December A monthly newsletter for the international residents of Tokushima Prefecture, produced by TOPIA, the Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association. shot callin' Browsing the bounty of the Tokushima Marché Lance Kita Tokushima is known as “Kansai's
kitchen''
since it supplies a large percentage of vegetables to supermarkets there, but little is known of the niche farmers taking advantage of Tokushima’s terroir (distinct climate and growing zones) to raise unique produce. The last Sunday of the month brought me to the banks of the Shinmachi River in Tokushima City for the Tokushima Marché徳島マルシェ, where I can take a gourmet tour of the prefecture under canvas parasols while strolling the boardwalk. The first one appeared just last December, and already thousands of people are flocking to this revolutionary farmer's market, including out-of-towners. A recent visit featured these random culinary discoveries: colored yolk) fed with rice bran --Dried white and brown mushrooms: usually sold fresh in my home country, these develop a beautiful stock when simmered with chicken and carrots. --Habanero hot sauce: did you know these are grown in the mountains out west?! --“White eggs”: chickens fed with rice and rice bran lay eggs without yellow in the yolks. Lower in cholesterol, one restaurant is already using them to create white omu-rice (rice omelets). --Yuzu curd: any British citizen would lovingly slather this intensely-citrus cream over their scones. --Burger Bar: the Marché Café section sells ready-to-eat dishes and baked goods. One shop tempted me with five different kinds of Tokushima Burger. Wipe the drool and read on. Unlike regular farmer's markets, the Marché hand selects their vendors through on-site visits, interviews, and a screening process. The Marché is also committed to December Toppy - big ballin' and shot callin' This month in Awa Life 1 Wander-ful Tabi: Tokushima Marché Lance Kita 4 Vortis Reaches Out Sarah Nelson Teaching for the Empire Joshua Fries 5 6 Topizo at Large Sarah Nelson 7 Irene's Recipe Corner Irene Wachuga 8 Japanese Lesson Fusa Tamaki 9 Letter from Suketo Hoikuen Kazue Inoue 10 News & Events 12 Memoranda Hello readers, I hope you are all ready for the coming winter and gearing up to celebrate the holidays with your loved ones. If not, where have you been? Get with the program, sheesh. We have a fascinating report on the popular monthly Marché event from Lance's Wander-ful Tabi, as well as an inside look on Vortis' community involvement, plus Halloween school visits from a member of the 501st Legion. :D But let's not forget Irene's recipes, this time featuring my personal favorite dish: sukiyaki! Plus another Topizo comic, more J-go lessons and Kazue's insightful childcare advice. Take care Tokers, and show some love for your friends, family, and fellow man! See you in 2012. Best, Sarah
awa life
is a monthly publication of the Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA). Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA) 〒 770-0831 Tokushima City, Terashima Honcho Nishi 1-61 Clement Plaza 6F Tel 088-656-3303 088-652-0616 Fax Email topia@topia.ne.jp www.topia.ne.jp HP An electronic version of Awa Life is also available for download from the TOPIA homepage. “The Marché is…committed to nurturing their vendors to create a community where customer and grower can engage in an open dialogue about what Tokushima has to offer.” nurturing their vendors to create a community where customer and grower can engage in an open dialogue about what Tokushima has to offer. Feedback is given to help vendors improve their displays and interactions. What that meant for me was that each shop I visited greeted me with a smile and a generous sample. Any questions I had were answered in detail, and there was always a suggestion for how to use that plum liqueur (over ice cream!) or strawberry sauce (over seafood carpacchio!). In addition to the week's veggies, the Marché always offers something unusual to taste or a new ingredient to take home and play with in my kitchen. soup stock, stir-fry, or pasta sauce matching crates and shopping bags Where most events don’t want any competition, the Marché benefits from its coexistence with other markets to bring a critical mass of people to the city center. Check out the morning fish market on the other side of the Ryogoku Bridge, the market in Konya- machi, and the street food fair in the nearby shopping arcade. With gift-giving season right around the corner, venturing to the Marché or any local farmer's market is a great way to get your shopping done and support regional agriculture. Check out their website at http://tokushima-Marché.jp/ for more information, a list of vendors, and their online ordering system called Net Marché. Special thanks to Saori Sotani for her assistance and invaluable insights in the writing of this article. So what're you waiting for? Take a walk along the Tokushima Marché and start your own culinary journey! Sarah Nelson “As far as perks
of the job go,
this is one of
my favorites,”
says Tokushima Vortis defender Bae Seung Jin as he does his best impression of a human jungle gym with a kid dangling from each appendage. When he's not going to soccer practice or matches, Bae, along with his other team mates, helps teach soccer classes at local elementary schools in an effort to raise interest and involvement in sports around the prefecture. However this is just one of many ways that Vortis takes an active role in the community. Perhaps unknown to those unfamiliar with Tokushima’s professional soccer team, Vortis is one of the most locally involved teams in the country, because it was largely through local support that they were able to enter the Japan Professional Football League (a.k.a. J. League) in 2004. Since then they have gradually increased in popularity and skill, and are now on the cusp of breaking into Division 1 of the J. League, or the major league of Japanese soccer. There are 38 total professional teams in the J. League, 18 in the J1 division and 20 in J2. Each year, the bottom three ranking teams of J1 and the top three ranking teams of J2 are switched, and Tokushima Vortis is currently ranking third in J2, putting them closer than ever before to the major league. Perhaps they’re feeling the love from the prefecture they devote so much time to, since Vortis has hosted and participated in over 200 community events this year alone. Their activities include not just soccer classes, but visits to nursing homes and child welfare centers, hosting charity fundraisers, and appearances at festivals. They even have their own Awa Odori Vortis dance troupe! Vortis doesn’t draw the line at involvement with locals however, since they are also keen to attract more of Tokushima’s foreign population. Five of their own players are from Brazil and South Korea, respectively, and it is a goal not just of Vortis, but of the J. League’s in general, to use the universally-loved game of soccer to further international exchange between Japanese and foreigners. “We all come from various countries, but we should enjoy the things we have in common, regardless of what language they're in,” commented Bae at the end of our meeting. “I barely spoke any Japanese when I first came to Japan from South Korea, and there were many times when I just wanted to go home. But I studied a lot, set goals for myself, and found things that I wanted to do, until it became a part of me.” Likewise, Vortis defender and star player Elizeu Ferreira Marciano reflected nothing but positivity on his experience as a Brazilian soccer player in Japan: "If you open your heart to Japan, it will open its heart to you; I always try to get involved and see the good in my new home, and it has brought me untold rewards." The current season is drawing to a close with Vortis’ last match against Fagiano Okayama on December 3rd, but the new season will start in March of next year, hopefully with the increased fanfare of an official team of the J1 league. Ganbare , Vortis! One ALT's Halloween Joshua Fries most of you know, Halloween was on October 31st. It's a kind of tradition to dress up as all sorts of creepy, fun, or just plain interesting characters for the occasion. As an ALT from America, every year when it gets close to Halloween time I have to teach classes about Halloween and generally have to wear a costume as well. This year I decided to do something special and donned my Stormtrooper armor. Stormtroopers are characters from the Star Wars franchise; iconic, white-armored soldiers of the evil Galactic Empire. So as a Halloween costume, it seemed to fit right in. The purposes of our Halloween classes were to have a bit of fun and to help explain this interesting Western tradition. We played Halloween-themed games, practiced Halloween vocabulary, and I fielded questions about how Halloween is celebrated in my home country. Students at one school were even able to dress up and enjoy the full Halloween experience (or as much as can be achieved in an elementary school) by going from classroom to classroom “trick-or- school visits “Any time you see Darth Vader in an advertisement for Docomo, or a group of Stormtroopers at a public event, or Boba Fett visiting a children's home, that’s the 501st Legion in action.” treating", complete with school- provided treats. The 5th and 6th year students taught the younger students how to say “trick or treat" and handed out treats if they could say the phrase correctly. It was a fun experience for both the children and staff of each school. I had to teach every class in full-costume, which as some of you might know, tends to be a little warm and sometimes uncomfortable. Nevertheless, I soldiered on through the heat and the difficulties of teaching an English class with a helmet on. Despite the somewhat intimidating nature of my costume, none of the students acted afraid, but were rather inquisitive and amused. Both the students and teachers responded quite favorably to the costume, even though most of them didn't recognize the character. Many of the students identified my costume as a Star Wars character, but only in the sense that it looked like popular Clonetroopers from the new Star Wars films and Clone Wars animated series. For them, it was very interesting to have an English class taught by a teacher in fun experience interacting with the students. The classes made for some very cool and interesting pictures. Some of you may at this point be wondering why I have such a costume. The short answer is that I’m a huge Star Wars fan, but the reality is a bit more complicated. I'm a member of an international, professional Star Wars costuming group known as the 501st Legion. The members of this group specialize in dressing as the bad guys from the Star Wars series. Most of the time we do it for fun, but we also like to get involved in many charitable activities such as raising money for tsunami relief efforts and visiting orphanages. We also make public appearances and participate in advertising campaigns of the Star Wars franchise. Any time you see Darth Vader in an advertisement for Docomo, or a group of Stormtroopers at a public event, or Boba Fett visiting a children's home, that's the 501st Legion in action. We don't charge money for appearances; instead we request that money be donated in the Legion's name to any number of charities. Worldwide there are over 5,000 members in over 40 countries. Each member is required to have a hand crafted, professional quality costume and be at least 18 years of age. For me it’s been a very fun hobby and I’ve enjoyed the friendships I've made as a member. For Star Wars fans, it's the ultimate way to be involved.  ( 3 Irene Wachuga ade from soy beans, this healthy and inexpensive bean curd is a good source of protein. Momen [firm] tofu and kinugoshi [soft/silken] tofu comes packed in water containers. Firm tofu is easier to handle and is usually used for grilling, stewing or frying. The softer type is better in soups, or chilled and eaten as is with a little soy sauce. Abura- age is a deep fried tofu, brownish and also comes packed in plastic. Blanch in boiling water to remove excess oil before using.
Sukiyaki (4 servings)
Ingredients:
350-450g of thinly sliced beef loin 1 block of grilled or firm tofu 150g of ito konnyaku (string devil's tongue) 2 naganegi, or Japanese leeks 8 fresh shiitake mushrooms (medium) 1 bunch of mitsuba (parsley) 4 eggs Sauce: 60cc or 2 tbsp of sake he literary corner of Awa Life, Awaglot, is a combination of the words "awa" and "polyglot", which means multilingual. Be it fiction, non-fiction, prose or poetry; funny, sad, long or short, we want your submissions! If you like to write, then express yourself! Send submissions to awalife@gmail.com. 120cc of soy sauce 80cc of mirin 200cc of water 60cc or 4 tbsp sugar
Preparation:
1. In a sauce pan, combine all sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Set aside (check taste before adding to skillet). 2. Cut tofu into bite size pieces (cube firm tofu and put in a strainer to get rid of excess water, about 10 minutes). 3. Roughly cut konnyaku filaments into easy to eat pieces. Blanch in boiling water for a couple of minutes and drain. 4. Trim mushroom stems and cut in half. There is also a classifieds section for you, our readers, to post ads in, but a few rules apply! The following will not be posted: Religious, political, or commercial activities, businesses searching for clients or employees, and things the Awa Life editors deem inappropriate. All about tofu! 5. Slice the leeks diagonally. 6. Cut mitsuba into 3cm lengths.
Cooking:
1. Heat a sukiyaki pot or any skillet with a flat base. Grease it well with beef suet and sauté beef on both sides. When browned, add the sauce. 2. Push the beef to one side and gradually add the other ingredients, taking care not to overlap or over mix them. When the food is ready, pick small portions from the pot and dip them in raw egg, if you like. * Add the ingredients in 2 to 3 batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Replenish as needed. * Add the stock as needed.  You don’t have to use all of it. * Diners can use chopsticks to take food from the skillet. * A 2-3 minutes soft-boiled egg works just as well, if you can't handle it raw, or are concerned about salmonella. * Chicken or pork will work just as well. But you can totally submit this stuff: offers to sell or exchange personal goods, concerts, lectures, and other event information, cultural, sporting, and other community group information, etcetera. If you have something you would like to share with the Tokushima community, email the editors at awalife@gmail.com! This month let's study levels of formality in Japanese. Try comparing the next three examples. Ex. 2 Ex. 1 In the above situations, can you tell how the levels of formality are different? Ex. 1: This is a department store announcement meant for the customers, so it uses a lot of keigo , or honorific expressions. Let's call this 「敬語スタイル」 . Ex. 2: In this situation, instead of using「お／で」at the beginning of words the way we do with keigo , the speakers end with「～ます。～ですね。」. We'll call this「です・ますスタイル」. Ex. 3: Finally in this situation the speakers use dictionary, or regular endings. We'll call this 「普通形スタイル」. So what standards do we use to decide what level of formality to speak in? 1. Superior/inferior : We use keigo in accordance with age difference, namely for older people, and at school students separated by even one grade level use keigo to address their upperclassmen. We also recognize superior/inferior social relationships, which take precedence over age. Exchanges in the service industry function off of this as well, when employees at department stores, restaurants, and banks and so forth show respect for customers by using honorific and humble language to verbally elevate the customer. 2. Inside/outside : When we speak to family members or coworkers, or others in our acquaintance, we use more familiar language, but for those outside our acquaintance we use keigo. 3. Familiarity : Depending on how well you know the person you're speaking to, your level of formality changes. For those we have just met we use 「敬語／です・ますスタイル」.
Let's practice!
In the following situations, decide what levels of formality would be best to use: 1. You are riding in a taxi. When the driver asks_where you want to go, what level of formality does he use? What level of formality do you respond with? 運転手（ )、あなた（ 2. You have started a part-time job at a restaurant, and there is another person who started the same day as you. You hear later on that they are also the same age. What levels of formality do you use before and after you learn their age?初日（ )、歳がわかった日（ ) 3. A client calls the company you are working at to speak to your superior, who is not there. When you answer the phone to tell them this, what level of formality do you use?あなた（ 4. You are in the tennis club at school. When you tell your upperclassmen that you cannot make tomorrow's practice, what levels of formality do you use with each other?あなた（ Reference:日本語敬語トレーニング アスクAnswers: １－運転手（敬語スタイル）、あなた（です・ますスタイル） 2 ー初日（敬語／です・ますスタイル）、歳が分かった日（普通形スタイル） 3 ーあなた（敬語スタイル）  4 ーあなた（敬語スタイル）、先輩（普通形スタイル） *You can see examples of the conversations in questions 1-4 on the JTM Tokushima Japanese Network website: http://homepage2.nifty.com/jtmtoku/ Kazue Inoue ast month, some teachers /from the Bunka no Mori Modern Art Museum came to Suketo Daycare to teach our young kids how to draw. First they looked at various works of art with the children, including landscapes, abstracts, and portraits, and listened carefully to what the children thought and felt. Though hesitant at first, the kids spoke their minds and listened to what their friends thought, and became very enthusiastic to speak and share with each other more. As the children were gradually drawn into the world of art, I became thoroughly immersed myself, and the pictures the children drew after were wonderfully detailed, imaginative works of art. When you draw with your child, encourage them to think about the color, shape, and interesting aspects of what they want to draw to produce a rich, concrete image that will spur their creativity and make artwork fun and meaningful. This month's craft: Paper Plate Bag 1. Take a paper plate, fold Yes, yes y' all! Put pen to paper and submit articles about the cool stuff you get up to, or submit pieces to Awaglot, the liferary corner, or ads to the classifieds section! Email the editors at awalife@gmail.com. Peace! Child care advice from our friends at Suketo Daycare! TOPIA To post an event of your own, send the details via email to the editors at awalife@gmail.com.
Jitterbug Christmas Party!
ジッターバッグのクリスマスパーティー！ The Tokushima Jitterbugs are throwing a Christmas party, and you're invited! This swing dance group will be giving a beginner lesson at 18:00, followed by live music and social dancing as well as some swing performances at 19:00. Come to dance, or just to hang out and enjoy the music, and don't forget to don your best holiday digs! Entry is free, but kindly buy a drink at the bar from the hosts at P. Paradise! When:   December 17 (Sat), 18:00 Where:  P. Paradise Info: Tokushima-shi, Sakae-machi 2-23 Tokushima Jitterbugs Committee hidihime@gmail.com Free! Email: Cost:徳島ジッターバッグスというのはスイングダンスの団体で、クリスマスパーティーを行います！ 18時に初心者のレッスンがあり、そしてライブコンサートやダンス、または会員のパフォーマンスは19時からです。ダンスとクリスマスの雰囲気を是非楽しんでいただきたいので、どうぞお越しください！入場は無料となりますが、飲み物を一杯購入お願い申し上げます。日時：場所： 12月17日(土)18:00 P. Paradise徳島市栄町2丁目23問合せ：徳島ジッターバッグス委員会メール： hidihime@gmail.com入場料：無料！
Tour the World Through Live Performances!
聴いて、観て、世界を感じるハッピーライブ
The Kitajima International Friendship Association is hosting a Tohoku earthquake restoration event, featuring an array of multicultural live performances, including English rakugo, Uyghur music and dance, and West African drumming! Tickets can be purchased beforehand through members of KIFA. When:   December 3 (Sat), 14:00 Where:  Kitajima Library Sousei Hall Kitajima-cho, Shinkirai Minami Koden 91 Info: KIFA TEL: 090-1172-3584北島国際交流協会による東日本大震災復興支援イベントとして、世界を感じるライブを開催します。英語落語やウイグルの音楽と踊り、または西アフリカの太鼓演奏等、盛りだくさんのパフォーマンスがありますので、どうぞお越しください。チケットは北島国際交流協会の会員を通じてお求めください。日時：場所： 12月3日(土) 14:00北島町立図書館創世ホール板野郡北島町新喜来南古田91問合せ：北島町国際交流協会TEL： 090-1172-3584入場料： 500円（当日600円） Cost: 500 yen (600 yen at the door)
Japanese Lessons at Suketo Hoikuen (free)

第２回ドイツ館のクリスマスマーケット
The German House Christmas Market is an event where you can enjoy German seasonal foods and wares. There will be general goods, Stollen Cake, snacks and baked bread, beer, sausage, mulled wine, and much more for sale. The German House will be lit up from 17:00 - 19:00, giving it a romantic atmosphere. There will also be a mini-concert by B's Club, and a children's railroad display, making this an event that everyone can enjoy. Bring your family, friends, or that special someone and celebrate Christmas at the German House! When:   December 17 (Sat) - 18 (Sun), 11:00 - 19:00 Where:  German House - Naruto-shi, Oasacho Hinoki Higashi Yamada 55-2 Info: German House TEL: 088-689-0099 Cost:
「ドイツ館のクリスマスマーケット」とは、冬限定のドイツの物産が楽しめるイベントです。会場では、ドイツのクリスマス雑貨に、シュトーレンケーキ、お菓子やパン、ビールにソーセージ、体を温めるグリューワインなどが販売されます。 17:00 ～ 19:00は、ドイツ館をライトアップし、ロマンチックな雰囲気を演出します。会場では、B’ s Clubによるミニライブやこども鉄道会も開催致し、大人からこどもまで楽しめる内容です。家族や、友達、恋人と一緒にドイツの冬を楽しみましょう！ 12月17日(土) ~ 12月18日(日), 11:00 ~ 19:00日時：ドイツ館場所：鳴門市大麻町檜字東山田55-2問合せ：ドイツ館088-689-0099 TEL：入場料：無料！
Christmas Illumination Contest!
クリスマス・イルミネーション大賞
There will be a Christmas illumination contest in Kamiyama for the citizens to design the best light display. Entries will be judged and the winner will receive a prize. Come out and enjoy the lights! When:   Mid-late December, 17:00 - 21:00 Where:  Kamiyama-cho Kamiyama Commerce and Industry Association Info: 088-676-1232 TEL:神山全町民を対象にイルミネーションの設置を呼びかけ、応募したイルミネーションを審査し、最も優秀なイルミネーションに大賞を与えます。日時： 12月中旬～下旬　17:00 ～ 21:00場所：神山町問合せ：神山町商工会088-676-1232 TEL :入場料：無料！ Cost: Free!
Santa Comes from the River!
川からサンタがやってくる！
In this event, a boat-full of Santa Clauses will ride around the Shinmachigawa river in Tokushima city and hand out 3000 presents to the kiddies! When:   December 23 (Fri/holiday) - 25 (Sun) 18:00 - 21:00 Where:  Tokushima-shi Info: Shinmachigawa river boardwalk Shinmachigawa River Protection Association 090-3783-2084 TEL: Cost: Free!イベント期間中、川から船に乗ったサンタクロースが子供達に約3000袋のプレゼントを持ってやってきます。日時：場所：問合せ：新町川を守る会TEL：入場料：無料！ 12月23日(金・祝) ～ 25日(日), 18:00 ~ 21:00徳島市 新町川流域090-3783-2084
Station-front Labor Consultation
駅前労働相談会If you have employment grievances, take advantage of this consultation! The Tokushima Labor Association is offering free assistance from a lawyer or member of the Association for unfair dischargement, nonpayment of wages, job rotation, and other grievances. No application necessary, either make an appointment or come directly. Everyone is welcome! Those with no Japanese ability must please bring an interpreter. When:   December 11 (Sun) 13:00 - 16:30 Where:  Clement Hotel Tokushima, 5F Tokushima-shi, Terashima Honcho Nishi 1-61 Tokushima Labor Association Info: TEL: 088-621-3234労使問のトラブルがあれば、是非とちらで相談してください！徳島県労働委員会の委員は相談会を開催します。解雇、賃金未払い、配転などの労使関係のトラブルについて弁護士や徳島県労働委員会の委員から解消のお手伝いをもらうためにお越しください。申し込みの必要はありません。事前予約をするか直接会場に来てください。どなたでもお気軽にどうぞ！日本語が分からない方は通訳者とお越しください。日時： 12月11日(日) 13:00～16:30場所：クレメントホテル徳島、5F徳島市寺島本町西１丁目61問合せ：徳島県労働委員会Cost: Free! 088-621-3234 TEL :入場料：無料！
Purple Hotline - Women's Shelter Network
The Purple Hotline is a free telephone counseling and consulatation service provided by the All Japan Women's Shelter Network for women and children faced with problems due to the Tohoku disaster, or domestic violence and other types of abuse. These counselors can provide support and necessary information, so don't hesitate to call. English-speaking counselors are available Mondays through Thursdays from 13:00 to 19:00. Dial 0120-941-826, and non-Japanese callers may press 1 for other language options including Chinese, Thai, English, Tagalog, Spanish, and Korean.
Learn Japanese Online for Free!
"Erin's Challenge! I Can Speak Japanese" is a free Japanese learning site on which you can have fun learning about Japanese language and culture. It has video, audio, and tons of other fun content, so join Erin and give it a try! This program is operated by the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute in Urawa: http://erin.ne.jp/.
TOPIA Closed During New Year's
TOPIA will be closed from December 29 - January 3 for the New Year's holidays! Please make a note of these days.
Counselling Service at TOPIA
トピアの相談窓口
TOPIA offers a counselling and advisory service to all foreign residents to help with issues involving accidents, working conditions, housing, visas, international marriage, and more. Counselling is available in English and Japanese. Please note that although every effort will be made, we may not be able to deal with all cases. Every day, 10:00 - 18:00 Tel: 088-656-3320 (allows three-way conversations with an interpreter) or 088-656-3303