Last night I had a sign language lesson. These days we've started to study some words which are included in a test. The licensing examination of sign language is what we are trying to pass.

There are 1st grade~7th grade in it, and I have passed 3rd grade last year. Next chance to receive it is in March. So, I was going to challenge 2nd grade and printed out its extent of words. Then, I found a big thing. The extent of grade2 is so wide!! Even when I received grade3, it was hard to remember all its extent of words. Also I have an year blank and I forgot many of them. My friends who are in the lesson have 4th grade now and next March they're going to challenge 3rd grade. So I decided not to have the test next March and to study 3rd grade's words with them again. That would be better.

My goal by my guraduation is... to pass the 2nd grade!!

Check this link more about the licensing examination of sign language!

http://www.shuwaken.org/

new job

I started to work part-time this December. It has a lot of different works and needs computer skills. But I'm not good at computer.

Yesterday I had to print out some information on postcards. I changed the info using the last time's one and kept it in the computer. Then a member told me to open it with another computer to print out so I did. I found it in a folder and opened. ...Oops! Its design became dim! I didn't know what to do. I think it's because of the computer. Members were busy and couldn't find out the way to correct so that was it. I have to do it next time, I guess.

Still I can't get used to the job but I just started it. Let's see what happens from now on.

Jane Austen

I read a book, persuasion by Jane Austen.

I had an image that books which are written by Jane Austen must be difficult to read. But this book has changed my mind. It was very interesting and I finished to read it in an hour.

The main story is about a girl, Anne. When she was nineteen years old, she loved a man and wanted to marry him. But her father who didn't care much about her didn't allow and her close friend who was her mother's friend talked to her to wait and find a richer, more important man. The older woman's persuasion slowly began to work. She told the man she couldn't marry him. He left there and then she didn't want to marry anybody.
More than seven years after that, he came back to the country and she met him. But they didn't talk each other like before. Then some events were happened around them and finally.....

This book is one of "Penguin Readers" series. This is a book series for some English levels and this Persuasion is placed in Elementary level. English is very easy. Also the stories are simplified so it makes easier understand. I think this series are very good way to touch many good, famous books. I'd like to read them more.

folk and fairy tale

I read a book, "The City Mouse and the Country Mouse" by Violet Findley.

There was a mouse living in the country. One day his friend living in the city came to visit him and they played together. They played so hard that got hungry. They went into the field and ate some corn and beans. The city mouse told the country mouse the food was boring and suggested to go to the city. They went to the tall building and plaeyed together. When they got hungry, they found nice foods in the dining room. As soon as they started to eat, a cat and a dog and a person came in so they had to leave and hide for their life. The country mouse thought the city was nice but corn and safty were better than cherry pie and danger. He decided to leave the city. He went home and thought there was no place like home.

red leaves, yellow leaves

These pictures are ginkgoes from our university. They are very troublesome in fall because of its nuts. But now, it has turned yellow and is very pretty. It makes me feel comfortable and calm me down. One big moment I really feel nice be a Japanese.

Talking about the colours of leaves, I wanted to see red leaves of maple trees in Canada. It's very famous and of course I expected to see them when I went there last year. It was still September. Although, it almost finished and I missed it!! I didn't expect Canada's winter came so fast...

Before I left Canada this September, I decided to see red leaves and pick some! I waited and waited for turning colours till just a few days before I left. But!! Leaves were just getting yellow at that time and finally I gave up. I picked some up and brought to the school. I laminated them and they are my treasures now.

Also I learned a trivia about leaves from my hostfamily. She is an artist and likes batik. When I did batik with her, I drew maple leaves and coloured with red without thinking. Then she found it and told me, "we don't get that red here. It gets cold so quick. Leaves fall off before turning red so ours are usually yellow." I imagined only red maple trees like on travel brochures. But now I know, it depends on the area what colour leaves get. It was North Alberta I went. If I would go to the east coast, I could see red leaves then. It's very interesting and the difference makes originality of the area.

What is "batik"? Check this website, the world of batik by Yuko Nakata.

http://www.batik-yuko.com/

about my new job

Today I went shopping to YumeTown Hikarinomori with my friend. We both had some things to buy and also it was a kind of a refreshment before we both start new part-time jobs this Friday.

I got a job at an English language school in Kumamoto city. Another friend of mine was working there but she had to quit because she got a full-time. Usually a full-time job starts in April but the office asked her to start working in this November. She introduced me to the school as her successor.

Now I'm anxious about my new job because I have no idea of it yet. But at the same time, I'm looking forward to working there with English. I wonder how I'll do but let's see. First of all, I have to learn a lot of the work!

Ramona

Do you know "Ramona"?
I know Ramona is a popular name but who I'm talking about is Ramona Quimby.

There are eight books of Ramona by Beverly Clearly.

Ramona is a little girl and likes some tricky things. In each books she gets into trouble but learns something from them.

Ramona has an older sister, Beezus. She is a smart girl and often helps her little sister.

I like both girls because they're so cute. And every time I read the book they reminded me a girl who had a little brother. They often fight but are good friends as Ramona and Beezus.

Another reason why I like Ramona series is author's description. I think her vivid description gives characters reality. Many times I felt like "I know, I know this Ramona's feeling!" Also she describes very details of Ramona's way of thinking. It makes me love her more!

Unfortunately I don't think we have this Ramona series in our library yet. I hope we can have them and many people can read and love Ramona.

If you're interested in Ramona, have a look at this Beverly Clearly site!

http://www.beverlycleary.com/index.html