外国でも平和を話し合うために

アダム・ベック

米国イリノイ州出身。ニューヨークの大学と、サンフランシスコの大学院で演劇を勉強。大学院生のときに「ピースコール」というボランティアとして、ヨーロッパのチェコで英語の先生をした。広島市東区在住。

今回が最終回です。

「英語に挑戦」は２００７年１月、「ひろしま国」の創刊とともに始まりました。計１０４回の連載となりました。

前回の課題「もったいない」（パズルの答えはＷＡＳＴＥ。広島市安佐北区のa19さんの回答ＳＷＥＡＴも正解です）には、終わりを惜しむコメントが多く寄せられました。庄原市高野町のＵＶＥＲさんなどが書いていましたが、私はどこにも行きません。これからも広島で執筆業や教師をします。

「英語に挑戦」「ひろしま国」の終了は悲しいですが、終わりは新しい始まりでもあります。英文には始まりについてと謝意を書いています。広島市安佐南区の will mama さんは今後も英語を学びたいとのこと。そうです、毎回投稿してくれた広島県府中町のＳＯＳ男さんのように「継続は力なり」です！

Again, thank you ! And best of luck to you all !

　　前回の日本語訳

"Mottainai"（もったいない）

Of course, it's important to think about "mottainai", to do our best to save energy and use things well. One way to remember the importance of this is to keep in mind how lucky we are compared to many people in the world. In some countries, for example, people don't have water in their homes. In fact, to get water, they have to walk a long way with a big container and carry it home on their backs or on their heads. Sometimes even children have to walk hours each day to do this. So the next time you turn on the water at home, remember how fortunate you are and think about "mottainai" in your own life.

省エネや物の有効活用のために「もったいない」について考えることは当然ながら重要です。この大切さについて忘れないようにするには、世界の多くの人々と比べ、私たちがいかに幸せかということを心に留めておくことが一つの方法です。国によっては家に水がありません。つまり、水を得るには、大きな容器を抱えて長い道のりを歩き、それを背負ったり、頭に乗せたりして家まで運ばなければなりません。時に、子どもでさえも毎日何時間も歩かないといけないのです。だから、あなたが今度水道の蛇口をひねるときは、自分がいかに恵まれているかを思い出し、「もったいない」を生活の中で考えてください。

ベックさんのコメント

SOS男 :	It's funny that you mentioned getting scolded by your wife about your things. In my little office at home I have many, many books and my wife sometimes scolds me, too! As usual, your essay was excellent. This sentence, though, would sound a bit more natural if slightly revised: "My wife often scolds me about this." SOS, thank you for being such a faithful contributor to English Challenge. I enjoyed our interaction very much. I wish you the best of luck and I look forward to our paths crossing again in the future.
Brother :	Yes, I agree that the ending of "English Challenge" and "Peace Seeds" is very MOTTAINAI. But I want to thank you again for all your support. "English Challenge" and "Peace Seeds" both grew more successful as a result of your hard work. Otsukaresama deshita! As for your essay, the writing is very good. For the last sentence, it might be more natural to say: "I also hope the junior writers will report on peace issues, as in "Peace Seeds," in the future."
MURATA :	I agree with your way of thinking. Time is a very valuable thing and we mustn't waste it. Speaking of time, I'm glad that you spent so much time writing essays for me over the past few years! I really appreciate all your effort! Your English has improved so please continue to study English in the future. Little by little, you can do it! The HPMC will miss you, but you have a bright future ahead of you. Good luck!
vine eggs :	Thank you for all your contributions to "English Challenge"! I've always looked forward to your essays and I'm sorry my column has come to an end. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you, too, for inviting me to your event in Saeki. I don't know if I'll be in Hiroshima that day (we'll probably go to Fukuyama so my son can celebrate his 5th birthday with his grandparents), but if we're in town, I'll try to come. As for your essay, the first sentence would sound a bit more natural like this: "I have lived a comfortable life since I was born."
will mama :	Thank you for writing! I enjoyed reading your essay. It sounds like you’re doing a lot of good things for the environment. Keep up the good work! And keep studying English, too! The more you use your English, the easier it will become for you to express yourself. The ideas in your essay were clear. The last sentence, though, would sound more natural like this: "There are so many things we can do to save energy." Good luck to you!
UVER :	Thank you for your message. I'm happy to hear that "English Challenge" was useful for you and your children. By the way, I'm not leaving Hiroshima. I will continue to live here with my family. Hopefully, I will have another newspaper column like "English Challenge" in the future! Thanks again!
Keiko Takizawa :	Thank you for writing to me. I'm happy to know that you enjoyed "English Challenge." I think it's a pity, too, that "English Challenge" and "Hiroshima Koku" have come to an end. But maybe I will have another column like "English Challenge" in the future. If so, I hope you'll write to me again! Thank you!

１０６号クロスワードパズルの正解はこちら＞＞

A New Beginning

I have been writing "English Challenge" for the past five years. Writing this column has been a very good experience for me. I learned a lot about Hiroshima and peace issues, and I had the chance to communicate with many people who are interested in English. But now, with Hiroshima Koku ending, "English Challenge" is ending, too. Endings can be sad, it's true, but endings also bring new beginnings. For me, this "new beginning" involves writing and teaching. Hiroshima is now my home, so I will continue to live here with my family. Recently, I completed my first novel (a humorous adventure for older children) and I hope to write more books for children. At the same time, I will continue to write about Hiroshima and peace issues, and I plan to open some English classes in the spring. If I have the opportunity to write another English column for the newspaper, I will be glad to do that, too!