Blog # 4: My Winter Vacation

For your fourth blog entry, please write 300 words on what you will do (or did) over winter vacation! Be sure to include lots of details, and some pictures too!

When I am in Japan, I have a wonderful time going to my wife's hometown in Kasugai, Aichi. We spend a traditional New Year's together, eating O-sechi, and visiting the nearby shrine to pray for the New Year and drink a small cup of sake. I really enjoy this relaxing time with my family!

When I spend the holidays in the United States, the atmosphere is similar, but has many differences as well. One big difference is that Christmas is the big event at this time. New Year's Eve is a fun day for partying and celebrating the end of the year countdown, but New Year's Day is not the same "family event" as it is in Japan. For me and my family, Christmas is the time to spend relaxing and enjoying the company of my family and friends.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, it is a tradition in my family to cut down a real Christmas Tree for display in our house. We drive out into the countryside to a special Christmas Tree Farm, and pay money to select our own tree, cut it down, and bring it home with us.

After getting the tree home, we set it up in a special stand, play some Christmas music, and then decorate the tree. This is one of my favorite things to do during the year!

Later, on Christmas Eve, we usually have a party at our house, and eat delicious food, share drinks, and listen to Christmas songs while exchanging presents. On Christmas morning, we spend family time together and open up our presents underneath the tree. It is a truly wonderful time of the year!

I wish all of my students a very Merry Christmas, and a wonderful New Year! See you in 2014!

Blog # 3: My favorite place

For you third blog post, please write 200 words about one or two of your favorite places, giving details about those places, and explaining why they are special to you. Please remember to follow the rules of paragraph writing, and write good English paragraphs!

My favorite place is Copper Harbor, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is located at the northernmost point of the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is a very beautiful, majestic place. Although it is in the same State of Michigan where I grew up, it is a 12 hour drive from my hometown of Detroit!

Copper Harbor is a small town on the very edge of Lake Superior, one of the biggest, deepest freshwater lakes in the world. The nature in the area is extremely beautiful.

Driving into Copper Harbor, you first travel through the amazing "Tunnel of Trees." It is a beautiful stretch of winding road that is covered on both sides by old trees.

After arriving in Copper Harbor, you are literally right on the edge of Lake Superior. The air is remarkably fresh, and at night, the sky is so clear that you can see countless stars, and sometimes even the Northern Aurora.

From the top of nearby Brockway Mountain, you have a panoramic view of the surrounding peninsula and lake. It is truly a sight to behold. I have traveled to and visited many amazing places in the world, but none of them compare to the beauty of Copper Harbor and Lake Superior.

Blog # 2: If I had ¥100,000,000...

For your second blog topic, please write 200 words about what you would do if you had ¥100,000,000! Here is my answer:

If I had ¥100,000,000 there are many things I would like to do. First, I would give about 1/3 of the money to charities, especially places in need of disaster relief like the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan. People there need medical supplies, food, shelter, and money to start rebuilding their infrastructure. This would be the first thing I did if I had ¥100,000,000.


With the next 1/3 of the money, I would put it into building a beautiful house. Right now, I am in the process of applying for a housing loan, and planning to build a house. But buying land and building a house in Japan is very expensive! So, with the next part of the money, I would put it into building a nice house on a beautiful piece of property.

Finally, I would spend the last 1/3 of the money on traveling. Every year, I go back to the US to visit my family and friends, which is also very expensive as I travel with my wife and two children. So, I would set aside the rest of the money to spend on traveling to the US, and also other places as well. I still have not visited Africa or South America, so I think I would plan for a nice family vacation to those places. What a nice dream, to have so much money to spend! I wonder how I can make the dream a reality?

Blog # 1: Self Introduction

Hello, and welcome to your first blog assignment of this semester! For your first topic, please write a 200 word self-introduction of yourself.

My name is Matthew Rooks, and I am the Head of English Education in the Department of Maritime Sciences at Kobe University. I was born in Detroit, Michigan, and have lived here in Japan for almost 13 years! I love Japan very much; the people, culture, food, history, mountains, oceans, and atmosphere are wonderful and amazing to me. I love to travel and see new places, meet new friends, and try out many different kinds of food and drink. Being able to travel all over the world has enriched my life and changed my perspective on things.

I also love my family and friends. Back in Michigan, USA, I have two brothers, my mom and dad, uncles, aunts, and cousins. I am married to a Japanese woman, so I also have a family here in Japan as well! I have lived in Fukuoka, Sanda, Takatsuki, and Kobe, and have many friends who live in all of those places. I am very lucky to have such a wonderful life. It is my hope that as an English teacher, I can help my students understand that learning a foreign language is one of the best ways to enrich our lives, spread peace and good will throughout the planet, and also get to know ourselves better in the process. I look forward to reading your blogs this semester!