Sloan's English School

New Year Greeting From Kristin

January 11, 2009

Happy New Year everyone!

Kristin's Blogs

	A Blog from Kristin

				April 4, 2009

Hello everyone! This week it’s Kristin writing the blog, and I want to talk to you about an event I attended in March. Every year, the Nikaho International Exchange Association (NIEA) organizes an event to bring together ALTs and junior high school students. This event is called a “Spring Tea Party,” but no one drinks tea!

Matthew, from New Zealand, taught us how to play a traditional Maori Stick Game. We used rolled up magazines as sticks, and Matthew sang acappella. We hit the sticks together, tossed them in the air, and tried to pass them to a partner. There was lots of laughter, as the sticks were flying everywhere.

Brett and Alex made a game of Jeopardy, in English, for everyone to play in groups. Brett wore an afro wig, and Alex provided his sense of humor. The Japanese students were a little shy, but they had a good time communicating in English. I think the prizes were a great motivation!

We had a great time, and it was a good chance for the students to use some English, and get to know us a little better.

This week, it’s Kristin writing the blog. What did you do for the New Year’s vacation? My friend and I went to Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka for vacation!

　In Tokyo, we visited many temples and shrines, and did lots of shopping at stores we can’t find in Akita. In Nara, one of my favorite activities was visiting Nara Park and feeding the deer. I love animals, but my friend was scared of the deer. I bought some bread and started feeding a couple of deer. Soon, I was surrounded by tons of deer while my friend was laughing and taking my pictures. The deer were very hungry and followed us 5 minutes before giving up!

　My most memorable experience was in Kyoto. On our last day, my friend and I decided to dress up as maiko. After 1 hour, we were transformed! I must say that we looked a little strange. We took many pictures and got to walk outside to a nearby temple. Fortunately, no one asked to take a picture with us. It was a wonderful experience, but I don’t think I’ll do it again!

2009 Thanksgiving in America

Hello everyone! This is Kristin, and I’m writing this week’s blog.

Every country has their own special holiday to spend with family. In America, ours is the fourth Thursday of November, or more commonly known as Thanksgiving. It’s a national holiday, and a time to spend together with family.

Thanksgiving was a day to celebrate the safe arrival of the Pilgrims to their new homeland of America. The earliest record of Thanksgiving was in 1565 in Florida. However, it did not become an official American holiday until 1863.

You may be asking, “What do Americans do for Thanksgiving?” Well, we all go to one family member’s house for dinner, and we eat until we fall asleep. Did you know that turkey makes you sleepy? A traditional Thanksgiving feast includes turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, various vegetable dishes, and pumpkin pie. Dinner is usually potluck style. Most restaurants feature a full Thanksgiving menu. Many cities offer a free Thanksgiving dinner to poor or homeless people.

Thanksgiving is a pivotal holiday in America. On Thanksgiving Day, New York City hosts the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It features themed floats, enormous balloons of cartoon characters, high school marching bands, brief Broadway performances, and Santa Claus as the last float. Many TV stations play classic movies for 24 hours.

The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday, and it’s the busiest shopping day in America. Black Friday is when the Christmas season officially starts, and many stores open early and have sales. Most families do their Christmas shopping on Black Friday.

We hope that you’ve learned a little bit about Thanksgiving. If you’d like to eat a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, don’t forget to come on Friday, November 28 at 7pm.