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12月号ザックinジャパン

皆さん、こんにちは!珠洲市国際交流員のザックです。今回は12月号の広報すずに載っていたザックinジャパンを英訳して、アップしました。今回のテーマは冬の遊びや飲食料です。原文の日本語はここです。興味のある方はぜひ読んでみてください!

Hello again everybody, it's Zac, the friendly neighborhood Coordinator of International Relations in Suzu! I've translated and uploaded the December edition of my newsletter column, Zac in Japan. The theme this time is winter activities, food and drinks. You can find the original Japanese here (first link down with a 12 in it). I hope you enjoy!


All of a sudden, winter is here! During the summer, I was actually looking forward to winter, but when the time came to set up my kotatsu and kerosene heater again, I felt like I should have known better. Getting out of bed into the cold winter air that fills my apartment is also not something I was looking forward to in the least. However, there are quite a number of fun things to do and delicious things to eat during the winter, so those are what I look forward to every day.

The winter in California, where I lived from age 3 to the time I graduated from high school, the “winter” is truly winter in but name alone. Apart from having gone skiing with friends and family a few times, I really didn’t have much experience with winter growing up. However, both before and after I lived there, I lived in places with real winters, so it’s by no means the case that I don’t have any experience with winter at all. For example, I first lived in the Boston suburb of Newton from the time I was born till I turned three. During my time there, my parents were in the habit of bundling me up in layers and layers of warm jackets, then setting me out in the snow to strengthen my cold tolerance. Also, I went to college in rural Massachusetts, so I had ample opportunities to interact with snow while I was there, as well. Of course there were snowball fights, but, in between classes, we’d also steal dining hall trays and sled down the hills on campus. We also made snowmen, and every year in the center of campus, there would be a snow sculpture contest. The winter there was very very cold, but because of all the fun things to do, it was actually my favorite season.

But more than anything, what I remember about the winter is deliciousness. It’s often said that the food in winter is the most delicious, but what I look forward to most about the winter is actually the drinks. In America, hot chocolate is the standard beverage for cold, wintry days. I have countless memories of coming home to a warm house, and drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows to warm myself up. Apart from hot chocolate, when winter comes along, I find myself wanting to drink “eggnog.” Eggnog is a sweet drink enjoyed by all kinds of people made from eggs, milk or cream, and sugar. It’s also pretty common for adults to drink it mixed with rum, whisky, or other liquors, but I always preferred its flavor unsullied by liquor. America doesn’t have very many limited edition seasonal items, but for whatever reason, eggnog is one. The day it disappears form supermarket shelves every year is always a very sad one for me.

There are a lot of days lately when it gets to the point where no matter how much hot chocolate you drink, even after getting under the kotatsu, you still can’t seem to get yourself warm, but the winter is just getting started. I’ve already brought out my kerosene heater for the year, so, just like the announcements tell me, I’ll make sure the fire is off every night before going to bed at nine!
# by suzukankounavi | 2014-01-24 12:58

11月号ザックinジャパン

皆さん、こんにちは!珠洲市国際交流員のザックです。11月号のザックinジャパンを英訳してアップしました!今回のテーマはアメリカの感謝祭、「サンクスギビング」です。興味のある方はぜひ読んでみてください!原文の日本語はここで見られます。

Hello again everybody, it's Zac, Suzu's friendly neighborhood Coordinator for International Relations. Once again, I've translated and uploaded one of my newsletter articles, this time the November edition, which I wrote about Thanksgiving. You can find the original Japanese version here, and I hope you enjoy!


For most of fall this year, the heat from summer has stuck around, and it hasn’t felt very much like fall at all. However, now that it’s gotten to be November, it’s finally starting to get a bit fall-y. Speaking of November, I can’t help but think of Thanksgiving, an American holiday held on the 4th Thursday of November every year. As the name suggests, it’s a holiday when families gather to give thanks for their blessings in the year.

Going back quite some time, it has been common for religious leaders to declare days of thanksgiving after harvests, victories in war, or the like. In similar fashion, the American Thanksgiving began as a celebration to mark the first harvest by the British colonists in Massachusetts. It’s often said that this thanksgiving was a feast that the colonists organized to thank the Native Americans for helping them to survive through the harvest, but evidence for this seems to be scarce. Also, the colonists treated the Native Americans with extreme cruelty at that time, and their treatment only worsened as time went on. So, because the narrative of Thanksgiving also often includes the relationship between the European colonists and the Native Americans, a sizable number of people oppose Thanksgiving because of how awful that history is.

The modern Thanksgiving, however, is generally a time when families gather to prepare and eat a large meal together. Of course, customs vary from family to family, but the most commonly eaten food is turkey, which is why Thanksgiving is sometimes referred to as “Turkey Day.” Dishes utilizing fall vegetables are also very common. For example, standard fare includes “candied yams,” a confusingly named dish made from sugared sweet potatoes (not yams), and pumpkin pie.

Additionally, in the last decade or so, the day after Thanksgiving has become an important day in its own right. Called “Black Friday,” it has come to be the day that marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Many stores offer very deep discounts, and thousands of people will line up early in the morning to be the first to take advantage of these bargains. In fact, for the last decade, it has been the busiest shopping day of the year.

Growing up, I always would look forward to Thanksgiving as a time to eat large amounts of delicious food with my family, so it’s easy to get homesick when I can’t make it back. So, maybe this year, as a way to alleviate this feeling a little, I’ll try to make myself some of the pumpkin pie that my mom would always make. But, since I’m in Suzu, maybe I can use some local kabocha and give it a touch of my new home as well!
# by suzukankounavi | 2014-01-23 11:35

10月号ザックinジャパン英訳

皆さん、こんにちは!珠洲市国際交流員のザックです。10月号のザックinジャパンをアップさせていただきます。10月号のテーマは新たに来た飯田高校のALT、キラ・リチャーズの紹介です。いつもとちょっと違って、インタビュー系にしました。そして、英語でインタビューしましたので、広報すずに出たのは翻訳した文章で、ここでアップしたのは原文です。では、興味のある方はぜひ読んでみてください!そして、日本語版はここでご覧になれます。

Hello again everybody, this is Zac, the Coordinator for International Relations in Suzu! Once again I'm uploading an English version of one of my articles from the Suzu Newsletter. This is the October edition, and in it I introduced the new high school ALT in Suzu, Kira Richards. To shake things up a bit from usual, I did the article in interview format. Also different from usual, since I interviewed her in English, what I'm uploading here is actually the original version, and what appeared in the newsletter (you can find it here, it's the topmost one with a 10) is the translated one. I hope you enjoy it!


One fateful day in August, Suzu received a new ALT named Kira Richards. Since arrival, this Kira Richards has been teaching English at Iida High School, participating in sports days and culture festivals, baking cakes, and otherwise thriving in the city of Suzu. Thus, this month, so as to introduce her to all of you, I sat down with Kira for a brief interview.

Z: Welcome to Suzu! What’s your impression of it so far?

K: I think it’s a very beautiful town, the people are very very kind. So far my overall impression is very good, I like it a lot here.

Z: What got you interested in Japan and have you been to Japan before?

K: This is my first time to Japan. I would say that my interest in Japan started when I was in high school when one of my aunts, actually great aunts, taught me to do ikebana flower arranging. And I was really impressed by how precisely all the flowers had to be arranged and how each one had a place and I thought it was very beautiful. And that really got me interested in Japanese culture.

Z: Where are you from in the US?

K: I am from right outside Washington, DC in the state of Maryland.

Z: Next, tell me about your hobbies? Is there anything you’re looking to try out while you’re in Suzu?

K: My hobbies back home: I love cooking, I really like to garden, I’m also really into ceramics. One thing that I really wanna pick up while I’m here is taiko drumming.

Z: Taiko you can totally do, there’s a lot of kids that do it nearby. Next up, and you might be able to fill in more of these, but since I’ve been here, I’ve noticed that there seems to be a set of questions one gets asked frequently, so I thought it might be fun to just go through some of those real quick. So, number one, are you ok with Japanese food?

K: I love Japanese food! I have yet to meet a kind of Japanese food that I do not like.

Z: What about natto?

K: I actually really like the taste of natto!

Z: Really? Woah! Number two! How do you feel about raw fish?

K: I actually prefer most of my meats raw. Of course I’ll cook chicken and pork, but I just kind of lightly sear my steak, and other red meats when I eat them.

Z: At the very least, steak is better on the rare side. Speaking of food, can you use chopsticks?

K: Yes! Sometimes I look like a retarded ape, but normally the food gets from my plate to my mouth.

Z: That’s the most important thing. Uh…

K: No, I do not have a boyfriend!

Z: Oh! That’s definitely a frequent one. Next, since coming to Suzu/Japan, what’s the thing that’s surprised you the most? I never know how to answer that one, maybe I can steal your answer.

K: I don’t know…I think just cultural differences as a whole. Each one is a small thing, but the pile up to make a big difference. I don’t know if this is appropriate to write, but I think that the strict gender roles is the biggest difference. I’d also say how polite people are.

Z: Yeah, that’s true, especially for people working in shops. You’ll get surprised when you go back to America. Ok, last question: what’s your biggest goal for while you’re here in Suzu?

K: Well, my first goal would have to be getting better at Japanese! I want to teach the students not only about English, but about American culture! I want to give them a window to the world I grew up in. I also want to climb all three holy mountains. While wearing pink.
# by suzukankounavi | 2014-01-22 14:51

9月号ザックinジャパン英訳

皆さん、こんにちは!珠洲市国際交流員のザックです。9月号の広報すずに載っていた「ザックinジャパン」を英訳して、ここにアップします!書いていたときは私が珠洲へ来たときから一年、初めて日本へ来たときから10年が経ったところでしたから、その時間を振り返って書いたものです。面白く読んでいただければと思います。原文の日本語はここです。

Hello again everybody, it's Zac, Suzu's Coordinator for International Relations. I've translated the September edition of my column, "Zac in Japan," written for the Suzu Newsletter and uploaded it here. At the time I was writing it, it had been one year since I first arrived in Suzu, and 10 years since the first time I had come to Japan, so I wrote it reflecting back on my experiences. I hope you enjoy it! You can find the original Japanese, here (should be the topmost entry with a 9 in it).


Woah! It feels like it went by in the blink of an eye, but it’s been a whole year since I came to Suzu! At the same time, though, it also feels like I’ve been here for a very long time. The more time I spend here, the better I get to know the people and the area, and it always brightens my day when people say hi to me as I’m making my way around town. Of course, it’s not like anything is going to change all of a sudden now that a year has gone by, but such a round number does put one in an introspective mood.

By far the thing that’s most noticeably changed in the last year is my Japanese abilities. When I first came, using Japanese all day would leave me exhausted at the end of each day, often passing out soon after getting home. However, these days, I’ve gotten used to it and functioning in Japanese no longer requires much energy at all. Additionally, I’ve learned a lot of things this year, but easily the most important among those is the importance of community. Things like running into trouble or feeling lonely are a part of life, but if one lives in a place like Suzu where there is such a strong sense of community, it’s much easier to get through those times thanks to all the community members ready and willing to help.

Along similar lines, I’m also continually impressed by the sense of connection between people in Suzu. I was most strongly struck by this while participating in the Ekiden and Suzu’s various festivals. At the Ekiden, for example, I felt a very strong sense of affinity with not just the other people running for Wakayama-machi, but also with everyone else running that day, the people who came out of their houses to cheer the runners on, and the people following the runners in cars to offer words of encouragement. It felt as if everybody in Suzu was coming together to support each other by means of this event. In the same way, people deepen their ties with each other through Suzu’s festivals, as well, coming together in celebration as they push around the yamas and kirikos that they’ve built and maintained together over the years.

I’m extremely grateful to everyone in Suzu for what’s been a fantastic year. Also, since the first time I came to Japan was in the summer of 2003, this summer doesn’t just mark one year in Suzu, but also 10 full years of Zac-Japan Relations! Even among those very significant years, this past year in Suzu will stand out as a particularly memorable one. Here’s hoping that Zac-Japan Relations continue to blossom for at least another ten years!


9月号ザックinジャパン英訳_a0161974_14314563.jpg

Me from the time I went to Toyokawa as part of a sister city exchange. It’s been 10 years since then, but I haven’t changed that much, have I?
# by suzukankounavi | 2014-01-22 14:32

ザックinジャパン 8月号英訳

皆さん、こんにちは!珠洲市国際交流員のザックです。

お久しぶりですね!こんなに長い間アップしなくてすみません!やっと8月号の広報すずに出た記事を英訳してアップさせていただきます。面白く読んでいただければと思います!原文の日本語はこちらです。

Hello again everybody! It's Zac, the Coordinator for International Relations in Suzu again, and I have at long last uploaded the August edition of my article in the newsletter! I apologize for having taken so long. If you'd like to see it in the original Japanese, you can do so here (it came out in August, so it's the topmost link with an 8 in it).


This past month, I returned to America for about a week for my cousin Whit’s wedding in South Carolina. Almost my whole family gathered for the occasion, and it was a great chance to see them again. It was also great to see Whit and his fiancée (now wife), Mary Pat, looking so happy. As I was watching the ceremony and the associated proceedings, I couldn’t help but wonder how this kind of wedding might be different from one in Japan. So, as a way of introducing American wedding customs, I thought I’d give an overview of Whit and Mary Pat’s wedding.

First of all, in America, besides the wedding itself, there are a lot of other parties and events surrounding it. For example, the night before the wedding, my cousin’s family held a “rehearsal dinner.” As the name suggests, the bride, groom, and their respective wedding parties rehearse the wedding, and then invite their family and friends for a huge dinner party. Whit and his family are very fond of their home state, and so all of the food was authentic South Carolina cuisine. The stars of the menu were the delicious barbeque and the Frogmore Stew, a seafood boil containing shrimp, corn and sausage.

The next day was the wedding ceremony itself. Of course, there’s a lot of variety in American weddings, but I think that Whit and Mary Pat’s was fairly traditional. First, the attendees filed into Mary Pat’s church, followed soon after by Whit and the bridal party, who lined up at the altar. Once everybody was assembled, Mary Pat’s father escorted her down the aisle to the altar, where Whit was standing. By the way, there’s a superstition about this phase of the ceremony. It’s said to be bad luck if the groom sees the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding. A lot of couples follow this superstition, but there are also a lot of couples who ignore it and preview each other’s wedding outfits. Back to the ceremony, after Mary Pat made it to the altar, the pastor said a few words, she and Whit exchanged rings, kissed, and brought the ceremony to a close.

Soon after the ceremony’s end came the final wedding event, the reception: a party with ample food, drink and dancing. This party is also where one traditionally gives gifts to the bride and groom at this reception. In Japan one generally gives money, but in America it’s most common to give things that the bride and groom can use in their married life. For example, I gave them a diatomaceous earth grill from Suzu.
Seeing my cousin Whit get married, and also getting to see so many relatives, especially some that I hadn’t seen in almost 15 years, was a lot of fun. Even so, the trip between America and Japan is always a long one, and I was also happy to finish the trip, come back to my life in Suzu and be able to rest.
# by suzukankounavi | 2014-01-22 14:24


石川県の最先端!能登半島 珠洲市の観光ブログです。


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