【December30th】New York Day2

Hello,today is December 30th.
Today is my second day in New York.

Today, we went to 9.11 Memorial,State of liberty,popular cafe(To drink delicious hot chocolate),The metropolitan museum,ate dinner with my respectable senior,and watched  Chicago!!!
Those are pictures I took today.

I though many things,so I can't write all.
To write about Chicago,Just it was awesome!!It's difficult to express my feeling.I have watched some musical,but I though Chicago is the best in my　life.Music,dance,expression,everything was awesome!!!!

Tmr is finally countdown to 2014:)We'll enjoy:)
Thank you for reading♪

See you Tmr:)
Risa

【December29th】New York Day1♪

Hello,today is December 29th.Today,I arrived in NY.
Even thought today's weather was rainy,We enjoyed a lots:)
And also,actually suddenly rainy stopped:)We were luckey♪

I thought the atmosphere of NY is totally different from Seattle.
Those are pictures which I took today♪

Soooo beautiful!!!!I think the atmosphere in NY is similar with Tokyo,and the atmosphere in Seattle is similar with my home city(Fukui),I like both atmosphere,but when I'm young(I mean from 20 to 30 years old)I want to spend my time in Big city.I don't know the specific reason,but I just think this is the place that trend occur!!

Ohh, I forgot to post dinner's photo.Today we went to Gyukaku(牛角) and ate Japanese Yakiniku,I was sooooo happy:)Delicious food made me happy♪

Thank you for reading, see you Tmr:)

Risa

【December28th】I'll go to NY:)

Hello,Today is December 28th.Today is my younger brother and friend's birthday!
A happy birthday:)YAP:)

Today, after I watched this　movie(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year's_Eve_(film)) which my boyfriend recommended me,I spent almost all of my time to prepare for NY.

I'm sooo excited to go there:)Now my heart is full,so I cant write long lol
Sorry.

During my trip to NY by January 1st, I'll try to write blog....♪

Thank you for reading!
Maybe See you tmr:)

Risa

【December27th】I'll miss you!!

Hello,today is December 27th.


Today I ate lunch with my friends:)Because one of my Thai friend will go back to her country.She is very nice person,she had vitality and even thought she had a hardship she can think like this"This is my life!"It means she think positively♪After I came to Seattle I made friends,some of them already went back to their country,I miss them,but I don't say"Good bye", I say "See you soon"Because I want to meet them again in my life♪

After I went back my house, I was preparing for trip to NY.
I'm sooo excited.

From now, I'll go to my friend's house to celebrate his birthday:)
I bought Sake for him♪kkklol

Thank you for reading See you tmr♪
Risa

【December26th】Night Zoo:)

Hello,today is December 26th.

This morning I got a call from my younger sister.
We talked each other many things,actually before I came Seattle I was living with her in Tokyo for one year,now she has some worries.I want to drink with her as soon as possible after I go back to Japan anyway.


At night, we went to Zoo to watch WILD LIGHT.
It was sooo beautiful and romantic♪In this zoo,there were a lots of person with family.I though baby was more cure than animal lol

After Zoo, we went to buckwheat-noodle restaurant(蕎麦屋) where I was really want to go.We ate Uni and Noodle.Soo delicious and the atmosphere was nice:)Before I go back to Japan,I want to find my favorite restaurant,but next month I have to save my moneylol

Thank you fore reading.
See you later♪

Risa

【December24th&25th】Merry Christmas:)

Hello,today is December 25th.
Merry Christmas♪

This two days I spent very good time with my boyfriend and friends.
This time is priceless.Thank you very much.

Around me,there are many valuable person for me.Sometimes,I'm thinking what I can do for them.Maybe this is one of my theme in my life.Now I think there are two ways.
♡One♡
Conveying my feeling(Like Thank you) using any methods.
♡Two♡
Doing what I want to do and achieving my goal.

At first sight,those things looks easy.However I think difficult,but I want to continue those things little by little.

Thank you for reading.
See you tmr:)

Risa

【December22&23】Shopping&New Year's Card

Hello,today is December 23.

These days, I couldn't write blog every day.Sorrry.

Yesterday, December 22, I went shopping and bought new scarf,leather gloves,and coat.Those are mostly for New York♪Because we'll go to new york in this end of year,to watch countdown of Times square.
Before shopping we boarded a cruiser.

It was fun♪

At night, we drank with our friends.

Today was my relaxing day,I washed my clothes,cleaned my room,and I wrote kinds of new year's card for my family and friends in Japan.In Japan we called this card 年賀状.I like this Japanese culture that greeting each other using new year's card.However those days I though Japanese people use e-mail or Facebook to greet together.I think those ways are convenient,but I like the traditional culture of 年賀状.

Tmr is Christmas eve ,actually during my university life in Japan(for 4years),I spent all christmas at Olympic center(http://nyc.niye.go.jp/)for camp lol
Of course it was fun,but tmr's is my first time to spend with my valuable person♪

Thank you for reading.See you tmr:)

Risa

【December20th&21th】My last internshipday&Three months anniversary♡

Hello,today is December 21th♪Sorry,yesterday I also couldn't write blog:(

Yesterday(December 20th), was my last internship day in this winter vacation:)During this two weeks I learned many things,I'll write in another article,but I want to contribute this company,but to contribute I want to catch up many things.When I finished my work,my boss gave me gift.This was letter and Starbucks card♡I was very glad,I respect my boss.she treats worker with big warm heart. I learned from her leadership style,she always has vitality,passion and big smile.

After my internship, we made seafood hotpot:)It was sooooo delicious♪It reminds me real Japan.I was so happy even though I was bitten by a crablol And after ate hot pot we made porridge of rice.Sooo delicious♪

Today,December 22th,I was almost sleeping.From night, we went one event.I like this community,because they always welcome us with big heart.Thank you very much.

And also today is three months anniversary day with my boyfriend.I felt time passed very fast.During this three months,many things happened, and he always stayed beside me.I learned how to express my feeling with honest.I want to say thank you very much:)

Thank you for reading,see you tmr:)

Risa

【アメリカでの学びシリーズ1】個人としての自己で生きていくことの難しさ

こんにちは、莉紗です♪日本はもう年末やクリスマスの雰囲気が町中にひろがっているのでしょうか。個人的に日本のクリスマスから年末にかけてのこの時期のばたばた感とかそわそわ感とか変なわくわく感がとっても好きなんですが、アメリカではこの雰囲気を味わうことができないのが少し残念です。

さて、アメリカでの学びシリーズではここまでの留学生活を振り返り私が感じたこと、学んだことをシリーズ式で紹介していければと思います。このシリーズは日本語で書きます（笑）

今回のテーマは”個人としての自己で生きていくことの難しさ”
私の留学の1つの目的が自分と向き合うこと、自分を知るということでした。
というのも大学4年間は1つのことに没頭し、生活での優先順位もそこでの活動が1stでした。また、あまり考えずに行動する派なのでこの1年間は特に組織に属することなく個人としての自分で行動し、自己投資しようと思っていました。留学に来て1か月ほど、とにかく色々なコミュニティーやイベントに顔を出していました。その中で感じたことが今回のテーマである”個人としての自己で生きていくことの難しさ”です。

（↑全然関係ないですが留学に来てすぐの大学での写真。天気にいい日に外でお昼寝する大学生を見てここってアメリカだなーと思うと共にこの時期は全ての物事が新鮮に見えました。笑）

はじめはこんなに時間があって自分がしたいこと全てに捧げることができるなんて何てすばらしいんだ！って思ってたんですが、次第に個人として生きていくには私はまだまだ未熟だと思うと共に、同じ目標をもった仲間と何かに対して一生懸命になっていたことって本当に素晴らしかったなぁーとふと思うのでした。

そこで感じたのが、個人として生きていくことって孤独だし、まずは自分自身がもっと成長しなくてはいけないし、その中で周りの人達に感謝の気持ちは忘れてはいけないなーということです。でも結局の所、私の性格上個人としても生きたいという視点を持ちながらある組織や団体に入って活動し、貢献していくことが好きなんだなーと思いました。なので今の会社でのインターンを始めたのでした。

そもそも個人として生きるということはどういうことかというと、”どんな組織に属していても、その組織を一歩出た社会の中でどれだけ自分が価値のある、活躍できる人材なのか”ということです。（少し固い表現ですが）社会人になっても、私はこの視点を忘れたくないのです。だっていつでも自分らしさって大切にしたいと思うのです。

留学を振り返る中で、一歩先の自分もイメージするのですが結局根本的な所は変わらないんだろーなぁーと思います。”個人としての自己で生きていくことの難しさ”、でもこういう視点をもっているからこそ自分が属する大好きな組織に新しい風を吹かせられる人になりたいなーなんて思うのでした。うん、自分まだまだですね。まずはインプットが必要だ。勉強します。

読んで頂いてありがとうございます♪またアメリカでの学びシリーズ更新したいと思います。

Risa

【December18th&19th】Lunch Tme&Cooking&Good Ramen♡

Hello,today is December 19th,yesterday I couldn't write my blog.Sorry:(

December 19th(Yesterday),I like my lunch time,because during lunch time in our office, we're talking each other about many kind of things,for example girls talk（笑）,our family,sports etc...interesting thing is that now I'm working with two worker,both are woman,and they came America more than 5 years ago.Therefore they can look Japan with objective.They asked me the real situation in Japan,but sometimes for me its difficult,I thought I want to know about Japan more and more.......

After internship,we made dinner,these days I came to love cooking again.But I thought I like to cook not only me but also another people:)♪

Today,after internship I went to eat Ramen with my friend:)We went one Ramen restaurant,because some of our friend recommended us to go there.And I thought this is the best Ramen shop in Seattle♡YAY♡After eating ramen, we went to organic ice cream shop,now seattle is too cold but we have another stomach for dessert.Thank you for good time♪

Tomorrow is my final internship day in winter vacation,after tmr my real winter vacation will finally come:)During winter vacation,I have many things what I want to do or to go.

Thank you for reading,see you tmr:)

Risa

【December 17th】Interview♪

Good morning:)

To be honest, today is December 18th.

I slept while not knowing last night.

So,now I'm writing yesterday's blog on my way to go to my internship.

Yesterday, after my internship I met one woman to interview.

Now she is doing her own business through coaching.

After I came to Seattle,I decided to meet people as many as possible,

especially business woman or people whose interest is similar with me,and

from summer my senior proposed me to do this project together.

This is a project.

http://story-of-mylife.com/

My thought was similar with him, I want Japanese students to realize another opportunity, and I wanted to convey many people.

I think this is not only our way to graduate university and enter big company,

the most important thing is what  we want to do.The people who I met in my life made me realize this.

Anyway, today I interviewed her.I'll write article in this website,

so please check it out.From today's interview,I learned each person has a good points which another person doesn't have, to maximize this good point, to express themselves is very important:)I'm totally agree with her:)But I know through my job hunting I though that finding good points of ourself and to know our self  are difficult, so I think to know ourself to communicate with people is also important♪♪

Ohhh almost I arrived my office♪♪

Thank you for reading,see you tmr:)

Risa

【December 16th】I like my share house♡

Hello,today is December 16th,today after my internship
I was making dinner in my house,and suddenly party started.
Like this♪

From about one month ago, I started to live in this share house.
Before I moved to here,I was living with my host family.Those day was awesome,but I like to meet new people,feel different culture,talk more deeply.
So,I like here♡

Thank you very much for good time for my roommates:)
Today,I'm a little bit drank, so today's my diary is short,sorry about this.

Thank you for reading.
See you tomorrow:)

Risa

【December13,14,15th】My good weekend:)

Hello,today is December 15th.

I'm sorry that I couldn't write blog until now.

From Friday to Today I attended some events.

For example my friend's birthday party,Christmas Party in my boss's house,

and dinner in my senior's house:)

At Christmas Party, I felt real American culture.

We exchanged presents together(I got Starbucks card and coffee)

and my boss gave me photos and message card.I can learn many things 

from my boss, actually she is a president but also she is mother.

I think there are many hardship for her to keep the balance of work and private.

I want to learn more things from my environment.

At dinner in my senior's house, we ate real Japanese hot pot.

Their children was 2 years old,and soooooo cute♪

Through this dinner I felt the love of family.After I go back to Japan

I want to meet with them:)Thank you very much.

Today,I spent very relaxing time with my boyfriend.

Almost sleeping and ate pho,but I think this time is also precious.

After I came to Seattle,I met many people,and those people made my life in

Seattle:)Sometimes I felt uneasy to think about my life after I go back to Japan,

but I'm OKKKK.I think we can overcome hardships.

From now I'll go to my junior's house:)She will make dinner♪YAY!

From tmr my internship will start again,I'm ready to enjoy.

Thank you for reading.

See you tmr:)

Risa

【December 12th】Environment

Hello,today is December 12th.

I also had an internship.
Today,I had many opportunities to talk with our client from Japan.

We ate lunch and dinner together,and I asked some questions.
My first impression of him was frank,actually he is frank but also today
I though he's his own person(自分を持っている)Ha had many experience in one company.I felt again to continue one thing and how we think and adapt environment is very important.Now I have a good environment to ask and learn things from my boss and client.

After dinner,now my friend(actually she is like my younger sister)came to my house and  we're preparing for tmr and talking a lots.I'm happy to meet you in Seattle:)

Tmr is finally Friday,weekend is coming soon♡♡

Thank you for reading.
See you tmr:)

Risa

【December 11th】Now I'm sooo excited:)!!

Hello,today is December 11th.

Today,after internship I went to shopping to buy warm clothes,but I didn't enough time to buy,so I couldn't buy.However in downtown Seattle I could see beautiful Christmas tree.It was so beautiful!!

After shopping, I talked with my senior about two hours in Cafe.
He had an experience to work in Japan,and now he is doing some projects to give opportunities for student to think their own career.
Actually,his interest and my interest are very similar.

And, I decided to plan and hold a women't career event in Seattle maybe about February!From last week,I was looking back my life in seattle in this 9 months.I challenged a lots of things for example internship,Sekai Creator(http://sekaicreator.org/) , and interviews for businesswomen(http://story-of-mylife.com/)but I thought that what is my interest and I understood I didn't take an action by myself.

So it's time to take an action and do what I want to do,what I can do in seattle♪♪
I'm interested in women's career and leadership.In seattle there are many business women,but I thought for Japanese international students,there are not so many opportunities to meet those people and think their own career.I want to connect people.

Now I'm so excited to think about this,and I want to say thank you very much for my senior.He always give me advice.Today, I told my idea and he said "interesting!Just do it!" I have to think more deeply about this.
I go to bed thinking and imaging this event:)

Thank you for reading.
See you tomorrow:)

Risa

【December 10th】I prefer communication to desk work:)

Hello,Today is December 10th.

Today was also my internship day.

Today, I did some different things comparing yesterday.

First,I wrote a blog of the company.

The main contents was to introduce product of our client.

For me,through writing article I can learn,for example how I can write attractive article,and how I can make the product looks more attractive for reader.To write about this,I should think what is the needs of customer and what is the unique points of the product.These things are basic things,but I felt these are important again.

Second is that today,one of our client came to our office from Japan.

He is a president of a hat company, but he looks young and frank.

And he told that usually his sleeping hours are two………

However I though he's enjoying his work through hearing some episode from him.

He'll stay Seattle by Friday,so I want to ask many question:)Yes♪

Through my internship I though comparing dest work,I like to communicate with people.Of course every work has a desk work but the ration is very important!!!!!

After internship,I went Japanese restaurant with my boyfriend.

Delicious food made me happy♡

Tomorrow is also internship,but after internship I would like to go shopping to buy new coat.

Thank you for reading.

See you tomorrow.

【December 9th】Now Seattle is too cold!

Hello,today is December 9th.

Today I went to my internship.

However when I arrived office,the floor was wet,and I heard 

very surprising reason from my boss.

These days,Seattle is too cold,around －4～5℃, so water pipe 

exploded, and flood happened in the office.

Actually,I didn't expect that Seattle became cold like now.

Today's my internship was almost paper work（事務処理） but I think

paper work  is also important,so OK.

From tmr, one client will come to office from Japan.Its should be fun!

Before we finish to work,we decorated office for Christmas together♪

It was fuuuun:)Now the atmosphere of office is Christmas:)

After internship,I ate hotpot with my friend.

This hot pot was sooo spicy,but it made my body warm:)

Through talking with my friend,I can get objectivity.It means new point of view.

Sometimes I'm not good at thinking objectively, so Thank you very much:)

Tmr is also internship,but I cant wait my plan at night♪

Thank you for reading.

See you tmr:)

Risa

【December 8th】IKEA in America:)

Hello,I'm Risa:)

Today is December 8th.

Today,I got up around 5 am, and went to Cafe near UW. 

Sometimes to look back alone reminds me what I want to do now 

and my real feeling.Because of my character,to look back alone is very important thing,I learned through my life in Seattle.

Anyway, today I went IKEA with my senior and friends.

This time was awesome!!Actually,my senior drove us to go there,

so it was  very convenient and comfortable.I like driving♡

This is IKEA.

And This is IKEA car lol♪

I haven't been to IKEA in Japan, only NITORI but I heard from my friends that 

the inside of the shop of America and Japan was almost same.

I bought small table,light,and blanket.

I did very good shopping♡

After that we went to Korean BBQ buffet.

We ate too much,because soooo delicious!!

It was like Japanse YAKINIKU!

Now my stomach became serious again.By Christmas

I have to change my stomach.Lets start sit-up(腹筋) exercise!!hehe.

Today was very good day.

It reminds me my childhood,because when I was a children,on weekend

my father drove to somewhere for shopping with family and ate dinner together,and in the car we enjoyed talking, sometimes singinglol

That brought back memories. And my heart became warm♡

From tmr to 20th,I'll start internship again.

Actually I started to intern there from summer,but during last quarter

I couldn't go there many times.In winter vacation,I can intern for full time.

I'll do my best:)

See you tmr:)

Risa

Why I decided to write this blog:)?

こんにちは、記念すべき初投稿です♡


今回はどうして私がブログを書き始めようと思ったのかについて書きたいと思います。
正直、ブログを始めようと思ったのは夏くらいなのですが結局この時期になってしまいました（泣）ブログを書こうと思った理由はたくさんあるのですが、
主な理由としては3つあります。

1.自己を振り返るきっかけの1つにしたい
ブログを通じて1日1日の自己を振り返り、
その上でその考えをどのように文章にしたら人に伝えることができるのかと
いうことを日本に帰国するまでの残り約100日間毎日意識したいと思います。

2.誰かの一歩を踏み出すきっかけになりたい
少し私のバックグラウンドをお話すると、日本の大学を卒業後にシアトルに
留学に来ました。日本の就職活動の制度は少しずつ変化していますが、
まだまだリスクがある選択なのかなぁーと思います。
でも、留学に来たことの後悔は1つもありません。
色々な理由で卒業してから留学に来たいと考えている人に自分だからこそ伝えられること
を伝えて少しでも何かのきっかけになれば嬉しいです。

3.発信していくことで始まっていくこと
アメリカに留学に来て感じたIndivisualな文化。家庭を大切にしつつもBusiness
という現場では個という自分でどこまでの価値があるのかが大切だと思いました。
そんな中、自分の考えを自分の中だけで閉じ込めておくことと発信していくことでは
その後に広がる世界が違うと思いました。


何かを続けることは苦手なのですが、このブログを通じて自分がアメリカという地で
何を感じて、考えて、行動して、学んだのかを多くの人に伝えていきたいと思います。
そしてきっと社会に出ると立場というものができて自分が感じたことを
ありのまま伝えることは難しくなると思います。
だからこそ、ありのままの私の意見をこのブログを通じて伝えていきたいです。
ブログは毎日の出来事を更新＋9か月間での学びについても別途記事として
書いていきたいと思います。
I'll do my best and enjoy to write blog!!

ではでは、読んで頂いてありがとうございました♪

Risa