Hello everyone, Blair here! Since we are all being safe as we can and staying inside, we all have a lot of time to watch TV, right? A few weeks ago, Mariam and I started watching a new K-POP Variety show called ‘Road to Kingdom’. This show takes 7 different boy groups and every week, they have to compete by putting together new performances that fit the theme. Fans can vote and when the show is finished, the top 2 teams will advance to a show called ‘Kingdom’. There they will have a chance to win a solo concert and have their new comeback heavily promoted. The show has been really exciting so far! As fans of K-POP, Mariam and I have been blown away by all the skill and effort put into each performance. It’s hard to pick favorites, but right now, we are rooting for The Boyz! Do you watch the show too? And do you have a favorite you want to win? If you see either Mariam or I in class, let us know what you think!

Two weeks ago I was riding my bike and my wheel got stuck in the road! I didn’t want to fall off my bike so I tried really hard to stay on even though the bike was going kind of crazy. My foot and lower leg got twisted in the bike frame so it hurt pretty badly. I went to the hospital and got crutches. It’s been a long time since I had to walk with crutches and it took a while to get used to it. For a week I had to ask for help just carrying books in and out of the classroom or opening a car door!

Since it’s been hard to move around or do anything by myself with crutches, I am really looking forward to being free again!! I don’t usually think I live a very active lifestyle, but now I realize how much I like to walk and ride my bike.

まだまだニュースや新聞は

この話題が多いですよね。

話を聞いていると

全国に出ている緊急事態宣言を

特定警戒都道府県以外の３４県で、

今日にも一括して解除することを検討しているとか。

はやく日常が戻ってきてほしいものです。

みなさんこんにちは！

もうかれこれ2カ月も学校は休校で、長い間不要不急の外出は控えるように言われていますね。

みなさんはこの自粛が終わったらなにをしたいですが？友達と会って一緒にカラオケをする、スポーツをまた一生懸命やる、色々あると思います！

ぼくはフットサルがしたいです！！もう2カ月以上やっていません。何より健康的な汗をまたかきたいです！うーんフットサルが恋しい！

それまではウイニングイレブンで我慢しておきます…

みなさんも今は我慢して、いつか思いっきりできる日までその楽しみをとっておきましょう！！

One of my favorite things about Gifu is Gifu Station. There’s an entire mall inside the station filled with cool shops, delicious restaurants, and an import grocer I spend far too much money at. When you exit the station, standards remain high, as there are beautiful plazas on either side of the station filled with trees, benches, and open space. When I first came to Japan, I’d spend several hours enjoying the amenities in and around Gifu Station every Friday. I’d shop inside and lounge under a tree in the plaza outside. I always looked forward to Fridays for this reason, and even if I don’t have so much spare time to wile away in this way anymore, I’ll still indulge occasionally.

In one of the plazas, there’s a big, golden statue of a very famous figure from Japanese history: Oda Nobunaga. It’s a prominent structure framed by the open plaza and manicured trees with Gifu City proper looming in the background. It’s quite a sight to take in when you exit the station, and even after a full year in Japan, I’m still blown away every time.

More recently, Nobunaga picked up a new accessory. He’s a model citizen and has been courteously setting an example for everyone when they’re out and about in public: wear a mask. That’s right! Nobunaga himself is wearing a cute, white, fabric mask these days, just like everybody else. It makes him feel like a lot more of an everyman these days than he was historically, and I personally find that dichotomy amusing. Now, every time I walk out of Gifu Station to see him, I’m not only awed but also entertained.

Stay safe out there, everybody!