Posted by: nacos (Admin) Mon, 18 May 2009 11:04:25 GMT
While learning many things on the Hawaiian culture I am understanding the movements I am performing in hula. When I understand the meaning, the story comes to life with my dance. Feelings are expressed through my hands and facial expressions naturally. (comes to life is an idiom that can be used to mean forms or forming) When I perform under the sun in Hawaii, I am overwhelmed with a feeling of happiness.
Posted by: nacos (Admin) Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:46:47 GMT
I love my father's cooking. He doesn't prepare anything fancy but the taste is always great. He is especially good at making fabulous fish dishes and excellent kimpira gobo dish. * (“kimpira gobo”, strings of burdock root and carrot fried and boiled down in sugar and soy sauce.)
While cooking he is constantly tasting and adjusting his recipe to perfect the dish. He cooks without a recipe. My father's cooking always reminds me of a home cooked meal. This is just one of the many things I love and respect about my father. (YumikoS)
Posted by: nacos (Admin) Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:07:48 GMT
My father has a very good sense of direction. I don't understand how he can find his way around even though he has never been there. He never really traveled much, but he was a taxi driver and was naturally gifted at reading maps. Whenever he had time, he would study maps. He would imagine wandering the world whenever the chance arose. He would really like to visit at least once the big cities of America, exciting places like Los Angles, Las Vegas,and the big apple New York! (YumikoS)
Posted by: nacos (Admin) Sat, 14 Mar 2009 08:51:20 GMT
I am a cat lover! Before I came to Hawaii and got married I had Himalayan cats. My Himalayan cat has features of a Persian and Siamese cat. My first cat I got was a stray. We named that cat “Miru” and gave her so much love and affection. The second cat we got came from a pet shop. I named him “Koa”, but later my father changed his name to “Kotaro”. “Koa” was too difficult for him to say. Coincidentally, my first cat was Himalayan, which are laid-back and slow paced. By chance this was perfect for me. What a coincidence! (YumikoS)
Posted by: nacos (Admin) Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:47:20 GMT
I really like spicy food! Alcohol is also great. When I was in Japan my friends and I would go to drink after work. Together we would have so much fun and excitement! Drinks would be flowing we would get drunk and crazy. At that time, my salary would almost all disappear on drinks. One time, I drank too much and on my way home, I slept on the train station platform. Then suddenly, the train station attendant found me sleeping and woke me up.I remember my father coming to pick me up and scolding me. After I got married, I only enjoy drinking with my meals and have only an appropriate amount. Those days of getting drunk are behind me now.
(YumikoS)
Posted by: nacos (Admin) Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:36:07 GMT
I love and respect my father, he taught me many lessons on life. The other day, 3 of us decided to take a drive around the island of Oahu, my father, my husband and myself.
When we were at Pearl harbor and came back to the car, engine wouldn't start. When that happened, my husband called for someone to come and give us a jump. While this was happening my father went for help from people nearby. Although my father couldn't speak any English, he was explaining as best as he could. He would say “car stop, stop” and along with body language they understood.
Eventually, he brought help, someone brought over some jumper cables and my father was so happy and proud of himself. Finally, the car started and we were so thankful. I was so proud of my father's quick thinking. (YumikoS)
Posted by: nacos (Admin) Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:42:34 GMT
I began learning ukulele 1 year after I got married and moved to Hawaii from Japan. Until then I loved music but I have never learned to play any instruments. I started thinking about learning ukulele because of my mother-in-law.
My husband's parents live in a small town called Pahala on the Big Island. My mother-in-law plays the organ for many decades at her church. Besides Sundays, special occasions she goes to play the organ at church. While visiting my in-laws she practices the organ. The organ is open and music is ready to be played at anytime.
My mother-in-law turned 80 years old and was beginning to lose her vision and strength in her legs. So I thought that with all that comes with age she wouldn't be able to do anything except take care of herself. I made a mistake in thinking that way. Her music is needed for her community and her church, everyone really counts on her. Now that I know this, my feelings are so much closer to her and longs to be closer.
I wanted to start playing some sort of musical instrument. I felt as though I wouldn't be able to play the piano or the organ, but felt that the ukulele would be possible for me to learn.
My mother-in-law is now pleased. We can look forward to many happy times playing together.
(YumikoS)
Posted by: nacos (Admin) Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:40:35 GMT
It's been about 15 years since I started diving. When I started diving, I loved the ocean because I could feel the seasons of Japan, and I even went diving in the cold winter wearing a dry suit. I often went to the sea near Izu. But I wanted to see oceans around the world, and my dream of diving abroad came true two years later. The first place I went was Palau which is called a diver's paradise, and it was wonderful. The sea was beautiful and there were a lot of living things, both large and small, so I understand why it is so popular. After that, I continue as a resort diver, (and encountered all kinds of oceans) in Palau, Saipan, the Maldives, the Philipines, Okinawa, Ogasawara, and Hawaii. Of all the places, I love Ogasawaram where I encountered dolphins and the hula for the first time.
(YumikoS)
Posted by: nacos (Admin) Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:38:14 GMT
After I had been working for four years, my friend enthusiastically invited me to start going diving. Swimming is not my strong point and I really had no interest in the ocean, so I wasn't that interested. One of my friends at work would boast about the wonders under the sea when we would sometimes meet. I was finally moved to act by my friend's repeated invitations and I finally went to a diving school and got my certification. This is what made me fall in love with the charm of the ocean.
(YumikoS)
Posted by: nacos (Admin) Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:34:37 GMT
I will tell you about ice diving. Ice diving means scuba diving under a thick ceiling of ice.
In the past, I was invited by my friend to go ice diving. I had gone diving many times in the cold winter sea of Izu so, without hesitating, I decided to go. The place was Utoro in Hokkaido. The seas of Hokkaido were covered with ice 2-3 meters thick.
First, before diving, I was given the information I would need for the dive. Divers had prepared a hole for the dive several months before. Because the gear we usually use would freeze in these conditions, most of the people rented gear. Also it was necessary that we dive with a buddy. A rope called a lifeline was tied around the divers; this rope would send signals we were taught to another person on the ice. Also, because the hole which was the entry and exit for the divers would freeze over quickly, someone had to constantly keep scooping out the ice that formed over the hole with a shovel.
My impressions of going ice diving were that; even though we wore dry suits, we became numb with cold after only 15 minutes and couldn't relax under the water. However, because the sunlight couldn't reach us under the sea, I couldn't see anything familiar and there were a lot of colorless, gray fish. Also, from the dark depths, I could see the sun hitting the ice above and it was like a beautiful chandelier. If my friend asks me to go again I think I will refuse, but it was a very good experience.
(YumikoS)
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