Best 5 memories in 2010

Time runs faster than we realize. There are only two days left for 2010. I want to remember and tell you what I did in this year, before we see the New Year 2011 in. Though there were lots of events I had a good time, it is a little bit troublesome to explain all. Therefore, I’ll choose five most interesting and exciting events of those all.

1. I went to Nagano for Retreat. Retreat is the only official event in ICU, and all freshmen can or should join it. Since the number of freshmen in this year is so huge that one hotel was reserved entirely.

There are two purposes for this event. One purpose is to make students understand more what ICU is. The other one is to help students have better and deeper contact with their ICU friends who they met before Retreat, and make more friends during Retreat.

In discussion with teachers and other students, I have to be discussion leader. Though I make effort to make the discussion more enjoyable, I can't do it. At least, I was able to continue the dialogue until it was ended. In the explanation of majors, I heard about "International Relations" and "History". After that, I met with section mates to talk or to eat some snacks. At midnight on 5/15, because the date was birthday for Koji, we send mail to him to celebrate being 19 years old. Finally, we continue this section companion until about 3 a.m. It was too tired to act on 2nd day, but I tried to have a good time.

After Retreat, all students look so enjoyable and it was so relieved for me because I was one member of Retreat committee. Since the theme of Retreat was "Can you make friends at least 100?" I hope that every student can have more friends.

Retreat is the first time and the last time for us to go on a school trip in ICU. Also, it is the last time for us to do so in our whole life.

2. I always feel glad to enter ICU festival committee. Until I joined the club, I felt some lonely because there were few friends in ICU. When an entrance ceremony was held in the first day in ICU, I was alone. There was no friend from my junior or senior high school. However, I got great number of friends by entering ICU festival committee. Of course, there are also many acquaintances that don’t belong in the committee. But, it was the first time to manage to make much more ICU friends. And now, there are almost hundred ICU friends.

3. I participated in Nojiri lake Camp at the beginning of the summer vacation. During this camp, we don’t have to pay attention to time, ages, but just have a good camp. There are many interesting and exciting rules in this camp. Those rules looked rigid at the first time, but as much as we enjoyed the camp, we became to recognize those obligations were necessary. I’ll introduce you one typical rule. It is about our names. In this camp, we called each other as their Nojiri names. We don’t try to know campers’ real name, or show our real names. We can make a false name. Well, real names were revealed in the last day, but we always call them as Nojiri names even after we come back from Nojiri lake. There are many other interesting rules in the camp. I want to join this camp again next year.

4. There was another camp during my summer vacation. It was ICU Festival Committee’s camp. We tried hard to consider and decide what we are going to do for ICU Festival 2010. This was the main purpose of the camp. However, during this camp, we managed to recognize almost completely who joins this committee, and we made good contact with them. We had a good time for work and leisure. I hope the camp will be held in 2011

5. ICU Festival was the best event in this year. It was my first festival in ICU, and the festival was made by us ICU festival committee. I felt very happy when many participants, such as customers, performers, or buyers, had enjoyed the festival. When I consider and realize the reason why those people were able to have fun in the festival, I feel very glad and proud of belonging ICU Festival Committee. We made great effort to consider and make interesting and exciting festival, and we made it! That is the reason. I want to continue to join ICU Festival Committee, and try to make much better festival next year.

Those five memories are most interesting and exciting experiences in 2010. I hope there are much more interesting events in next year. I wish you Happy New Year!! よいお年を！！

Organ Donation

Last year, it was legitimized by Japanese government that organs or tissues from lower than fifteen-year-old children's body cannot be donated to other people until their parents recognize it. However, the government wasn't able to decide whether the rest of the people should be asked to transplant their organs after their brains died, or not. In my opinion, the decision should be left to their autonomy. If they refuse to donate, they should not be, but if accept it, it is possible for doctor to take their organs out no matter what their relations feel. In general, the more people grow, the more considerate or deliberate when they think something important. In other words, people become able to decide what they should or can do on their own. Thus, we should be recognized their autonomy. Morioka tells the fact that Japanese citizens complain that patients have right to determine what they should be treated by doctor. In that case, when patients want to donate their organs to other people who need them, there should be no room for other people, even their parents, to oppose patients’ decision. Shannon argues that “autonomy can isolate one from the community, from one’s family, from one’s friends” (Shannon 4). For me, I decide to gift my organs to people who want them. Though my parents may feel sad, I don’t care. Rather, I feel kind of proud because I could help someone even after my death. When it comes to my children in the future, I may accuse doctor if they take organs from my children with no agreement. However, when children determine to give their organs to someone, I may allow it because I want to support or realize any their will. This is my opinion for organ donation.

Ethical Theories

In my opinion, deontologism is most appropriate ethical theories. Whatever we think "what should I do?", we may not be able to find reasonable answers unless there are fundamental duties or obligations. For example, when we discuss whether death penalty should be legitimized, advocates may argue based on moral duty that murderer should be punished, and opposites' opinion will follow their obligaitons that we should not kill other people no matter who is evil. As you see, some opinions in discussion may obey their moral obligations. However, it doesn't mean that we should just follow those duties. There may be some issues which cannot be solved from one rules such as surrogacy or transplant organs, and so on. When you discuss something controversial matters and argue your opinon based on some obligations, You should recognize that those obligations makes matters solved.

Week 9

This week, I fail to attend classes because of overslept. I am so afraid that I may fall behind other section mates. I must manage my time deliberately in order not to late for classes. The next week is final. Then, I want to make a better grade and spend summer vacation with pleasure.

Week 8

In this week, I have many assignments included ARW. In ARW, I should make essay and write journal about TOMATS. In RCA, we should prepare for final project. In ALS, I must make posters about time management by Wednesday. In ASP, I have to do the presentation next week. Therefore, I wonder if I manage to do this all assignment. But, my grade will be worse if I can't do it. So, I must make effort to complete all of them.

Week 7

In this week, I tried to make the outline of essay.

Week 6

This week, I took PWT for ARW. I felt both nervous and confidence. Nervous is because this is

first test for ARW and I felt if I fail this test, I may lose grade of ARW. Therefore, I try to

skimming the whole text of Meiland. I managed to read it before the test, I was able to have a

little confidence. During the test, I was able to write all three questions. Well, though I am not

sure whether those answers are right or wrong, managing to write all questions made me great

relief because completed answer is better than no or incompleted answer.

The next week, I must write the first essay. Though I worry whether I can write a better essay,

nothing begins if I don't nothing. Then, I will do my best.

Discussing about TOMATS is coming soon and I am looking forward because TOMATS looks

very interesting.

Week 5

I went to Nagano for Retereat. It was so enjoyable that. In discussion with teachers and other

students, I have to be discussion leader. Though I make effort to make the discussion more

enjoyable, I can't do it. At least, I was able to continue the dialogue until it was ended. In the

explanation of majors, I heard about "International Relations" and "History". After that, I met

with section mates to talk or to eat some snacks. At midnight on 5/15, because the date was

birthday for Koji, we send mail to him to celebrate being 19 years old. Finally, we continue this

section companion until about 3 a.m. It was too tired to act on 2nd day, but I enjoyed Retreat.


In 2nd day, we were playing games called "Kei-Doro" at playground. To introduce this

game, we should divide two teams at first. One team act the police and try to capture all thieves.

The other team act thieves and try not to be captured by police. If police capture one thief, thief

must go to jail, which is located somewhere and thief can't move. However, when the other thief

who is not captured can touch thieves who is captured, the latter thieves can run away from

police again. When the police can capture all thieves, the police wins. On the other hand, if at

least one thief can survive after the game is ended, thief team wins.

After Retereat, all students look so enjoyable and it was so relieved for me because I was one

of members of Retreat commitee. because the theme of Retreat was "Can you make friends at

least 100?", I hope that every stuents can have more friends

Week 3

In this week, we tried to make summary and discussion of Meiland's statement. I thought it was difficult for me, but it was also good opportunity to raise my writng English skills. Writing reports at university was so complicated because I should write quotation or citation to avoid plagiarism.

The spring term is going to be halfway. I don't know whether I become better in English when the spring term is over, but I hope.

Week 2

In this week, I read Meiland and made more deeper comprehension by critical thinking and discussing with my section mates. Homework is a little difficult and busy for me, but it brings me a good experience. We are making summary and discussion about Meiland now. It seems to be for me that it is geeting more harder in ELP class, but I won't never give up.

At first time, I feel some anxious to talk with people in English. However, my section mates and teachers are so kind and encouraged me to speak English more freely. I want to become more good at speaking English.