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Life Experiences
Motomachi in Yokohama
In the new year moment, you can hear the sound of many ship whistles there. My hometown, Motomachi in Yokohama, is a nostalgic and active city along the harbor next to Tokyo in Japan. It is a historical city that started trading in Japan in 1859. Yokohama was one of the first places to open a harbor from national isolation since the Edo period. Therefore, Yokohama has become a town where foreigners and imported goods come. I especially like Motomachi town in Yokohama. It is a small town, a shopping street along a single road. Motomachi was the place people from other countries have lived since the opening of the harbor, so it has grown in other cultures more than other regions in Japan. For this reason, there are many old elegant historic buildings, restaurants, nostalgic coffee shops, and excellent bread shops. These are some of my favorite places there.
For starters, if you go up the hill from Motomachi street, you will find many historic buildings, which were houses of foreigners and diplomats, as well as parks. One of the famous buildings is Berrick Hall, which was the biggest foreign residence in this area and was built based on Spanish style. It has unique triple arch entrances. You can walk in and look around in the exotic house. Another one is Ehrismann Residence, which was a Swiss merchant who traded raw silk. Now, it has a cafe in the house, so you can enjoy coffee and desserts in a nostalgic atmosphere. Besides, if you browse around there, you can reach Yokohama Harbor View Park, which was a foreign residence area at the time of opening the harbor. From this park, you can look down to the harbor. In spring and fall, there are various roses in the park. I think that it is similar to the Rose Garden in Portland. Most of these buildings and parks are free, so you can enjoy stopping by many places as long as you want to. Motomachi is a historic trading town, so you can enjoy walking around this beautiful old town.
Near the hill, you can go to Chinatown, which is the biggest in eastern Asia. There is a beautiful Chinese shrine named Yokohama Kanteibyo, which shows the god of commerce. Also, there are over 600 Chinese restaurants, tea shops, and craft stores. I used to hang out with my friends and eat Chinese fast food there. I especially like Chinese steamed buns, Cantonese sponge cake, and egg tart. You can enjoy authentic Chinese foods and window shopping like a trip to China.
Moreover, Motomachi is a mixed new and old town, so you can feel novel and nostalgic. The main street is cobblestone, like a Paris street. I like to browse there because there are some sentimental cafes or restaurants, and sometimes I find new shops. Entering in a back alley, you can find Mutekirou, which has been a French restaurant for 43 years. The name was from the novel's title, which Jiro Osaragi wrote Muteki (Muteki means foghorn). The appearance is like a Western-style building, and inside is oriental furniture imaged by the Silk Road. On the other hand, I coincidentally found new gift shops. For example, recently, a newly opened popular high quality towel shop, Imabari Yokkin. They sell comfortable towels, clothes, and good gifts for someone. Also, there are some excellent bread shops there. My favorite shop is Bluff Bakery, which is on the way to the hills from the main street. The shop is always crowded with local people. I especially like the bagels in this shop. So, if you browse there, you will find the past things and also the present things.
In conclusion, there are many attractive spots along the port area in Motomachi in Yokohama. You can see historic buildings and parks when you go up to the hills. Also, you can enjoy Chinatown like a trip to China. Besides, you will find popular gift shops or nostalgic restaurants on elegant streets like Paris. Motomachi in Yokohama, my hometown, is a historic and beautiful port town, and it's also an exciting town where you can find something old and new. If you were there on New Year’s Eve night, you might feel peace and serenity while hearing the ships’ whistles.
Written by: Tomomi Isomura
Past and Present Life
Life can be completely different from one place to another. It was difficult for me to move from my birthplace to my adult place. There is a huge difference between my place of birth and my house today, for example, food, houses, and jobs. Therefore, I moved my life into a better place, although I miss my humble beginnings.
I was born in a very humble place called Santiago Nuyoo, Oaxaca. It is a beautiful place, but I could not see the beauty of it when I was a child. The food is mostly vegetables. All the food is organic without any chemicals. The soil is fertile and we can plant different types of vegetables or fruit trees and everything will grow. To cook the food we used a bonfire, and every day corn tortillas were made and those tortillas fresh out of the clay griddle were my favorites. On the other hand, now I am living in Cornelius, Oregon (USA), the place where I have developed my life as an adult, and I can see the difference in the food and especially the taste. The food in the USA is too processed and unhealthy for all the chemicals that they add in the soil or on the food to preserve it. I remember the first time I tasted the food in the USA. For me it was awful but little by little I figured out how to eat more healthily and adapted. I even have my own little vegetable garden.
The houses are very different too; in the humble place that I was born in, the houses are built of sticks, wood or reeds and bricks. The kitchen is apart from the main house to prevent the smoke from the bonfire and the environment is not flat. The houses are between mountains, surrounded by nature and far away from the city. Before there was no electricity, we used candles and torches and during the nights were a little cold. In contrast, in the USA the houses are made with good materials and are safer. Every house has its own kitchen, living room and room. You have the option if you want to live in a city or rural place.
Additionally, in Santiago Nuyoo there are not many job opportunities where they pay you. It is difficult to find a job. Most people work for themself cultivating their food or doing volunteer work for the town. But in the USA there are so many different jobs, from fields to factories, offices, schools, banks and big corporations, or even having your own business if you have the opportunity. If the people are not working, it is because they don't want to.
Although both are good places to live and both are part of my life’s story, the USA is my present and I have lived in Oregon for more than half of my whole life. For now, I will continue to live in Oregon for job opportunities, but in the future, my dream is to go back to the place where I was born and eat corn tortillas.
Written by: Oliveria Garcia Lopez
Original art by Forough Sohrabi
Original art by Forough Sohrabi
Original art by Forough Sohrabi
Advice
How to Have a Good Relationship With Teenagers
Do you have a teenager at home? Do you know how to have a good relationship with teenagers? I have one at home and several at work, so it is important for me to know about that. If you are interested in this topic, I invite you to follow along with my article for more direction.
First of all, if you want to have good relationships with teenagers, you should respect them. You should respect their opinions even if you do not agree with them. If we respect teenager’s opinions and ideas, they will feel comfortable sharing their thoughts with us. They do not worry about our judgment, comment, or criticism. Furthermore, speak and behave with them politely. If we treat teenagers respectfully, they will learn to respect us in return.
Second, spend time with teenagers to build a good relationship with them. Spend a few minutes every day talking to them, even if it is a short time. Ask them to share what they did during the day or at school. This will make them feel good and show them that they are important to you. It also helps boost their self-confidence. Also, going to travel and having entertainment time helps this goal. For example, going to the cinema, gym, swimming or walking in nature.
Another important point is to be patient with teenagers to build a good relationship with them. The teenage years are a very important and sensitive period in every person’s life. In this time humans go through a lot of mental and physical changes, and the parents and teachers need to be patient and understanding. For example, sometimes they are moody, and sometimes they do not accept our opinions. In this case, be patient and do not focus on details, and understand their bad situations. Overlook their small and harmless mistakes.
In conclusion, when you want to build a good relationship with teenagers, you need to respect their opinions, speak and behave respectfully and avoid giving unnecessary advice. Furthermore, spend time with them by listening to their words, and enjoy fun activities together. Also, be patient and understanding during a moody time and ignore the small details. These actions or behaviors can be helpful in building a good relationship with teenagers.
Written by: Forough Sohrabi
How To Be Happy
Humans always have a lot of emotions such as sadness, crying, fun, happiness, and others. Have you wondered how many things make you feel happy? Every emotion is created from many other hormones. Many activities give people a desire to achieve goals, or influence the people around you. I think what people want to achieve most is happiness. Then, you wonder “how to be happy?”. Happiness connects to almost all activities that involve you. Therefore, you can follow these three simple steps to be more happy.
The first step in the process of happiness is to look for many favorite foods. You do not need to eat healthy because there can be many foods that you do not like. It is only good for your health, but it does not impact your happy hormones. Eat many foods that you like, or food that is interesting. For example, when I want to eat sashimi, but my husband cannot take me. I feel very sad. On the contrary, my husband could take me out to eat. I would be very happy when my favorite food is eaten. Moreover, when you eat out, you do not need to clean. Your hormones will activate strongly, and you will have more fun and happiness. After you complete this step, you can continue the next step to be more happy.
The second step in the process of happiness is to do some activities that make you happy. For example, you can go shopping, play games, cook many foods that you like, and some others. In addition, you do not need to do these things in this order. You should do these things after you have eaten your favorite food. For example, after you have eaten, you will feel lazy. You can watch your favorite movies, listen to music, or play games that you like. That will make happy hormones increase. In general, this step is you do what you want by yourself, so you are happy. Further, you can complete this step then continue to step three, or you can go from step one to step three, if you want.
For the final step, you can do some activities with other people or pets. In addition, when you do not have a boyfriend, you can go on a blind date and enjoy seeing other people. I think that will make you excited. Additionally, you can do favorite activities with other people such as chat with your family or friends, play outdoor activities, hang out with your family or friends, and activities that you can do with other people. More simply, you can play with your pets by hugging them, caressing them, and playing with them. Besides, sometimes you can not do favorite activities with anyone, but it will be fine. Just skip to the next step, and start over the first step, second step, or both steps before. In this step, you must spend time with other people to get happiness, but sometimes spending too much time with other people is tiresome. When you get to this, go back to the previous two steps. You will still be happy.
Happiness is essential in human life. You need happiness for yourself and to bring happiness to others. In conclusion, step one is eat. Step two is do what you want by yourself. Step three is to do something with other people or your pets. In general, I am not sure these steps will fit with you. You can do both steps or more in any step that you want. It depends on you, but I think this is a good guide.
Written by: Hana Trinh
New Experiences
My New Challenge
For normal people, living in a new country with a different culture could become very demanding. For me it has represented a new challenge: Learning English. Since I arrived in America almost three years ago I have studied English. I have considered how my English communication skills have changed in this time and I have recognized several differences.
When I arrived in America, my vocabulary was very limited, like a toddler in kindergarten. I knew some words or short expressions studying elemental English in Venezuela, but it was (and it still is) a new world. I often used apps as a dictionary looking for almost each word that I needed to understand. I could only read a few scattered words. My writing was almost non-existent. I remember I often confused the right order of nouns and verbs in a simple expression. On the other hand, it was not possible for me to speak two or more sentences in a row using the present tense. Most of the time my speaking was blocked and I needed help from relatives or friends such as my interpreters when I received a phone call or I went shopping, which was enormously frustrating. My English listening was the worst. It was highly confusing for me. Until this time, I only watched TV or movies in English with captions in Spanish. Understanding music in English was not an option for me. Hearing a conversation between two Americans was overwhelming for me because I did not understand anything.
Almost three years later, the history has changed. I’m proud of myself because although I use a dictionary, each time I do it with less frequency, looking for more complex words. I have a better vocabulary and I know more about grammar and writing rules. It allows me to be able to write diverse kinds of sentences, and I'm learning to write paragraphs and essays. Reading notices, signs and advertisements on the street is easier for me. In fact I already read some articles and a handbook. Now, when I participate in conversations, usually I understand almost all or at least the main ideas. I can ask for information and clarification when I'm not sure about something. I can use some common expressions using past and future tenses.
I have advanced a lot. Despite my mistakes and weaknesses, I have advanced. English is a culture, a world. I have made progress. Obviously I need to expand my vocabulary and improve my reading, writing and speaking. It's my new challenge, my new goal: taking advantage of my time, opportunities and skills to get proficiency in my new language.
Written by: Kenny Garcia
My Unforgettable Time in “Sin City”
When I was a young woman in Ukraine, I saw the movie Showgirls with my girlfriends. For days afterward, I couldn't stop thinking about the lights and glamor of Las Vegas. It became a dream of mine to visit this forbidden and magical city. In February 2023, this dream finally came true when my friends in the US took me to Las Vegas for my birthday. I believed Las Vegas to be a city of wonder and entertainment, where even the most forbidden dreams come true.
There are many reasons Las Vegas is called the “Sin City”. At night, the city becomes mesmerizing with millions of lights, casinos, and beautiful people walking to and from the most prestigious restaurants and bars. The entertainment options in Las Vegas are endless. I was lucky enough to attend a Cirque Du Soleil show and experience flying acrobats, beautiful dancers, and funny circus clowns. The show, like Vegas itself, consumes you with its grandeur and excitement.
They say that things are never as they appear in the movies, but this time my expectations matched reality. The city completely overwhelmed me with its sound, sights, and colorfully dressed people and variety of entertainment. It was like being in multiple countries all at the same time. You can drink coffee in a palazzo in Rome, gaze at beautiful Paris, take the train across New York, and experience the pyramids of Giza all in the same city. The city truly lives up to being the entertainment capital of the world.
I spent only three days in Las Vegas, but it felt like a lifetime of experiences. By the end of the trip, I felt exhilarated and exhausted all at once. I wished I had experienced Las Vegas twenty years ago as a young woman devoid of inhibitions and without the burdens of life experiences. What a glorious time that would have been. And yet even in my forties as an adult, I was able to let go a little and live a dream for three unforgettable days. It was an experience I will never forget.
Written by: Jenny Volotska
A Journey to the Sun Gate
“Traveling. It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller,” said Ibu Battuta. It was in January 1999 when Helena traveled through Peru. Helena was a young woman interested in new cultures. Peru was a country that was so far away from her, and the alien culture with the breathtaking landscape sounded so tempting. One of the highlights of the trip through Peru was the hike through the Andes to Machu Picchu. It is said that the journey is the destination, and many things speak for it.
Visiting Machu Picchu is possible in different ways, and according to this, it needs different preparations. The easier way is by bus or train, but Helena chose the uncomfortable way. She took a 42-kilometer trail by foot through the Andes in four days. Cusco, the starting point, and Machu Picchu are located high in the mountain. Helena spent some days with little walking trails around Cusco to acclimate her body to the altitude. She packed the backpack with the necessary things, such as rainwear, a tent, a sleeping bag, a camping mat, a camping stove, and food. Because it was impossible to keep all drinking water with her, Helena stored pills for water purification. After everything was prepared, the adventure could begin.
This Inca trail was a special route away from any civilizations and high in the mountains. The difficulties of the trip were not the road surface. The problem was the difference in elevation between 10.000 to 13.700 feet. It started with the train from Cusco to Machu Picchu along the Urubamba River. Helena was sitting on the overcrowded train between grain sacks, bunches of onions, carrots, and corn. After squeezing out of the cabin on Point 82, she followed the path that began with a long bridge over the torrential Urubamba River. Helena walked along the legendary Inca trail, and she saw beautiful small ruins, some with old sewers or above-ground water pipes. Shortly before the highest point of the trail, the Dead Woman’s Pass, Helena got sick. She threw up and got dizzy, so she could no longer carry her heavy backpack. Suddenly, a little boy with sandals made from old car tires appeared, and he helped her with the backpack. The path through the Andes was an interesting experience with unforgettable moments, even though it was a physical challenge.
The goal of the trip across the mountains should be the famous ruins of Machu Picchu, but the Sun Gate stole the show. It was the fourth day, late afternoon, and Helena had the sun on her back when she arrived at the Sun Gate. This gate was one of the main entrances of Machu Picchu. From here, Helena had a magnificent view of the beautiful and world-famous ruins of the Andes, and she was so happy to stand there. It was too late to visit Machu Picchu, so she passed the grand ruins, walking directly to the town Aquas Calientes. The day and the trip finished with a warm bath at the hot springs. The Sun Gate was the highlight of the day and also of this special trip along the Inca trail.
The really interesting thing about traveling is not at the end of the goal. It is everything between. That journey started with a perfect trip preparation over days. The path was a challenge to the body and remains in her memory. The view over Machu Picchu was the perfect end of Helena’s Trip along the Inca trail. Don’t go the fastest and easiest way to achieve your goal because the loopy ways let you talk more, and they remain unforgettable.
Written by: Katja Richter
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