important to them. I felt I should
learn more about other people’s
culture.

I tried to spend time with people whoare not Japanese while in Canada. My
classmates were friendly, so I could
talk with them easily. They help mewith my English and told me about
their country and their culture.

We are on the lookout!

!
e
r
u
t
n
e
v
d
A
r
u
o
Y
y
o
j
n
E

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
North-Sea Lookout is a place you can publish your own opinions about any topic that concerns you. If you want to write a letter to theeditor, please put it in Prof. Zeff’s mailbox. If you prefer, you may have your name withheld from publication with your letter.
This issue shows the high level of writing in English achieved by Hokkai-Gakuen University students. An ongoinginterest of our writers is the international homestay and travel experience. In addition, past issues have contained
topics as varied as cooking rice and surfing the Internet.
North-Sea Lookout needs your viewpoints on whatever interests you. Your opinions, concerns, and experiences
are important. Please don't hesitate to write about them, and then submit them to us. We welcome all submissions.

Please contact us at our email address:bbzeff@hgu.jp