Japanese hip hop+

I wrote about hip hop music in Israel and other countries in one of my essays which I submitted in this week. The essay's theme was a message in Palestinian hip hop bands. When I dealt with hip hop in Palestine and the USA,all of a sudden I became curious about Japanese hip hop. I knew some rap songs in Japan, and I like them because the rhythm and sound are good. However, I've never concerned about the lyrics and messages in these songs.
I searched a rap song which has a strong message in lyricsby surfing the Internet. And I found it.
At the beginning, I thought that there must be a song related with The Japan Earthquake. So I started to search by keywords "The Japan Earthquake" and "hip hop." I could find a rap song soon.
I really recommend to hear this song "Apocalypse Now" by King Giddra. Listening to its lyrics, you can't help smiling. Actually, I am not sure about the current situation in Japan after the earthquake. I experienced the planned blackout and continuing aftershocks. But do people in Japan still feel a strong fear? I know there is the danger of a nuclear radiation. This is a long long-term problem.
Anyway, in the lyrics of this song, rappers express a fear and anger, and protest against the electric company and government.  I found rapping is a great tool to protest against the authorities because it represents people's emotion and opinion.
Also, I recommend a documentary film "Slingshop hip hop" on the Palestinian hip hop artists. I think it is difficult to watch it online, but you can buy it from its homepage. It tells us a severe situation surrounding the Palestinian within Israel, Gaza and West Bank, and rappers who wants to convey a message to tell about the situation in their homeland, and their anger, and hope.

Trip to Barcelona

In this X'mas holiday, I visited Barcelona with my husband. It was four days' trip. The morning we left London, an accident happened. It was Boxing Day, and we had to arrive at Gatwick Airport at 8:30. We planned to go there directly by train from King's cross station, but when we arrived at King's cross station, all train and underground services were closed. Bus service also seemed to be closed because we could not see a bus on the road. Looking around, we found there were some tourists who were under a same situation as us. It was around seven o'clock in the morning and still dark. A taxi driver talked to us. He asked to us where we were going to go, and he could gave us a ride for 95 pounds. He was persistent, so we thought he was a fraud. After that, we found there were a few buses, and managed to get on a bus to Victoria. At Victria Station, train services were not closed, so we  could go to the airport by the Gatwick Express.

Arrived at a airport in Barcelona, we got on an air bus, by which we could go to the centre of Barcelona, Catalonia Square.

Looking back

I didn't update this blog for a long time... This is because the essay and presentation kept me. Time flies! I found I already finished the first term. I can remember the first day arrived in Heathrow airport like it was a few weeks ago.

After a tremendous happy homestay in Swindon, I spent busy but fruitful days in London. I met a lot of people and learned many things. I don’t think my English improved, yet I think I manage to follow the lectures and conversation with friends. When I was in Japan, some friends told me ‘don’t worry, you can improve your listening and speaking soon in UK.’ I didn’t trust them since I couldn’t imagine that my listening and speaking skills improved by just living in the circumstance where people speak English. Although I’ve never thought that I am a good English speaker, I found myself to be able to understand what other people talked. I tried to listen to every single word before, but now I discovered the way to listen to English efficiently, I think. However, at times I suddenly become a poor listener, especially when someone new speak to me, or ask me a question.

My school life in London started on 26^th September.

Looking back to the past, I feel it took many days to settle into the life here. There were many things to do. It was true that there were a lot of attractions in London, such as museums, delicious restaurants, communities both inside and outside school, shops, beautiful parks and making new friends…I tried to prioritize the school things such as classes, meetings with teachers, assignments and readings. It worked well. I didn’t drop out in school. ( I wanted give up to submit one of my essay due to yesterday, because I was not satisfied my writing. Finally, I could submit it a few minutes before the deadline.)

In November, I spread my wings and challenged some new things. I went to music concerts and met a new friend. I joined in language and music circles. As I wrote before, I could find some study partners. I went to the other libraries, and now I have five library cards. I traveled with some friends to the west by train.

From the second half in November, I started a preparation for my presentation and essay. In London, university students have some assignments such as essay or exam before the X’mas holidays.

Korean Restaurant in Tottenham court road

I went to Korean Restaurant "Woo Jung" near Tottenham Court Road Station with friends. It was really delicious.

It was really cold today, so we could warm our bodies with hot dishes. I took only two pictures of dishes, but we ordered pork galbi and japchae as well as beaf galbi, seafood stew (Chige), bibimbap.

The exterior appearance.

Regent street

My great study partners

I recovered of a cold!  I got a bad cold last week and since then, I've stayed in my room all days except the days when I have classes or lesson. I suffered from bad attacks of coughing more than one week. I felt it was not only because of a cold but also some kind of allergy. I usually don't have allergic reactions in Japan. （Only when I drink a wine, I sneezy.） I think that the air and atmosphere in London are different from Tokyo, and it causes an allergy...

Anyway, in these weeks, I could find three good study partners!

I feel it is so difficult to deal with many assignments and readings by myself. Some weeks ago, I talked it to some classmates. One of them gave me an email and kindly accepted to help my study. He is also student on music, and a native English speaker. He helped me to write a book review. His teaching way was really great. I am confident in myself in reading English because almost all my textbooks and papers on ethnomusicology were written by English. However, I found how I was optimistic and how I didn’t understand the contents of writings written by English when I thought about my book review with him. He tried to make clear and correct my misreading and misunderstanding. Fortunately, I could understand which sentences or paragraphs were important in whole book. I knew it because I found in his book the same sentences were highlighted by a yellow marker pen as in my book. What I should do is read more carefully. When I read a book, I just look to the printing surface. I don’t try to read between the lines. I don’t consider the deep meaning behind the words. He drew some graphics for me to understand easily what the author says. I painfully felt that I am lack of efforts and motivations to understand the author’s claims.

Another partner appeared by accident. Last Monday, I talked with a classmate who is from Poland. I felt lonely a bit in the class because other students are so smart and the lectures are really difficult. Some friends say “hello” or “how are you” to me every week, and they are very friendly. However, even now I cannot understand the lecture 50 or 60 percent. The reason is simple. I have little knowledge on the topics of lectures. Yes, I try hard to read books on Israel and Palestine both in Japanese and English, but it doesn’t suffice in order for me to understand what the lecturer says. Anyway, I was in such a ‘lonely’ atmosphere on every Monday. Therefore, I was really happy to talk with the classmate from Poland. After talking with her in a few minutes, she recommended to join in the choir society which she joins every Monday evening. I decided to do so. At 7pm, I arrived at a classroom where choir practice was done. I hesitated to enter the room because there were no friends (she was not there yet) no East Asian student… (I feel easy when I find ‘yellow’ guys…). At this moment, I caught the eye of a girl. She looked so friendly. She spoke to me. “Are you Japanese?” “Yes, I’m Japanese.” She suddenly spoke fluent Japanese. She explained that she is studying Japanese language and literature. I asked her to help my study. I thought it was a good chance to build a great friendship to teach languages each other. I might be aggressive in that moment. I really wanted to make a friendship with her. There are many students who study Japanese language, but I have a few opportunities to contact with them. When I asked it to her, she gave me YES soon. I was really happy. We decided to meet every week and help each other. I built the same friendship in Japan. We met regularly and he checked my English writing and speaking, in return I checked his Japanese. It was successful. It is no exaggeration to say that I could come to London to study music thanks to him. For this reason, I was looking for a friend who is interested in Japan.

I’m sleepy, so I would like to write about the last study partner next time! Actually, I’ve never seen her yet until now. I will meet with her next Monday. I really look forward to seeing herJ

The first assignment Book Review

The first assignment: Book Review

Finally, I could submit my critical book review. I started to prepare for this first assignment earlier 3 or 4 weeks ago. However, the book I need to write about was difficult to understand. Tomorrow is the dead line, but I submitted today because I would like to start preparing for my first presentation about Palestinian hip hop on 5^th December. On 12^th December, I also need to submit 2500-word essay on Israeli pop music. I have much work to do, so I should work systematically. Fortunately, I could find a good friend who is a native English speaker helps my studying. Yesterday, I sent him my first draft of book review, and then he gave me useful advices. I could learn how to summarize and quote a book, and how to criticize it. In order to write critical review, I should need to think about why the author thinks it, to judge for yourself whether the author did a good job. Was he easy to understand? Who do you think his audience is meant to be? Did he really do everything he meant to do, or are there ways he could have done better?

I found that I should change the way to read a book. Until now, I just read a book as it is, and understand just only what is written there. However it is not suffice!

Exciting Klezmer Night!

Last Sunday, I went to go to a klezmer concert by Amsterdam klezmer band and London klezmer Quartet. It was amazing! It looked like a disco! People were dancing with very dancable klezmer tunes, and even I was dancing a little :)
It was held in East London at night, so the atmosphere was a little (considerable) different from central london. I don't know the reason, but the mood at station, streets, shops are a bit different. But I had no problem except losting my way at Old Street station...
The stage was in a big bar, so people were drinking a beer or wine over listening to nice music. I was alone there but all people there blended together and enjoyed it. Of course there were a lot of klezmer fans, but people who were outside had a interest in the music which are listened from the building, and came to the bar.