Thursday, June 30, 2011

Photos from San-J


















Rajio Taiso

What do you feel about the radio exercises done every morning?
Calyssa: “ I love them! I have always wanted to try them. I feel accomplished and I have enjoyed them sincerely.”
Clara: “They were really embarrassing to do in front of people waking by who knew nothing about what we were doing. It’s hard to be serious about they. They feel goofy.”
Melanie: “ They crack me up!”, she said while laughing. “I always watch Otani Sensei because he is serious about the exercises. I mean it’s a great way to start the morning. It’s not heavy and it brings people together. The music that goes along with the exercises is really funny, cheesy, classical music that makes me smile.”
Wei: A very serious student who plays amazing basketball says, “Rajio Taiso helps me wake up and be able to focus in class. I saw it in a movie once but I never knew that it was so widely popular.”

What do you feel/think about the dorm life so far? Is it tiring? Hot? Comfortable?
Calyssa: “It’s a little different and I do get homesick sometimes but I will persevere. That’s the word I love.” When asked about the comfort of the dorms, Calyssa responds, “It’s hard, unbearable, hot, very hot, flaming, combusting. I could go on and on.” Then she gets serious and says,” It’s a good experience. It feels like the real world.”
Melanie: “It’s very tiring to constantly socialize but I love the dorm life. Though I hate the public bathrooms, they suck. Now if we had Japanese toilets it would be more comfortable.”
Wei: “I have experienced the dorm life before but it’s the first time I have had a roommate. Its unique. I need more adjusting time though. “
What do you think about the language classes? Are they challenging? Note: All the answers listed below are from the students of the beginner classes.
Melanie: “ We could be watching Netflix movies, sleeping, or hanging out with friends. It’s hard to get yourself motivated but I am motivated because of my table buddies in class.” After giving a serious thought to the question she said, “Now that I am here I want to make the best of it.”
Calyssa: “I like that I am finally in a classroom. I like the experience of receiving a proper teaching given in the classroom.”
Clara: Who has had no prior experience with Japanese said, “It’s really extensive and long.”
Wei: “The classes are definitely moving at a faster pace than the regular class setting.” When asked about how she feels about the upcoming classes she said, “ I am excited.” She said this with a big grin on her face.



Monica

Day 4



Culture Classes
The second culture class of the year differed in all ways from the previous. Japanese climate and geography is quite a change from traditional food and categorization, but was no less interesting. We took a scenic virtual tour through the mountains, valleys, lakes, and jungles of Japan and meet several interesting animals unique only to specific regions. Japan is broken into 5 islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa, each with its own geography and inhabitants. Among these are the higuma (brown bear) of Hokkaido, nihon kamoshika (serow) of Honshu, and the Iriomote cat of Okinawa. The gorgeous scenery panned out before us: towering Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan, Lake Biwa, the Yoshino River. It was interesting to discover new sights and learn the Japanese names that go with them. Spoken in the traditional and native language, these names give each area greater fascination and complexity. Today’s class was not merely a powerpoint of beautiful pictures with little value to the students of JLA, but instead, more like a peek inside the life and times of Japan.





Jillian


Cooking Class: Yakisoba
After language class, we rode a city bus to the U.Va. Lorna Sundberg International Center to cook yakisoba (焼きそば), a type of Japanese pan-fried noodles. The ingredients for yakisoba consist of pork meat, noodles, cabbage, onions, carrots, and mushrooms, all of which are stir-fried with yakisoba sauce. We divided into four groups and took turns chopping vegetables, frying the noodles, and cooking the meat. With cooperation and synergetic efforts, we not only learned cooking techniques, but gained more knowledge of Japanese cuisine.

Lizzi

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

日常生活 Everyday Life at JAPANESE LANGUAGE ACADEMY

文化クラス CULTURE CLASSES

After a short break, the Academy launched into the first of it's many culture classes. Here, our minds will be picked apart by anything and everything Japan: history, customs, and, most importantly, food. Cullison-sensei began the night with an aesthetically pleasing Powerpoint presentation, complete with pictures and instructional videos on food preparation in Japan.
Japanese food can be divided into several main categories, ranging from grilled (yakimono), to steamed (nabemono), to pickled (tsukemono), to deep fried (agemono). Some popular dishes:

• Tempura- deep fried vegetables in a light batter

• Gyoza-Chinese dumplings usually filled with pork and vegetables

• Miso soup- soup made from highly concentrated soy beans, usually containing several solid ingredients

• Bento- combination meal served in a decorative wooden box

• Teriyaki- grilled or broiled meat or vegetables glazed with sweetened soy sauce

Each requires a complex amount of preparation and skill, with knives moving in a blur or a stomach of steel. However, not only are the foods themselves important but also presentation and refinement. Many rules govern these gracious people to a nearly uncanny level. Did you know that chopsticks stuck vertically into food are a sign of bad luck or that mismatched chopsticks are considered rude? In America, no one thinks twice when silverware points the wrong way. These classes have made us think about the way we, as Americans, may appear to worlds with a greater focus on harmony and eloquence. Grace can be found in the simplest of acts, including meals, and the Japanese have been fortunate enough to harness such power for a greater perspective on life.

-Jillian


言語クラスLanguage Class


Here at the Governor’s Japanese Academy, language classes have begun with a running start. The beginning level classes have spent their four hours of instructional time learning to read and write hiragana (the simpler Japanese characters). An example of hiragana is えんぴつ which translates to pencil in English. These classes are also being introduced to the language through simple phrases and greetings. The intermediate classes are busy learning a lot of kanji (characters in the Japanese writing system)! 飛行機 is an example of kanji and it means airplane in Japanese. Today, the intermediate classes worked on editing letters that they began writing about themselves and even played charades in Japanese! The advanced classes read a story titled ikkyu-san. They also learned a song in Japanese sign language and then worked on sentence structure. With the use of packets, flashcards, and whiteboards, the learning is going ahead at full steam!

-Katelyn 


会社 COMPANIES

At the Japanese academy, we are all divided into “companies.” Each company is put in charge of a task that we will all take part in when the time comes. Some groups were put in charge of things like parties, the closing ceremony, and some were put in charge of taking pictures and updating the blog. Each company will also be put against one another in challenges and games. We’ll be doing a points system like in the Harry Potter movies. For example; if someone in the group does something wrong, points are taken away and if we succeed in challenges and do well then we gain points. At the end the company that wins gets a prize (they won’t tell us what yet). Today we made headbands to wear during our challenges and come up with names for our companies in Japanese. They were all very creative and each had their own little something for each person. We hope to use these activities to build a sense of unity with our fellow students.

-Tori


鉢巻 Hachimaki

In the afternoon, we divided into our companies and designed hachimaki (鉢巻), or stylized Japanese headbands. Traditionally, hachimaki are used to symbolize perseverance, power, and endurance, and are worn during dances, sports activities, and studying. Japanese people believe that when it is worn, the headband brings a sense of focus. “Kiai wo ireru” (気合いを入れる) is a common phrase meaning to motivate oneself, or to raise one’s fighting spirit.

Each group created their hachimaki using a white cloth, and materials such as fabric paints, glitter, and markers. Most created slogans in Kanji that they painted on their hachimaki, including “kuroi nekkutai samurai”, meaning “black neck-tie samurais” and “nesshin” (熱心), meaning enthusiasm. One group coined the term “denja” (電者), a combination of “den” from electricity and “sha” meaning person. Another group combined “on”, meaning sound, and “gei” for art. Symbols used included Godzilla, ninjas, and swords.

-Lizzi

ラジオ体操  RADIO EXERCISE

Every morning, before we start any activities, we do ラジオ体操 「たいそう」(rajio taisou).ラジオたいそう is a callisthenic that is incorporated with a song. The exercise is done in counts of eight. ラジオたいそうconsists of simple stretches that helps prepare our bodies for the long, jam-packed day ahead of us. At 7:45, everyone comes together as a group to exercise outside in front of the dormitory. All the 先生(sensei) line up across the front to show us all how to do the stretches. Many of the stretches consist of stretching upward with our arms. Once we are done, we come together and talk about our schedule for the day. After that, we head to the O’Hill Dining Hall for breakfast.

8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Language Class
11:00 Study Hall
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Language Class
3:00 Crafts
5:10 Dinner
6:00 Culture Class
7:30 Company meeting/projects
9:00 Nightly Meeting



-Joshua


カフェテリアの食物 Cafeteria Food
There is a saying that goes “we are what we eat”; fortunately UVA provides wide range and variety of food. It does not matter if one is a vegan, vegetarian, or even meatetarian (?) because UVA launched a new initiative that helps students both broaden their nutritional horizons and balance their meals. Plus, all three meals are all-you-can-eat at every dining hall at every meal. However, there are some complaints. One of the most popular complaints is that meals are too redundant; nonetheless, the fact that UVA offers several diverse dining halls that provide different food based on their themes mitigates the problem. Additionally, despite the standard repetition, the dining hall does offer a good number of options, as well as the opportunity to chat with friends and have lively group meals.

-Kevin

Off to a great start

We're off to a great start. Classes and recreation, arts and crafts, and our first field trip tomorrow!
don't forget to send mail!

Mail should be addressed as follows:
Student’s Name
Governor’s Japanese Academy
c/o Asia Institute
University of Virginia
PO Box 400169
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4169

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Day 1

Student Check in:2-3 p.m. Dabney House
Opening Ceremony: 4-5 p.m. 125 Minor Hall.
See everyone there!

Friday, June 24, 2011

Almost here...

Less than 2 days...
Just in case you can't find the information you need about arrival, here's the link again.
http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/asiainstitute/2011GJA.html.
Also, you can find more info on our facebook page!