●英字新聞社ジャパンタイムズによる英語学習サイト。英語のニュース、よみもの、リスニングなどのコンテンツを無料で提供。無料見本紙はこちら
英語学習サイト ジャパンタイムズ 週刊STオンライン
『The Japan Times ST』オンライン版 | UPDATED: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 | 毎週水曜日更新!   
  • 英語のニュース
  • 英語とエンタメ
  • リスニング・発音
  • ことわざ・フレーズ
  • 英語とお仕事
  • キッズ英語
  • クイズ・パズル
  • 留学・海外生活
  • 英語のものがたり
  • 会話・文法
  • 週刊ST購読申し込み
     時事用語検索辞典BuzzWordsの詳しい使い方はこちら!
カスタム検索
 

Letter from Boston

Cleveland Circle

By MASAKO YAMADA


クリーブランド広場

雅子さんはボストン・カレッジ近くの地下鉄沿いに住んでいます。ボストン・カレッジは、雅子さんの通っているボストン大学と混同されがちですが、両者はだいぶ異なるようです…。

I've mentioned several times that I live along the B-line "T," near Boston College. BC, as it's commonly called, is not the same as BU. Boston University is located in Kenmore Square, near downtown Boston. BC is located in the outskirts of Boston, in a suburb called Newton.

In Japan, there are no words to differentiate between "university" and "college" ― they are both called "daigaku" ― but in the States the former usually has graduate research facilities, and the latter primarily serves as a liberal arts school for undergraduates. BU is a university; Wellesley is a college. It's hard to explain, but colleges are also different from the "tandai" and "senmongakko" in Japan. The equivalent of "tandai" is called a junior college or community college, and a "senmongakko" is called a specialty school or vocational school.

To add to the confusion, BC, in spite of its name, does have a graduate school. So does Smith College, another of the "Seven Sisters." Another complicating factor is that although Wellesley College is translated as "Wellesley Daigaku" in Japan, Boston College is called "Boston College." What is called "Boston Daigaku" is Boston University.

My point is that we should not overlook BC, in spite of its often being mistaken for BU. I think the first step in getting to know anything is getting its name right. Perhaps BC's location isn't as urban as BU's and its student body not as large, but BC has a lot of things going for it.

For one thing, it's very well-known as a Catholic college. These days, the original founding religion of any college rarely makes an impact on the curriculum, but the stereotypical BC student is still considered to be conservative, well-dressed and altruistic. Even though the student body is very diverse these days, those old images still linger.

Another well-known fact about BC is that is has an extremely strong football team. Interestingly, some other traditionally Christian colleges such as Notre Dame and Brigham Young also have very strong football teams. That may seem a little contradictory, though. Would Jesus Christ aggressively tackle the enemy? But perhaps the fundamental discipline of Christianity and God's special blessing (?!) give those schools an edge in competition. Whenever BC plays a home game, the area is crowded with eager fans. College football is taken very seriously in the States, and good tickets are much coveted.

Cleveland Circle is the main "social area" for BC. Since it is located far from the center of Boston, it doesn't have the same amount of foot traffic that the BU area or Harvard Avenue have. The residents seem to be mostly BC students, young professionals, and suburbanites with families. It feels a lot more homey and safe than Allston, and the rents seem to be a little cheaper too.

There are a lot of inexpensive restaurants and bars in the Circle. There's also a six-screen movie theater complex that is crowded with students on the weekends. The Circle is also where three of the Green line "T" trains stop (the B, C, and D lines), so if the local entertainment becomes stale, one can easily hop on a train and escape to the big city.

Cleveland Circle isn't large, but it has many of the basic amenities that a "college town" usually has. Wellesley, on the contrary, didn't have such amenities as cheap pizza joints, 24-hour chain stores, bars, movie theaters and convenient public transportation. That was because of the local residents' ardent efforts to preserve peace and quiet in the town. It was occasionally annoying, but I have to admit that the shops and streets of Wellesley had a much more polished air than those in Cleveland Circle. Whether one prefers a casual setting or a classy setting really depends on the individual.

Right now I'm happy living in an environment completely different from what I've experienced for the past three years. I really like being able to hop on the "T" at a moment's notice, or buy coffee at all hours, or just retreat back to my nearby apartment when the day is over.


Shukan ST: Oct. 25, 1996

(C) All rights reserved



英語のニュース |  英語とエンタメ |  リスニング・発音 |  ことわざ・フレーズ |  英語とお仕事 |  キッズ英語 |  クイズ・パズル
留学・海外就職 |  英語のものがたり |  会話・文法 |  執筆者リスト |  読者の声 |  広告掲載
お問い合わせ |  会社概要 |  プライバシーポリシー |  リンクポリシー |  著作権 |  サイトマップ