Language Learning Log 20words

*vegan: someone who doesn't eat animal products.
{She is a vegan person, so she couldn't eat any dairy meals.

*ridiculous:very silly
{It's ridiculous to walk without feet

*stuffy: It does'nt have enough fresh air
{This room is stuffy, because I never open the window

*swear: promiss, bad words
{Teacher kicked him out, because he was swearing.

*tricky: difficult to deal with or do because it's complecated.
{This problem is tricky, because it has too many imfomations.

*deceive: to make someone believe something that is not true.
{Don't deceive someone. Be honest.

*atmosphere: the feeling that event or place gives you.
{This room had happy atmosphere, after he came.

*frustrate: disappoint
{The rain frustrated me, because the plan was stopped.

*struggle: to try extremely hard to achieve something though it's very difficult.
{I struggle to get driver's license.

*extemely: a very great degree
{I love icecream extremely.

*frown: to make an angry, unhappy,or confused, moving our eyebrows
{I frown at him, because I don't like him.

*tweak; small change
I don't need big change, but I have to tweak my essay.

*grief: extreme sadness
{She felt grief because of his die.

*chaotic: confused situation
{For many reasons,counpany is chaotic now.

*no brainer:very easy
{It's no brainer. You can do it earlier.

*busy work: waste time
{It's busy work, you don't have to do such a thing.

*demonstrative: useful to prove something.
{I found a demonstrative book. It can be evidence.

*same old same old: not bad but not good
{How are you- Same old same old

*kick someone out: make someone leave
{Stop smoking otherwise I kick you out.

Senior's free time -Essay-

May 31, 2011

Sayaka Inahata

                                        Senior’s free time

           

I did my presentation about what Japanese seniors do in their free time. Therefore I’m

going to compare Japanese with American senior’s free time and how do they spend it.

I go to senior centers as internship now, and I went to Japanese senior center three times when I was a high school student. Therefore I could find similar points and differences between Japanese and American seniors.

            When I went to Japanese senior centers, almost all people were sitting. They were enjoying Origami, talking, and knitting, and so on. On the other hand, in American senior centers, there were many kinds of classes such as yoga, aerobics, line dance, t’ai chi dance, and tap dance. In Japan, there are few dance classes. I talked with some seniors in America. According to them, they came there to take dance classes. If there are no dance classes they want to take that day, they go to another senior center and take the dance class they want. I was surprised to hear that. They go to many senior centers to take dance classes almost every day. During the internship, I joined a line dance class. After one hour, I got tired. However they kept dancing and they looked refreshed. I felt that they are more vigorous than us.

            The difference I could say is that Japanese seniors are usually sitting and enjoying their hobbies, and American seniors are usually enjoying with their bodies. Some Japanese seniors enjoy Japanese traditional dance, but it’s very slow. I think American seniors are more active. On the other hand, the similar thing I could say is that both of them in senior centers have many friends and enjoy many things with them. Both of them looked happy to enjoy doing their hobbies with their friends. They are really active, cheerful and youthful although they are old. I can’t say which is better. However in my view, I like dancing therefore I want to keep dancing even when I’m a senior. I hope to enjoy the rest of my life like them.

May31 Presentation at YMCA

May 31, 2011

Sayaka Inahata

Today, I was very nervous, because I had to do presentation. It was the first time to show people who aren’t ESI student the presentation. I’m not good at speaking English, so I worried about that they can’t understand my English. I wanted to finish earlier, but my presentation was last one. However, I think I did it. Seniors are very kind so I wasn’t nervous while I was doing presentation. Other student’s presentation is also good. We were so nervous that we were happy to finish our presentation successfully. I really want to say thank you for spending time for us to them. Some seniors I talked to last week remember me, so I was glad. I wanted to talk more with them. YMCA tea and talk is short time, so I want to have more time to talk next time.

May27 WBSC

May, 27, 2011

Sayaka Inahata

            I went to west Berkeley senior center. First, we went to computer room and talked with seniors. I talked with a married couple. They have been together since they were 18 years old. The husband is 95 years now and the wife is 86 years old. I was surprised that they stayed together very long time and I was also surprised that they were very cheerful though their age was very old. I enjoyed talking with them. They are very kind to me. I want to talk with them again. After talking, we joined t’ai chi dance class. It was very slow, but it was a little hard for me. I thought that I should move my body more then. After dancing, we drank Chinese tea together. It was good to relax. I had a good time.

May 26 NBSC

May 26, 2011

Sayaka Inahata

            I went to north Berkeley senior center, today. I took dance class together. Yesterday, I also took dance class. They are same kind of dance, but music was different. Yesterday’s music was like hip hop and Today’s music was like classic. I thought both of them are hard for them, but they danced very well. I took this class for 1hours. I got tired, but they were still dancing. I think they are more vigorous than us, and I was surprised that they danced by many songs. They remember their routine. I thought taking dance class is good for body and brain. After taking the class, we had lunch with seniors. I talked with a woman. Her name is Ruth. We talked about her home town, my country, her family and so on. I heard that this Monday is Memorial Day. She explained about it to me. I didn’t know that. I enjoyed talking with her.

May 25 Emeryville

May 25, 2011

Sayaka Inahata

            Today, I went to Emeryville senior center. I got there by walking. It took 20 minute from station. I got tired. I thought that it’s hard for seniors to get there by walking the need to take a bus or drive to get there. At Emeryville senior center. We joined line dance class. The teacher was strict. He had his teaching style. He didn’t want us to follow, when he showed dance first. If we do so, he gets angry. Actually, he told us not to do so many times. However, I think it is funny for me. We enjoyed dancing. After that I talked with some seniors the most surprising thing was there are 2 seniors have stayed Japan as air fours. They said they love Japan. I was glad to hear that. I also talked to woman from Spain. She got married with American, so she lives here. I want to get married with handsome American guy and I want to live here forever.

First Impressions -Essay-

                                   

           

            We went to four places we’re going to work as a volunteer, YMCA, west Berkeley senior center, north Berkeley senior center, and Jewish culture center. I had never been to senior center before. I liked every place. I enjoyed the tour today. These were different from my thinking, and I became excited to work there.

            First, we went to YMCA. It has a gym, pool, and exercise rooms. Many seniors swam in the pool and took up aerobics or yoga. After that, we went to West Berkeley center and North Berkeley Center by bus. At west Berkeley senior center, there is a computer room and a garden and so on. We met Josephine when we went to the garden. She works there. She has strong impression for me, because she is very friendly. She hugged each of us. I thought that her character encouraged seniors then. I’m going to be friendly like her when I talk with seniors to encourage them and talk pleasantly for them. I was interested in the room called “meals on wheals”. It’s a meal service for seniors who can’t go out side because of sick. They deliver to these seniors. I think it’s a good idea. I didn’t think about these seniors. It’s not only for seniors coming to senior center but also for seniors who can’t come there. I also like this name. Meals and wheals are rhymed. At north Berkeley senior center, I saw many seniors there. It has a big TV room, computer room, exercise room, library, and art room and so on. When I went to library, Italian class was held. Seniors learned Italian hard. We also went to art room. I talked with senior couple drawing nice picture. Hearing their life style, they seem to enjoy their life. We also went to Jewish culture center. Jewish means people believing in Judaism. There were no people then, but we heard that they don’t serve pork, because Jewish people don’t eat pork. I was very surprised.

            I thought that senior center was quiet and seniors are not energetic, but it was different. I saw many seniors enjoying yoga, aerobics learning drawing and so on. I have no image that senior center is pleasant place, but they have hobbies and they have many friends there and they really enjoy their life there. I will talk with them. I thought that I should prepare topic for them, because I want them to enjoy more. They live longer than me, so I want to know many things by them. It’s also the reason I thought so. hard to hear me. Although they are fine, they are old. I thought that I have to speak loudly, clearly and speak correct pronunciation for them. I’m looking forward to talking with many seniors. I want to be good speaker for them and I want to be good English speaker by talking with seniors in the future.