Hi everyone,

I hope you enjoyed your hot Hot HOT two day weekend. I know that in Japan, fall is the season for reading books. However, for me, I always remember reading books in summer afternoons. This weekend it was so hot outside that I took one of my favorite books off the shelf to read again.

The book is called “Ender’s Game”, and it is a science fiction book about a school for children in space. The children study about how to fight using spaceships, and they play games against each other to level up. They are preparing to fight against an alien species. I really like the characters in this story, and also the ideas of philosophy that the writer creates.

How about you? Are you looking for something to read this summer? If you want to try reading an English book, let me recommend one of Canada’s most famous stories: “Anne of Green Gables”. I know this story is popular in Japan, and there has even been a Japanese animation about it. Well, if you want to try and read the story in English, I have some copies of the English book for you. It is not so difficult, so please, come get a copy from my desk any time.

Two more weeks to go before summer vacation, hang in there!

Hi everyone,

Last week we talked about the World Cup, and this week we are back with more sports talk! Congratulations to M2A for winning the junior high school dodgeball tournament. This is a big upset because usually the grade 3 classes win in their last year.

Today, H1F upset H3C in the finals of the volleyball tournament. This is an even bigger upset for a grade 1 team to win. Congratulation to them. At the final call, the refree says “point, set, and match!” This is because the last point wins the set, and the last set wins the game. This is similar to tennis, where they say “game, set, and match”.

Different sports use different words to measure time. So today, I have a quick quiz for you. Match the time words to the sports. If you do it perfectly, come tell me and you could enter a draw to get a prize.

A. Baseball    B. Ice Hockey    C. Basketball    D. Golf    E. Curling

1. Ends    2. Quarters    3. Innings    4. Periods    5. Holes

Can you match these 5 together? Come tell me your answers before summer starts!

See you, Allen.

Hi everyone,

The Japanese Team thank you note, in Russian, in the locker room.

Well it is sad, but Japan is out of the World Cup. The game against Belgium was very exciting, but the Belgian comeback was too much for Samurai Japan. Japan should be proud, however, as their team played well and made it into the round of 16. In fact, in the last 5 World Cups, Japan has made the best 16 three times. Only 15 other countries have done so, which means Japan truly belongs in the top levels of international soccer. People around the world are paying attention.

Japanese fans cleaning up.

The Japanese fans at the world cup also made an impression online. After each game, including the last heartbreaking loss, Japanese fans cleaned up the stands. Many people around the world were impressed with this good manner.

Makoto Hasebe

Now it is time for Japan to rethink their national team. Many of the members are old, and this is their last world cup. Keisuke Honda, Japan’s best known striker, has retired today. Also, captain Makoto Hasebe has also said he will retire. It is now time for a new generation of young Japanese stars to represent Japan.

Keisuke Honda

As I type this I think about our own school. Today, first term final tests have finished. On Friday, grade 3 high school students will take their assessment tests. Many of them are retiring from their clubs in order to study hard this summer. I hope that our senior cheer the new leaders of their clubs, and that their juniors follow in the footsteps of their seniors.

Take care of yourself in this weather,

Allen.