Autumn in the U.K.

～イギリスの秋(メル講師)～

夏も終わり色づく季節となりました。メル講師がイギリスの秋について書いてくれています。日本同様きれいな紅葉も見られ、冬眠支度する動物たち、秋のイベント、風習や伝統的な食べ物それぞれにイギリス独特の秋を感じられましたか？また、日本との違いや他の国との違いを見つけられましたか？

秋

The Summer is finally over and the temperature is cooling.

It is 18 degrees in my hometown now and 28 degrees here.

Let's look at the U.K. in Autumn.

The leaves change colour of course. On a traditional English home it looks beautiful!

This is a thatched cottage covered in ivy.

Isn't it pretty?

ツタにおおわれたわらぶき屋根の家

During autumn, animals that hybernate come out to look for food to last them through winter.

This is a hedgehog.

It wakes up sometimes to have a snack but will sleep from the end of Autumn until Spring.

Isn't it cute?

冬眠準備をするハリネズミ

We have many festivals in the U.K. over Autumn.

You all know about Halloween.

It is thought that Halloween comes from a Celtic festival for the dead.

Collecting candy by saying "Trick or Treat" is an American tradition. In the U.K. we are more likely to lock the door and tell ghost stories to each other in the dark.

Very scary!

ハロウィンには怪談話をします

We do have toffee apples but they are apples covered in toffee not candy.

They are sticky and the toffee doesn't fall off as you bite it!

This is a very traditional Autum food in The U.K.

Doesn't it look delicious?

タフィーアップル

I hope you stay warm over autumn and enjoy it as much as I do!

-Mel-

Japan to Korea Community Presentation

～韓国コミュニティへのプレゼンテーション（マイク講師）～

マイク講師が海岸清掃についてのプレゼンテーションを行いました。海岸清掃の大切さを子ども達にも知ってもらいたいと思っています。そして次の海岸清掃もとても楽しみにしているようです。みなさんは海岸清掃をしたことがありますか？一度は体験してみたらおもしろいものが見つかるかもしれませんね。

Hello Everyone, its Mike

Last weekend I did a presentation about the Japan to Korea kayak expedition with Koji, the expedition leader.

プレゼンテーションの様子

We were able to talk about all of the beach cleanings we did. Also, I showed the children some trash art that I had made which was trash from Tsunoshima beach in a yellow plastic box. I wanted to children to know that it is very important to clean the beaches.

海のゴミで作った作品

I'm looking forward to next weekend because I will be doing a beach cleanup of Tsunoshima. We are joining the Tsunoshima community. Maybe 200 people will come to the beach cleanup. I will post come pictures on the blog after the cleanup. Have a good weekend.

Shirodani village

～四郎谷村（テイラー講師）～

テイラー講師が以前電車から見て気になっていた場所をついに見つけました！
そこはそんなに遠い場所ではないけれどテイラー講師がまさに探し求めていた場所だったようです。古いトンネルを抜けたり、静かな海に入ったり、すても良い時間を過ごされたようです。みなさんは電車からの風景で気になるところはありますか？その場所を探し求めるのもいいかもしれませんね。

Do you ever take the train between Hofu and Tokuyama? If so, you know that the stretch between Tonomi and Heta is quite beautiful. The tracks here hug the coast, providing wonderful views of the ocean to the south and of mountains covered with wild forest to the north. The view here is worth the price of the ticket!

But I always wonder about this stretch between Tonomi and Heta: Where is it, and how do I get there? Recently, my wife and daughter and I tried to find out. After eating some delicious soft serve ice cream at Soleine michi no eki, we turned off Route 2 onto a small road and headed towards the mountains. We went through two tunnels beneath the expressway and then up and over a mountain pass. On the other side, we found the little town of Shirodani sitting quietly next to the sea.

四郎谷

Shirodani　

We drove through Shirodani, feeling like we were far, far away from Hofu and Tokuyama, somewhere deep in the mountains, maybe even back in time. It was very peaceful there.

Continuing through the village, we found a little road and decided to follow it through an old, dark tunnel.

四郎谷の古いトンネル

Old tunnel outside of Shirodani　

After bumping through the dark, wet tunnel, we emerged to find the sea and forest and mountains and nothing else other than train tracks. The sea here was very beautiful. Two men in boats were collecting oysters, but they were the only people around.

富海と戸田の間の海の静かな場所

Quiet spot on the sea between Tonomi and Heta

After a few minutes enjoying the view, we heard the sound of a train approaching. Sure enough, it was the yellow train that goes between Hofu and Tokuyama. So this was indeed the spot I had seen from the train. We had found it!

娘と電車が来るのを見ているところ

My daughter and I watching the train approaching

We stayed here for a little while enjoying the peace and quiet. We walked down to the sea, and my daughter and I walked into the water a few meters, looked at colorful old shells on the sea floor and watched fish jump into the air.

Amazing that we were only about ten minutes from Soleine, but we felt like we were deep in doinaka. What a pleasant and surprising side trip! :)

Taylor