投稿者: Nomura

いやあたいしたたまげた。 Boy that’s just awesome.

私の生徒の中に年齢が80代で、趣味がゴルフという女性がいます。（パークゴルフじゃなくて本当の）　Among my students is a woman in her 80s whose hobby is playing golf.

月に２度は18ホールをプレーし、She plays 18 holes twice a month.

先週はあるコンペに参加してグロス９２で3位に入賞したという。She　joined a competition last week and won the 3^rd prize with a gross score of 92.

こういうお方と知り合いに慣れて光栄ですしうれしいです。本当にすごい人です。

I am really　honored and pleased to be with such a fantastic woman. She’s simply amazing!

写真を掲載したいところなのですが、昨今のご高齢者に対する犯罪などを考慮し、差し控えることにいたしました。

THE LOSING STREAK RUNS TO SEVEN. COME ON KIYOSHI. YOU ARE IN A MOST CRUCIAL MOMENT.

この月曜日、久々にうれしいニュースを聞きました。Last Monday, I was greeted with one of the most pleasant news I’ve had in a long time:

1年半ほど当塾に通ってくれている小学５年の生徒、渡邊天海（あまみ）さんが教室へ入るなり、

Watanabe Amami, a fifth-grader student of mine for 18 months came to tell about her most recent success.

今週日曜日に開かれた柔道の北海道大会でみごと優勝、8月に開かれる全国大会への出場資格を得たと教えてくれたのです。

She has recently won the Hokkaido regional Judo tournament, held last Sunday, May 31st for her age division. With this win, she qualified for the National Tournament, to be held this coming August

日本古来のスポーツである柔道、あまみは5歳から始め、地道な練習を重ねてメキメキと腕を上げ、心身ともに立派な選手に成長。

Amami, as I fondly call her, has been practicing Judo – one of Japan’s traditional martial arts – since the age of 5. Since she started, she has gone through the many required trainings, such as running for endurance, muscle strength, and the many techniques in Judo; making her a well-rounded athlete, both physically and mentally.

でも英語教室にいるときは、絵を描いたりマンガを読んだりする普通の可愛い女の子。

I’ve always thought of her as a sweet little girl, with usual interests, such as drawing and reading comic books; something that you’d expect from a child her age.

そういう大きな大会で優勝できるほど柔道に夢中とは驚きでした。

I was gladly surprised to know that she was actually into the sport, enough to win those major competitions.

この功績を皆に知ってもらいたくて紹介させていただきました。あまみおめでとう。誇りに思います。

I am very proud to show everyone one of the brightest, talented and high-spirited students that I’ve had – Watanabe Amami: Congratulations, do your best and I am honored to be your teacher!

最近、ビリギャルという映画が公開されていることを生徒から知りました。（英語名はフライングカラーズ。）Recently, I have learned about a newly-released movie titled Biri Gal, or Flying Colors in cinema, from my students. タイトルとはうらはらで感動ものとの話。They say that , despite its title, it’s a feel-good movie.

クラスで下位の成績だった高校生がさまざまな変遷を経て最難関の大学合格をはたすまでを描いています。

It describes a high school girl named Sayaka who was always at the bottom of her class then embarks on a journey of transformation and eventually makes it; successfully passing the most difficult entrance exam for any university in the country.

こりゃあ自分も見ないといかんな、と思って昨晩見てきました。

My own students talk about the film so hard that I felt I had to see it myself. So I did last night.

映画の中では私がかつて経験した数々の場面がありました。いやおそらく誰でも一度は経験していることでしょう。例えば親子ゲンカ、先生とのいさかい、兄弟げんか、そして挫折。こういった困難が主人公さやかを苦しめ、絶望へと追い込まれてゆきます。

In the film,there were many scenes that I sadly experienced myself, or should I say , everyone must have experienced at least once – such as arguing with parents, teachers, sibling fighting. With all these challenges going around her, Sayaka finds herself forced into a hopeless situation.

あとは見てのお楽しみ、続きが知りたい人はどうぞ映画館へ。

For the rest of the story, please go to the theater.

遠い昔、私も慶応を受験したことを思い出しました。まるで昨日のことのように覚えています。　大勢の受験生が会場に押し寄せて警察が交通整理する有様。

All these reminded me of how it was during my time when I went to Keio University and took the very same entrance exam. I can still remember it as if it was yesterdayDroves of aspiring students came, requiring policemen to direct human traffic and keep order – only because of the sheer number of examinees present.

おまけに私の前の席にすわったのは灘高の生徒でした。日本一優秀な高校です。もうすっかり飲まれてしまい、負け戦に終わりました。一生懸命勉強したのになあ・・・・

When I arrived at my seat, in front of me was a boy from Nada High School – considered to be the top senior high school in Japan – also taking the test. With all the hard preparations in studying, the hassles of just making it inside the building with all the other students, up to being with the same room as a person belonging to the best senior high school, it really dampened my spirits; making me feel the sense of failure and chagrin immediately.

先日風邪でダウンしました。そのとき知人からすすめられた飲み物があります。スコットランドに由来がある飲み物だそうで。

The other day I was down with a bad cold and a friend of mine recommended me to try taking a special drink originated from Scotland U.K.

その名はホットトディ。材料は酒（ラム、ウイスキー、ブランデーのどれか）にハチミツと熱湯を加え、レモン輪切り、シナモンスティック。

Hot Toddy, as it is called, is a warm alcoholic cocktail of honey, liquor (a choice between rhum, whiskey or brandy) and boiled water, with a slice of lemon and a cinnamon stick.

レモンがなかったのでポッカレモンを代用。　Since I had no lemon at home, I used some bottled lemon juice instead.

シナモンスティック？　なんだそれ？　近所のスーパーを探すが見当たらず。

What is cinnamon stick? I’ve never seen one in my life. I looked for it in the grocery stores nearby with no luck.

そのかわりにシナモンパウダーというものを見つけたので買いました。

Instead I found a thing called “cinnamon powder”. So I bought it.

材料を混ぜて出来上がり。

With those ingredients mixed together, it’s ready to drink!

でも思ったよりも美味しかったです。体も温まって風邪が治りました。

Not only did it taste better but also it kept me warm and cured my cold.

次に風邪をひくのが楽しみ。

I’m　looking forward to having a cold next time!

アルバイト学生が不当な扱いを受けている。正職員並みのノルマを課されたり、売れ残りを買い取らせる自爆営業をさせられたりしているのである。
College students who work part time are unfairly treated.
For instance,  they are given responsibilities as heavy as full time workers. They are forced to fulfill their selling quotas in a self-sacrificing way.

こういうブラックバイトは学生を苦しめるだけでなく、正規雇用を増やす努力をくじく。These so-called Burakku Baito, or the part-time jobs unlawfully conducted by employers, not only torture working students but also discourages efforts for full time employment.

入学金や授業料の高騰により、バイトに頼らざるを得ない学生が増えている。
With the rising expenses such as enrollment fee and the tuition fee, more and more students have no option but to work part time.

最近の調査によると、首都圏の大学生の一日あたりの生活費は平均１０００円を割っている。1990年代は２０００円だった。The recent survey shows the living cost for a college student in the metropolitan area falling to less than 1000 yen per day. – a sharp decrease from 2000 yen in the 1990s.
ブラックバイトはこういった学生の困窮に乗じたものだ。　Brakku　Baito takes advantage of such students in need.

北海道では昨年、ブラックバイト対抗のため学生の労働組合「札幌学生ユニオン」が発足した。自衛という意味で歓迎したい。In Hokkaido, a labor union for college students was formed last year.  Named “SAPPORO STUDENTS UNION”, it fights against unlawful employment practices.  I’d like to welcome this movement.