Something I Like to Do in Summer and Winter

By Narumi Ota

I like to eat “nabe” (say na-bay) with my family and friends in winter. “Nabe” is one of the most famous Japanese foods. We put vegetables and meat in a pot in which is put hot water. After that, we simmer it. That’s how to cook “nabe.” After it’s heated, we eat with dipping in a sauce containing soy sauce and vinegar. It’s easier to cook than other foods, and it makes us warm quickly. Recently, a lot of sauces for “nabe” are sold in the grocery store, for example, miso, kimchi, soybean milk and so on. When it becomes winter, we often eat “nabe.” Now I want to eat “nabe”!!!

My Favorite Clothing

By Iryna Semenuchka

I like comfortable clothing. I have many pants in my wardrobe. There are black and blue jeans. There are white classic pants and there are dark blue pants. There are many dresses on the hangers. In my wardrobe, there are grey, white, and pink blouses.

What I am Looking for in Friends - Writing 2

By Jason Gao

Friend is a special word for me. Not everyone who I know can be defined as a friend. People can have a lot of friends, but it depends how they define the word friend. When people ask me do I have friends here or do I have a lot of friends, my answer might be yes. On the other hand, if people ask me do I have a lot of good friends or close friends, I might say no. It is hard to have a lot of good friends and close friends. When I define a person as a friend, they need to be friendly, helpful, and honest to me.

Friendly is the bottom line of what I look for in friends. If people cannot even be nice to me, then how can I expect them to be my friends? My friends are all friendly to me. They like to chat with me and sometimes to joke with me. Sometimes I will not happy with the jokes, but we will be fine in a short time. When I travel to my friends’ city they will come to see me although they are very busy. They will take me out for meals and take me to the good places in their city. It wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that I don’t even spend any money when I go to visit my friends.

           

Second, I will consider helpfulness when I am looking for friends. All my good friends and close friends are helpful to me. It doesn’t mean I am going to use them or set them up. A real friend will help me when I have a hard time. For example, when I need to borrow some money, they will lend the money to me without any excuses. People who are not your real friends or close friends might say they don’t have that much money or they are too busy. After you passed your hard period they will hypocritically ask me about my period. At this point, I already know who my real friends are. The real friend is a timely assistant not icing on the cake.

           

The third condition is honesty. Honesty is very important when I am looking for friends. I want a person who can tell the truth to me. I don’t need a perfunctory person. Usually when people are suddenly very good to you, it means they want to get something from you. My good friends will give me good advice when I am gong to do something stupid or wrong. The friends who are honest can help me to improve my shortcomings. Trustworthiness is a kind of honesty; my friends are trustworthy because they are never late for the appointments. They will pay me back as soon as possible after I lent the money to them.

           

In conclusion, friendliness, helpfulness, and honesty are most important for me when I am looking for a friend. If a person can satisfy these conditions, that means we have a chance to be good friends, but it is very hard to have good friends and close friends. Therefore if you have good friends around you, please treasure them.

What I Look for in a Friend - Writing 2

By Pamela den Ouden

When I was in grade five, I went to a new school. There, I met a new friend. After a short while, we were inseparable. Her family lived three blocks from my family. We used to run home from school at lunch and eat at her place. We almost always ate the same thing: tomato soup with lots of crackers broken up in it and a glass of milk. Then we would dash back to school, often getting there just as the bell was ringing. We spent a lot of time together doing other activities. We would walk each other home or stand at the corner talking, not wanting to leave each other. This friend exemplified the qualities that I still look for in a friend: reliability, an easy-going personality, and generosity.

First, when Valerie said she would meet me to walk to Girl Guides together, I could count on her to be at the corner at the pre-arranged time because she was reliable. This quality is still important to me. I want my friends to be reliable. If I call them because I have a problem, I want to be able to count on them to help me out. For example, once I had a flat tire. I had never changed a tire before, so I called a friend, and he came within a half-hour to help me. This is also the kind of friend I try to be. I think reliability shows respect for the other person and their time.

Next, an easy-going personality is a strong quality in a friend. I don’t need friends who stress me out! I want friends who get along with others and aren’t trouble-makers. They like to relax and talk about everyday things and also important issues. As I remember, Valerie was this kind of friend to me. I remember laughing a lot and talking, talking, talking! I think I am more easy-going now than I was when I was younger, and I hope this is an attractive quality to the people I meet.

Most importantly, generosity is a hallmark in a good friend. Generosity means giving of time, giving of attention, and maybe sometimes even giving of money. It’s hard for me to call people “friends” if, every time I call them up to invite them to go for coffee, to a movie, or another event, they are always busy doing something else. It’s hard, too, if they never call me up! Friends have to have time or make time for each other. Valerie and I certainly had that kind of friendship.

The word “friend” has taken on a new meaning with the advent of Facebook. “Friend” is a verb, and “unfriend” is a verb. It seems as if some people are in a contest to see how many friends they can have. I’ve seen people with 1,236 friends. Really? These are not the kind of friends I want. I still want friends who are reliable, easy-going, and generous.

My Autobiography as a Writer

By Pamela den Ouden

Writing is part of my everyday life. Not a day goes by that I don’t pick up a pencil, pen, felt marker, crayon, or coloured pencil to write something. Daily, I use my computer to write various things: e-mails, blogs, status updates on Facebook, and chat online with friends. Not only has writing always been an important part of my life, it is also one of my favourite things to do.

I have always enjoyed keeping a diary. Before the days of computers, I wrote by hand in books made especially for journaling. I have many of these in a box in my closet. Most of them start well, often on New Year’s Day. The problem with keeping a diary is that it is supposed to be written in every day. January—a new start! By the end of the month, however, days are missing, and then I might leave some blank pages, thinking that I’d fill them in later. That “later” never happened, so the book was abandoned. Once friends and family knew that I was a diary writer, they always gave me very beautiful journals for my birthday or Christmas. Now, however, I try to discourage this because I use Word documents to write my journal. This is more convenient and faster for me, and I can write more by typing than by handwriting.

Another kind of writing that has been important to me is letter writing. Although e-mail is very quick to write and send, I think it is wonderful to receive a letter by Canada Post. I have a sister who lives on the other side of Canada and several friends who have moved away from Fort St. John who regularly write me handwritten letters and postcards. Nothing brightens my day like recognizing their handwriting on an envelope in my mailbox. I think they are also cheered when they see my handwriting on an envelope in their mailbox. I have many letters that I have kept over the years. My letters to my friends are, in a sense, a journal of my life.

Finally, believe it or not, I have also enjoyed doing school assignments and essays. This kind of writing takes time, thought, and patience, Each sentence has to be carefully written and proofread. I have written many essays on lots of different topics. The most difficult writing for me was my Master’s thesis, but the sense of accomplishment when it was finished was very good.

When we write, we let a little bit of ourselves out into the universe. We send a bit of our soul to another person. It is a great way to share our thoughts, feelings, and day-to-day life.

My Autobiography as a Writer

By Hasna Harkoucha

I learned how to write when I was six years old. My mother taught me how to write Arabic word and my father taught me how to write French word. The first time I want to start school I was so excited to meet new children, and to learn more words in Arabic and French. In the elementary school I learned how to draw letters. To make simple words with letters and to paint it. It was very exciting level I learned the correct way to write letters and their uses.

In the secondary school I used these words to write simple sentences. And I used also these words for simple writing.

In the high school I used my writing to write a diary and to send message to my friends and to email them and to chat on the internet.

Finally at the college my writing  has many uses, I used my writing to study to fill the forms for my university

            

My Autobiography as a Writer

By Hiroshi Aono

I think that I learned words from my mother before entering preschool. I don’t remember how I could write words, but I think it was a step toward to a writer. When I entered the elementary school, I began to learn more difficult words. At the elementary school, I learned many words which I use even now. For examples, kanji, katakana, and hiragana. This three types of handwriting are often used and important for Japanese. That is to say, I think that while I was a elementary school student, I learned these handwriting and so many words to use in the future. Writing compositions are especially useful for me because it is needed so many words and correct grammar. When I was a junior high school student, I learned more difficult words. Why could I have been kept this until now? I think that it is needed to live until I die. 

My Autobiography as a Writer

By Yuichi Minamino

When I was a student of elementary school, I wrote a composition for the first time. But I didn't like write a composition. Because writing tired my hands. I wrote noncommittal compositions between junior high school and high school. So I didn't write only a few compositions. But when I became a student of university, I had to write a report. So I was in trouble.

My Autobiography as a Writer

By Misa Nishiguchi

 When I was elementary school student, I learned Japanese calligraphy. Before I learn Japanese calligraphy I didn’t know how to write right form of Japanese calligraphy. My teacher was so strict. Every day I was scold from my teacher. I didn’t like my teacher. Because of my children mind, I couldn’t understand importance of writing beautiful form. But I continued learning Japanese right form. One day there is competition of Japanese calligraphy. I joined it. My teacher became stricter than before. It was so bad for me. But I was so hard to write it. And I could be No.2 in competition. I was really happy. Then I could understand the exciting of writing and importance of beautiful form. And my teacher said “you are so good student for me. Your Japanese calligraphy was No.1 for me”. So I was surprised. It was the first time to praise me. But I quit writing calligraphy. 

My Autobiography as a Writer

By Niko Fang

I learned how to write my name from my grandfather . He is my first writing teacher in my life. Although my Chinese name is complicated and hard to write, he was still very patient on with me. I remembered I had practiced over 20 pages of that notebook. Then I went to elementary school until I was 8 years old. I was so scared to stay in the school with teachers, because they looked very serious to me.  After 1 week, I found out my teachers were so gentle and warm. I loved learning words and writing sentences from them. Few years later, I learned how to write a paragraph. I still remembered that my first paragraph was talking about my childish story. Although  it wasn’t a very good story to talk about, my teacher still posted on our student union. I was so shy and glad, but it really encouraged me to became a writer.

How You Use Writing

By Anna Fuse

It’s important for everyone to use writing. Probably, every person use writing every day.

I always use writing for make a list. For example, shopping list, to do list and so on. When I go shopping, I bring a shopping list. If I don’t bring a shopping list, maybe I forget something that have to buy. If I have a shopping list when I go shopping, I don’t forget something that have to buy and I can go shopping very smoothly.

In addition, I always use writing for practice English. I’m learning English now so I have to write English (words and sentences) for many times. If I keep doing this, my English skill improves.

How You Use Writing

By Ayaka Abe

First I use writing to send e-mails. I often exchange e-mails with my friends. When I use reply but I don’t reply class. So I urgent call phone.

Second, do my homework. If I don’t homework, my teacher will be angry next time. So I write words in notebook.

In conclusion, writing is very important thing of life. So I hard learn now, use writing more.

How You Use Writing

By Natsumi Kitaura

We use writing everyday. For example, e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter. I have a very good experience in Canada. BBQ, ride a horse, etc. I will have more experience in my life. So I want to tell my family and my friends in e-mail, Twitter, Facebook. And I want to talk about everyday occurrence in a host family. So I use writing.

We use writing in other various places. Writing is very important and very convenience. When we go shopping, we often forget. Then the shopping list is very convenience. The shopping list is a friend of the housewife.

How I Use Writing

By Iryna Semenukha

As for me, I use writing for explanatory of my ideas on the papers. When to send messages and mails to my friend. I use writing for the letters my parents. I use writing for create documents. When go to doctor, he is writing medical recipe. When go shopping I complete list to buy shop. I use writing to do hometask and to keep a diary.

How I Use Writing

By Sergii Semenukha

As for me, writing is very important part of life. It is have a same importance as speech and walking, and vision, and ability to hear.

Before I came to Canada, in my previous work, I widely use writing to prepare documents, fill forms, transmit information to partners and clients, describe production of company where I worked.

Development of information technology gave us and opportunity to write e-mails to any distance, have blogs and to comment photos and status update in social network.

In the ancient time every peoples use writing for monitoring sun and stars moving, calendars and rock paintings.

Nowadays, every people has own writing style. For example, English- speech people use Latin letters, Ukrainians-cyritic, Arabic – Arabic figures, Chinese and Japanese - beautiful hieroglyphs. It is not important which type of script a man use writing in his life, and writing give opportunity to understand each other without voice Also writing give opportunity to understand and exchange information between deaf people.

How I Use Writing

By Yudai

When I decided on my schedule, I used writing in my cell phone. When I sent an e-mail to my parents and friends in Japan, I used writing in my phone. If I go to a supermarket and buy a lot of goods, I use writing on paper or my phone. If a day finished and it’s very fun, I always write diary.

How I Use Writing

By Narumi

I learned English. “Oops!” I has some unknown words, I checked my dictionary. But I couldn’t understand words. I asked my host family and I couldn’t. She wrote a lot of usage example to teach when I should use. I could understand. After that, I wrote the phrase to forget.

I came from Japan at August 27. And I get used to life in here. I came up with sending letter to my grandmother. But I didn’t have envelope. So I went to supermarket. I wanted to buy s lot of stuff. I wrote a list not to forget. So it’s to do list. I found stuff which I want. I used the credit card. After that I sign my name, and I went to home.

How I Use Writing

By Haruka Kawaura

I often use writing because I want to learn, study and so on. I use writing to study, send e-mail and write and diary every day. I have used writing to study from I am child because I must learn Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji. It is the best way to learn and practice them. When I was elementary school student, teacher gave us homework that writing and practicing Kanji. I think every Japanese learn and practice Kanji by the way, so we can remember it and use it. I often send e-mail to make contact with my family, friends, teachers and so on. For example, when I go out with my friend, I often use e-mail to decide the place that we meet at. Therefore, writing is important to make contact with someone. I write a diary at every night. It is important for me because writing a diary learn and keep my memory. I don’t want to forget my memory. Therefore it’s very important habit. I think that writing is important to live a life. It is very difficult to live a life without life. I use writing every day.

How I Use Writing

By Sayako Tatewaki

When I keep my diary, I always use writing. By keeping diary in English, I can remembers days what I did in Fort St. John. It’s also a good opportunity to practice English. When I write about days, I’m careful of grammar. So I usually take a confirmation of my host family. They teach me about correct grammar, so I can know the proper way to write English. I’m really enjoy that every night.

How I Use Writing

By Yuki

I have kept my diary for about 5 months. I was said by my teacher of a writing class “Keep writing.” I came to Canada and I experience new things every day. I stay here only 4 months. So, to remember and to study writing, I keep the diary. When I return to Japan, I will remind this 4 months probably. In addition, if I write on Facebook, I use English. Even if it’s is a simple sentence or mistake sentence, I’ll try it.

How I Use Writing

By Ayumi

In my daily life, I use a lot of writing. For example, leaving a message, sending e-mails, keeping a diary, and so on. Therefore writing is important.

I use writing to leave a message. When I leave home, if my family isn’t there, I need to leave a message. The message is written “where I will go”, “who will be with me”, “when I will come back.” If I don’t do it, my family must be worry. Therefore I use writing to leave a message.

I use writing to send e-mails. After I entered university, I made friends with a lot of foreign people. When I contact then, I use e-mails. At tat tie I use writing too. For example, “I’m fine recently. How are you doing? I miss you”, “When will I be able to meet you?” Life this, I use writing to send e-mails.

I use writing to keep a diary. After coming to Canada, I’m keeping a diary. In the diary, I write what to do, how to feel that day. Like this, I use writing to keep a diary.

Like I mentioned before, I use writing to leave a message, send e-mails, keep a diary, and so on. For these reasons, I use writing in many ways in my daily life.

How I Use Writing

By Honoka

When I use Facebook, I use writing. Facebook is used by a lot of people. It is so useful because we can contact people all over the world. I can send message and receive it even if I live in different country. For example, I’m in Canada, so I can’t meet my family in Japan. However, if I use Facebook, I can contact them and I can tell them about host family, college and what I did in Canada with pictures. If I go back to Japan, I can keep on contacting my host family and my friends. It is so useful and good tool. I think writing is to contact with people. Facebook, write a book, of course letter, all of them can contact with people. It is important for us and we can’t live without it.

How I Use Writing

By Yui Komatsubara

I often use writing when I send e-mail to my family and friends. Especially I need that one now because I live away from my parents and friends. So I can tell them about recent conditions by e-mail. Now, we can contact someone who lives in a whole world by writing whenever we want to contact.

And writing is most useful part in my life. When I study, I always use writing. Then I can memorize grammar, word and so on.

Then writing is a convenient thing in daily life. Because I can remember by writing when I am likely to forget important things like shopping list, to do list, schedule and so on. In this way, it’s important to write in our life.

How I Use Writing

By Chihiro Nakanishi

I write something every day. For example, make some notes, take classes and tweet something on Twitter to not to forget, me memorize for tests, give someone a message and so on.

Recently we have a lot of useful things, e-mail and SNS, so we can get in touch with friends easily if we are far away. But I like to write on notebook better because I think it is effective to write words or phrases again and again for tests. When I write special message to someone, I can express my heartfelt message.

How I Use Writing

By Pamela

Every day, I use writing at home and at work. First at home, I write many different kinds of things. Lists are important to help me remember things. I write grocery lists and to-do lists. I also write letters and e-mails to my friends and family, and I update my status on Facebook from time to time. At work, I write e-mails and lesson plans. I also create posters to announce special events. Finally, if I go to a meeting, I often take notes to help me remember what people said. Writing is an important skill for me.

How I Use Writing

By Pamela

Every day, I use writing at home and at work. First, at home, I write many different kinds of things. Lists are important to help me remember things. I write grocery lists and to-do lists. I also compose letters and e-mails to my friends and family, and I update my status on Facebook from time to time. At work, I write e-mails and lesson plans. I also create posters to announce special events. Finally, if I go to a meeting, I often take notes to help me remember what people said. Writing is an important skill for me.