From Texas, America – A New Note from an Exchange Student at Marshall High School

Now a new note reached us from Texas, the United States of America.  Mei, Suenaga, an exchange student at Marshall High School in Texas would like to share her updated report on what she experienced on the days of happy holidays. Here we go!

Hello, everyone!  I’m Mei Suenaga. I’m an exchange student at Marshall High School in Texas, America.  It’s my pleasure to introduce my updated report about my recent life here in Texas.  Now I have only about 5 months left until I leave America. So, I want to give it my best try to enjoy the rest of my time as much as possible!

Now in this report, I’m going to write about my experience when we went to my host family’s relatives house and we made gingerbread house with my host sister and brother.

During Christmas season in Texas, you can buy gingerbread house kits anywhere at any supermarket here.  When you make gingerbread house, you always use spices with strong aroma such as ginger and cinnamon.  Such spices as ginger or cinnamon can be used as charms against evil spirits, so people wish for their families would be safe and in good health in their future with making gingerbread house to decorate them in the trees during Christmas season.  We used icing and lots of candies for our gingerbread house decoration. I have never made such like this, so I found it very interesting and had fun.   It was my precious experience for me to learn one of American cultures and customs.

As for my visit to the relative’s house, we found a turkey shop on the way there.  So, we stopped to drop in at that shop to buy something as their gifts.  At the shop, there were about 15 wild turkeys in front of the door.  We could not go into the shop to get through the wild turkeys. To be honest, I am so scared of birds.  So, I didn’t want to go there. But I tried to go through them.  I screamed out when I passed the turkey road. And then, the turkeys also screamed out with me. It was horrible for me, but my host family laughed at me to see the scene!  Yes, it was so funny when I looked back to the happening. However, I do not want to go to the same place again.  Anyhow, we arrived the relative’s house safely, and we enjoyed the time with us all.  I think it would be one of the unforgettable experiences for me.

Now I have completed my term 1 exchange program at this high school in Texas and get the 16 winter holidays started.  When the new year comes to us, we will start term 2, when I would like to give it another best try to study.  Thank you so much for reading my report!  I wish all of you to have happy New Year!!

みなさん、こんにちは、私は交換留学生としてアメリカ テキサス州に留学している高校1年生の末永芽です。私のアメリカでの留学生活も残り5ヶ月となってしまいました。限られてる残りの時間を有意義に過ごしたいと思います。

今回は、ホストファミリーの親戚の家に行った話とジンジャーブレッドハウスを作ったことについて書きたいと思います。アメリカ、テキサスでは、クリスマスの季節、どこのスーパーに行ってもジンジャーブレッドハウスのキットを買うことができます。生姜やシナモンなどの強い香りのする香辛料は、魔よけの意味を持つことから、家族の無病息災を願ったとも言い伝えられています。アイシングや沢山のキャンディーを使ってジンジャーブレッドハウスの飾り付けをしました。このように、アメリカの文化を直接、経験できてとても良かったです。

ホストファミリーの親戚の家に行く途中にターキーの店があり、お土産を買うために私たちはその店に寄りました。そこには野放しになった15羽ほどのターキーが店の前にいました。私たちはそこを通らないと中には入れません。正直、私は鳥を1番恐れているのでそこには行きたくありませんでしたが、頑張って行きました！ターキーがいる道を通る時、あまりの怖さに叫んだらターキーが共鳴してしまい、ホストファミリーが爆笑していました。今思い出すと面白かったですが、同じ場所にはもう行きたくないです！無事に親戚の家にも着き、最終的にはとても楽しかったので、とても良い思い出になりました。

これで、アメリカでの１学期が修了し16日間の冬休みになります。年明け、こちらの2学期も頑張りたいと思います。レポートを読んでくださりありがとうございました！

皆さま、どうぞ、良いお年をお迎えください。