"English and I " studies (2)- running for me with pleasure

Second essay about 「English and I」was written by Yuko Arimori. She is a famous marathon runner in Japan. She was a silver medalist in the Barcelona Olympics and a bronze medalist in the Atlanta Olympics. And the title of the essay is 「Running for me with many pleasure」

 

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She has had trouble using English although she has living in America for 3 years. And she is sometimes seized with melancholia to communicate in English, because she sometimes makes a mistake in calling, did not understand English. 

But She thinks that English is useful, because she can talk with many people in English all over the world. And she knows if we can speak English even if the English is baby talk, we do not need to worry to go to every countries.

 Before, she belonged to company. Then she did not have a chance to communicate with foreign runner, even if she took part in foreign athletics contests. But after becoming independent of her company, she could have many opportunities to get some advice and talk with other athletes.  

Therefore, she is happy because she spends her time “for me” although she has some agonies. 

In my case, I am always glad that I can communicate with my foreign friends in English even if my English skill is not good. I agree her opinion, because I can communicate with people all over the world. If I cannot use English, I have never talked with Ugandan, Lebanese, Trinidadian and others. 

I also sometimes feel stressful to use English, because I cannot speak English correctly and appropriately. But joy of using English is more than the stressful every time.

"English and I" studies (1) Get used to disgrace yourself

「English and I」 is a book published by Iwanami book company in 2000. This book is that 23 Japanese people write 「English and I」 each other as an essay. So, I plan to pick up all the essaries and think about the topic.

 First essay, Tetsuya Chikushi wrote "English and I" that he thinks. The tittle is "Get used to disgrace yourself". And he was a newscaster in Japanese TV program and a Journalist. Unfortunately, he died because of cancer in 2008.

 

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 At first, he points out that many Japanese people tense up too much in some big  international stages like the Olympic games. He thinks that the main reason is why many japanese people are controled their behavior by society and entrust thierseleves to the standard. Therefore, We must avoid "get used to disgrace oursellf" because almost all us care  estimation from our society. He also insist that the heteronomous norm will make us be paralyzed and hold our natural expression. 

 The reason why he pointed out these things he feels it relates to our face to English. That to say that English of Japanese people  looks like without self-confidence and awkward. But he also  discovered that he got used to, compromised, became a coolness and turned grow when he used his English.

 Finally, when He had to make a speach in english, he often said to audience 「 You will listen to MY ENGLISH. I had to learn diffrent language from ours, So it was hardship too much for me. Therefore, if you endure MY ENGLISH  for a little, it will be a draw.」

 In my case, before I was always ashame my english speaking skill. because, I could not express my atitude and opinion in English. But when I was a student in university, I took a lecture "English 4". The class was taught in english from start to last, because the proffesor was a native english speaker. At first, the students were 7 japanese and 3 americans. But later, students were 1 japanese(me) and 3 americans. So, allmost all japanese students stopped to attend the class except of me, because the proffesor always asked us to tell their opinion in english.

 Maybe, they could not endure the class. But I always attended the class every week although I didnot have enough skill to tell my opinion in english. the reason why I disliked to avoid the hardship.

 Of course, I sometimes feel to disgrace myself because I cannot tell my opinion in english very well.  but finally, I always think that do my best is enough. 

from Japanese high school to university in foreign country.

 Last night, it was so hot in my apartment. maybe it was around 30 degree. Moreover, I dont have an air conditioning. Thesedays, it is a bit hard for me to spend a hot night with only an electric fan. So I was thinking about English education in Japanese high school, because I could not sleep well.

 Generary speaking, it is very rare case to go on university in america after graduating from Japanese  high school. In my high school case, there were 320 classmates in my high school. But only 1 student went on communite college after graduating from high school.  I dont know what does he do now. But maybe, he works with engish skill. I sometimes regret why I didnot study abroad to other countries after graduating from high school.

 The reason why nobody reccomended me that i study abroad, I dont know how to study abroad, then I thought that I have to go on only Japanese university. Therefore, when I studied abroad, my age was 24years old. I think that it is too late. If I have studied abroad more early, I would have had many good experience and possibility. That is to say I did not have a route from japanese high school to university in foreign country.

In japanese high school, there were some high schools called Super English Language High School(SELHI). these schools were given some burget to engage in specific english education. But this undertaking finished 2009. maybe this undertaking could not improve Japanese english education in high school dramatically.

 If I had had a chance to know University education in foreign countries, I would have been interested to study abroad and desired foreign countries. For example, can I make an offer that University students in america teach and instruct in Japanese high schools??  If I can, many Japanese high school students will be interested to study abroad.

 When I spent a night that I could not sleep, I was thinking about this project. If the readers are students in foreign countries, I want you to cooperate with the project.


 to be continuted my ambition.

Prejudice studies(4)- Are all Japanese men HENTAI??

 Fortunatley, I always enjoy chatting with my foreign friends in skype or facebook. When we talk, we often talk about hobby or culture, studying and future. And I thought that they also enjoy chatting with other japanese friends too. But they felt disappointed to chat with other Japanese people. For example, my Bangladeshi friend said to me, why Japanese man is so nasty? also that my egyptian friend said to me, Japanese man is so rude and nasty.

 The reason why they said those things is when they chated with Japanese friends, they felt disgusting, because the Japanese men told nasty things to them. Moreover, my american female friend also said all japanese men are HENTAI.

  I always feel sad when I heared it from them. So is it true? Accutally, there are many porn movies in Japan. And many porn DVDs have produced too. I have heard that over 10000 porn stars are extremely active. Thesedays, some japanese porn stars take part in kinds of events in asian countries like a China and Taiwan They are also warmly received in these countries.

 Maybe, when some foreigner watch Japanese porn video, they make a misunderstanding that almost all of Japanese people are nasty. I have one of my japanese female friend who studied abroad in America. She told me that american people always ask her date everyday, and they like to watch japanese porn video.


 The reason why she was asked is a prejudice. So how should Japanese people behave not to be suffered from this prejudice?  At first, we need to have a dignity and politeness. Any other? I dont have a good idea about it^^: 

Prejudice studies (3) -Japanese has prejudice toward muslim-

 If interviewer ask me "What is your strong point?", I always answer "I have many friends all over the world.". Accually, I have many foreigner friends including muslim friends. However when my japanese friends knew that I have muslim friends, almost all them asked me,"Are there not bad people??" So, some japanese people think that muslim and islam countries are very dangerous.

 Maybe, the reason why they think is cause of terrorism like an Al Qaeda. In 9.11, many people were killed by suicided bombing. Also, many people were killed by invading Afghanistan.

 Of course, all muslim have taken part in sucide bombing or other act of terrorism. However, the prejudice is very huge in the world.

When I was in ninoi akino international airport, I took a taxi. and the driver is from mindanao and muslim. At first he said me, 'Dont feel scary, I am a muslim, but not dangerous'. Maybe he realized that muslim are feared by other people. Or he has an experience that he was made a misunderstood by christian or buddhist people.

So, I dont know that when this misunderstanding and prejudice end.

Prejudice studies (2) -Japanese has prejudice toward muslim-

 Prejudice often force people to make an misunderstanding.  In last blog, I wrote the reason why Japanese people has some prejudice of muslim. I think that our society rarely has communication with muslim. In my case, I have less muslim friends than Christian friends. Therefore, I do not have enough knowledge about muslim and the soiety.

 Today, I write the other misunderstanding. Before I talked with my Japanese friends. Then I talked that I have some muslim friends and sometimes chat with them. Then, one of my friend asked me "how many mothers does your muslim friends have? ".

 I think that this is a typical misunderstanding. Because he thought that all muslim countries has polygyny. Therefore, he asked me that how many mothers?  So, UAE, Morroco, Saudi Arabia are polygyny countries as far as I know. But some muslim countries are not polygyny countries. For example, Tunisia, Indonessia, Turkey.

 And some people also make a misunderstanding which they can have many wives in polygyny countries. Moreover some people envy this system. However,  they can have only 4 wives in their islam law basically. Its one of other misunderstanding.

 So, maybe some people think that polygyny are obscene. But its hard for them to keep family life of polygyny. Because the husbands have to treat wives equally in islam law. And they have to have a lost money to provide their wives too.

 If I had been born in these countries, Would I have chose to get some wives?  Maybe i will not. because I think that it is so hard for me to keep these relationships.

Prejudice studies (1) -Japanese has prejudice toward muslim-

 In this world, There are many prejudice toward other people. Having prejudice often make other people uncomfortable and mad. Why do people have prejudice toward other people? Today I write Japanese has prejudice toward muslim.

 In general, Japan is a island country. And our nation is called a racially homogeneous nation. It means that we do not have enough chance to communicate with foreigner although it became easy for us to communicate with foreigner through internet.

 Sure, Japan is close to China and Korea. therefore, There are some chinese and korean in japan. However, there are few muslims in Japan. In my case, before going on university, I didnot have a chance to communicate with muslim.

 But now, I can communicate with muslim, because I have some muslim friends. For example, tunisian, Morocconian, Alegerian, Egyptian, Indonessian, Bangladeshi, turkish, etc. As a result, I could get some knowlege of arabic country.

 However, almost all japanese dont have enough the knowledge. Actually, they have some prejudice toward muslim. For example, Almost all them think muslim girls always wear Abaya or Hijab. Islam countries are rich variety. But they donot know that.

 my egypitan friend had be angry this prejudice. when she chat with one japanese guy, he forced her to wear hijab. because he thought that all muslim girls always wear it.  This misunderstanding will make other muslim mad too.

so I think that misunderstaning and prejudice often make people mad. and it is very rude.