Hello,

my name is Christian and I am new student at Nacos. I am also new in Hawaii. I have been here for 5 weeks. I am looking forward to study Japanese so that I finally can talk to my wife in her native language.

So far I enjoy the Island life. Also stared to learn surfing.  I was with my friend at the North Shore 3 weeks ago. William tried hard to show me how to surf. So far with less succes. I guess also the waves were too high and fast for a greenhorn like me.

I will keek going to learn the sport, but my next surfing lesson I better do at the South Shore in Waikiki where the waves aren`t that high and brutal.

Nice to meet you all here at Nacos.

Aloha

Christian

Because I was injured by medical malpractice in 1989, I thought I couldn’t work a regular 40 hour a week job, I decided that I needed a skill that would allow me to work at home. Since I had an interest in handwriting analysis starting in the 70’s I decided to take a correspondence course. The hope was that clients would mail in their handwriting samples.

For twenty months I corresponded with the International Graphoanalysis School in Chicago. However, most people don’t know about handwriting analysis so the reality is that it is difficult to make a living at it. On the other hand, it is useful for me to understand how other people think when I introduce myself. I present my calling card to them and ask them to sign their signature on the back. Then I describe what I see in their handwriting.

Although it is not possible to make a living with handwriting analysis in Hawaii, I am glad I took the course because it is a good ice breaker skill at parties.

A few months back on the H-1, I can’t recall where I was headed. I was the recipient of one of the ‘best rider waves’ ever. I saw the other rider out in the distance and as we approached each other he gestured first, but it wasn’t the traditional wave. He had his arm over his head, and when I acknowledged him, he pumped his fist repeatedly. And as we passed each other he nodded his head like he was listening to some awesome rock song. Easily the best exchange I’ve ever been a part of and I’ll never forget it.

Hello everyone!  My name is Lindsey and I am a new NACOS student.  I also am new to Hawaii- my husband and I recently moved here.  We were married by China Man’s Hat, on the beach.  I’m looking forward to learning Japanese- I have a dear friend who is from Tokyo and I hope to visit her one day.  Nice to meet you via the NACOS blog.  Much Aloha, Lindsey.

Driving in Japan can be pretty crazy.  Because I live in a town/rural area, you need a car.  Sure, there’s the gas-operated trains and buses, but to really live here you need a car.  People cut in front of you without warning, run red lights constantly, and there’s a million mopeds moving in and out of traffic.  It’s like bumper cars, but scary.  As one adviser said at our orientation, “In America, you should drive defensively.  In Japan, you have to drive paranoid.”  You never know when or where someone’s coming from.

Yesterday, I ran a 5 km run at the Marine Base in Kaneohe.  The run was uphill to the top of a hill, and then downhill back to the start.  I was pleased with my run, I did the run in 37 minutes.  I was tired when I finished, but I enjoyed it.  I will do another run there in March called ‘the Beast.’

My Dad was a true football fan, as well as a cheerleader and armchair quarterback.  His enthusiasm and dedication to his favorite teams was impressive.  Watching a game with Dad was an experience, which is why I probably won’t be watching the Superbowl this year either.  It’s just not the same without Dad here.

I like cooking and I think I am rather good at it. But it was something I learned to do out of need instead of desire. My parents got divorced in my early teens which forced my mother to take on three jobs to raise myself, my brother, and my sister. Which often meant I had to prepare meals for my siblings. Unfortunately, they were the victims of my many failed experiments.. Thankfully no one ever got sick and I ended up becoming a decent cook.

今日、雪がちらつき、やっと冬らしい天気が戻り、しばらく手つかずにしていたアップリケをやる気分になりました。

ホノルル在住中のある日、カイムキで運良くも機織り教室の生徒となり機織りの基礎から習う事が出来ました。運良くと言ったのは、その機織り教室は一 年足らずで廃校となったからで、教室の存在さえご存知でなかった方が多いのではないでしょうか。ともあれ、本土に移る事になった際、長く暗い冬は機織りな どをして過ごそうと、想像をめぐらせたのですが、現実には、本土の冬はいたって明るく、冬中屋内に籠って機織りを、は全くの夢に終わり、ハワイから持ち運 んだ機織り機も他人にゆずってしまいました。

大きな機織り機を使っての機織りはやりませんが、小型の器具を使っての布織りには興味があります。

アップリケやキルトも布が使い方によって姿を変えるところが面白く、まるでパズルを解いているようです。

Hi everyone,

My name is Lenny. I’m new to this blog. Looking forward to meet everyone here.

Aloha =)