Starbucks Logo

Have a look at these three Starbucks logos. Which one do you like the most? Why?

Which one do you think is the latest logo? Why was it chosen? Do you think it is s a good idea?

Have you seen a thatched house?

Have you ever seen a cottage – a straw roofed house?
By the name of civilization or modernization, these types of houses are seen only in a memorial park (or a museum of history).
When I was a child, I had seen a small thatched house near my grandpa’s house. Its wall was built by mixture of soil (maybe clay) and straw, roof was thatched by straw. I could smell the earth and the sun from the house. It was nature itself. What an environmentally friendly building it was!

Anantan Samakhom Throne Hall

This is my favorite architecture. If you have ever seen it before, you know that's so beautiful and have charming to attract everyone. It was built in the reign of King Rama5 and construction for the ceremony or royal event in Thailand. The Building in Renaissance style designed by Mario Tamagno, Italian architect who has lot of architectural design in Thailand, such as Thailand's government house. Hall ceiling is the dome fresco painting which a few people have opportunity to visit. If you are interested to see with eyes yourself, you have to go Dusit Palace, Bangkok. I believe you will like it definitely. Especially at night is extremely beautiful. So don't forget your camera!! :)

Kyoto Tower

This is Kyoto Tower. It's located in front of Kyoto station. If you get off a train at Kyoto station, you'll see it at first. Kyoto Tower is designed to imitate a lighthouse. It's a image that a lighthouse throw light on Kyoto city without sea. The tower build on a building. The style is unique.

I saw it the first time when I went on a school excursion to Kyoto. I have been to there for sightseeing sometimes but I didn't specially like it. After that I got married and I often went to Kyoto because Kyoto is my husband's hometown. I came to like it and I felt a sense of closeness when I saw it.

Kyoto Tower is also said like a candle. I think this image fits it perfectly because there are many temples in Kyoto. Which do you think it, lighthouse or candle?

An Old Thai Style House.

My favorite building is an old Thai style houses, I think they looks very unique and beautiful.

The characteristics of Thai houses in the Central Plain are as follows: High floor level allowing an average height man to walk with space above his head and another floor of about four metres below the main floor as to allow air to move and sitters on the main floor to hang their legs in comfort. High floor level is also for the following reasons:

1. Safety from wild beasts and possible thief during night time.
2. To stop from flooding.
3. Space under the house to keep things people need like farm tools.
4. Floor space under the house is used for relax and a place to chat with neighbors.

There use a high gabled roof and the roof cover is made from earthenware tiles. A large platform area, which may represent as much as forty percent of the total floor area, allowing exposure to sunshine and good clean air. Thai house in the central plain has its roof line oriented along east west direction. This is to cut down the amount of sun light into the main body of the house and at the same time get benefit of the cool winds.

The Grand Palace

The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings.

Thai people call it "Phra Borom Maha Ratcha

Wang". It is at Sanam Luang in Bangkok. The

Grand Palace was construction for 229 years.

When King Rama I decided to move the capital

of Siam from Thonburi on the west to Bangkok

on the east of Chao Phraya river that was the time to start Chakri Dynastry. He decided to

build a new palace as a palace of residence as well as a centre of government, and the king ordered to build the building of the temple for The Emerald Buddha as royal temple that

we call "Wat Phra Keaw" The plan of The Grand Palace followed closely of the old palace in Ayutthaya. The buildings are Thai architecture style and some are mix between Thai and

Italian renaissance style. Now King Rama IX (King Bhumibal) decided to move permanently

to The Chitralada Palace after king from aboard . However The Grand Palace is in use as

royal ceremonies celebration.

Amusement park?

What are these fairy buildings?


There are a few designed buildings that stood in front of (USJ)Universal Studio Japan in Osaka. These are designed by Hunderwasser who is a nature protection architect in Vienna. Some people think here USJ is?

These buildings are garbage incinerator plant.

Each poles are different design. The building image is FLAME. And the concept is "Harmony technology, Ecology and Art".

In the plant, corridor is made of colorful tiles, also there isn't quite stink.

This plant has worked with automatic monitor for 24hours.

Would you like to be a garbage man?

Everybody can become a observer to study.

I think this makes good profit for us and the earth because if people went to there, they would think of reducing garbage and separating garbage by sort.

However, in fact, most people prefer to go to USJ.

New York - New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas

7 years ago, I traveled Las Vegas with my boy friend (future husband).

I visited New York - New York Hotel which has a small Statue of Liberty

and roller coaster.

I like it because this was strong impression and entertained us.

Although, I've not been to New York yet, I felt I was in New York.

The hotel theme is Manhattan.

Those objects' size was half of real ones.

We tried to ride the roller coaster.

That was made in Japan!!

This is small and short length.

However, the highest speed is 107.8 k.

Because the vehicle passes through the hotel building,

I felt fearful.

The building which I am most impressed of....

The buildings which I am most impressed of is that was built by Antonio Gaudi. He is the greatest architect of Roman Catholicism. His works are World Heritage. When I was young I visited the city of Barcelona, I was amazed at Sagra Familia (which is on the right)and the design is very unique and mysterious. Until the work will be completed, it takes another hundred years. And I love the casa mila (which is on the left) is very nice building painted with multiple colours. If you go to the city of Barcelona in Spain, I recommend you to go to Guel Park also. I felt like if I were in fairy stories.

What are your favorite buidlings?

In the next unit we will be looking at the elements and talking about the design of buildings. The first picture is of a castle in England called Powderham Castle, which I think is one of my favorite buildings. It is well built, it is strong and secure, but it is also welcoming and beautiful. The people who built it tried to create a safe and friendly place for the families who lived there. It also has the oldest animal in Britain in its garden! Oh, and one word of warning, it also has several ghosts.....


The second picture is of a room which uses light and materials to create a relaxed and beautiful effect. Would you like to sleep in this room?

Office Staff

In my opinion every career are interesting but one of them is the most boring. What is this job?? Office staff. Yes,you might think it's convenient. Just sitting on the chair,have air-conditioning and free coffee! For me it not what I want. In this world have a lot of things but you choose to work with the bother and do it repeatedly every day. However most people are Office staff even if my parent because this salary or more. If they like to be a Office staff it'll OK but If they don't like it and have patience to do it. I know that patience is a good thing but if it makes you not to do what you love. Do not forget that life is just one. So choose what you do it and be happy. What about me? Yes,I think my choice is right. Hope you'll happy with your decisions.

A window cleaner

One of the jobs I am not able to do it is a window cleaner. When I am in the building like higher than 20th floor and I see a man hunged with tools and ropes, I can believe that if he worries about falling. I think they'd to be more admitted socially and earn good wages.
However some people are not afraid of heights but in Bangkok, I see a lot of men who are cleaning window without appropriate tools. If a blast comes, it would be very dangerous and it bothers them.
When I was young, I crossed a suspension bridge which was over the mountains and I was really scared at that time but I resigned to keep walking because many people walk after me. My distinct fear of heights has had since then I speculate.

International Space Station (ISS)

Are you interested in life in Space?

Space is dark because there are no air.

So, light doesn't scatter.

Astronauts are separated to two groups, red team and blue team.

They should experiment and work for limited duration.

So, while blue team is working, red team is sleeping.

It means they have 2 shifts.

They are careful to choose their sleeping spot near ventilator.

They sleep in sleeping bags.

They hook their sleeping bags on a wall.

Normaly, these sleeping bags are kept a bar level with the floor.

They can sleep about 8 hours until they receive morning call from earth.

One of the Japanese astronaut used ear caps and an eye mask.

He said we slept like bagworms!

Doctor

I think a doctor is a important job and doctors are needed by us, however I wouldn't like to be a doctor. Their works are very hard, sometimes they are on the night shift. They have to examine patients who have many kinds of bacterias or injured people. They are always exposed themselves to danger of germs. In case of surgeons they do a surgical operation and they must see blood and internal organs whether they like them or not.

I have a distinct reason that I'm not fit for a doctor. Several years ago, I went to an exhibition of the body in Japan. There were many specimens - brain, muscles, nerves and blood vessel, for example. These were made from real dead bodies. Specimens were left someones body to medicine. I watched to take a interest in them at first, but I gradually felt unwell. At last, I couldn't stand and gave up to see them. A doctor is unsuitable and dislike job for me, of course, I don't have an ability.

By the way, do you know "Body Show"? It's located on Sukhumvit 24 road. My husband went to there. He said there was an exhibition of the body and people could touch them. The very thought of it makes me shudder! If you want to go there, admission fee is 400 bath.

Garbage man

The job that I hate and don't want to do is "garbage man" especially in Thailand. Because I can not stand the smell,
the dieases and all the dirty. But I understand if we don't have garbage man to keep the garbage, it will make our
city become very dirty. I also understand and feel pity
for a guy who have to work in this situation. Who have
to stand againts all the smell and all the dieases that may
cause him sickness. The government should paid these
people more benefit and welfare more than other career.
The government should also improve the management
of garbage problem, they should be recycle or burn down.
Similarly people should separate garbage. And at it all we
should decrease garbage that is a problem of enviroment .

Garbage man

Unusual job

When I was a student, I was mad about skiing. Therefore, I had to do part time job to in order to go to a skiing ground. I did many kinds of part time jobs, for example, selling lottery, hair cut-model, experiment of cosmetics, ski tour attendant, survey passersby etc.

This time, I introduce to harvest SHITAKE mushroom. This is not an unusual job but it's interesting job.

At the first, an employer collected us at midnight, then, he took us to a mountain which was located in Mie-prefecture. It took us about 4 to 5hours from Osaka. On the middle of the mountain, we were had a lecture about our job. The job wasn't difficult but it wanted me to instantly measure size of mushroom. And we were given a quota that had to fulfill 3large baskets within 4hours. In the moutain, we couldn't recognize the time because of a little sunlight, so, I warked very hard. By the time of the end, I had a high pride with mushrooming for I thought I could become an expert. I felt thoroughly satisfied.

However, miserable things came later. When I closed my eyes to go to sleep, my brain flashed back mushrooms figures as a ghost. Moreover, I was not able to sleep and eat for 3days.

After graduation, I got a kind of usual job, I think.

The ISS

What do you think it would be like to travel to the International Space Station?

If you were offered a job there, would you go?

What would you most miss about the earth?

It would certainly be an extreme lifestyle!

International Space Station.

The International Space Station is an internationally developed research and it is the most expensive space project ever, it is 109 meters wide and 51 meters long, the weight is about 1 million pounds. There is room for seven crew members, but only six are there now. The project taken from sixteen countries around the world. The project started in 1998 and it will be finished in 2011. The purpose of the project is to study the world without gravity and get better understanding of gravity effect on plants, animals, and human. You can see the space station from almost any point on earth with naked eyes.
On the top of right hand side is the International Space Station go across the sky in January 2008.

My dream job

When I was young, I had a dream.(I'm not Martin Luther King Jr.. Hence, I had.) I wanted to be a greatest and super duper famous scientist as like The Einstien. The great scientist could make a powerful bomb, then nobody threaten her. And, she could make a time machine. She could become a History. What a fantastic job it is! Yah, It was.
I knew that the scientist as like Einstien is rare after my dreaming childhood. Whatever my dream job was, I am a housewife now.
One more thing, I didn't have any experience of an unusual job, but I had an unusual experience of an usual job. When I was a university student, I took a internship at the government related office. Most works are boring and simple. I read books everyday at the office. For 1-1/2 months, I read 30 books. I swear to God the office was not a libary.

Ssssswarm

I'm afraid of all kinds of swarm.
Ant, bee, fly, spider, bird and small insect, etc. are all O.K, but if they form swarm, I will feel itching, nausea and dizzy. It occurs to me a primitive fear which I'm alone and they are group.
They move as like one living thing and at the same time they move as a part. The moving pattern is verrrrrry scary.
I can't say about that. I can't endure. Also, I can't search the pictures. I don't want to imagem that any more.

I don't want to meet it.

One of creature that I don't want to meet is centipede. When I lived in countryside, I met them in my room every summer. They bothered me because they had a poison and I feared that I might be bitten by them. I speculated where they came into my room from but I didn't find it. They came from nowhere.
It's said they has a habit of living pair so if one is killed, the other appear after a few days. It's a unique habit. I believed it and when I got rid of one, I thought the other came out so I couldn't sleep well that night. But I checked out about them, I found that they didn't have such a habit. If I found one of centipede, there were many centipede in there. It was simply question of environment. It made little difference either way as I couldn't sleep well.
I remember them... they give me the creeps!

I'm sorry that I couldn't attach a picture.

Proboscis Monkey.

Proboscis Monkey or Big Nose Monkey. You can find it on Indonesian and Malaysian islands. The first time I saw it on the TV, it really bothered me. I thought it was kind of scary, because its nose is so strangely big and unique. It looks so close to humans, especially when it is moving around. It made my arm hair's stand up! Sometimes when I am scared of something, I don't know the reason why..." it's just some kind of nose "

snake

Snake is one of the animal which I don't want to see.
They don't blink, they have long tongue, they don't have legs...

However, as you know, snake have some special function in their bodies.

They can adjust their lower jaw's size.
They can eat not only rats but also mammals.

That' unique ability.

I don't like snake.
But my husband's twelve animal signs of the Chinese zodiac is snake.
(My type is bird.)

In Japan, some old peole use wallet which made of snake skin.
Because some Japanese believe that the snake skin is one of the lucky items about money.

Of course, my relatives used wallets that was yellow color.

Scary!!!

This is the creature that I would never want to meet, or keep as a pet. Even when I see a picture of it I have a distinct fear reaction. I don't like the way they move, especially how they run. I think they are pretty unique in the animal kingdom for being the most creepy........

What do you think?

What animals are you afraid of?

Would you keep a spider as a pet?

The animals I am most afraid of.......

The insect which I am most afraid of is cockroaches. Since I came here, I see them quite often. They are on the sidewalk and on the wall. They like high humidity and hot weather. The reason why I am really afraid of is that I don't have a chance to see wild dangerous animals in normal life but I see cockroaches everywhere. In my apartment, men come to do pest control service once a month. Whenever they come I go after them and check whether they spray all the rooms. Cockroaches are very dirty and they eat everything that people eat. I heard that they can live without water for a few weeks and they are survivable in any circumstances.

My family

This is my family. We have lived in Bangkok for three years and a half. At first both my husband and I studied Thai language but we gave up to study it because it was too difficult for us. Neither my husband nor I can speak Thai but we're enjoying our life here very much.
We went to Chaang island in new year holidays. Both my husband and I like animals. He especially likes elephants. We both enjoyed trekking and swimming with a elephant. If we don't live in Thailand, we never have a chance to touch them. He looked so happy to spend a time with a elephant.
My husband likes Thai foods. To tell the truth, I couldn't eat Thai foods because of too hot and spicy. He often take me to Thai restaurants and now we both like them. He always looks for good restaurants. I think Thai foods are both good and cheap. When we want to have Thai foods, we go out to a Thai restaurant. My husband and I really like to live in Thailand.

My family...troublesome..

This is my family.
We have lived in Bangkok for 2 yrs. Both my husband and my daughter love living here.
My daughter, Christina(Hee-So),13, studies at international school. She always happy. She doesn't like Korean education. Hence, she prefer life of international school. Christina is always troublesome teen for me. I didn't know puberty is how terrible.
All of my family gain weights in Bangkok. Bangkok make us get fat more and more. Its attractive foods, hot tempurature, extreme sweet and relaxing atmosphere give us more flesh. In the case of teens, she gets height.

My baby Buddy.

Buddy is a Black Labrador Retriever, Now, he is nine years old. We got him when he was a puppy when we were in Chiang Mai. Buddy is the most wonderful pet we have ever had. He is really polite and gentle. When we got him we always had him in the house and he slept in the same room with us but now he is very old and he has got some problems with his back so we make him sleep downstairs by himself which makes me very sad. Before, I used to take him for long runs with my bike and swims in the lake but now he can do neither, all he can do is just slow walks, he sometimes he forgets his age and tries to run like he is a puppy and falls down that really breaks my heart every time I see it. Buddy, brings a a lot of joy and happiness into our family, Both me and my husband are so happy and proud to have found Buddy and have him with us.

My husband

How about your weekend?
In this time, I'll introduce you to my husband.



















Both I and he worked at same company in Japan.
However, we worked at different branches.

I worked at head office.
On the other hand, he worked at Nagoya branch.

I met him at dinner party of Sales department.
But neither I nor he can drink alcohol a lot.

Both I and he like to travel.
We used to travel a lot of places and countries.

Of course, we traveled a lot of places from Bangkok.
In this Chinese New Year, we'll travel Cairo, in Egypt.

So, we should save money in our dairy life...

My family :)

I married with my husband for 27 years. We have two children Vic is 24 years old and Meen is 20 years old. Vic studies in forth year at ABAC university major in Advertising . He will finish his study in March. Meen is younger, she studies at Thummasat university major in Economic . Now as an exchange student she is studying in Sweden for atleast one year. Both Vic and Meen are good boy and girl.

My family alway do activities together such as sport ,travel ,relex,eatout . Every weekend ,on Satureday my family alway meet together whether at my house or my mom's house. I 'm a big chef everyone like me to cook. My family and my cousion

are close to each other and love each other very much. I am very happy women!

Look like?

I have two daughters. They are identical twins. One's name is Haruka, the other is Ayaka. Both they are fifteen years old and enjoy school life of Thai-Japanese association school which is on Rama9 road.

In Japan, the school new year starts at the beginning of April. Both they'll become highschool students in April. Last year, they took entrance exams of a few high schools. At that time, both my husband and I were exhausted because we worried if one of them fails exam.Fortunately, both tyey were accepted by a school where they were willing the most.Thererfore, all my family members are really relaxed now.

The school has srudy abroad program for a year. I want them to go to either London or US or Newzealand. Just.....the most important problem is that neither Haruka nor Ayaka is good at English besides Japanese literature.

The last, I inform you about my husband. Although he's lived in BKK for about twenty years, his vocabulary of Thai has not increased. Addition, his vocabulary in all languages has no romantic word.

This is a picture of my family. One who is on the left is my son who is fourteen years old. He likes art and listen to music.

The one who is standing on the other side is my husband. He is working for the trading company and he is working so hard as other Japanese business men. He likes to play golf but he doesn't have time to go these days.

One in the middle is me of course.

Mayumi

My nephews

These are my nephews, Sam is eleven years old and Ben is six. Both of them live near London in the UK and Sam has just started a new school. Neither Ben nor Sam has been to visit Thailand but I hope they will come over this year. The boys have very different personalities, Sam is quite shy and finds school difficult whereas Ben is very outgoing and strong willed; Ben tends to be the loudest kid in his class! I miss them both very much.

It's me "Katie".

Hi!!!!!

It's a first time to me.
It's my first posting. I don't know what I have to post.
I'm come from Seoul, Korea.
I like reading books and cooking.
I want to have nice time in A.U.A.

JU

Hi! I'm Mayuree Orutsakakij , my nick name is Ju . I study in Post certificate class.
I live on Sukhumvit 62 road. I was born in Bangkok. I do my own business with my husband.
I have two children a boy and a girl . I like cooking and travel. I nearly retire my job and plan
to travel.

Nice to meet you!

Hello, friends!

My name is Mie. I'm from Japan. I live in BKK for three years but I can't speak Thai very well.
I like Thai foods, please let me know good Thai restaurants.

Thank you,
Mie

Nice to meet you!

Hi!
My name is Yuko.

I'm a Japanese house wife.
I 've lived in Bangkok for more than 4 years due to my husband' transfer.
However, we have to back to Japan in this Spiring.
I'm so sad because I really like this life.

I'd like to enjoy hilarious Bangkok life until the last day.
Studying English in AUA is one of my continuous hobby for 2 years.

Nice to meet you.

Sawad dee kha!

My name is Rie.
I am from Kobe,Japan.
I've lived in BKK since 2007.
I'd like to live in BKK for a long time though, I have to go back to Japan in this March.

Hello.

My name is Mayumi. I am house wife and I have a son who is fourteen years old and he goes to International school. When I have free time, I go to calligraphy class and I go to work out at gym in my apartment.

Actually I don't like cooking very much. Since my husband has gained much weight since he came here, I have to care about dietary restrictions for him.

I like to play golf but I'm not so good at it but every time I go to golf course, I feel fresh air.

I'm Beau.

Hi ,Everyone!!! I'm Beau,tall and nerd girl(may be). I'm 18 years old. I'm student of photography major at KMITL. I decided to study in AUA because I think it's way to improve my English skill and it's better than I stay home all day. In my freetime I like to walk around Bangkok and take a photo or see movies. If you have favorite activities like me,you should to come and join with me : ))

Nice to meet you. I hope I can be your good friend <3 .
You can follow me in Twitter @beau_1992

About me, Nang

Hi, I'm Nang. I have been studying in AUA since level nine. The reason to come to AUA is to improve and keep up my Engligh skill., the benefit out of that is I got to meet new friends :-D
In my free time I like to read, sleep, exercise. My favorite food? I don't know maybe Pad thai but I love to eat!!! specially Asian food, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, invite me in then you will see :-D

Please Introduce Yourself

The first task on this class blog is for you to introduce yourself. Write a short paragraph about you, where you live, your hobbies, likes and dislikes. You can add a picture if you like :)

When you have finished take a look at other postings and make comments on at least three.