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Lost in NewYork
2008-06-28
After I got a driver's license, I usually drove our car whenever we went out somewhere. Because I'm not good at looking up a road on a map promptly, so we always got our lost by my wrong navigation. yeah, I have no sense of direction....
When we came back to Maryland from New York by my drive, I accidentally lost way.I seemed to head to the opposite direction from Maryland. You know, New York has a lot of one way roads, the more proceed, the more I lost the way. The more I lost the way, the more I got into a panic.
I decided to make a turn in the residential area in lower Manhattan. When I tried to make a turn, one car came up to behind me, and it made me more panic.
"Oh, I should leave here at once!!" I thought, and I stepped on the gas to start my car.
But.....
The shift was "Reverse" still..
yeah, I got into a panic, so I foolishly forgot to change the shift from "R" to "D".... Of course, My car proceeded to back. I almost ran into the other car.
I was so confused that I didn't know what to do. My heart was beating enough to break, and I turned pale at the situation. My husband was shouting, "Hey!!! What are you doing!!!!?", although he rarely gets loud.
He must have been so scared.
It goes without saying that the driver in the following car got into a fury blowing the horn strongly.
Be careful guys!
免許取得後、どこかへ出掛ける時はいつも私が車を運転した。私は地図を見るのが苦手で、私のインチキナビのせいでいつも道に迷うのでドライバーを務めることにした。
ニューヨークから車でメリーランドへ帰る時のこと、私はメリーランドとは逆方向に進んでいたようだ。ニューヨークって一方通行が多くて、進めば進むほど道に迷う。
で、迷えば迷うほど、パニックになる。
とある住宅街で、私は方向転換を試みた。そうしたら後続車が来ちゃったよ....。
"早くここをどかなければ！"と余計にパニックになる。 で、思い切りアクセルを踏んだ。
あほなことに、ギアを"R"（バック）から"D"（ドライブ）にチェンジするのを忘れていた。。。。 もちろん、車は後ろへと急発進した。もう少しで後続車とぶつかるところだった...。
心臓は壊れるかと思うくらい脈打ち、血の気が引いた。めったに大声を出さない温厚な旦那も”おいッ！何やっているんだ！！" と叫んでいた。
彼はとても怖かったに違いない。
後続車は烈火の如く怒っていたのは言うまでもない。（クラクションをガンガン鳴らしまくっていた。）
みなさん、運転には気をつけましょう。
Long way to get a Driver's License 7 ＊Final stage
2008-06-24
Hey guys! I'm coming back here to get a driver's license today!!
I'll beat you MVA Today!!!
I sat at the screen and tried to work out. I had no mistakes and went smoothly.
and
I finally....
I passed the written test at last!!!!
When I tried the road test, a middle aged guy at information desk, who knows about Japanese very well said to me, " If you failed the road test, you'll be taken by Sadako!!"
Huhh!! Sadako!? How spooky!!
It was so scared, but.....
I passed the Road test also!!
I did it at last!!! I could get over it!!!
I was sooooo...... glad enough to cry.
Here's my treasure!
I like the design of Blue crabby so much. かにちゃんマークが気に入っています。
Maryland's license plate.
It's not actually my license plate. We must return it to MVA in Maryland, when we leave from the US, so I got it on line.
When I got my driver's license, an ending theme of video game which was my favorite sprang up my mind. I felt a sense of achievement as same as when I managed to beat the last boss at the video game.
Yes! I managed it!!
It took almost 1 year to get it, I actually had to get it in 1 month after moving to the US.
MVA was a tough opponent for me.
Here's my feeling when I managed to get my driver's license.
免許きたあああぁああー！ やっと取れた！くー！取得に約１年かかりました。
本当はアメリカに引っ越して１ヶ月以内に取らないといけないんですけどネ。。。
ロードテストに臨む際に、インフォメーションの知日派のおっちゃんが、「ロードテストに落ちたら、お前は貞子に連れて行かれるぞ！」と冗談を言っていた。ははは。こ、怖いなあ。
免許証を手にしたとき、何だか、テレビゲームのラスボスを倒した時のような達成感が沸き上がり、とあるゲームのエンディングテーマが脳内に流れました。
あぁ、やっと取れた。。。。MVAは強敵だった。
Unknown Plants
2008-06-17
Have you ever heard that there are plants called "Poison Ivy" or "Poison Oak"? When I heard about Poison Oak, it suddenly came upon me that there was a monster in the RPG like this picture. ↓here's my image of Poison Oak at that time.
ポイズンオークがあらわれた！ コマンド？
→たたかう じゅもん
にげる どうぐ
As far as I know, these plants have a chemical called "urushiol" in the sap. Once you touch it, it will be absorbed into your skin and cause terrible rashes. Too bad, urushiol is hard to be absorbed into the water, so we should throw away the cloth stained with urushiol. If you want to know it, you should google it, and you'll find many horrible articles and pictures......
ポイズンアイビー、ポイズンオークと呼ばれる植物があるのを聞いた事がありますか？
ポイズンオークと聞いて、私はドラクエに出てくるこの画像のような敵キャラかと思った。
これらの植物は 樹液中に "ウルシオール”（日本の漆から名付けられた）と呼ばれる化学物質を含んでおり、触るとひどいかぶれを起こすそうです。しかも水に溶けない為、ウルシオールに汚染された服は捨ててしまった方が良いそうです。汚染された服を再び着ると、また症状が出るんだそうな。くわばらくわばら。。。。Poison Ivyで検索すると、恐ろしい記事や画像を目にする事でしょう。
By the way,
I've been bitten by gnats in the US. My both calves were swelled up impossibly with a heavy
I found it!
But... the ointment was not for
余談
アメリカでブヨに両ふくらはぎを刺され、ひどい痒みを伴いありえないくらいに脚が腫れ上がった。そういえば、日本にいる間に薬局からいくつか試供品を貰ったなぁ。たしかその中にかゆみ止めの軟膏（ムヒ）があったはず！
あったよ軟膏！
だけどそれ、ムヒじゃなくてボラギノールだったよ。 orz......
150 years Anniversary
2008-06-15
This year marks 150 years since conclusion of The Treaty of Amity and Commerce (日米修好通商条約). As I told you once before, Japan had closed the gate to foreign countries for about 200 years, but America has opened the gate and brought us modernization. The exhibition concerns with 2 American men who contributed it, is held at Edo Tokyo Museum in Tokyo until June 22nd. There are many displays from The US Naval Academy.
Matthew Perry(1794-1858)is on the left side in the picture. He went to Japan leading 4 battle ships and demanded Japan to open the gate. He succeeded in concluding the Convention of Kanagawa (日米和親条約）in 1854.
Townsend Harris(1804-1878)
is the man on the right side in the picture. He was a diplomat and the first US counsul general to Japan. He succeeded in concluding the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with Tokugawa Shogunate.
As I mentioned it in the previous article,, the Treaty of Amity and Commerce was very disadvantageous treaty to Japan, so I had thought that Townsend Harris must have been as cunning as a fox. But my image of him has been changed after I read his biography. He loved the scenery in Japan, our culture very much, and liked walking around sea side at Shimoda. Besides, he loved milk, but it was not common drink to us at that time, so he seemed to have a difficult time getting some milk in Japan. When he left from Shimoda, he missed Shimoda as well as the people lived in Shimoda missed him.
He loved our culture deeply, so his grave marker says- "Friend of Japan".
And there is a love story like "Madam Butterfly", between Harris and his maid named Okichi who was only 17 years old. But the panel at the exhibition said it was impossible falling in love with him, because she was fired only 3 days.
Can you fall in love with someone only 3 days?
Okichi
 | 唐人お吉物語 (2006/10) 竹岡 範男 商品詳細を見る |
江戸東京博物館のペリー＆ハリス展に行ってきました。
今年は日米修好通商条約締結から１５０年目にあたります。皆さんが知るように、この条約は日本にとって非常に不利であり、私はハリスのことを狡猾な人物であるとずっと思っていた。しかし彼の伝記を読んでイメージは変わった。
ハリスは下田の風景や日本の文化を非常に愛で、下田の海岸辺りを散歩するのを好んだという。また彼は大の牛乳好きであったが、当時の日本は牛乳はまだ一般的な飲み物ではなかったので、入手するのに困難を要したというエピソードもある。 ハリスが下田を去る時、彼も、下田の人々も、別れを惜しんだそうな。 そんな彼の墓標には "Friend of Japan"との文が刻まれている。
また、ハリスと言えば、お吉との間の蝶々夫人のようなラブストーリーが有名だが、お吉さんは３日で解雇されたので、実際にハリスと恋愛に至るのは不可能だったのではないかとパネルにはあった。後のお吉さんの悲惨な生涯が話を美化させたのだろうと。う〜む、３日で恋愛できます？
Matthew Perry drawn by Japanese/ ペルリ提督
＊additional / 追加＊
Perry brought my mind this file. Here's perry's voice.
http://emaedanaoko.at.infoseek.co.jp/flash/peri.swf
ペリーについて書いていたら↑コレを思い出した。これは、巧みな交渉術で開国を迫るペリーの肉声です。一歩も引かないアメリカ側が徳川幕府を追い詰める。
To pronounce English words correctly
2008-06-08
To pronounce English wards correctly is pretty difficult for me.Especially, I'm not good at pronounce "R", "L", "V", so, to tell the truth, to pronounce "Rockville, Maryland" is pretty hard for me. I guess that many Japanese would feel it difficult.
This is a story I heard from my friend.
NIH(National Institutes of Health)
NIH is one of the US governmental agencies, therefore , the security check is strict. And it has own police department. If a visitor who is not an employee must have a security check- ID check, body check, car check and so on.
My friend's husband was taking pictures of a mantis at NIH.
NIH Police: Hey! What are you doing here?
Husband: I'm taking pictures of a bug
NIH Police: Bag? Where is the bag?
Husband: No, No. Bug, Bug!
NIH police: You hid the bag? Where did the bag go!!?
The police officer suspected him hiding a bag somewhere. On the other, my friend's husband made a mantis's gesture, but it made him more suspected despite his desperate play.
I also have been disappointed with my poor pronunciation. When a clerk at the fish counter brought a cat fish, although I ordered a cod fish.
Anyway..... to pronounce English wards correctly is pretty difficult.....
英単語を正しく発音するのはとても難しい。
友達のご主人がNIHでカマキリの写真を撮っていたら、NIH Police (政府機関のうちの一つであり、セキュリティーが厳しい。また、独自の警察機関がある。）に何をやっているんだ！？と呼び止めらたそう。Bugの写真を撮っているんだよ。と説明したけど、警官にはBugがBagに聞こえたらしく、Bagをどこにやった！怪しいヤツめ！みたいに誤解され、しばらくbugだbagだののやり取りで大変だったと聞いた事がある。で、カマキリの真似をしたら余計に怪しまれたそうです。
かく言う私も、鮮魚コーナーで、Cod fish（タラ）を頼んだのにCat fish（なまず）を持って来られた時にはヘコんだなぁ。
あぁ、難しい....。
The rankings for wards which have a difficult pronunciation.
No1, Squirrel
No2, World
No3, Cold
Squirrel..... we call it "Risu" in Japanese, so it's just okay for me to call it as "Risu" in English, too.
私の苦手発音ランキング、栄えある第一位は"Squirrel" （リス）。「すくいーれる」だとほとんど通じない。。。スペルも何だか長いし、もうね、Risu, リスでいいやんリスで！あと、語尾が"ld"で終わる単語も苦手。 まぁ、書く方も苦手ですが.... orz あぁ、がんばります。
Home party
2008-06-03
My acquaintance- Moccol, he is an Indian guy who lived at the first floor in the same apartment, invited me to his home party. He and his son was planning to show us a Japanese animation DVD named "Castle in The Sky ". That was my first experience to receive an invitation to the home party from non-Japanese.
The invited guests were,
・Italian guy
・Venezuelan lady
・2 children (Moccol's son's friends).
・Japanese (Me)
同じアパートの１階に住むインド人(モッコルさん）が "天空の城ラピュタ" の上映会をやるからと、ホームパーティに私を招待してくれた。海外の方からのホームパーティへのお誘いは初めての経験でした。招待客はイタリア人（男）、ベネズエラ人（女）モッコルさんの息子の友達２人、で、日本人（私）。
The Dinner was cocked all by himself. As might had been expected, His curry was especially excellent! The party was progressed in a sociable atmosphere............ but......
As time went by, they started discussing about world affairs, politics, Middle East affairs.. and so on... then they ( commonly Moccol and Venezuelan lady) became quite excited. They finally started quarreling.... Damn it!!! F**k!!!
Bad wards were flying one after another... I was frozen up.... (;'Д`)........
Oh,,,,, how uncomfortable atmosphere..... I couldn't help praying that
Do not ask me such a difficult topic please please please!!!!!!! (;'Д`)人
As you know, my English level is not
I had butterflies in my stomach... many butterflies must have been flying in my stomach... Suddenly the Italian guy rolled down from his chair with sound of something broken when I got nervous.
Ohhh...... you surprised me! what happened next!!
He was so big guy that his chair was broken by his weight. I was bewildered by the unexpected. I didn't know what to do, so I could only drink some red wine.
Red wine made me get drunk and my head spin. My head was spinning with ending theme of Castle in the Sky. I didn't remember about afterwards, but I seemed to be able to back to my room correctly this time.
さすがインド人のモッコルさん、彼のカレーは特に素晴らしい。パーティは和やかに進んだ。しかし、モッコルさんとベネズエラの人が世界情勢やら政治など難しい議論をしはじめ、ついには口論にまで発展しちゃった。なんか、よろしくない単語が次々と飛び交う。インド対ベネズエラ、両者一歩も譲らない。
うわ〜 気まずい...。 固まる日本代表...。
頼むから私に難しい話を振らないでくれ！どうか!!!
と祈らずにはいられなかった。しかし願いも空しく、イラク攻撃の是非について突然問われた。 せ、せ、せんそうは よ、良くないよ。と答えるのが精一杯だった。日本代表に緊張が走る。
ドギマギしていたら、いきなりイタリア代表が破壊音と共に椅子から転げ落ちた。
ヒイィ！今度は何ですかねっ！？
イタリア代表はものすごく大きな人だったので、彼の重みに耐えかねて、椅子が突然ぶっ壊れたのだ。アズーリの奇襲に隙をつかれた日本代表。(;'Д`).......。
予想外の出来事に私は自分を完全に見失い、ワインを飲む事ぐらいしかできなかった。
次第に日本代表は酔っぱらっていった....。目が回る....。ラピュタのエンディングテーマと共に回っている。（地球〜は回る。の歌詞と共に。）後の事はよく覚えていないが、前回のように部屋を間違う事無く、今回は無事帰還できたようだ。
↓The Ending theme of Castle in the Sky
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cgfdYpziu5k
