私が初めてアメリカに行ったのは中学２年生の夏のサマースクールでした。

友人に誘われて参加しました。初めての海外だったこともあり、いろいろなことに驚き、たくさんカルチャーショックを受けたのを覚えています。

その一つに、お金（お札）の扱い方があります。

日本では多くの場合、お札は一つ折りにされているか折り目がないものが多いと思います。三つ折りや四つ折りされていたであろうものもありますが、折り目がつかないようにきちんと財布に入れる人がほとんどでしょう。しかしアメリカでは、お釣りで帰ってきたお札（特に１ドル札）がくしゃくしゃになっていたことが何度もありました。とても細かなことかもしれませんが、日本であれほどまでに疲れ果てているお札を見たことがなかったためにとても驚きました。

日本は他国と比べてお金の扱いが丁寧なのだと気づきました。

また、新札の100ドル札を支払いで出した際に本物かどうか光に透かして確かめられたり、蛍光ペンで線を引かれたことがありました。

不自然なほどの綺麗な新札は偽物ではないかと疑われることもあるようです。

今思えばくしゃくしゃになったお札は、多くの場所で使用された本物の証のようなものなのでしょうか。

Hey y’all!

I am sad to say that I have recently lost my family dog, Dude. Although his passing is incredibly sad, he was over 14 years old. That is about 98 years old in dog years. Crazy! I know. Dude enjoyed many things such as sleeping, sitting, laying in the sun and eating. I will miss Dude greatly. Make sure you hug your cat, dog, bird, goldfish, etc. extra hard tonight to let them know that they are very much appreciated and loved. 

See y’all in class!

Japan may not have The Great Lakes, but she does have a pretty great lake of her own: Lake Biwa. Lake Biwa is the largest lake in Japan, and you can see it from space, nestled in central Japan near Kyoto and many other very famous cities. I’ve been to the lake a few times, and it’s always breathtaking. It’s kind of shocking to see this flat lake hemmed in by towering mountains so close to the shore. Lake Biwa is a place of contrasts, and I’m here for it.

On the particular trip pictured below, we summited a small mountain via cable car, which is always a treat. At the top of the mountain, we were treated to this amazing view. Not pictured was the small colony of shockingly tame wild cats that are quite happy to be fed, pet, and pampered by any and all visiting tourists. Or the love temple haha. If you aren’t recognizing all these little details, I’ll just say it out loud: this trip was to Omi-Hachiman. The lead-up to the ropeway was also lined with all these old-timey Japanese buildings housing famous wagashi shops, a pickled goods shop, souvenir shops, cafes, restaurants, micro-breweries, and so much more. It’s a really cool place. The part that most captures my attention, though, is that view at the top of the mountain. When I think back on that trip, I always fall into the memory of the brisk wind, the looming mountains, the breathtaking vistas… I can feel my heart slowing as I settle into my happy place.

Travelling is so much fun, especially when you can spend your time perched on mountain tops admiring the natural geography of a place. Such a venture is always worthwhile, in my opinion. Go see Japan, go see the world, go see everything. You won’t regret it.

突然ですが皆さんは「少しの〜」という英語をしっかり理解していますか。

思い浮かぶものとしては “a few” や “a little”があると思います。学校でも習うこの表現ですが使い方に違いがあります。

“a few” は数えられる名詞（可算名詞）に、”a little” は数えられない名詞（不可算名詞）に用いられます。

I have a few friends. 私には少し友達がいます。（friendは数えられる名詞）

I have a little money. 私には少しお金があります。(moneyは数えられない名詞）

同じ意味でも、適切な使い分けができるようになりたいですね。また、可算名詞と不可算名詞についても新たな単語を学習する時に合わせて覚えるとさらに良いと思います。コツコツ勉強を続けていきましょう！

Hey y’all! 

One of the things that COVID has taken from us all are festivals and festival food. Well, as time goes by, even Japan is starting to bring the fun back. Although this wasn’t a festival necessarily, the streets around Chiyoho Inari Shrine had a bunch of food stalls for the new year. 

My favorite thing to eat by far is candied fruit! I just love this stuff, but I don’t really know why… Maybe it’s a texture thing. I ate three kinds! Strawberry, tangerine, and my favorite, pineapple! If you haven’t tried pineapple, I highly recommend it! 

See y’all in class!