2016-12-15 10:14 Having a dream of Santa Claus
Y (Kuma's owner)
It's the 15th of December already. Santa Claus is coming over in another nine days. I don't know why but the town where I live, there is Santa Claus sitting in front of Coles (an Australian supermarket chain). I had been believing that Santa Claus is only one person. But, maybe he is not.
At this time of the year, I see the website of NORAD. NORAD prepares special pages for Christmas. They have a special service called "Santa Tracker", where we are able to see where Santa is on Christmas Eve. It's just an animation of Santa traveling all over the world, I know it but I cannot help watching it. Almost every Christmas Eve, I watch NORAD's Santa Tracker and when Santa passes the area I live, I would say "Oh, he has come!" I know I am not able to get a gift, yes this is the actual life. The life is not easy. I think it is good to imagine something dreamy once a year, isn't it? Not only children, even grown ups needs dreams.
This coming Christmas, I'm having my friends over from Sydney. It's going to be a fun Christmas this year. I and my husband are planning a Christmas BBQ at home. This is the Aussie way of celebrating Christmas, I guess. It's a good chance to meet friends, so I'm going to invite other local friends to the BBQ too.
Santa Claus will come to town along with a smell of BBQ.
2016-12-10 09:21 Opposite Abilities
Y (Kuma's owner)
Recently, I heard the news about mathematics and science score of Year 4.
ABC NEWS: Australian schools continue to fall behind in maths and science
The results show Australia dropping from 18th to 28th out of 49 countries in year 4 mathematics. I was a bit disappointed on hearing the news.
However, I had been noticing the results even if I hadn't heard the news. For example, one day I was watching my favorite TV program and two people on the show said "What is hexagon?" The two people (They are adults) didn't know what a hexagon was! Haven't they ever wondered about the shape of bee's nest?
On the other hand, most Australians are very good at communicating. I think Japanese are not good at communicating but most Japanese are good at mathematics and science compared to Australians.
I noticed that the field that Australians are good at, and Japanese are good at are opposite. The place where we live are also opposite; the Southern Hemisphere and Northern Hemisphere.
I wonder if the teachers of both countries shared the method of teaching, can we both improve our abilities?
2016-12-07 05:54 Santa Clauses in Australia
Y (Kuma's owner)
It's already December and my 6th Christmas in Australia is coming.
You may think that enough time has passed to get used to a hot Christmas if I have been living in Australia for over five years but it is not so. I still have a feeling of strangeness for a hot Christmas. Even if I hear one of the famous Christmas songs like "White Christmas", my feeling does not become Christmas mode under the strong sunshine.
I went shopping yesterday and I saw a lady who was preparing for the service of taking a picture with Santa Claus for children. Santa Clauses in Australia wear the same clothes in other countries, a long-sleeved red jacket, black boots and a hat with fluffy white boa. They mostly appear in shopping centres, therefore they can stay in an air conditioning area but I still feel sorry for them. It must be a tough job, isn't it?
It's difficult to enjoy the mood of a white Christmas here but Aussies enjoy the Australian way of Christmas. I love to see Australian Christmas cards. I saw several funny pictures; Santa Claus enjoys surfing, wearing sun glasses, short pants with a beer bottle in his hand or riding on a sled that is pulled by kangaroos.
I think Santa Claus comes from Finland but he seems to be having a good time with the Aussie style Christmas here. When in Australia, do as the Aussies do! This is a tip to enjoy a summer Christmas.