2015年11月27日金曜日

2015年11月27日金曜日 -

Mitch：The Village of Clinton

As some of you know from my lessons, I am from New York. When I say New York, most people think I mean the city, but I am really from the countryside. I have spent time on farms and even more time wandering in the woods. When I was in college, I lived and studied in the capital, but I grew up in the countryside in a small place called The Village of Clinton.


My village is located in Upstate New York, in a valley between the Catskill Mountains and the Adirondack Mountains. It is a great place to see autumn leaves and you can see deer or cows every day there. There are a lot of trees, hills and mountains and many small restaurants and shops. The tallest building in town is only three stories tall. There are less than two thousand people in the whole village. When you walk down a street, you regularly see squirrels, deer and rabbits. It is a village in the middle of nowhere, over four hours from New York City. However, if you like nature, music or even Italian food, it is a great place to live. If I wanted to go for a walk in the woods, it was very easy to do, as the village is in a forest. Living in Osaka I sometimes miss living in a forest, but most of all, I miss my dog.



 Once a year the village holds a music festival when bands from other parts of the U.S. come and play. There is always lots of loud music and good food. It is a good way to meet with old friends and hear new bands as well. The festival lasts for three days and is a good break in the middle of the summer.
Every Thursday during the summer we have a farmers' market during which farmers and people who make handmade goods come to the center of the village, and sell food and goods in the park there. You can buy fresh bread, cheese, cakes and pies from farmers or even candles, homemade dog treats, and bacon covered in chocolate from stalls there. In my village it is easy to get delicious fresh food, and to relax in the summer. In the winters there is always a ton of snow, so if you enjoy hot choclate and staying indoors or skiing and sledding, it is a very nice area then, too.
In Clinton, we have many events like the farmers' market or the music festival. You can watch fireworks on the Fourth of July or see a parade on Christmas and Thanksgiving. There are many small shops in the village center and there is always good food if you like bakeries, cafes or Italian food. Although there are more cows than people, it can be a very relaxing place to live. It has been a very different experience living in Osaka. Having grown up in a town of less than two thousand, I miss the food and nature of my village, but I love being in Osaka, too.

capital：首都
Upstate：北部
valley：谷
three stories tall：三階建ての高さ
less than：～に満たない
squirrels：リス
lasts：続く
stalls：屋台
sledding：ソリ滑りをする
miss：恋しくなる