a Night City Tour
My friend introduced me a Columbian friend, and we had Mexican food at Sneaky Dee’s. I had a steak Quesadillas, which I fell in love with last time I was in
He is originally from
Then he drove us to Little Italy,
It was really nice meeting and talking with him. And I really like those small trips around the world IN Toronto! When I was looking at
Casino Royale
My friend took me to a nice fancy café on Sunday afternoon. It’s “Sen5es” in Soho Hotel. We had cappuccino and fruits tarts. Yummy. It also reminded me of cafes in
I have been talking with my friends that we don’t really have cafes where we can sit down and have cakes in
バンクーバーでは、ケーキ屋さんがいっぱいあったけど、トロントではあんまり見かけないね。あるみたいだけど。バンクーバーのような大きなケーキ。懐かしい。この間連れてってもらったところは、どっちかいうと日本のように、上品で。トロントニアンは、ケーキをエンジョイするより、コーヒーなの??
Then we went to see a movie, CASINO ROYALE!! James Bond, eh? I liked it! It’s been popular once it came out last week here! I am soooo happy that I can see a lot of movies here.
http://www.sonypictures.co.uk/movies/casinoroyale/index.html
Little Children
After the long week, my friend and I had been chatting for almost four hours! We did it over lunch the other Friday too. There were other seats beside us, and different people came and went away while we were there. ^^;
We then went to see a movie called “Little Children”. Kate Winslet is acting in it. It was about a love affair with a married funky man a married woman. Each has got a child. It was different from what I expected as a “typical love affair” drama, but it was funny some part and interesting. I actually liked it!!
Now I’ve gotta get down to my work!!
http://www.littlechildrenmovie.com/ Little Children
first time in Toronto Library
I like libraries. I usually spend a lot of time in libraries once I go there. I had been writing one of my final essays and really felt like going out because it was sunny and warmer. My first time in Toronto Public Library!!
They have Japanese books in Japanese. I was looking at the self, wondering what kind of books they have. 三島由紀夫、マザーグース、カナダの歴史、料理の本。I wanted to borrow some Japanese cooking books, but decided not to this time. Otherwise I might end up looking at them and cooking instead of writing essays!
Then a man walked toward me and talked to me, saying “すみません。” Excuse me. Then we started talking. He told me that he has been learning Japanese and found it hard, especially 漢字。He speaks English, Spanish and a little bit of Japanese. Once you know English, it helps you to learn other Latin languages. Just like if you know the meanings of 漢字、you can guess some other 漢字 from some parts of them, or even the Chinese language.
When I told him that I am studying immigration, not English, he seemed to be surprised. Yeah, everyone does, because we don’t really have “移民” in Japan, though we have 在日韓国人、中国人帰国者、日系ブラジル人、ペルー人、ベトナム難民、etc. Actually I am the only international student in the Immigration Study Program, and most of the international students at my school are studying engineering. But some countries such as UK, NZ, Germany, Australia and Denmark have introduced some kind of immigration system that attract skilled immigrants because of the aging society, thus the shortage of working age labour force etc. Maybe
Well, it turned out that he was American. Now he has a Canadian citizenship. He was studying when the Vietnam War happened and came over to
I also asked him if he talks about immigration with his friends or family. Not quite often. But immigration is always an issue; especially the economy is not doing well. People want to blame something or someone. People want to say immigrants are taking up “our Canadians’ jobs”. But immigrants are also “Canadians”. Even in
It was really nice taking with him about the interesting topic. And, I got a library card! I could stayed longer there!
The Santa Claus Parade!!
I had been looking forward to the 102nd Santa Claus Parade in
I saw the parade around St.George with my friend. I liked it, but it was really cold to just stand on the street for about 2 hours! I guess it was like 2~3 ℃.
We wanted Santa!! Here he came!! Ho Ho Ho~.
http://www.thesantaclausparade.com/ Check this out!
I really wanted to take a hot tub or hot spring!! I got chilled to the bone. Then we went to “Real Thailand” on Bloor to have lunch. We had coconut soup, green mango salad, and stir-fried rice with cashew nuts. I got really warm after having the soup and tea. 初めてグリーンマンゴーを食べた。It’s a bit sour.
Scarboroughの知り合いの家へ
My friend invited me to her house in
Actually this was my first time to take a subway up to Scarborough Centre. I had never been to further east of my station. I like to explorer different places, so I got kinda excited. It was a clear sunny day, I felt like I was on a small trip.
I changes subways at Kennedy. RT was smaller!
My friend picked me up at Scarborough Centre and drove around her neighbourhood and went to see
タウンハウスと庭付きの比較的大きな家が立ち並んでいました。私の近所は、2つの家がくっついた比較的小さい家が多いから、いろんな家を見るのがおもしろかった♪
My friend’s house is a detached house with a front yard and a back yard where there is a pool and a BBQ place out there. It is a pretty house.
She cooked salad with phyllo (タコスサラダみたい) and sandwiches. We also had baked meringue with whipped cream with chocolate chips and lemon rind and strawberries for a dessert. Yum~♪ I wish I had a beater at home!
ファイロに入ったサラダとサンドイッチを作ってくれました。それから、チョコチップとレモンの皮入りのクリームとイチゴを、ベークしたメレンゲに載せたデザート♪電動泡だて器があれば。
Am I Chinese or Japanese?
A man talked to me at a subway station this morning. He said, “Do you speak Chinese?” I am afraid no. I wish I could. Actually I have started learning Chinese.
What do you think about this? Well, it is difficult for Caucasians to recognize Japanese from other Asians, which I can guess, and also some of my friends told me. It is difficult for me to distinguish French from other Europeans for example. I was wearing like I used to in
Or, is it because there are a lot of Chinese Canadians in
Or, is it because he is just interested in talking to a Chinese? He speaks fairly good Chinese.
What else?
Well, maybe I should practice more Chinese and would answer “Yeah I speak Chinese.”
I remember that I pretended that I couldn’t speak Japanese when I was in
ボーイフレンドは・・・
Discrimination? Well, I don't know.
I talked about "boyfriends" with my friends. One was born in
Fathers are always the same all over the world, aren’t they? They are concerned about their daughters’ boyfriend. Do they want their daughters to bring a boyfriend whose backgrounds are the same as them such as ethnic, religions, or not too old? On the other hand, mothers are less conservative in general. They are more OK with their daughters’ boyfriend?
One’s father is Buddhist and more ok with her boyfriend. He seems not care much about their own background in
Grandparents are more conservative about interracial marriage. Some of our grandparents were surprised when they brought a boyfriend who has different ethnic background. Some of them just didn’t bring their boyfriend.
We reached a conclusion that we don’t mind racial mix. We are here in a multicultural city,
Yeah, my grandmother always tells me to marry a Japanese man. But personally, I don’t mind intermarriage as long as we can get along with each other. Maybe different values in some occasions, because we grow up in different cultures. But disagreements happen even between those who have same background, eh?
Multiculral Day♪
I went to see “The Departed” with my friend. It’s a remake of the famous
Anyways, though they were speaking a lot of slangs and had southern
We also went to 天仁メイ茶 in somewhere around Richmond Hill or Thornhill or Markham. (I am not sure…) It’s a Chinese tea place. It was a very fancy, neat and relaxing place. There were some bamboos, nice paintings and stuff. My friend told me that they are making tea leaves too, that’s why they serve really good tea and bubble tea! Yeah, bubble tea! I love bubble tea!! My friend had a green tea and I had a grapefruit bubble HOT tea. Yummy~~~♪I got so relaxed. They were playing ボサノバ as well. It seems popular here too. (among Chinese community?)
It sooo remineded me of Japanese cafes,
とても日本のカフェのことを思い出した。台湾と香港に行ったときのことも。カナダにいるのはわかってるんだけど、台湾にいるような、香港にいるような。。。変な感じ。とても多文化融合でしょ?でもこれが大好き♪
Oh, guess what!! We then went to Kenzo Ramen!!ラーメン屋さん!!It is the only ラーメン屋さん around Toronto!! BUT! It is running by Korean Canadians. Anyways, we had しょうゆラーメン、おこのみやき、and たこ焼き♪My friend also likes them. Oh I missed
And
There are a lot of town houses around here. My friend told me that there is a new
It’s very different from downtown, but I like up north too.
映画は日本でもやるみたいです♪
http://wwws.warnerbros.co.jp/thedeparted/