ご愁傷さま、エリザベスさん

We have very sad news to tell you. Last Thursday, April 16, 2009, Elizabeth Alexander's father passed away at home. We feel very sad for Elizabeth and her mother, sister, and brother. The funeral was yesterday, Thursday, April 23rd, at the St. Benedict the African -- East.

Humanities Festival at Payton in late March

　　　Payton's drama teacher, Ms. Kerry Catlin, organized Payton's first Humanities Festival to coincide with the Payton production of ”The Taming of the Shrew,” by William Shakespeare.　　Calvin Krogh appeared in the play as the father of Kate, the leading character. Rachel Schachtman, fourth year Japanese language student, played the role of the suitor of Kate's younger sister. Mari Feuer participated by organizing costumes. The production modernized some aspects of the play, allowing some of the men's roles to be played by women.

　　Kimmel Sensei gave a presentation on Japanese theater and spoke about　Noh drama お能、Bunraku 文楽、 Kabuki　歌舞伎、and her own particular research subject, Taishuu Engeki 大衆演劇。　There are interesting parallels between ancient Greek drama and the Noh (both having important religious elements), and between　Kabuki and Shakespearean drama (both products of the rising townsman and commercial classes).

Taishuu Engeki is a sort of working class off-shoot of Kabuki, performed in more modern Japanese, in small local theaters. It does have a traditional aspect, however. Troupes of taishuu engeki actors travel from theater to theater much in the way that Italian commedia dell'arte actors and Shakespearean actors traveled during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe.

postcards from Ichiritsu

Today we at Payton received delightful postcards from Osaka City Senior High School. They were New Year/Valentine's Day/Easter Cards. Many included email addresses and street addresses for Ichiritsu students. Ichiritsu students want us to write to them as penpals and keypals. We want them to start out by writing to us here, on the blog.　
本当にありがとうございます。
個人的な葉書はきれいです。
ブログでも書いて,
連絡して
ください、ね。
お願いします。
待っているからです。

わたし の しゃしん/ My Photograph

わたし　の　しゃしん　の　なか　は　わたし　と　ともだち　です。　ともだち　の　なまえ　は　アリサ　です。アリサ　は　すごい　です。おかしい　でも　うるさい　です。

In my photograph are me and my friend. My friends name is Alissa. Alissa is great. She is funny but loud.

The picture I am referring to is my profile picture.

じゃ　ね！

Christian Reyes

佐渡島の鼓童( KODO ) in Chicago

二月十七日に岩岡アレクサさん（日系人の生徒、四年生）とキ・ダオくん（四年生）と私(教師）はシカゴのオーケストラ･ホールに行きました。
佐渡島の鼓童( KODO )のコンサートを聞いて、見ました。
とても印象的で素晴らしかったです。
佐渡島は新潟県じゃないかと思っています。そうですか。
市立のみなさん、鼓童( KODO )を見た、聞いたことがありますか。

On February 17th, Alexa　I., Keith D., and I went to Chicago's Orchestra Hall. We saw ｄand heard a concert by the Kodo drummers from Sado Island. They were very impressive and splendid. I'm thinking that Sado Island is in Niigata Prefecture. Is that correct? Have any of you Ichiritsu people ever seen or heard Kodo?

As all of you already know, Feb. 14th was St. Valentine’s Day and last Friday was an important day for our students. This day is a little bit different from what American people imagine, so I’ll explain some differences.

既にご存じの通り、２月１４日はバレンタインデーということもあり、先週土曜日は生徒にとっては重要な日でもありました。この日はアメリカと日本では様子が少し違うので、簡単に説明します。

In Japanese society, it is customary for girls or women to give chocolate for their favorite boys or men on this day. In other words, we can say Japanese teenagers make use of this special day as a means of confessing their love. This kind of chocolate is called “Honmei Choco” which can be translated into “Chocolate for Someone Special.” On the contrary, we have also a custom that girls give chocolate to boys or men whom they owe some obligations. This custom is popular in Japanese companies, and that means they give their chocolate as a sign of thanks even if they do not like him/them. Many women also buy so-called "obligation chocolate" at supermarkets, and convenience stores, on the other hand, as for their special chocolate, they are apt to buy only ingredients and make their chocolate on their own from the beginning, spending as much time, effort, and money as possible.

日本では、この日に女子が好きな男子にチョコを送るのが習慣になっています。言い換えると、日本の若い女の子達はこの日を愛の告白の手段として考えています。なので、このチョコは「本命チョコ」と呼ばれています。一方では、女性が特にお世話になっている男性にチョコを送るという習慣もあります。これは日本の企業では一般的ですが、お礼の印として女性がチョコをあげているという習慣だと解釈できます。多くの女性は、このいわゆる「義理チョコ」をスーパーやコンビニなので手軽に購入するのに対し、「本命チョコ」に関しては、材料だけを買って時間・労力・お金をかけて最初から自分で作る傾向があります。

As for our students, St. Valentine’s day is the day not for their confession of love but for their chocolate exchanging meeting. So fortunately I have got some from my students.

市立生に関しては、バレンタインデーは愛の告白日というよりは、チョコレートの交換会のような雰囲気です。そのため、私もいくつかチョコをもらえるという訳です。

Hi!

私　の　名前　は　エリザベス　アレシャンダー　です。　十六才です。　私
は　ペエトン　の　三年生　です。　六月に、私　は　大阪　に　りょこう　しました。みのり　さわ　は　私　の　ホースト　でした。とっても　たのしかった　です。

My name is Elizabeth Alexander. I am 16 years old. I am a 3rd year at Payton. In June, I traveled to Osaka. Minori Sawa was my host. It was a lot of fun.