a new word 'danshari' has become popular in japan. it means 'refusal', 'disposal' and 'separation'. the idea is to let go of your physical and emotional burdens and to live a minimalist lifestyle. this philosophy is deeply rooted in buddhist, so you may think that many japanese already lead a minimalist lifestyle but the influence of western ideas on modern japan has been very strong.
having a lot of stuff can be a symbol of wealth and status but you need to first let go in order to gain. there's a line from a lauryn hill song that i really like: "we must destroy in order to rebuild". filling your canvas with different colors is beautiful but in order to paint a new painting, you have to first erase your old one.
yoshi and i are in the middle of this process. letting go and starting anew.
a new chapter in our lives; a fresh blank page waiting to be colored.
how we are danshari-ing:
refusal = choosing not to add more clutter
disposal = quitting our jobs, moving out of our home
separation = leaving the comfort of our life in japan
clutter weighs you down, preventing you from seeing clearly. for those of you who are having trouble letting go, remember: less is actually more.
our flight to new york today was canceled, so we fly out tomorrow instead.
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
2011-05-10
2011-05-05
Into the Wild
I had a pet goldfish for five years. I named him Dai, which means ‘big’ in Japanese, hoping he’d grow big. And what do you know, he grew to be 10 inches!
我的金魚叫"大"。我給他這個名字因為我想他長得很大。我買他的時候、他只有４公分。５年後、他變成２４公分！
Since we can’t bring him with us on our world trip, we decided to enroll him in an elementary school. It’s actually the school Yoshi’s mother works at. They have a goldfish pond -- it’s perfect!
我沒辦法帶他去旅行、所以我決定我要讓他進入小學。哈哈。其實是Yoshi媽媽工作的學校。學校裏有金魚池塘。
At home, Dai had the fish tank to himself so he's never really had any goldfish friends. I hope he can adjust to his new life in the pond. (Geez, I sound like a worried parent!)
在水槽裏只有大。從小小的水槽、他要搬到很大的池塘。在池塘裏他會游泳得很自由。他會感覺到日光、看雨。我希望他會過很自然的生活。
Thanks for these memorable five years! I’ll miss you!
我會想念你！
2011-04-19
2011-04-18
Like an 18-month old
Just started walking
Still learning communication skills
Yoshi and I are like an 18-month old baby
Still growing, still marriage rookies
We're about to embark on a world journey
The two of us, together as a team
Whatever lies ahead, we welcome it
Whatever the experience, we'll cherish it
I'm reminded of the quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. "Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."
We had dinner with some friends the other night, and Yoshi's father shared his wisdom with us. He said, "Traveling is a wonderful thing. But don't forget to look at each other, too. Seeing the world together means seeing each other in a different light. Cherish these discoveries and your relationship will grow."
Yoshi's green card was finally approved last week. A year-long process with a happy ending!
剛開始走路。還在學對話。我跟Yoshi結婚了18個月前。我們好像還是小孩。我們要去世界旅遊。兩個人一起、往前走。
我喜歡Antoine de Saint-Exupery 的這句話：愛不是雙眼互望、而是齊向同一方向望過去。
Yoshi 的爸爸告訴我們很好的話。他說、去旅行很棒。你們一定會看到很多東西、經驗很多新鮮的事。但是、別忘了看對方。新的發現會讓你們的關係更好更強。看自己、看世界、也看對方。這個旅行是你們的冒險。
上個禮拜、Yoshi 得到了緑卡！我們真的要搬到美國去！（對我來說是回家）
Still learning communication skills
Yoshi and I are like an 18-month old baby
Still growing, still marriage rookies
We're about to embark on a world journey
The two of us, together as a team
Whatever lies ahead, we welcome it
Whatever the experience, we'll cherish it
I'm reminded of the quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. "Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."
We had dinner with some friends the other night, and Yoshi's father shared his wisdom with us. He said, "Traveling is a wonderful thing. But don't forget to look at each other, too. Seeing the world together means seeing each other in a different light. Cherish these discoveries and your relationship will grow."
Yoshi's green card was finally approved last week. A year-long process with a happy ending!
剛開始走路。還在學對話。我跟Yoshi結婚了18個月前。我們好像還是小孩。我們要去世界旅遊。兩個人一起、往前走。
我喜歡Antoine de Saint-Exupery 的這句話：愛不是雙眼互望、而是齊向同一方向望過去。
Yoshi 的爸爸告訴我們很好的話。他說、去旅行很棒。你們一定會看到很多東西、經驗很多新鮮的事。但是、別忘了看對方。新的發現會讓你們的關係更好更強。看自己、看世界、也看對方。這個旅行是你們的冒險。
上個禮拜、Yoshi 得到了緑卡！我們真的要搬到美國去！（對我來說是回家）
2011-04-12
The Art of Translation
"Isn't translating boring?" I get asked that quite a bit. It's true, certain types of translation only require you to look up technical terms and those are boring. But what I specialize in requires creativity and literary sensibility. Japanese is an extremely indirect language. Conveying this indirectness in English is not an easy task.
After 40 comic books, 150 NHK programs, and countless hours in front of the computer, I'm proud to say I deserve a break. I'm putting my 10-year career on hold to backpack around the world. Here's a look at the different genres I've translated.
Comic books:
Onomatopoeias and jokes are very difficult to translate. Japanese has far more onomatopoeias than English. The most extraordinary sound word, I think, is "shiin", which describes the state of silence. Isn't it fascinating how you can describe silence with sound?
Jokes are deeply rooted in culture. A joke that may be funny in Japanese does not always translate well into English. (In fact, most of the time, it doesn't.) Sometimes the punch line doesn't even make sense in English. It's the translator's job to 'rewrite' the joke so that it stays true to the original Japanese and is funny enough in English.
Documentaries:
When translating documentaries, it's important to capture the director's style. The narrative style and video needs to be in harmony with each other and finding that harmony is rewarding and strangely addictive.
Dramas:
The use of slang and colloquial expressions is essential to make conversations sound natural. Choosing expressions that are fitting for the characters is also an important factor. With subtitle translation, you have to convey everything within a certain word limit. It's kind of like doing a puzzle -- looking for the right words that fit into the subtitle.
Childrens' Programs:
What I enjoyed most about translating childrens' programs was the song lyrics. You have to make the English lyrics just as rhythmical and childlike as the Japanese version. Sometimes it felt like I was rewriting the lyrics rather than translating them.
翻譯不是很無聊嗎？很多人問我這個問題。有一些翻譯真的無聊。但是我專門的是漫畫跟電視節目。這種東西很有趣。日文是很暧昧的語言。英文是不暧昧的。用英文表達日文的细微差别非常難。我當翻譯當了１０年。４０本漫畫、１５０個NHK節目、我坐在電腦前数不尽的時間。我決定我要休息一下。我搬到紐約以後可能要繼續。
After 40 comic books, 150 NHK programs, and countless hours in front of the computer, I'm proud to say I deserve a break. I'm putting my 10-year career on hold to backpack around the world. Here's a look at the different genres I've translated.
Comic books:
Onomatopoeias and jokes are very difficult to translate. Japanese has far more onomatopoeias than English. The most extraordinary sound word, I think, is "shiin", which describes the state of silence. Isn't it fascinating how you can describe silence with sound?
Jokes are deeply rooted in culture. A joke that may be funny in Japanese does not always translate well into English. (In fact, most of the time, it doesn't.) Sometimes the punch line doesn't even make sense in English. It's the translator's job to 'rewrite' the joke so that it stays true to the original Japanese and is funny enough in English.
Documentaries:
When translating documentaries, it's important to capture the director's style. The narrative style and video needs to be in harmony with each other and finding that harmony is rewarding and strangely addictive.
Dramas:
The use of slang and colloquial expressions is essential to make conversations sound natural. Choosing expressions that are fitting for the characters is also an important factor. With subtitle translation, you have to convey everything within a certain word limit. It's kind of like doing a puzzle -- looking for the right words that fit into the subtitle.
Childrens' Programs:
What I enjoyed most about translating childrens' programs was the song lyrics. You have to make the English lyrics just as rhythmical and childlike as the Japanese version. Sometimes it felt like I was rewriting the lyrics rather than translating them.
翻譯不是很無聊嗎？很多人問我這個問題。有一些翻譯真的無聊。但是我專門的是漫畫跟電視節目。這種東西很有趣。日文是很暧昧的語言。英文是不暧昧的。用英文表達日文的细微差别非常難。我當翻譯當了１０年。４０本漫畫、１５０個NHK節目、我坐在電腦前数不尽的時間。我決定我要休息一下。我搬到紐約以後可能要繼續。
2011-04-04
'Group First' Mentality
I went away for about 10 days, but now I'm back in Japan. Getting out definitely helped me rest my mind from all that's been going on here. I was a little reluctant to come back so soon, but I'm glad I did because I have a lot of loose ends to tie up before I leave here for good.
Yoshi's family has been so supportive of my decision to 'escape', so to speak. But not all my relatives were understanding. One cousin said to me, "Sahe, you need to be stronger. Running away isn't the answer. Be a good wife and stay by your husband. I would rather die with everyone than to escape and be the only survivor."
This 'group first' mentality is deeply rooted in the Japanese culture. I respect their attitude but I can't say I agree with it. I've lived and worked in Japan for 8 years and I think I've adapted quite a bit to the culture here, but deep down, I guess I'm more American than Japanese.
2011-03-25
US says Tokyo water is safe
The US Embassy in Tokyo website has released information on the safety of Tokyo's tap water. http://japan.usembassy.gov/
(Posted March 25, 9 a.m. JST) The United States Government advises American citizens that, in accordance with guidelines that apply to water in the United States and based on analysis of tap water samples for radioactive iodine on March 24, 2011, the water in Tokyo is safe for drinking. U.S. Government officials are consulting with health experts and radiation experts, in both the United States and Japan, and are continuously monitoring the situation.
The US also states that the radiation levels in Tokyo are not hazardous to our health.
Q: Radiation levels are increasing in the Kanto area, according to the media. Are we going to be okay?
A: "Ten or a hundred times higher amounts of radiation than the normal background level" sounds very abnormal, but the fact is that it is still not hazardous to our health. Radiation levels observed at Tokyo, Tochigi, Gunma, Chiba, Kanazawa, Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures between 9am and 5pm on March 15 is 1 micro Sievert per hour at the highest. If we were continuously exposed to this level for one year, the total radiation level would be almost the same level as one CT scan you have in the hospital, so clearly this level is not hazardous to our health. Moreover, this level of radiation (1 micro Sievert per hour) is not likely to continue. 2011-03-22
To leave or not to leave?
I'm sitting at Starbucks thinking about Yoshi. He's thousands of miles away, finishing up the last three weeks of his job. Considering the current situation in Japan, it's hard to say what the right thing to do is.
Is the foreign media blowing up the nuclear crisis?
Is the Japanese government hiding information from its people?
When in doubt, trust your instincts.
I chose to leave Japan; Yoshi chose to stay. It seems that the difference in reaction is a cultural thing. I have a 'better safe than sorry' attitude while Yoshi has a 'loyalty first' attitude. Neither is right or wrong. And we chose to respect our differences.
The best decision is always the one we make together.
我在 Starbucks 想念 Yoshi。他還在日本工作。離開日本或待在日本、那一個比較好？外國的新聞太誇張嗎？日本政府在隱密情報嗎？
不能肯定的時候、最好是相信自己的直覺。
我決定我要離開日本。Yoshi決定他要待在日本。外國人跟日本人的態度不一樣、好像是跟文化有關係。我的態度是「健康最重要」、Yoshi 的態度是「忠誠最重要」。沒有對的或錯的。
最好的決定是我們一起決定的。
Is the foreign media blowing up the nuclear crisis?
Is the Japanese government hiding information from its people?
When in doubt, trust your instincts.
I chose to leave Japan; Yoshi chose to stay. It seems that the difference in reaction is a cultural thing. I have a 'better safe than sorry' attitude while Yoshi has a 'loyalty first' attitude. Neither is right or wrong. And we chose to respect our differences.
The best decision is always the one we make together.
我在 Starbucks 想念 Yoshi。他還在日本工作。離開日本或待在日本、那一個比較好？外國的新聞太誇張嗎？日本政府在隱密情報嗎？
不能肯定的時候、最好是相信自己的直覺。
我決定我要離開日本。Yoshi決定他要待在日本。外國人跟日本人的態度不一樣、好像是跟文化有關係。我的態度是「健康最重要」、Yoshi 的態度是「忠誠最重要」。沒有對的或錯的。
最好的決定是我們一起決定的。
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| Narita Airport crowded with evacuees. 03.18 |
2011-03-14
Massive earthquake shakes Japan
 |
| Empty shelves at the supermarket. |
Yesterday, we went grocery shopping but all we saw were half-empty shelves. Most of the food had already been sold out. The government has announced that there is a 70% chance of a magnitude 7 aftershock to occur within the next three days. We have prepared emergency food and water.
Our second green card interview was actually scheduled for today, but the US embassy has postponed all non-emergency visa interviews. We pray for the victims of this tragedy.
３月１１日、下午２：４５在日本發現了８．９級的大地震.。那時候、我在東京的咖啡店用電腦工作。Yoshi 在公司。 突然、咖啡店開始搖、有些人喊叫、我很快就關電腦準備避難。沒有大事。但是、１５分鐘後、又開始搖、搖得很厲害。我跑到外面去。外面有很多人、大家恐懼不安。電車停了、電話也一直不通。終於能跟Yoshi還有家人聯絡、可是我的手機不久就沒電了。我買電池充電機以後、去別的咖啡店寫email給外國的家人和朋友告訴他們這裡的情況。那一天晚上、Yoshi 在公司睡、我走到朋友家跟她一起過。１２日早上、我們終於回到家。我們家是木造的老房子、所以我們很擔心家裡的情況可是還好、沒事。真的是幸運。我們的金魚也活著。
昨天、我們去超級商場買食物可是大部分的架子上沒有東西。有一些青菜可是其他的東西很少。政府發表說、這三天有７０%的可能性會發現7級的餘震。我們準備了食物和水。
其實、今天本來是我們的第２绿卡面試。美國大使館延期了全部的不緊急的護照面試。我們為受害者的人祈禱。
2011-03-07
A Ball Can Change the World
Do you have a roof over your head? Do you have food in your refrigerator, clothes to wear, and a place to sleep? Well, if you're reading this blog, you probably do. Did you know that only 25% of the people in the world are fortunate enough to have these luxuries?
There are an estimated 1 billion homeless people in the world today. The Homeless World Cup, an international soccer tournament, began as a way to give these people a chance to get back on their feet. It started in 2003 and 64 countries participated in last year's Brazil Cup. For information about Team USA, go to http://www.streetsoccerusa.org/
This year's Homeless World Cup will be held in Paris from August 21st-28th. That's probably when Yoshi and I will be traveling in Europe. I'm going to see if we can volunteer.
你在頭上有屋頂嗎？冰箱裏有食物嗎？你有衣服跟床嗎？如果你在看這個blog、我想你應該有吧。其實、世界上只有25%的人可以過這麼奢侈的生活。
世界上大概有1億個無家人。Homeless World Cup 是個為了無家人的國際足球賽。2003年開始舉辦、去年的巴西比賽64個國家參加了。台灣跟中國從來沒有參加過。
今年的比賽是從8月21日到28日、在巴黎舉行。那時候、我跟Yoshi應該在歐洲。我希望我們可以自願幫忙。
There are an estimated 1 billion homeless people in the world today. The Homeless World Cup, an international soccer tournament, began as a way to give these people a chance to get back on their feet. It started in 2003 and 64 countries participated in last year's Brazil Cup. For information about Team USA, go to http://www.streetsoccerusa.org/
This year's Homeless World Cup will be held in Paris from August 21st-28th. That's probably when Yoshi and I will be traveling in Europe. I'm going to see if we can volunteer.
你在頭上有屋頂嗎？冰箱裏有食物嗎？你有衣服跟床嗎？如果你在看這個blog、我想你應該有吧。其實、世界上只有25%的人可以過這麼奢侈的生活。
世界上大概有1億個無家人。Homeless World Cup 是個為了無家人的國際足球賽。2003年開始舉辦、去年的巴西比賽64個國家參加了。台灣跟中國從來沒有參加過。
今年的比賽是從8月21日到28日、在巴黎舉行。那時候、我跟Yoshi應該在歐洲。我希望我們可以自願幫忙。
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| 02.27.11 Fuji Xerox Super Cup @ Nissan Stadium |
2011-02-25
Filthy Water Cannot be Washed
"Filthy Water Cannot be Washed." This is a West African proverb. We are in the 21st century, and yet there are still millions of people who walk miles everyday just to get water for their basic needs. It is said that in just one day, 200 million hours is spent by women on collecting water. Sadly, 880 million people (that's one in eight people) do not have access to clean water. Every year, 3.5 million people die of water-related diseases, and a child dies from filthy water every 20 seconds. (http://water.org/)
Question: Does boiling water make it safe to drink?
I asked my friend's father, a doctor who has worked at refugee camps. He says boiling water at 100 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes will kill the vegetative stage of most bacteria but in order to kill bacterial endospores, the water needs to be boiled for 1-2 hours. The Hepatitis B virus, however, won't die in boiling water. Causative bacteria such as Coliform bacterium and Tuberculosis bacterium, can be killed in 60-65 degrees Celcius water if boiled for 30 minutes but pathogenic bacteria such as Legionella won't.
So, the answer? Boiling water does not always make it safe to drink.
The thing we need to be most careful of during our travels is water. We plan to bring a portable electric kettle, a water filter, and a SteriPEN (UV water purifier), which we got as a wedding gift from a good friend of mine.
Traveling is fun and exciting but having the proper knowledge is crucial.
☆這個內容很難翻譯、請你看英文或日文！☆
Question: Does boiling water make it safe to drink?
I asked my friend's father, a doctor who has worked at refugee camps. He says boiling water at 100 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes will kill the vegetative stage of most bacteria but in order to kill bacterial endospores, the water needs to be boiled for 1-2 hours. The Hepatitis B virus, however, won't die in boiling water. Causative bacteria such as Coliform bacterium and Tuberculosis bacterium, can be killed in 60-65 degrees Celcius water if boiled for 30 minutes but pathogenic bacteria such as Legionella won't.
So, the answer? Boiling water does not always make it safe to drink.
Traveling is fun and exciting but having the proper knowledge is crucial.
☆這個內容很難翻譯、請你看英文或日文！☆
2011-02-16
45,203 kilometers of thanks
you made us fast runners
in winter and in summer
you gave us lasting memories
you gave us lasting memories
smiles and timeless stories
45,203 kilometers
45,203 kilometers
thank you thank you thank you
good bye honda
good bye honda
2011-02-10
Travel Pillow
A pillow can make a big difference. On long bus rides and overnight trains, having a comfortable pillow can make a torturous ride bearable. So, I bought some cloth and cotton stuffing, borrowed Yoshi's sewing machine, and made myself a travel pillow.
Yes, Yoshi owns a sewing machine! He's very creative -- makes pretty much everything -- and even sews! I, on the other hand, have minimal experience with the needle and thread, but I somehow managed to make a little pillow. The pillow case even has a zipper!
我想帶著枕頭去旅行。搭十幾個小時的火車或巴士很痛苦。有自己的枕頭應該比較舒服吧。我去商店買了棉布、借了Yoshi 的縫紉機、然後作了枕頭。Yoshi 很有創造性。什麼東西都會作、連縫紉的知識也有。我縫得不太好可是好歹作了小枕頭。枕頭袋有拉鍊哦！
Yes, Yoshi owns a sewing machine! He's very creative -- makes pretty much everything -- and even sews! I, on the other hand, have minimal experience with the needle and thread, but I somehow managed to make a little pillow. The pillow case even has a zipper!
我想帶著枕頭去旅行。搭十幾個小時的火車或巴士很痛苦。有自己的枕頭應該比較舒服吧。我去商店買了棉布、借了Yoshi 的縫紉機、然後作了枕頭。Yoshi 很有創造性。什麼東西都會作、連縫紉的知識也有。我縫得不太好可是好歹作了小枕頭。枕頭袋有拉鍊哦！
Did you know?
The reason women's clothes button the opposite of men's is because
in the old days, wealthy women were dressed by their servants
in the old days, wealthy women were dressed by their servants
and reversing the buttons made it easier.
2011-02-08
Uncontacted Tribes
You may have already seen the newly released video of an uncontacted tribe in Brazil. Living deep in the Amazon jungle, they've never had any contact with other civilizations, and yet their video is being streamed over the internet. The whole world knows about them but the world they know is so so small. We can't let illegal loggers destroy them.
Here's the video:
http://www.uncontactedtribes.org/
在巴西存在很多原始部落。大部分住在亞馬遜森林、從未接觸過其他人類。但是在網路上能看到他們的影像。現代人都知道他們的存在可是他們知道的世界非常小。我們需要制止非法伐木。希望這些部落不會面臨危險。
Here's the video:
http://www.uncontactedtribes.org/
在巴西存在很多原始部落。大部分住在亞馬遜森林、從未接觸過其他人類。但是在網路上能看到他們的影像。現代人都知道他們的存在可是他們知道的世界非常小。我們需要制止非法伐木。希望這些部落不會面臨危險。
2011-02-04
My Trusty Wordtank
I recently bought a pocket-size electronic dictionary. Canon Wordtank S503 (Jap/Eng/Ch). It doesn't contain all the words I'd like to look up, but it's small and light -- only 117 grams! I'm writing my blog in three languages, so my trusty Wordtank will be coming with me on my strollings around the world!
我最近買了電子辭典。Canon Wordtank S503 (日/英/中) 單詞不多但是很輕很小很好攜帶（只有117克）我用日文、英文、和中文寫這個 blog 所以去世界旅行的時候一定要帶著辭典！
2011-02-01
The Oldest Galaxy?
The Hubble Space Telescope has spotted the oldest known galaxy in existence.
13.2 billion light years away...
It's hard to grasp just how far that is. Light emitted 13 billion years ago has finally reached Hubble's eyes.
We know it takes 8 minutes for sunlight to reach the Earth. So, when you look at the sun, you're actually seeing the sun as it was 8 minutes ago.
It's the same with stars. By the time we see the light, the star may not exist anymore. It's a strange feeling when you think about it. When we look at the night sky, we're getting a glimpse into the past.
The question is: How much can we not see?
I hope to see as much of the world as I can during my travels -- both with my eyes and my mind.
哈柏太空望遠鏡發現了最古老的星系。這個星系離地球大約132億光年遠。很難想像是多遠・・・ 應該說哈柏終於看到了１３２億年前發出的光。
太陽光到地球要８分鐘。所以你看太陽的時候、其實你在看８分前的太陽。
星星也一樣。我們看到星光的時候、那個星可能已經不存在了。看天空中的星星等於、我們在看過去。
我們看不到的東西有多少呢？
我希望我在旅行的時候、能看很多東西。
13.2 billion light years away...
It's hard to grasp just how far that is. Light emitted 13 billion years ago has finally reached Hubble's eyes.
We know it takes 8 minutes for sunlight to reach the Earth. So, when you look at the sun, you're actually seeing the sun as it was 8 minutes ago.
It's the same with stars. By the time we see the light, the star may not exist anymore. It's a strange feeling when you think about it. When we look at the night sky, we're getting a glimpse into the past.
The question is: How much can we not see?
I hope to see as much of the world as I can during my travels -- both with my eyes and my mind.
哈柏太空望遠鏡發現了最古老的星系。這個星系離地球大約132億光年遠。很難想像是多遠・・・ 應該說哈柏終於看到了１３２億年前發出的光。
太陽光到地球要８分鐘。所以你看太陽的時候、其實你在看８分前的太陽。
星星也一樣。我們看到星光的時候、那個星可能已經不存在了。看天空中的星星等於、我們在看過去。
我們看不到的東西有多少呢？
我希望我在旅行的時候、能看很多東西。
2011-01-26
Pidgin English
A package from Hawaii arrived in the mail yesterday. My brother sent us t-shirts for our trip! It was such a nice surprise. A Japanese-American t-shirt for me and a pidgin t-shirt for Yoshi. Hawaii Pidgin is a mixture of English, Cantonese, Japanese, Portuguese, and many other languages. It was derived in the 19th century from immigrants working on the plantations.
昨天我收到了一個包裹。為了我們的世界旅行、我哥從夏威夷送給我們T恤。我的是ABJ的T恤、Yoshi的是pidgin的T恤。夏威夷pidgin起源 于許多語言。例如、英語、廣東話、日語、 葡萄牙語、等等。在19世紀、很多移民在夏威夷的農村工作。Pidgin就是在農村形成地語言。
Here's a good video explaining Pidgin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7X9AAeDCr4昨天我收到了一個包裹。為了我們的世界旅行、我哥從夏威夷送給我們T恤。我的是ABJ的T恤、Yoshi的是pidgin的T恤。夏威夷pidgin起源 于許多語言。例如、英語、廣東話、日語、 葡萄牙語、等等。在19世紀、很多移民在夏威夷的農村工作。Pidgin就是在農村形成地語言。
'Shoots' means 'okay' in Hawaii Pidgin. 'Nisei' = '2nd generation' in Japanese.
Shoots 的意思是"好阿" Nisei 的意思是"第二代"
Other usages of shoots:
Shoots, I like some. = Yes, can I have some please?
Shoots den! = See you later!
Did you know?
The origin of the word 'pidgin' is believed to have been derived from
the Cantonese pronunciation of the English word 'business'.
你知道嗎？
Pidgin的語源好像是從廣東話的"business"這個英文單詞的發音。
2011-01-24
The Interview
We had our first green card interview today. It was nerve-racking but we got through it and I think it went well. I was so nervous, I forgot my wallet at home! Luckily I realized before we got on the train and Yoshi was so nice, he ran back to get it. (Thanks Yoshi!) When we got to the US embassy, we submitted our files to a lady at the booth, who asked us a few questions regarding my citizenship and our marriage. Then we were asked to take a seat and wait to be called again. It was about a 50-minute wait but it felt like forever.
When we were finally called, we had an official interview with an embassy officer. The officer was a very nice guy, which helped ease our anxiety a bit. He told me I didn't have a New York accent. Haha! He asked me specific questions about my relationship with Yoshi. How did you meet your husband? When did you start dating? When did you get married? What is your husband's job? Do you have plans to live in the United States? etc. The questions were pretty straightforward -- nothing I couldn't answer. At the end of the interview he said "congratulations", which I think was a good sign. But the procedure isn't over yet so we're keeping our fingers crossed. Yoshi still has to submit his criminal records and get a health check-up. Once they accept that Yoshi is not a disease-carrying criminal, we'll be granted our second interview. They will question Yoshi at the second interview, and if all goes well, we'll know that day if he gets his green card or not. Stay tuned!
今天我們去美國大使館為了Yoshi的綠卡面試。我們都非常緊張、可是我覺得面試還不錯。因為我太緊張、我忘了帶我的錢包。還好、我們上電車前我發現了。Yoshi 很體貼、他跑回家拿我的錢包。（謝謝 Yoshi！）在美國大使館、我們提出了文件。他們問我一些問題關於我跟Yoshi的關係。然後我們等了大概50分鐘。跟領事的面試時間比較長。他問我很具體的問題。譬如說、你在哪裏認識你的先生？你們什麼時候開始在一起？你們什麼時候結婚了？你先生的工作是什麼？你們想住在美國嗎？等等・・・面試以後、領事說 congratulations （恭喜你們）。我們還有一個面試所以我不知道他的意思是什麼、可是因該是好的。Yoshi還要提出他的無犯罪證明書跟健康檢查。如果他們承認Yoshi不是個病的犯罪者、我們可以去第二次的面試。Stay tuned！
When we were finally called, we had an official interview with an embassy officer. The officer was a very nice guy, which helped ease our anxiety a bit. He told me I didn't have a New York accent. Haha! He asked me specific questions about my relationship with Yoshi. How did you meet your husband? When did you start dating? When did you get married? What is your husband's job? Do you have plans to live in the United States? etc. The questions were pretty straightforward -- nothing I couldn't answer. At the end of the interview he said "congratulations", which I think was a good sign. But the procedure isn't over yet so we're keeping our fingers crossed. Yoshi still has to submit his criminal records and get a health check-up. Once they accept that Yoshi is not a disease-carrying criminal, we'll be granted our second interview. They will question Yoshi at the second interview, and if all goes well, we'll know that day if he gets his green card or not. Stay tuned!
Did you know?
The Green Card isn't actually a green card.
In the 1950-60s, it used to have three green stripes on it.
今天我們去美國大使館為了Yoshi的綠卡面試。我們都非常緊張、可是我覺得面試還不錯。因為我太緊張、我忘了帶我的錢包。還好、我們上電車前我發現了。Yoshi 很體貼、他跑回家拿我的錢包。（謝謝 Yoshi！）在美國大使館、我們提出了文件。他們問我一些問題關於我跟Yoshi的關係。然後我們等了大概50分鐘。跟領事的面試時間比較長。他問我很具體的問題。譬如說、你在哪裏認識你的先生？你們什麼時候開始在一起？你們什麼時候結婚了？你先生的工作是什麼？你們想住在美國嗎？等等・・・面試以後、領事說 congratulations （恭喜你們）。我們還有一個面試所以我不知道他的意思是什麼、可是因該是好的。Yoshi還要提出他的無犯罪證明書跟健康檢查。如果他們承認Yoshi不是個病的犯罪者、我們可以去第二次的面試。Stay tuned！
你知道嗎？
綠卡其實不是綠色的卡。
在１950-60年代、卡上面有3條綠色的線。
Happy and relieved after the interview!
2011-01-21
Black and white
There's something nice about black and white photos.
They're timeless... They're nostalgic...
They're timeless... They're nostalgic...
黑白照片有魅力
是永恒的・・・ 是鄉愁的・・・
是永恒的・・・ 是鄉愁的・・・
What do monochrome photos remind you of?
你看黑白照片會想到什麼？
Did you know?
In English, you say 'black and white'.
In Chinese, you say 'hei bai' (black and white).
But in Japanese, it can be either
'koku-byaku'/'kuro-shiro' (black and white)
or 'shiro-kuro' (white and black) depending on the context.
or 'shiro-kuro' (white and black) depending on the context.
你知道嗎？
中文說「黑白」
英文也說 black and white
但是、日文說「黑白」跟「白黑」
2011-01-16
Year of the rabbit
New Year's visit to Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha shrine.
在富士山本宮浅間大社參拜祈福
Cleansing our hands and mouth before entering the shine.
參拜前先淨手淨口
Our wish on an 'ema' or wooden plaque.
(Btw: My middle name is Emma.)
在「絵馬」上寫了今年的心願
May this year be full of joy!
What's your new year's resolution?
希望今年順順利利！
你的新年願望是什麼？
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