Tourists who travel in rural areas of Japan in May can watch colorful fish-shaped objects fluttering in the wind. They are called koi-no-bori, namely, carps climbing upstream.
The fish objects are carps because carps are considered strong and beautiful fish in Japan. The carp streamers are a symbol of the ideal Japanese family. There are usually more than three fabric carps displayed, symbolizing the nuclear family.
The set should have the biggest one, the second biggest and the smallest. The biggest one on the top, usually painted in dark colors, represents the father. The size is usually seven meters long. The second one painted red, represents the mother, whose size is about five meters long.
The smallest one shows the child, whose size is about three meters long. If a family has more children, they should add the number of the small one. Since they are enormous, it is rare for families living in cites show off traditional carp streamers, but they hang smaller sets made of paper in their balconies, hoping that their children will grow up healthy and strong just like the carp streamers.
Photo by “Apr09(2009-04-30)308” by giu205 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
What fruit can you buy with 50 yen in Japan? A small
tangerine, maybe. In my hometown, you can buy a whole watermelon!
Hi. My name is Xie Yanan. I am a graduate student studying
laws at the University of Shimane. My hometown is in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
in China. Ningxia is famous for watermelons and grapes. The climate of Ningxia
is perfect for growing fruits. It is very hot during day and very cold during
night. So the fruits become very sweet.
China is
the country with the most watermelons planted in the world. In summer,
watermelons become very cheap in China. In my hometown, when watermelons are
the cheapest in summer, it only costs a few yuan per kilogram. If exchanges it
into Japanese yen, it may be less than 50 JPY for a whole watermelon. Even in
winter a whole watermelon is only 600 Japanese yen.
My family
usually stores a lot of watermelons in the warehouse in summer up to the point
that they can cover the ground of the storeroom. After returning home from the
outside, my family and I used to cut a watermelon in half, and everyone takes a
half and eat it with a spoon. The cold sweet juice is better than the air
conditioner.
In
addition to watermelons, grapes are also famous in my hometown. The latitude of
Ningxia is the same as that of France, which is a very suitable condition for
growing grapes. Because of this, wine production is flourishing in Ningxia. In
recent years, more and more international tourists, including Japanese, are
coming to Ningxia. Some of them come here are to attend international
conferences, others are for cultural exchange activities. I have also participated in many of these
activities as a volunteer. Then I found that many overseas guests choose to buy
a bottle of wine as a souvenir when they leave Ningxia.
Although
my hometown is generally known for the ancient city of Xixia Dynasty, it is
also famous for sweet watermelons and grapes. I hope someday you can visit
Ningxia and enjoy a great feast!
Photo by “June 7, 2013” by osseous is licensed under CC BY 2.0
With Shimane prefecture’s being one of the three corona virus free prefectures in Japan, the University of Shimane held the entrance ceremony on April 2, 2020 as scheduled.
In welcome address, the University Shimane’s
President, Dr. Masayoshi Kiyohara congratulated the 248 undergraduate and
graduate students, wishing a fruitful and enjoyable student life ahead. He
stated the college experiences form the foundation of an individual as it is
the time to foster various abilities such as creativity, understanding,
cooperation, overcoming difficulties through meeting a variety of new people.
Dr. Kiyohara encouraged the new students to
play an active part in various fields of the campus and community as the “anchors”
of the Faculty of Policy studies, as they are the last cohort of the faculty,
which will be reorganized into the Faculty of International Relations and the
Faculty of Regional Policy Studies in 2021.
Miss Momone Kakita made an oath on behalf
of the new students, promising that they would like to acquire foreign language
and communication abilities as well as expert knowledge on policy studies to
contribute to the development of society.
The entrance ceremony was shortened this year
for 20 minutes with health authorities recommending social distancing in order
to prevent the corona virus from spreading across Japan.
Announcing all the students’ names,
speeches by guests, singing songs and photo shooting were cancelled.
The mother of a freshman, who waited
outside of the auditorium, said that she was very pleased at the fact the
University of Shimane did not cancel the entrance ceremony, as it is a very
memorable day for parents.
Mr. Takenao Masuda, a male student, said he liked the short ceremony. For him the most memorable part of the ceremony was the song Dr. Kiyohara offered: The breeze of spring across the hills, to tell the start of new learning. He would like to learn a lot of new things so that he can become someone who can make people smile.
Despite the request of social distancing,
the freshmen hung out in front of the auditorium. They took photos and
discussed what to do for a week, because the orientation programs and classes will
be cancelled next week. They will have nothing to do until Monday, April 13.
Students were wondering when they would
receive their PC’s, how to log on the University’s wifi network, which courses
to register, etc. A lot of students were at loss because face to face
orientations were cancelled, and they must read written documents with college jargons
to navigate the first few weeks in a new environment.
When I was a
little kid, I remember celebrating the famous “Carnavales” tradition in
February. This celebration is celebrated very differently in different regions
of Peru, so I´m going to describe how it was celebrated in Lima, my city. There
was always a huge celebration in my neighborhood because we all knew each other
and played all day. In fact, we usually used to play with whole families as
teams. It was a “family war!” We used the big houses we lived in as “bunkers”
for our battles, and the “weapons” we used were classic water
balloons, water guns and buckets and handles. We would try to get the other
families wet while avoiding getting wet, ourselves.
The Carnavales
celebrations had the objective of getting people wet with water and paint, even
if we didn’t know them! So it was a water war, everyone versus everyone else.
However,
because people got carried away, Carnavales sometimes created some problems and
generated petty crime. Criminals from the lower-income suburbs around Lima
loved Carnavales, also, because they could bother people and take the
opportunity to rob them. Likewise, people on the streets also bothered
passengers on the buses and sometimes caused some accidents like breaking the bus
windows.
When I was
small, this type of “Carnavales” was a common celebration in Lima, but a few
years ago, the City Government created a law against it, so I will not be able
to watch my own future children take part in this custom.
In recent times, Peru has been facing an alarming
Venezuelan immigration situation. As we know well, Venezuela is going through a
hard political situation right now because of the dictatorship with which it is
being governed and the consequences of the bad decisions of its president
himself. So many Venezuelans have been forced to immigrate to other countries
to fight the shortages with which the country currently lives with in terms of
food, medicine, security, jobs, etc. Peru is one of the countries that has
received the most Venezuelans since 2016, going from 6615 to 864,214
Venezuelans in that same year; however, every day the figures of Venezuelans
coming into the country increases. For Peru, this is the biggest wave of
immigration that has crossed into our borders in the 21st century. Likewise,
Peru is the country with the second largest number of Venezuelan immigrants.
The place where most immigrants have come and become
strongest is mainly the capital of Peru, Metropolitan Lima, where 84% of
Venezuelan immigrants are concentrated. They are also located in the main
provinces of the 3 regions of Peru. On the coast, they are in cities such as
Trujillo, Piura, Chiclayo and Chimbote; in the Amazon region, they are in
places such as Puerto Maldonado, Moyobamba and Iquitos and in the Andes Mountains,
they have settled in places like Huancayo, Huánuco and Arequipa. Currently,
until mid-July of this year, more than 850,000 Venezuelan immigrants have been
recorded as settling in Peru on a permanent basis.
As I mentioned earlier, it is considered an alarming
immigration, since from the beginning there were no precautions for the entry
of so many Venezuelans to Peru, and, since there was not a correct entry
process, many Venezuelans, even with criminal records back in Venezuela, have
entered, and that has also increased the crime rate in the Peru. In turn, many Venezuelan
immigrants have not found stable jobs, so they offer their labor at a price
well below normal, making many companies or employers prefer to pay a
Venezuelan less for the same job instead of paying a Peruvian the minimum wage
that by law corresponds to him. Many of the Venezuelans finding no job
opportunities have found themselves in need of illegal work on the streets
offering commercial products or food products from their country. In a survey
of residents in Lima this year, 67% disapprove of the immigration of Venezuelan
citizens to Peru, and only 23% consider this immigration positive. The first
percentage is because Venezuelan immigration has increased crime and criminal
activities, as well as because there are more and more people willing to work
at a lower price, which affects the jobs of Peruvians. This percentage is not
only a simple perception, but according to the Minister of Labor and Employment
Promotion in Peru, Sylvia Cáceres, the presence of Venezuelans in Peru does
affect the Peruvian labor market.
Turning now to personal experiences or perspectives,
it has not particularly affected me directly. I do not consider myself
xenophobic, and I am very aware that when we Peruvians go through difficult
political and financial situations, we also migrate to other countries, so that
is not the problem, really. Also, of the few personal experiences that I have
had in which I have met Venezuelans, it has been for some service that they
offer, such as delivery or food sales, and the majority of these experiences
have been positive. I think that they are integrating into Peruvian society
better all the time and that we are one their side. I am surprised by the good
spirit and attitude of many. Of course it is not the same for everyone, but in
general, I personally have no problem with them. I think what is being formed
today in Peru is like an interculturality between Venezuela and Peru.
However, I believe that I cannot ignore the current
situation, either, because I know people who are very close, such as family
members or friends, who have been directly affected by this immigration either
at work or in their daily lives through a criminal act in which one or more of
the criminals were Venezuelans. A few days ago, my aunt was removed from a job
where she had been working for 4 years in a row. The reason she was told that
she was fired is that they found a replacement who would be paid a lower
salary, so the company preferred that other person. This is not the only case:
this happens every day. On the other hand, recently, a classmate from my
university was robbed of his cell phone by two Venezuelan citizens when he was
on his way to the university. He was also beaten, and cases like these can be
heard every day. However, we cannot generalize, and many Venezuelans are very
friendly, respectful and eager to work and get ahead, and of course the
situation they are going through as a country makes the situation for them more
and more complicated. In the same way, I am not against immigration to my
country, but I think that the government should take greater care and regulate
the permits that are being granted for the entry of Venezuelan citizens,
because it is not bad to help people from other countries, above all in times
of crisis, but it is not good that finally others are affected by simply not
having the proper care and security in the regularization of income to Peru.
There
are a lot of aspects in our daily lives that are important due to our style of
life, the culture of our society or simply just a repetitive action with
friends that has become important. Everything we do builds up what we could
call “traditions.”
Taking
this into consideration, one important aspect in my life is the day I spend
with my family every week. Every week on Sunday, I go out with family for the
entire full day. We visit some interesting places, buy groceries at the
supermarket and—the most joyful activity for me—eat delicious food. We usually
tend to try a new restaurant with interesting flavors, such as a restaurant serving
Chinese food, Japanese food, Thai food, or seafood. After eating, we make comments
to one another about how the food was, if it was served well, tasted good and
had a good price. According to these
three factors, we make a list of the top ten restaurants we should go again.
There
is another important event in Peru, but it´s not my family’s custom. It is an
important event in my friends’ lives. Every member of their family believes in
the Lord of Miracles, so every year on the 28th or 29th
day of October, they go to the parade where they follow the Lord of Miracles
through many streets until they reach the end point.
Like
the activities previously mentioned, there a lot more in many other families,
which, in the end, form our culture as a society.
“These photos were taken at
Sara Sara’s Restaurant on August 23th by the waitress and my sister,
respectively. In the first photo, my family and I were eating seafood. I am the
girl in glasses on the left. The second photo shows a plate of rice with
seafood like seashells, shrimp and octopus, a typical Peru dish.”
By Alina Bastian (Technische Universität Dresden), ESAN University
The Bundesliga, the professional football league of
Germany, is loved in Germany, enjoying incomparable national importance in the
sporting area. It has been around since the 1963/64 season. Every weekend, its 18 football teams compete
against each other twice, making for 34 matches altogether.
What is special about it, however, is the enthusiasm
going into it. Not only does Germany have an immense number of fan clubs, public
viewing events and sports bars, etc., soccer is an common interest for most
people. This means that football, and especially the Bundesliga, is appreciated
by the general public rather than just by football or sports enthusiasts. If
you do not like football, for instance, and do not take any interest in it at
all, people would be surprised by this response, as it is perceived as rather
unusual.
Consequently, a very common ritual among Germans in
general and families in particular is to have Saturday dinner in front of the
TV while watching the “Sportschau”, a review of all the Bundesliga matches of
the weekend up to that point.
In my memory, this ritual was a special event for my
brother and me, and we looked forward to it even though it took place every
week. Many German children are already quite into football, playing video games
such as FIFA and collecting and trading stickers and cards showing the current
players of each team in the Bundesliga. Boys and girls are often almost equally
participative in these activities. The merchandise revolving around the Bundesliga
is also extensive. I do not think I know anyone from Germany who did not own at
least one piece of football-related merchandise as a child.
Football is also a very popular topic to talk about.
While small talk is not very common in Germany (there is actually not even a
German word for it), talking about football could certainly serve a similar
purpose. Insofar, football is not just a national sport: it is much more than
that. And even if you do not care about it substantially, you would probably
still have gone to at least one Bundesliga match in your lifetime if you are Germany.
By Fiorella Alexandra Palomino Gutierrez, ESAN University
A Peruvian college student’s final semesters are full of pre-professional internships that are required by the University for graduation. So you must deal with both exams and your internship, and it is very stressful. Each week an intern work 30 hours and also goes to classes. So one of our main customs as Peruvian university students is to spend the weekends in a pleasant way: eating out, going out to have fun with friends or spending time with your family.
Peru is known worldwide as the
country of gastronomy because our dishes are spectacular, the best known being
ceviche and causa rellena, seen in the picture. On
weekends we can spend time going to eat at different restaurants or
traveling across the city to try different dishes offered in different parts of
Lima. There are certain districts of the capital where you can find the best
desserts and the best drinks. There are also places where you can enjoy a
spectacular ceviche, which is a dish of raw fish marinated in lime juice with
onions and hot peppers. There is nothing better to accompany your ceviche than
a sea view. One of the districts of Lima is Callao, where you can enjoy this
delicious, healthy dish with a spectacular view of the sea.
“Causa rellena covered in ceviche.” Photo credit: https://images.app.goo.gl/S4KESMmkjTjJ4knGA
Second, many of us go out and enjoy a Saturday
night with friends. We sometimes go to a bar or a nightclub to discuss the
various things that occurred during the week as we eat various snacks or a
traditional “Pisco sour,” our national cocktail, or other drinks made from
different fruits like passionfruit or strawberry. Also, if you want a party
atmosphere, you can opt for a club. Many are located in the districts of
Miraflores and Barranco, which have spacious room to enjoy contemporary music
and fashion.
“A typical nightclub in Peru.” Photo credit: https://images.app.goo.gl/cJL49uW4MxQ2ZkTq8
Finally, many weekends the family “escapes” or
plans a short family trip outside of Lima. In many cases, Peruvians consider
ourselves very homey, and we expect that we will spend the weekends with our
families. We might watch movies or go to the theater. There are always suitable
movies and plays to see with our families as we eat our popcorn and soda combos.
Also, because some families have a family vehicle, they decide to leave Lima
for a day or a half-day so they can enjoy the different landscapes that are
around the capital to breathe fresh air and enjoy a bit of nature.
“A boat trip to the Ballestas Islands south of Lima. The Ballestas Islands are home to many wild animals, including penguins and sea lions.” Photo credit: https://images.app.goo.gl/pGut2ozgSzaeEyjg6
A specific custom my friends and
I have is to have a monthly get-together. The first thing we do is that we each
put a certain amount of money into a common pot. Each month, a different friend
gets to keep all of that money. Each friend has his month to keep the money. We
have done this for the past two years. Every year we increase the amount of
money we put in.
Apart from this,
we also watch movies, go out to eat, cook meat on a grill, buy some drinks,
etc. We do all we can so that on a holiday, we can, in the end, get together.
These types of situations unite us more as friends who now feel more like
brothers. Whenever one needs help, there is always another one to support him.
For example, lately one of us moved out of his house, and we all went to help
move his things and then went out to eat (which is something we always do when
we get together). Well, that is a little bit of what we do in my closest group
of friends.
“This is our last picture on the Green Coast in Miraflores, a district of Lima. I am the person on the far left.” Photo credit: My friend Antony Estrella Baldeon.
I was born in Huancayo,
which is a city in the Peruvian Andes located in Junin within the Mantaro
Valley.
One of the things I like
most about being from Huancayo, Peru is that our food is one of the most
interesting pleasures there is. I grew up in a family where food was the most
important thing. Now, in my adulthood, I’ve made it just as important. When Peruvians
invites people into their homes to share food, it is from the heart, so that
the pleasure of eating it is more enjoyable.
A few weeks ago, some
relatives came to my home for my sister’s birthday celebration. The main event
was the meal, which was prepared that day to enjoy all together. We served
large portions, and many of us had seconds. I have been able to observe throughout
all these years that the dish that is most commonly prepared for important
celebrations is carapulcra, which is a stew made from freeze-dried potato and
pork. If the pork is roasted, the flavor obtained is more than delicious.
I think somehow enjoying food at home is the most
important thing, because that’s where parents and children ask one another how
their day was, and family connections are strengthened with a rich plate of
food that gives strength and love. There’s a saying I’ve always heard from my
mom and grandmother: “Where five people can eat, six or seven can eat.” That’s
why I think it’s important to interact at lunch and at all kinds of meals.
“My sister’s birthday celebration, which included
family and close friends. My cousin, Leslie Malpica Chavez,
took the picture.”
“The dish prepared was carapulcra, and I
took this photo.”
