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Inside
this Issue:
- Typhoon Information
- What Happened in December
- Michael Dorman
- The Chef's Corner
- Shakespear
- Links O' Plenty
- Ichiyo Higuchi
- Farewell to Ms. Hirose
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Christmas Is Upon Us!
Once again Christmas has snuck up on us faster than expected  which
means Xmas cards and presents to think of (for some of us). For some
it means sun, sand and sweet-smelling BBQs, but for others it means
snow, sniffles, and more snow. Whichever of the two awaits you, I
hope it's a safe and enjoyable trip and you come back in one piece.
Welcome to our new trainer, Tamara. We're glad to have you in the
company, and I'm sure you'll fit in really well. Also, thanks Tracy
for putting on a nice little welcome shindig. At the same time, we
have to say farewell to Heidi (from OJT, at least) and Hirose-san
from the Japanese staff. Thanks a lot for all the effort and help
you've given us during your time with the company, and we hope your
future is full of happiness and success.
Enjoy this issue, and have safe and happy holidays!
Steve
Image: Koitsu`s Bridge at Nikko
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WHY WAS DECEMBER
5th NOT A TYPHOON?
I have heard
a few varying reasons for why those seriously strong winds on
the morning of December 5th were not classified as a typhoon?I
still don't have a clear explanation though. It could be one
of three
things (or all): (i) the intensity of the winds in the center
did not pass the threshold (left) (ii) the structure was not
consistent
with a typhoon or (iii) the atmospheric pressure was not low
enough to be called a typhoon. Steve
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WHAT HAPPENED IN DECEMBER:
- The Ukrainian presidential election campaign was
found to be tainted with widespread fraud.
- Medical tests confirmed Ukrainian Opposition Leader
Victor Yushchenko was poisoned during the presidential
election campaign.
- The world's highest road bridge opened in Millau, France.
It stands more than 330m off
the ground, which makes it taller than
the Eiffel
Tower.
- A Californian jury has recommended Scott Peterson,
convicted of murdering his wife and unborn
son, face the death penalty.
- Two twin sisters in America delivered twins
on the same day.
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EAST
AND WEST - 西部
- Name: Michael Dorman
- Hometown: Halifax - reputed for having the most bars
per capita in North America, what else can I say.
- Hobbies: Golfing and snowboarding - one for summer
and one for winter.
- Best moment in Japan: Discovering that you can buy
food from a 7/11 and it is actually edible.
- Worst moment in Japan: Ordering a pizza and realizing
the price.
- Favourite place in Japan: I have traveled to many
places in Japan and probably the one that is my favourite would
have to
be Sapporo.
- Favourite word in Japanese: ________-hoodai. When
I hear this stars appear in my eyes.
- Most embarrassing moment in Japan: There are so many-
where do I start? Once when I was walking towards an exit
of a building,
the owner
had put the metal
gate down low enough that you had to duck. It was dark and
I could not see the gate and I ran into it at full steam, leaving
me on
the ground
in a daze with
a large bruise to the forehead. So, a word of warning in Japan:
if you are tall, mind your head.
- Future goals: To first and foremost pay off my student
loan and get my Canadian securities course.
- Good movies: A couple of favourites are Shawshank
Redemption and Bowling for Columbine.
- Person I admire the most: My mother for putting
up with me.
- When I got off an airplane in Japan: The first
thing I thought was where is my hotel room. It is a
long journey
from Halifax
to
Nagoya.
- During my first trip to a Japanese supermarket:
I required assistance as I didn't have a clue where or what
anything was.
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The Chef`s Corner
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Fried
Chicken
And
Vegetables
In
Japanese
Sweet and
Peppery
Vegetable
sauce
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Ingredients:
- oil for frying
- enough to fill a fry pan about 5 cm deep
- boneless
chicken legs - cut into pieces
- 1 sweet potato slice
- 1/2
carrot sliced
- 1/4 pumpkin sliced
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Sauce: Equal parts soy
sauce, vinegar, sugar and half the amount of sake. There should
be enough
sauce to
cover the chicken red chili pepper - 1-2 peppers chopped 3 green
onions chopped. Mix ingredients of the sauce in a large bowl.
Then, heat the oil. When ready, add the vegetables to the oil and
fry until
soft. Remove vegetables from oil and put into sauce. Add chicken
to the oil and fry for about 5 minutes. Take chicken out of oil
and put into sauce. Let sit for 30 minutes. Remove chicken and
vegetables
from sauce and put on serving dish. Sprinkle with green onions.
Note: It is important to add the vegetables and
chicken to the sauce while
hot. If added once cool, the sauce will stay separate.
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William Shakespeare
As You Like It Act II Scene VII
Jaques:
All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his
time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. As, first
the infant,
Mewling and puking in his nurse's arms. And then the whining
schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping
like snail Unwillingly
to school. And then the lover, Sighing with furnace, with a
woeful ballad Made to his mistress` eyebrow. Then the soldier,
Full of strange
oaths, and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honour, sudden
and quick to quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in
the cannon's mouth.
And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws
and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth stage
shifts Into
the lean and slipper`d pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and
pouch on side; His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his
shrunk shank; and his big manly voice, Turning again toward
childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene
of all, That
ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness
and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans teeth, sans
everything.
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I have been doing a little research on the web of late to find some
useful sites for teaching:
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ICHIYO HIGUCHI 樋口一葉 (1872-1896)
Higuchi Natsue was born in Tokyo of samurai lineage and grew
up to become the first major woman writer in modern Japan.
In the space
of her short life, she moved a total of 12 times. At the age
of 14 she entered a poetry school in Tokyo, but the following
years bore
a huge toll. She suffered the loss of her brother, her father's
business failed, which then followed with his death. Thus,
at the age of 17
she became the head of the Higuchi household. Along with her
mother and younger sister, they made ends meet by doing needlework,
washing,
and other jobs.
After seeing the success of a classmate who wrote
a novel, Higuchi decided to become a writer to support her
family. At the age of 20, Higuchi wrote her first novel and
also adopted
the pen name of Ichiy?. Around this time, Higuchi turned down
a marriage proposal (which likely would have signalled the
end of her writing
career) and moved to a house near the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters.
In 1894, she produced her first major work, Otsugomori (大つごもり).
In the following year, Takekurabe
(たけくらべ), Nigorie (にごりえ) and Juusanya
(十三夜) were published to critical and widespread success.
Much of her work was set in the slums and the red-light
district
of Tokyo,
where she lived, and her style combined a traditional lyricism
with western-style naturalism.  Higuchi's literary career
was cut short
in 1896, when she contracted, and soon died of, pneumonia.
In spite of her short career and relatively limited output,
she
will be remembered
for the quality of her work and is considered to be the
first professional female writer in modern Japanese literature.
Higuchi Ichiyo is also the first female
to adorn a Japanese bank note since 1881 (Jinguu Kougou).
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Farewell From Hirose-さん
12月は「しわす師走」ともよ呼びます。いみ意味はどんなにすごいししょう師匠でもはし走りまわ回るくらいいそが忙しいです。ことし今年ももうすぐお終わりです。そして、FIAをやめる日がちか近づいてきました。かいがい海外に行かなくても、FIAでたくさんのいぶんか異文化けいけん経験をしました。してん視点やかちかん価値観がちがうので、私にはあ当たりまえ前のことでも、みなさんにとってはあ当たりまえ前ではなかった。みなさんにはあ当
たり前でも私にとっては当たり前ではなかった。それがフラストレーションの時もありましたが、たの楽しかったです。「『ちが違うこと』をう受け入れること、そして「はなし話してみること」この２つがほんとう本当にたいせつ大切だとまな学びました。７年と２ケ月、たくさんの人にであ出逢い、たくさんの人をみおく見送ってきましたが、いよいよじぶん自分のばん番になりました。ＦＩＡをや辞めるトレーナーにおく贈ってきた、私の好きなことば言葉をおく贈ります。「いちご一期いちえ一会」―そのとき時、そのばしょ場所、その人とのであ出逢いをどうぞ、大切に・・・。おせわ世話になりました。ありがとう。
In Japan, December is also called
‘Shiwasu しわす師走 (Shi: Master / Wasu: Run)’. It means that December
is such a busy time of
year that even
one’s great master, who is usually calm and collected, has
to run-about. This year will soon finish, and the time for
me to leave FIA is coming
close. Looking back, I think I had many cross-cultural experiences
at FIA without going overseas! Coming from different cultures,
we all have different points of views and values, so things
that seemed
ordinary / normal / natural to me may not have been for you
and vice-versa. Dealing with these differences was sometimes
frustrating, but it
was also fun and enjoyable. To accept our differences and to
talk about them honestly - this is probably the most important
thing I
learned through my time at FIA. I met and sent-off many wonderful
people over the past seven years and two months, and now it
is my turn. Lastly, I would like to end my message with my
favorite Japanese
phrase which I have been passing on to departing trainers -「いちご一期いちえ一会」(Treasure
every meeting, for it will never reoccur).
Many many thanks for all your kindness.
 
From Hiroshige`s 53 points on the Tokaido: Numazu
and Hara
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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Steve |
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