Postcard from the tropical rainforest - Malaysia

 Hello, Jim :)

How are you?

I'm enjoying my life!

I'm going back to Japan February 17th

See you in the next lesson :)

From Sachiko

The pros and cons of getting older

 Some people say that getting older is the best time of your life. However, getting older has noth advantages and disadvantages.

On the plus side, you can have more freedom. For example, you can vote, drive a car, drink alcohol, spend money and make decisions for yourslef. Also, you can gain more knowledge and experience.

However, for every plus there is a minus. One disadvantage is that getting poor health, so you have to eat healthy foods and exercise. Also, you become too busy, because you have to work, so you don't have much free time for hobbies and interests. Maybe you will become stressed.

In conclusion, I think that getting older you will have less free time and poor health, but you can gain a lot of experience. Both childhood and getting older have good points.

Posted for Ayumi

Postcard from Maroc - Morocco

 My dream came true at last!

I am travelling around Morocco!!

I feel like travelling different countries each day. What a exotic, wonderful country!!

Especially I was really excited to see the sun rise at the Sahara Desert. The colours of the sand  and sky were changing every moment. It was a unforgettable experience.

Teruki

Beats Studio 3 - product review

 Awesome headphones for any situation

I use my awesome headphones when I simply want to listen to music, or to study, but also on a train or on an airplane. The noise cancelling function it has works very well, so that any noise in a cafe, train or airplane won't bother me at all! However, this function might be dangerous if you use it while you are on a street, since you cannot notice bikes or other vehicles around you.

The quality of sound is also pretty good. It has strong bass, which is great for rock music. I chose the red ones, but there are many other color options. Also, since Beats is an Apple brand, they are very easy to connect to your device by Bluetooth. 

Although they are an awesome product, there are some negative points. First, they are expensive - worth it, but at about Y40,000, beyond the pockets of most students. Second, when I wear them for a long time, my ears start to ache. They are not too tight, but somewhere squeezes my ears in an unnatural way.

Apple has released new color collections, as well as updated the product in 2022.

Why don't you try the? I strongly recommend them.

Posted for Yuto...following his final English lesson with Jim, as he is heading off to university.

Celebrating New Year in Japan

Praying at our local shrine, New Year's

In Japan, New Year's festival started a very long time ago. We celebrate it on the first of January. It's a
public holiday. We celebrate with family in my grandparents' house, because we want to enjoy the start of the year together.

People eat 'osechi' on New Year's Day too. It's a special meal with different foods, and each dish has a meaning. For example, black beans mean good health, and sweetened fish cake means a long life.

New Year's festival is important in Japan because it brings families together to share special wished for health & happiness.

Posted for Ceilidh

I hate it when you leave

Jim, with an absolute
"worldy" of a student
 in 2018

This time of year is heartbreaking for language school owners like myself...

The inevitable scribbled note from a mum that your favourite student, who has made such awesome progress since her first lesson, which started & ended in a flood of tears/hiding behind mummy's leg/crayon throwing tantrum/hands in pockets refusal to enjoy a song & dance etc...now quitting to focus on 'juku' (cram school) or 'club activities' (only Despina Deguchi will ever win an Olympic Gold Medal from around here!) from next month.

Of course, all our departing students are welcome back with open arms - by which time 'romaji damage' has been permanently inflicted (you learnt how to read and spell phonetically accurately with me, but then want to end every word with a 'u' on the end...); you'll rely on an electronic dictionary to translate your every thought into incoherent word salads; you'll use AI to write any creative writing ideas you might have; you'll want to translate everything back & forwards through L1 and not even be able to say big numbers properly. You will have lost any idea of reading for fun; your fun intonation will have been flattened like a rib-eye before a BBQ, and you will be wondering why EIKEN is not recognised in the school you want to go to in Canada or Australia...and not be able to get an IELTS score good enough to get you a visa. Can we catch up for the years in juku/club activities? Methinks not.

I hate this time of year...am I young enough to wait for you to come back & rescue your English language learning any more? I'm afraid I don't think so...nor do I want to start another generation of learners from the floor (I'm old enough to be your mother's grandad - and my knees hurt). "I hate it when you leave" 

I hate it when you leave....

How do we celebrate New Year in Japan?

Many people in Japan go to a shrine on January 1st because it is New Year's Day. This is when we celebrate New Year's Day, which is one of the most important celebrations of the year.

Osechi

On New Year's Day, everyone eats traditional food with their families. We always invite our grandparents 
to dinner for Japanese food. We usually eat 'osechi', which is a famous traditional variety of hot and cold delicacies. 'Osechi' has many dishes, like 'konbu', which means celebration, 'Kuroname' which means being able to live diligently and other things.

On the day, grandparents and relatives give money to me and my brother and sister. We watch 'Kohaku Utagassen', when many singers sing their songs on TV. We watch as a family in our grandparent's house, which is in Aomori. New Year's Day is fun, but it's important  to meet and talk with grandparents and relatives. The day makes us enjoy the new year. All in all, it's a wonderful day and a great time for our family.

Posted for Hikari