Saturday 29 June 2019

Email to my home stay family

Dear Host Family,

Hello, I'm going to Ireland to study English and stay at your home from next month. I'm so excited now.

My school is Ireland English school which is in downtown of Dublin and I checked on the internet how to get there. Although it seems that there are two ways, bus and train, I could not collect sufficient information. It would be appreciated if you could advise me which is more convenience way.

I searched about traditional and typical food of Ireland and everything looks so delicious, especially Irish stew which is made with lamb. Please advise me later the best restaurant where I can eat Irish traditional food near your town.

Please let me share with you the important thing. I don't think that I have allergy to food, but I have had like allergic reaction when I ate a mango. I also don't like a cilantro leaf. Sorry for your inconvenience.

I'm looking forward to seeing you next month.

Sincerely,
Sammy

Thursday 27 June 2019

Postcard from...Bangkok, Thailand

Floating Market at Damnernsaduak, Rajburi
Sa wat dii ka                                                  Hello!

How are you, everyone?

I'm now in Bangkok, Thailand. I have a training in Ramathibod Hospital - Mahidol University for one month. I've already finished the training in P.I.C.U. (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) and I'm going to Infectious Pediatrics Ward for 2 weeks. I'll be careful not to get Malaria, Zika fever or Dengue fever!! Ha ha

See you in 2 - 3 weeks

Chihiro :)


Wednesday 26 June 2019

Democrat Party nomination in the 2020 US election - After reading

I want to introduce a candidate “Bernie Sanders” for the Democrat Party nomination in the 2020 US election. You may know him because he was in a close race with Hillary Clinton for the previous Democrat Part nomination in the 2016. He was born in NY and was Polish-Israeli. His parents faced some difficulties until his mother was died aged 46 years-old and his father was died aged 57 years-old. Thus, he learned from a young age that the government was seriously important because 50 million people including 6 million of Jewish people were killed in World War II by the government by Adolf Hitler. In the period of Chicago university, he jointed an activity against segregated system, non-violent action in struggle for racial equality.
Now, for the Democrat Party nomination in the 2020, he aims to make proper U.S. government economically, socially, racially and environmentally and is not thinking in priority to finish the government by Donald Trump. Most of candidates for the Democrat Party nomination insist similar policy to rectify imbalances in the U.S. economy etc. He has a lot of policies, and I am writing his biography because I want him to change the U.S. policy for environmental problem including global heating, clean, and renewable energy as the forty-six presidents. Most of countries are taking actions agreed by Kyoto Protocol, but the U.S. that is worst carbon-dioxide emissions country withdrew from it to put domestic economic growth in the near term in priority than earth in the next decade or century.
The environmental problem should be taken measurements quickly at the risk of low economy. His policies in environment are as follows.  One of his policies in enviroment is to transition the U.S. to 100% clean and renewable energy within the next decade.  Another is to stop destroying our planet for profit.
I also feel the same way about education.  His policies in education are as follows.  One of his policies in education is to educate at public university without any tuition for undergraduate student and another is to support clothing, food and housing. It is well known that a lot of workers are suffering to pay students loans back and it causes low performance in work and low consumption and is not good in the U.S. economy.
And students who receive enough support from government may be able to change the U.S.A. better and education is very important.
I hope that American people choose appropriate person as the forty-six presidents carefully.

Monday 24 June 2019

Postcard from...Winchester Castle,England

The Great Hall of Winchester Castle -
King Arthur's Round Table


Dear Jim, Yukari-san and all at Luna,

How are you? My daughter and I are having a wonderful time here. Winchester was what I expected, I saw the Round Table from the 13th Century and learned a lot of history. I also saw Jane Austen's grave at the Cathedral. 

We are going to do some sightseeing in Bath today. 
Tomorrow we'll be in Cotswolds, then to Ireland, Galway

This is my fourth visit to England. Every time I come back, I feel nostalgic. This year the weather is very bad, even in June. Raining all the time.

All the best

Shizue

Thursday 20 June 2019

Speaking Examiner training for Japan

下記の日程にて、ケンブリッジ英語検定のA2 Key/A2 Key for Schools (KET)B1 Preliminary/B1 Preliminary for Schools (PET) のSpeaking Examiner(スピーキングの試験官)トレーニングが実施されます。


https://cambridge-university-press.jp/events_news/cambridge_speaking_examiner/


In 2019:

June 29: Key (KET A2) + Preliminary (PET B1) in Sendai
July 20: Key (KET A2) + Preliminary (PET B1) in Tokyo
Aug 17: Key (KET A2) + Preliminary (PET B1) in Kagoshima

Aug 24: Young Learners (YLE Starters, Movers & Flyers preA1 – A2) in Tokyo

Sept 29: Preliminary (PET B1) + First (FCE B2) in Tokyo
Nov 2: Key (KET A2) + Preliminary (PET B1) in Tokyo
Nov 9: Key (KET A2) + Preliminary (PET B1) in Nagoya
Nov 30:Key (KET A2) + Preliminary (PET B1) in Tokyo

In 2020:

Jan 18: Key (KET A2) + Preliminary (PET B1) in Nagoya
Jan 25: Key (KET A2) + Preliminary (PET B1) in Tokyo
Mar 21: Key (KET A2) + Preliminary (PET B1) in Tokyo
Mar 28: Key (KET A2) + Preliminary (PET B1) in Nagoya


申し込み・お問い合わせはこちら:

お申込みフォーム

ケンブリッジ英語検定東日本センターJP004
Speaking Examiner Team Leader
Jim George
oyajim@gmail.com

Monday 10 June 2019

Emergency pack

Honestly, I do not have any emergency packs now although I prepared the pack for a while after my child was born.  When some foods were expired and I moved home a few years ago, I got rid of them.  This writing work reminds me the importance of emergency pack, so I should prepare the pack again.

The most important item will be foods for my child.  She must feel afraid of emergency situation.  If she can eat her favorite foods like jelly and snacks, she can feel relieved.

I am most concerned about earthquake because it occurs somewhere in Japan periodically.  It depends on the size of an earthquake and where I am when an earthquake comes, but I need to survive for 3 days at least.


Sunday 9 June 2019

Write about your favourite five year old!

Five-year-old is the important year for my life.  I met my closest friend at pre-school when I was five years old.  We went to the same pre-school, elementary school, junior high school and high school, so we spent twelve years together.

Most of children started pre-school when they become three-year-old.  However, she and I started one year later, when we became four-year-old.  We were in the same class and played together every day.

I remember well about her drawing.  She drew picture well and I liked to see her drawing picture.  She always drew flower vase on the top of refrigerator, then drew flowers.  I think this is my oldest memory with her.  I feel happy every time when I think about this memory.



Thursday 6 June 2019

Postcard from...Shenzen

Shenzen Bay Port
Jim sensei,

I am in Hong Kong airport and waiting fro my flight back to Nagoya. I had two meetings in China and felt I should improve my English skill and learn some Chinese words to communicate with my customers fluently.

The picture is the point of the border between China and Hong Kong. The border opens at 6:30 in the morning and it is full of young Chinese students who go to school in Hong Kong.

Tomoko

Monday 3 June 2019

Koboyama Kofun - burial mound in Matsumoto

The Koboyama Kofun

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layout of a Kofun
In ancient Japan, in the 3rd-7th centuries, many important Japanese warlords made burial mounds to  show their power. They used dirt to make them, and they put the body and precious things in it as well.

One of these historical tombs is in Matsumoto, Nagano. It is called Koboyama Kofun. It is the oldest kofun in east Japan. It was built in the 3rd century, but it is unknown who built it.

The Koboyama Kofun was rediscovered in 1974. At that time, local people mistook it as just a hill. During the WW2, some machine guns had been set up on the hill. Afterward, the Matsusho-Gakuen corporation bought the hill to build a school.When they surveyed the ground, they found that it was a special kofun for Japan.

The Koboyama Kofun is about 60m high, 66m long.The shape is like two squares together (see image). There was a traditional round mirror, three iron swords, 738 glass balls, an iron ax and a jewel ball.

We don't know who was buried here.Today, people come here to see 2000 cherry trees in blossom every spring. Most people do no realize what they are climbing!

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Koboyama Kofun cherry blossoms
Yuto