Blog #3 The movie I watched

  Last week, I watched a French comedic movie "Zazie in the Metro" in Waseda Shochiku Theater, Takadanobaba. The theater is a little different from the usual theater. Not new but good movies are put on the screen and they are showed as the double bill. I like the theater because I can watch an unique movie whenever I go.

  From 22nd October to 28th October, "Zazie in the Metro" and "Elevator to the Gallows" are showed there.
The movies were directed by a famous French director, Louis Malle. I was so impressed in "Zazie in the Metro" because it was so good, so cute and fantastic! The image is the DVD's cover taken from the Amazon site.
  It  was first put on the screen in 1960. The name of the main character is Zazie. She is a little girl living in the country. She is talkative and mischievous. She came to Paris with her mother but Zazie was left with her mother's brother there because her mother meet her new boyfriend. All Zazie want to do in Paris was to get into the Metro but it was on strike so she walks around the station and meet many funny people. It is very unique and happy so I think everyone must be happy after watching the movie.
  I found from the old movie that really good movies are really good movies whenever we watch them. I want to look for such really good movies as long as possible! Do you know such an old good movie?

Hoh Saito (I missed writing my name ! oh! haha!)

Blog#3 Part-time jobs of students

Good evening everyone,
How are you? Today I`d like to write about part-time jobs of students.

Now that many students have part-time job after their classes. The reason why they work would be various. Some work to earn some money for going out with friends, some work to earn money for studying abroad and so on. Of course they are really reasonable reasons.

I think working while they are students becomes very great experience. Before they start working  after graduation, it`s good to know what "working" is like. They can also learn what it is like to "earn money" and how they should behave in society as an adult. In working they have lots of chances to learn polite expression, in Japanese "Keigo". This surely helps them with preparing for job interviews. Many people would have these impressions about part-time jobs of students. They are all good points,right? Or do you have any different good points? If you do, please tell me in your comments.

This time I want to talk about some bad points of part-time job.

Recently getting part-time job has become difficult for students. As for me, before I got current teaching job, I had to apply for lots of jobs but wasn`t be hired for long time. I don`t remember exactly, but I applied for more than 10 jobs. How about you? Were you hired soon after you started applying for jobs? I don`t know exact reason why it`s difficult for students to get part-time jobs. But I guess, one reason is recession. And the the other reason is that students are too busy to work a lot and can`t adjust their schedules to the provided working schedule. So employees are reluctant to hire students as a part-time worker. What do you think of this trend? Even though students want to (or have to) earn money, they can`t get job easily. Students can`t get opportunity to learn social skills before they start working.

And one more thing,
I think students are tend to be too much busy at part-time jobs. For example, if they work as cleark of shops or waiter at restaurants, many of them must work on weekend. And some employees demand so long and busy working schedule.  So even though students want to concentrate on their school lives, they sometimes have to dedicate their time to part-time job. I don`t think it`s good. The priority of students should be studying and their club activity even though they need to earn money. What do you think? 

If you have other bad points of part-time jobs of students, let me know in your comments.

Take care,

Asami

To Berlin by Thumb

This weekend I watched a documentary about two guys go to berlin by hitchhike.
They start at Beijing and keeping go west by hitchhiking, before I watch this documentary I never thought that people can go this far just by hitchhikin.
of course this two guys can not found a car go straight to berlin, during this trip, there are hitchhiked nearly 90 cars or vans. but they aslo take train and airplane only in the case they had to.
 if u are interesting in this documentary or wanna watch it you can search it by 搭车去柏林 in google.

by Shengjie Sun 

Blog#2 Lion King 3D

One week ago, I watched The Lion King 3D in Shinjuku Wald.
As we know, this movie is one of the most famous movies in the world. The Lion King was broadcasted in 1998. But we still already remember it and actually it was revived as 3D movie.

In my view, the story is not so creative, comparing with the other Disney movies. But the individual characters and great musics make the original world view where the nature and wild animals live.

In the characters, I like Pumbaa, which is a warthog and the best friend of Timon. His movement is very commical and sometimes slapstick. He makes us very fun.
And the music called circle of the world has magnificent scale. So it moves my mind.

About reviving 3D, that effect is not so big, considering the movies which are made for particulary 3D. But the strength of image is stronger than original one. And the color becomes more clear.

I have never seen the play of The Lion King. I would like to see it. Have you ever seen it?


Motoki

Blog ♯1 A new movie "Moteki"

Hoh Saito
Hello, everyone.
I saw the new movie "Moteki".
Did you see it? Are you interested in it?
It's a Japanese comedic and love movie.
The leading role was Mirai Moriyama.
He is not so handsome but he always performs well.
In the movie, he acted as a dolt who dreamed of having affective sex.
The trouble is that he is particular about girls and he likes only pretty girls.
One woman falled in love with him and declared her love for him.
And though he didn't love her, he made love with her.
Then he gave her many dirty words and she cried.
He always complained about everything and I dislike him.

However, the story had a happy ending for the leading role.
Why could he get the happy ending? I couldn't understand that.
I said that I hate him but I know such some boys around me.
Then he may be a common Japanese boy, I think.
What do you think about modern Japanese boys? haha

It's the trailer.

Blog #1 About Voluntary Year

 Hello friends, I`m Asami from film study class. Today I`d like to write about voluntary year.

 Have you heard of the word "voluntary year"? I`ve heard it from my German friend in her letter. She is going to graduate from high school, in German word "Gymnasium", in next year. She wants to study at university, but guess what, she told me that she is going to take "one year break" after her graduation!!! The "one year break" after graduation of high school seemes to be called "voluntary year" in English word. To say short, in foreign countries, especially in Europe, students don`t choose to go to university soon after graduation of high school.
As for the German friend of mine, she is going to have job experience at an office in her voluntary year instead of going to university. After the one year job experience, she is going to apply for university.

I just wondered and asked my French pen friend about the voluntary year. She is same years old as me and started going to university in last month. She told me that she also had voluntary year before she entered univrsity and experienced "au pair" in England. "Au pair" is a kind of activity of voluntary year but it`s only for women. Like her some women choose to stay in foreign countries and experience homestay there. And they take care of children of the house. This experience is called "au pair".
Recently the other German friend of mine also have started experiencing "au pair" in Italy. She is also going to apply for university or job in next year.

In Japan, we can never imagine students take "one year off " (voluntary year)after graduation of high schoo, right?
Normally we start going to university, college or technical school soon after we graduated from high school and some start working soon as well. Of course, there are many people who don`t (can`t) do that but only because they couldn`t be accepted by any of universities they applied for. And maybe there are some people who become "neet" in Japanese word. No one in Japan don`t try to take "one year off" to experience something important which we can`t experience by studying at university.

To hear about voluntary year, I think we really should have opportunity to have it in Japan,too. One reason is that it can be good way to visit foreign country and stay there not as a traveler. Recently I`ve heard that many young people hesitate to visit foreign countries for studying and experiencing foreign culture there. I think it`s very sad tendency. If we have a system of voluntary year in Japan, many students can choose to visit foreign countries. And second reason is that there must be something important which we can`t experience at university but we really should experience when we are young.
In voluntary year, people can do anything!! Some choose to work, experience au pair, just traveling far away from their countries.... They can do anything they want to do!!
What do you think to hear about the voluntary year? Do you think we should have it in Japan,too?

I`ve found a video of a girl who is experiencing au pair.

Looking forward to your comments!!

Asami Okumura

Blog#1 about trade

Motoki Ono

In the internationalization world, one of our interesting subjects is how to stand in advantageous position. According to Ann news, Japanese and Korean farmers held a symposium about the trade. One participant said "Korea is thinking FTA more seriously more than Japan. I have to do something after going back Japan"

 FTA is initials of Free Trade Agreement. Asian countries are being faced with decision about whether conclude or not FTA. Differing from EU, Asian each country has a original tax rate. And the tax rate influences the country's trade. There are advantage and disadvantage. Japanese government need to conclude the agreement evaluating the gain and loss.

According to September 15th Yahoo News, the Secretary of the Treasury in the US said "if we don't conclude FTA, the other country's company will deprive our market. in Korea."  From this news, not only Asian country but also the US think FTA is important to do business in foreign countries.

According to October 2th Nikkei newspaper, Korea which is competing with Japan finished to conclude FTA with EU in July. EU decreased the tax of Korean goods of export and Japan stands relatively disadvantage position. Further Japanese trading problem is not only tax but also strict restriction against import. Nikkei news expect EU understand Japan is impatient about FTA therefore they will not negotiate until Japan decide specific suggestions.

In my view, Japan has to conclude FTA with more countries as soon as possible because Japan is in severe position due to too strong YEN. Therefore Japan needs to improve the situation by using agreements even considering with handicap negotiations.
What do you think?