先学期のEC（English Communication）の授業で訪れた Smithbrook Kilnの陶器屋さんから、その時製作していた大きなプレートが届きました。丁度、戦没者を追悼するRememberance Dayの頃だったので、そのプレートには薄ピンク色のきれいなポピーの花と「平和」」「花」「愛をこめて」「記憶」などの漢字がデザインされました。あの時実際にお店の人が生徒たちの目の前で描いていたプレートが、竃で焼かれて送られてきた完成品。先学期の体験を思い出しながら、感謝の意を込めてお店の人にサンキューレターを書きました。そのうちのいくつかをご紹介します。
Dear Mrs. McKenna,
Thank you for showing us how to paint flowers on the plate.
I really enjoyed your demonstration. It looked extremely difficult, but you said, “It’s easy”. I was surprised at that. And the things in the shop were lovely!
You were really kind to all of us, so it was easy to talk with you, and ask some questions.
I hope I can come again and next time I’m going to buy the lovely things!
Yours sincerely
Shungo
(High School 1 boy)
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Dear Mrs. McKenna,
Thank you for the beautiful plate!
I’m going to tell you about what I enjoyed the most about the trip.
I actually enjoyed watching you painting the plate because when you were painting you looked like you were enjoying painting to me.
When I paint or draw I am always thinking what to paint and how to decorate, but when I saw you, it just looked like you had everything in your mind that you were going to do. It was also impressive that you added some Japanese writing on the plate!
Finally, thank you very much for the plate!
Sincerely
Mayu
(Middle School 1 girl)
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Dear Mrs. McKenna
Thank you for showing how to paint a plate.
The plate that you painted was very nice.
The plate was painted with a lot of beautiful flowers and a few cute bees. I loved it very much.
I thought I want to paint the pottery, too. I want to take my family or my friends to your shop and paint a lot of pottery. Then I want to give them to my grandmother because her birthday is coming soon.
From Mana
(High School 1 girl)
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To Mrs. McKenna
I saw the pottery which you made in November yesterday. It was very nice.
The poppy drawn on the pottery was beautiful, and thank you very much for giving your time to talk us. I really enjoy it.
There was a lot of pottery in your shop. They were all so nice but I like a pottery with a baby’s footprint pattern best.
Thank you very much.
From Mizuki
(Middle School 3 girl)
