I spent the two-week winter vacation in St. Paul, the twin city with Minneapolis, Minnesota, north-central of the United States, starting on December 19.
St. Paul is the hometown of Mr. Glen Swanson, a missionary who was friendly with me for many years in Japan since my graduation from Shingu Senior High School.

Linda, daughter of the Waldo family

During my stay in St. Paul, his family and the family of Mr. Eugene Waldo and Hideko-san took care of me for the whole two weeks by turns including the Christmas holidays.

The snow is nearly 1 meter, record-breaking in this period. On the frozen lake kids are playing ice hockey. The road is constantly bulldozed by snow plows.
During the time staying in each family, I fully enjoyed the genuine Christmas, being invited by more than 10 households, going to church, concerts, .....

It was a considerable distance of about 30 hours each way by bus from State College in Pennsylvania to St. Paul, Minnesota, and the round-trip fare was $80, but it was really worthwhile.

I have 5 months left in the U.S. I am going to report a little bit about what has happened so far.

Study

I spent two semesters, summer and fall, taking an introduction to marketing and management.
As for the content of the lectures, when I had visited my alma mater Hitotsubashi University in Kunitachi and met Professor Taiyoji before studying abroad, he said sadly, "I guess you won't understand anything for at least half a year." He was absolutely right.

Mr. Taiyoji (left)

Digressing from the subject, Prof. Junichi Taiyoji specializes in social policy and is the head of the kendo (Japanese swordsmanship) club. A hard-nosed man, fond of drinking and night, ......
My graduation thesis at the Taiyoji seminar was "The labor union and the collective bargaining in the United States." The condition for passing was 110 sheets or more of manuscript paper, regardless of the contents. So I randomly copied all the related books and prepared only the format.
When I submitted it timidly, Mr. Taijoji checked the number of sheets and gave me an OK sign. I admit it was not worth reading.

Back to the subject, the classes here are naturally full of English jargons, so it was not easy for me to keep up.
In addition, the required reading amount! 50 pages a day! Needless to say, it's only in English.
Another difficulty. There is a simple test called "Quiz" every time of each class, which is also a burden on me. If you can't read fast, you don't have time to write answers.
With self-reflection, the following advice for those who will study abroad in the future, though a little harsh.

1. Listening ability
2. Rapid reading
3. Learn technical terms in English
4. Review and memorize high-school advanced mathematics in English, especially calculus, probability, and statistics
5. Basic computer knowledge

Winter semester starts tomorrow. In addition to marketing and management, I will focus on management statistics. In the spring semester halfway, I have to return to Japan, so I am a little greedy.
I'm also thinking about playing golf for this semester, being worried about my pocket.
Overall, the results of my studies will be "none". At the very least, I intend to see with my own eye what kind of life American students are leading and go out into the business world.

English conversation

I was an idiot who had made light of mastering a foreign language, expecting to have an English conversation soon freely. Even students in their third year of study abroad are in broken English. I now stand my ground weirdly, thinking that no foreigner should be able to speak English just like Americans only in one-year study abroad.
Still, my purpose is to communicate in English and to travel anywhere over the US considerably. Therefore, I put a lot of effort into English conversation aside from academics.
Perhaps because I was relatively active here, I made friends with a number of students, and I got to know various families in town.
Even so, words are difficult.
I hear some senior, studied abroad, was scolded by his boss like this.
"You cannot talk in English only this much even for one-year stay abroad!"
I may also be in that situation.

Private lesson with Mr. Jack Luby

Travels

As soon as I set foot in the United States, I was amazed by the wide highway from San Francisco Airport and the speed of cars.
I had trouble with an Western-style toilet and bath, and also Western meals. But now I am used to most of them.

When I met Director N at the New York Office the other day, and told him about my summer trip with two Japanese friends, he warned me, "You shouldn't talk too much to the company. Some people might suppose you played around a lot wasting the salary, and be jealous."
I had already reported it to Personnel Department. "Oh my gosh!"

That two-week trip just when I stepped into the United States was reported to Personnel Department in August last year.
From the end of August, I spent nearly a month traveling across the United States.
I got to know Mr. H, an associate professor of Penn State from Tohoku University and Mr. I, a graduate Japanese student, and three of us decided to plan this travel.

We bought a tent for $50 and loaded an oil stove and food utensils on Mr. I's ragged car Mustang for the trip. Most of our 26 nights were spent in tents within each campsite on the way, and I, with no driver's license then, was in charge of cooking for each meal. Campsites were free of charge, or $1- $2. Food was purchased at a supermarket everywhere we stopped.

From State College, Pennsylvania, we took the southern route west to Los Angeles, and saw the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica just to the north.

On the way back, we rode around the north side.
I made a tearful saving effort to quit a film and photos into slides, to buy long rolls of ektachrome at a low price from Mr. E's lab and to use the ones I wrapped in cartridges myself. I am satisfied that I was able to take relatively clean pictures.
We encountered various dangers and the car Mustang broke down frequently, but more than that, the majestic scenery of each place made us aware of the background of the United States and Americans. We took advantage of our opportunity and had a good experience.

26-Day Trip across the US, other photos

Friends

Besides my best friend Mark, I got quite a few friends.
As I did not associate with Japanese people on purpose, Mark and the other friends cared about me that much.
I regret that I should have dealt with Japanee people in the same way. But considering the one-year period and the proposition of mastering English conversation, I can't help it.

I am looking forward to seeing you at the company this June.

State College, the college town

The city State College where I live, is located in central Pennsylvania, about halfway between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, east and west big cities of the state.
It is literally a student town. 25,000 people are Penn State students out of the population of 40,000.
So, everything in town is centered on the students. Most of the events are either by or directed at students, and of course the biggest customers of the shops along the streets are students. Interestingly, many of the shopkeepers, waiters and waitresses in restaurants and bars, and ticket clerks at movie theaters are part-time students.

I remember now State College was surprisingly quiet in summer. Students were gone. Both the dormitories and the apartments were empty.
Teachers and townspeople took a long vacation and went on a trip, not falling behind. Therefore, during this time, there were many "summer holidays". When I arrived in the town, I was surprised at how quiet it was.

With the start of the fall semester, students, teachers, and the townspeople all came back and State College was back to life.
............
Peculiar to State College, most of the entertainments are filled on campus. So, the entertainment facilities in town are only movie theaters, bars, and playgrounds.

Speaking of movie theaters, do you understand this?

G - GP - R - X - XXXX (or Adult Only)

It is surely a ranking of movies from general to adulthood, mostly the same in Japan. In my judgment, half of the movies are designated as R or more, meaning "no one under 18 admitted". Violence and sexual depictions are said to be the designated guidelines.

Bars in State College are mostly for students.
However, an LCB card (certificate of 20 years of age or older) is required to enter. I go in with the LCB naturally, but sometimes I hate to be mistaken for a person under the age of 20 (even though I'm 29 years old).
The bars in town are not only different from the bars in Japan, but they also seem to be completely different from the general bars in the United States. In other words, aren't they a noisy tavern for students by students?
From go-go bars to singing cafés, every hall is filled with students, and they are singing and dancing with a glass of 30-cent beer. They are in the heyday of their time.

Arts and sports

Students are eager to study, and don't skip classes. Their learning attitude is ambitious. What a difference from myself. I regret my student life that ended in 1964 idling my time away.
In addition, they engage in cultural and sporting activities, and positively participate in various events between their duties.
Here, I would like to refer to the art and sports held during my stay.

Last November in 1969, a concert by the NHK Symphony Orchestra was held in the grand hall of the campus and led the packed audience to enthusiasm. The program was all of Tchaikovsky, conducted by Hiroyuki Iwaki and piano by Hiroko Nakamura.
This was done as a part of the art series organized by students. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and pianist Van Cliburn also came here.
In rock, Arlo Guthrie, Iron Butterfly, Chicago and the Fifth Dimension. As expected, Chicago is extremely popular.
Isn't it a big deal to be able to invite so many popular groups, orchestras and soloists to this "countryside"? Really!

In terms of sports, college football from autumn to winter is a masterpiece.
What's more, Penn State has been undefeated for two years in a row. However, in the US ranking, it was second only to Ohio State last season, and this season it finished second behind Texas.
In both seasons, it was second without playing against the first place, so isn't it natural that students would get angry? Whether on campus or in a bar, "We are No. 1" is the watchword.

On the day I watched the game against the University of Maryland, it was snowing and the temperature was below freezing.

The bleachers were stretched with ice about 5 cm thick, and the cold wind mixed with snow was blowing a gale. Both men and women cheered fiercely while warming their bodies with whiskey. I also drank "Early Times" with Mark.
Score? A winning game, of course. 40 to 0. Would be strong!
Even so, in this cold wind, the cheer girls generously expose their attractive bodies and work hard to cheer for the team. I stared at them with binoculars and the highest salute!

Ceremony before the game

Girls are always cheerful

Besides American football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey are thriving, but Penn State is not very strong.

Friends

Leaving soon, I have to say goodbye to my wonderful friends. I am lonely.
Many of them interfered with my studies, taught me only extra slangs, forcibly recommended reluctant alcohol, and took me to XXXX movies that weren't even funny.
Before I knew it, they were dating me as a friend, not as a foreigner. Even though my English wasn't something to brag about, they made me forget that I am a foreigner or a Japanese.

I'm now going to introduce some of my friends here and close my Penn State Report.

Mark of full beard

He's a Greek-American and is acknowleged as my best friend. We've been hanging out ever since the end of August, when I moved to University Club. I was also fortunate that our rooms were next to each other.
To put him in one bite, alcohol first, women second, a chat third, and studying fourth.
Still, he is proud with a blank look, saying,
"I will soon be Doctor of geological sciences. Dr. Mark Voultsus. I won't reply when you call me just Mark."

Every time he goes back to his hometown of Baltimore, he brings back a bottle of Greek wine with him, and says, "Okay, let's toast!"
No matter how strongly I refuse to drink or go to the bar, he's the one who strictly forces me out. Coming into my room every time, he says "Let me drink a cheap wiskey" and pours it into a glass without permission. He surely has a serious talk to me sometimes, while grinning.
He was also well known as an orator. At student assemblies in the schoolyard, he always stood at the podium and gave a propaganda speech triumphantly.

When he went to bars with me, it was often along with Assistant Professor Spadok, Egyptian Safi, Pakistan's Saeed, and some others.
Mr. Spadok taught me a little about manners, customs, and even etiquette. He strongly invited me to his home in Ohio, but why didn't I go there to my regret?

Nick, a lady-killer

Nick, seemingly polite and always popular. His habit of saying is a theory to be popular with girls.

I don't know why, but he has been letting me running together with him early morning for a long time, with the words "I buy you ice cream" as a decoy.
It's Nick who reads "Hustler" and brings it to me. Due to it, I have more than a dozen Hustler in my room.
............
I stayed at his parents' house in a rural country for one night. It's a secret that he and his father allowed me to try out a pistol Revolver 66 in the garden.

Doug, a "Rock'n'-roll" maniac

When it comes to the Rolling Stones, Doug cannot be silent. It was Doug who taught me hard rock, like The Who, The Doors, .....
His room is equipped with a stereo that costs as much as $1,000, with which he enjoys a record concert alone every night, reminding me he was growing dubious plants on the veranda, ......

I am looking forward to seeing all of you soon.
I feel like I've gotten farther away from work than I did physically. I'll return to work, turning over a new leaf. So please be generous for a while.