It's official - we're chocolate!

The grand prize giving is upon us for the person who correctly guessed the new colour of our school.

As you know, about six weeks ago we were wrapped in blue scaffolding. At the weekend we emerged like a beautiful new butterfly from a cocoon! You can see from the picture that our MK Building is now milk chocolate colour - a massive improvement on the old, dreary & decayed-looking grey we were before.

You will also clearly see that our windows are CLEAN at last! Where I come from, being told you have dirty windows is a major insult...and it has been bothering us for ages that our windows were filthy. Jim dared the scaffolding and gave them a jolly good scrubbing - Tana & Yuki are charged with doing the safer inside job.

Our satellite antenna went up today, but some little rotter has broken the power switch on our decoder box. The electrician said he'd fix it and sort it out tomorrow. with a bit of luck, we'll be able to start showing our regular channels again - BBC News, Discovery Channel and maybe the Cartoon Network if asked nicely enough!

We have rearranged the office while we were being redecorated outside. We've done our best to become wireless; we also now offer students free access to the internet with a computer in the main room. Please take advantage of this to access your favourite websites, check stuff out on Google or Youtube, post on the blog etc.

Lastly, we've put a crib in the main room, as a number of our students have very little younger brothers and sisters (this is Kaede's little sister). Hijiri is already starting to toddle & no longer needs it. Please be gentle with both (Hijiri and the crib!)

Oh! I nearly forgot. The winner of our competition - big fanfare - with two tickets to see Manchester United et al play in the Toyota Cup in Tokyo on Dec. 21st is - more fanfare - NOBODY. Unfortunately, absolutely nobody suggested "chocolate, "cafe au lait", or anything else brownish to win. Too bad! Better luck with the next competition!

New bits - follow me!

A very quick posting to tell regular readers (and those of you who want to be but forget etc!) that I have added two new "widgets" for you - please use them!

You can now subscribe easily - a couple of clicks
You can "follow" the blog - fan club in the making!

Find them on the right hand side - scroll down a bit and click!

Jim

Want to study in Ireland?

There will be a study abroad festival in Osaka on Oct 11^th and in Tokyo on Oct 13^th. Representatives from the 15 colleges and schools listed below and the representative from Marketing English in Ireland will attend.

If you wish to attend you need to pre-register, which we will help you do (NB This is not a Luna event!)
Thought this might interest some of you.

アイルランドの大学/ Irish Third Level Institutions

ダブリンシティ大学/ 　Dublin City University

アイルランド国立大学　メイヌース校/ National University of Ireland, Maynooth

ユニバーシティ・カレッジ・ダブリン/ University College Dublin

ダブリン大学　トリニティカレッジ/ Trinity College Dublin

リムリック大学/ The University of Limerick

ダブリン・ビジネス・スクール/ Dublin Business School

ナショナル・カレッジ・オブ・ダブリン/ National College of Ireland

アイルランドの語学学校/ English Language Schools in Ireland

アトランティック・ランゲージ・ゴールウェイ/ Atlantic Language Galway

センター・オブ・イングリッシュ・スタディーズ/ Centre of English Studies

エメラルド・カルチュラル・インスティテュート/ Emerald Cultural Institute

イングリッシュ・ランゲージ・チュートリアル・プログラム（ELTP）/ English Language Tutorial Programme (ELTP)

インターナショナル・ハウス・ダブリン/ International House Dublin

ランゲージ・スクール・アイルランド/ Language College Ireland

ランゲージ・ハウス・スクール・オブ・イングリッシュ/ The Language House School of English

マーケティング・イングリッシュ・イン・アイルランド/ Marketing English in Ireland

ダブリン・ビジネス・ランゲーグスクール/ Dublin Business Language School

Happy Birthday Tana

Birthday best wishes for Tana today, who isn't 23 anymore!

This time last year she was in a queue at the Japanese Embassy in South Africa trying to get her visa sorted out before flying over to join us. Besides celebrating her birthday, I am delighted to report she has also recently signed a new contract to keep her with us for another year at least. I am sure everyone will be glad to hear that and want to congratulate me on managing to keep a good teacher?!

Unfortunately, the weather didn't co-operate last weekend so her party/BBQ was called off...I am sure Tana will come up with Plan B soon, and we eventually sing "Happy Birthday" for her.

Congrats Tana from all of us - Yuki, Hijiri, Tomoko, Iinuma, Jim, and all your students.

Takako's leaving party

Once again we are saying goodbye to a favourite student :(

Takako has been in my class at NHK for the last two years and has been very popular with her co-learners. She hasn't always been able to come, with work commitments and a busy social schedule, and her homework book mysteriously vanished ages ago, but she has consistently done very well in class and added a bit of sparkle.

Last night, her classmates went to Rakura for a meal and a few drinks to say goodbye & wish her well as she heads off to Sydney. With a bit of luck, she'll catch up with my brother Mike & mate Greg. The food was fairly ordinary (the cod was about as bland as it could possibly be!) but the drinks kept coming to wash it down. Kouichi was throwing down the sake...

As you can see everyone had a great evening, and a quick 'second party' at one of Teruki's friend's bar finished us off nicely. Thanks to all for making Takako's sayonara lots of fun. Let's wait for her to blog her from Downunder?!

Okinawan music concert

Please let me inform you our Okinawan music performance on this coming sunday.

["The Yuimaru" performance of Okinawan Folk Music and Dance]
at "Nan-nan-hiroba" Festival

Sunday 28th September 2008
1st performance: 11:30 for 30 min
2nd performance: 13:30 for 30 min

Place at Large meeting room in 3rd floor in the "Matsumoto-shi Kinro-seishonen home" called "Nan-nan-hiroba" at Minami-Matsumoto. (5 min by foot from JR Minami-Matsumoto STN.
Map here

Free admission
Free parking available. If there is no space for parking, please park your car in JUSCO where is just at the opposite side.Please let me add more information for this event.

We are learning Okinawan folk music from one of the most famous teacher in Tokai area Mr.Shigeru Minatogawa. I used to play Okinawan folk music and dance in SOAS Okinawan music society in London for three and half years until early 2007. We could show you great performance even though this will be in the festival in community center.

Please do come and feel free to bring your family and friends!
Hope to see you in there.
Ciao!

Naomi Mizuno

Let's think about the reality

I am organizing a photo exhibition which is showing about 20 pieces of photojournalism with my friends. It is going to be held in M-wing (Matsumoto city) from Sept. 27th to Oct. 5th.

The photos were taken by professional photojournalists around the world; they were awarded a prize for the magazine "DAYS JAPAN".

I would like to share the reality with you.

Teruki

What is Fair Trade?

My friends and I are going to have two screenings of the movie "Oishii Coffee no Shinjitu" on Sept. 20th in M-wing from 10:00, and from 14:00. It is a documentary about a coffee trading (Campaign for Fair Trade). We can see the reality of a mechanism if coffee trading and the world . It also makes us think about Fair Trade.

Here is the official site : http://www.uplink.co.jp/oishiicoffee/

You can taste some coffee from the around the world before or after the movie. Come on - join us!

Teruki

A soldier return from Iraq came to Matsumoto

I went to M-wing on Sep.8th to listen to the precious experience of an American soldier who went to Iraq war.His name is Ash Woolson. He joined the army as a state soldier (in the National Guard) to cover his school tuition, but one day, he got called up for the Iraq War. It was difficult for him to accept it, but he had to go the battlefield.
The Iraq war experience attacked his mind. It was so difficult to talk about what happened and what he saw there. I was shocked to hear the fact that a soldier who has been to war, can never be the same person they were before.
Now he is traveling and telling his story in Japan. Talking through his experiences and his feelings make him sad...exhausted; but he does it for world peace.
Here is the speech in ENGLISH and JAPANESE.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4193202867420115241

Teruki

Circle Games

Question: Which story did you like best, and why?

I like "The Trishaw Man" best, because Thomas and his wife loved their son.
They work very hard for their son everyday, but not for themselves, because they are very kind person and the best parents.
Gregory who is Thomas's son love his parents too, and he is going to look after his parents when his parents are old, because he is realy kind child.

The family are so happy with tender heart.
Therefore, I like the family's story very much. I want to make my family be so.

Posted for Shin

baseball - yawn!

Believe it or not, I actually went to a baseball game yesterday.

It wasn't far away (at the stadium in Asama that my brother helped build) and I wasn't up to anything special for a couple of hours - the High School I "teach" at were playing the big guns from Massho. Thought I'd go along & lend some moral support.

I admit, I don't like baseball much, and nothing I saw today did much to change my mind. I always think of it as 8 poeple there to throw the ball back to the star - the pitcher. Who may or may not be any good, but how can you tell sitting so far away? I certainly don't get the idea of having to run if you hit the ball - especially if you are going to get out. Why bother? Wait until you get a good hit, then go. But even then, you loose your chance to keep batting. This is the opposite to cricket - good batters keep batting, and tire out the bowler (pitcher)!

Could somebody explain why baseball has to be played in the heat of the middle of the day in the middle of the summer? It's dangerous - especially in a country where keeping hydrated is seen as a weakness.

Could somebody also explain why it is played on dirt? It adds to the heat/discomfort, glare, and chance of a skinned elbow. Hasn't anyone ever heard of grass? (When I ran a football team in Matsumoto we always had to play on gravel pitches, and the number of joint injuries we had was ridiculously high as a result).

How about having a practice between all the action? Ever seen this in a proper sport? Ever seen a footballer having a few practice penalties before the real thing? Or swimmers having a couple of dives before the start of their race? Of course not - so no wonder baseball takes forever - nothing happens even the players get bored.

Now I do like a bit of sportsmanship; I don't get the having to bow at the mob who just beat you. In rugby we used to applaud the opposition off, and they us, regardless who won the match. Our fans would come & support us as much as they could, but not expect to be served drinks! The chants are practiced, the dances co-ordinated, and the obligatory drummer...but why take turns?!! If you want your team to win, shout louder & longer, and outdo the other lot. Taunt them, pick on their players, deride their uniform etc. Get under their skin & help your team find a chink to exploit!

And play until the end! You can't stop just because you're copping a thrashing! I saw a cup match at Alwin a couple of years ago and the game lasted 80 minutes. What about the last 10? Ever see Manchester United win the European Cup in Barcelona? 2 goals in the last 3 minutes...Anyway, my lot took a nine - nil beating on the chin...and packed up in the 8th inning. Which was OK because I was already bored, sunburnt, and happy to remember I had 2 tickets for the Toyota Cup in December.

Ask the experts

As regular readers will know, we're having a makeover outside (still wrapped in blue cloth, by the way) so I thought we should ask the colouring experts for their opinion.

You can see the results yourself on the left, and it is obvious that "Rainbow" is the clear favourite option! I asked the landlord about this and he nearly fainted!

Still plenty of time for you to vote - find the quiz on the right hand margin & click away.

Tana's Birthday Barbecue on the River Bank

Hi everyone! Another year and another birthday! And yes, you guessed it, 23 again!! It’s a perfect excuse to enjoy a barbecue on the river bank, and I’d love it if you all could join me. Husbands, wives, children, pets, friends & lovers – everyone is welcome!!

When: Sunday 21^st September 2008, from 2pm – 6pm

Where: The Susuki River Bank, Matsusho HS side

(same place as Luna’s Ohanami Party)

What to bring: Please bring your own food and drink (cooking utensils too if you have　them!)

I’m looking forward to seeing you there!

Jojo's Story

Jojo was a sheltered child until the men who have crossed the river attacked Jojo's village. Jojo's family and all people of the village were killed by the men, so Jojo had to go care house. In the care house, Jojo met many chile and a good teacher, but he get out from the care house to fight with his brother's friend.

I don't understand this story clearly, but I imagine this is a story connected civil war and how to be born a child soldier. Jojo asked himself why his family and friends are killed, and his thinking addled.

After leading this book, I feel groomy.

Posted for Minako

Flame of Adventure - book report

I actually read this book during my trip to the UK (most of it on the way there because British Airways is rubbish) in July - I haven't posted about it because I lost it on my way back. I don't like losing books (just have a look in our office - our shelves have four times as many English titles as the library does!)

This is a mountaineering/biographical book. The author is Simon Yates. I know he isn't famous here. Which I find amazing, because he and his best friend lived one of those "urban legends". Find out for yourselves - google a bit? His best friend's name was Joe Simpson.

This book actually annoyed me. I understood this man's situation after his trip to South America. I grew up in Sheffield; I even climbed on some of the crags - I doubt my scrabbling efforts up Burbage Edge or Stannage rated much. "V Diff" was my limit.

I found this book annoying, because I got the feeling that no matter how traumatic Simon's experiences were, he made a series of dumb mistakes, and seemed to be a difficult person to be around. Maybe it's just the way he has written about his experiences in Pakistan etc, but I wouldn't enjoy travelling with him - no matter how fabulous the sccenery was!

In contrast, Simpson's books are breath-taking; "Beckoning Silence" in particular rates as one of my favourite all-time books. Flame of Adventure doesn't hold a candle to it.

Book report: 1914-1918 History

I have never thought that the history of World War One was particularly interesting. Unbelievable slaughter, largely static, and a pre-cursor to the conflict in 1939. I have always been very keen on the history of the Second World War; reading this book has been a revelation.

When I studied history at school, I was lucky to have two really enthusiastic teachers - "Dippy" West and "Ma" Wade. Dippy taught me how to write a proper essay, and to argue a point. Ma Wade made characters old & fusty come alive.

This massive book about the "war to end wars" is brilliant. It is extremely well-written, and covers every imaginable aspect of the conflict and more. Of course it details the major battles which still bring shivers to the spine when you hear the words Ypres, Somme or Gallipoli. I saw one of the cemetaries at Vimy Ridge when I was a kid and have never forgotten it. I have a distant relative or two commemorated at the Menin Gate. This book is one I will read again. It is jam-packed with facts and analysis, not just of why a certain battle went one way or the other, but how the political moods of America affected the British & French economies and their production bottlenecks; how the disintegration of the Habsburg Empire set up future Balkan conflicts; why the Russians paid the Germans back so brutally in 1945.

The scope of this book is enormous - as was the war. It took me ages to read but I only put it down reluctantly. If I can remember a fraction of what I learnt reading it, I`ll have done well. What is quite obvious, unfortunately, was that it was not the war to end wars, and a generation of young men were slaughtered with ever increasing efficiency.

Colour update - preview

Just a quick update on the paint job at Luna. After a week or two of plastic wrapping (very sweaty indoors!), lots of dust and the surprise of seeing people walk past a second floor window, I can announce what colour we will soon be revealed as.

It`s D12 50H, and it smells pretty good too...going to be a week or two before the official unveiling though. Can you stand the tension?!

Postcard from...Hawaii

Dear Ms. Tana

How are you? I'm now in Hawaii.

There's a very famous mountain called Diamond Head.
We climbed it and saw the sunset.
I love Hawaii.

From Yuya

A Matter of chance

Q1 How important do you think chance has been in your life?

I think chance seems to be equal to be timing. It is important to decide (or get) the timing (or chance).

Q2 Would you like to live and work in a foreign country,like Paul and Jacky?Why or why not?

I would like to live and work in Australia. Melbourne is a beautiful and comfortable place. However, I think I can not work there.

Q3 Which chapter can you remember most clearly? Why or why not?

Maybe it is chapter 13,14 and 15. These situations can be caught easily by images.

summary of "Scarlet Feather"

This is my first writing.
I would like to introduce my favorite novel. I have read more than ten times.
I have never cried and laughed so much in English novels before. The characters seem so real.

Summary of "Scarlet Feather- by Maeve Binchy".
Cathy Scarlet and Tom Feather had a dream to set up the best catering company in Dublin. They are very good friend and full of talent. On Christmas Eve, they find a perfect premises and started their business. However not everyone seem as pleased the idea of catering company "Scarlet Featehr" as they are. Cathey's husband, Neil who is laywer, pays no attention her business. He also thinks her business is just a new hobby. His main interest is civil rights for homeless or refugees. Tom's parents desired Tom to succeed their family business. Tom's girlfrind, Marcella, struggle to be a model and always love to dress up and has a lust for photograph.

Their first year had the most maddening happenings, between friends and families, ups and down, heartaches and joys. Whether Cathy and Tom survive a year of their lives...

Toshiya passes PET

Success tastes sweet, doesn`t it?!

Congratulations Toshiya on managing to pass your P.E.T. exam "with Merit" - that means you got over 85% in the three papers...reading & writing, listening, and speaking. Pretty good job I reckon!

It was my pleasure to give you your certificate today, and it is obvious your mum was very proud too! Well done sunshine - just imagine what you can achieve if you do your homework more often?!

THE DOUBLE BASS MYSTERY

This is mystery that Orchestra Manager was killed someone. Its heroine is Penny Wade. She was a double bass player.

She was stolen her double bass. The double bass was related to this murder.
At this end of story, her double bass was return to her and I think she got new boyfriend who is inspector.

Sayonara Sayaka

I can`t honestly say I enjoy seeing students leave, but this is a special occasion and I am absolutely certain we`ll be seeing this young lady again in the not too distant future.

I have known Sayaka since she was knee-high to a grass-hopper...which is a long time! She had her last class today at Luna with her lifelong buddies Yumeka & Haruka and we had a party to celebrate. And celebrate we should - because Saya has earned a chance to spend a year in Canada on a homestay.

We also had the chance to present Sayaka with her K.E.T. certificate - a fitting trophy before she leaves on Friday. Can this young lady I have known & taught since she was two and a half actually be leaving on Friday?! Makes me stop & ask myslef how much longer I should be doing this...think I should at least stick around until Sayaka comes back!

The Double Bass Mystery

Do you think The Double Bass Mystery is a good title? Can you think of any other good titles?

Yes, I do. This is interesting and clear. The title is good name. Because, I think that this story was about a couple of parson and double bass players.

Although, they are player with a orchestra, they spend wrong life. Simon and Penny. They loved each other.

Simon is going to be in prison for a long time. Penny is going to play in orchestra with her double base.

Within High Fences

Nancy worked in center for asylum seekers. She lived together with lover's Tom. Tom was opposite in Nancy works.
Nancy was in love with asylum seekers George. She didn't have the desire filled while she lived together with Tom and wasn't necessary to work.
George was enchantment and was mysterious for Nancy.
Feelings and puzzlement of her appear.

Her friend's Harriet is important existence by sympathy.

6. Think of another title for Behind High Fences.

Different Worlds

Get over an obstacle

Help!

6. What happens after the end of the story? Write about what happens to Frank and Teresa.

He began to work for the other job, but he was trying to complete his novel. He was trying to complete his novel with working. After few years, he finished his novel and he succeed. They got big money, but he didn't stop to work. They didn't change their life. It was good for them. they were very happy for long time.

Hajime

Wild Country

I enjoyed "Wild Country". When I was reading "Wild Country", I remembered my old experiences.

I like climbing a mountain since I was a university student. Why do I like? View is wonderful. Flowers are beautiful. Air is very clear. I was opened from the stress of usual life. Climbing the mountain is different of usual life. It is not only happy. We have to live for a few days at the party composed of several people. Sometimes, we don't agree with each other. Sometimes, it is raining everyday. Sometimes, the route is dangerous. I think that these hardship make our trust strong.

I stay in the United States.

I am staying Bethlehem in the United States by business trip from 8/17. This town is very old. There is also an old church and an old building and it is a very beautiful scene. After today's meeting. I am going to move to the N.Y city. In this town, I have some freetime. I will be enjoy sightseeing.

I can not upload photo. After return to Japan, I am going to upload a photo.

I have some problems. The first problem is language. I couldn't listen to the natural speed English and I couldn't speak well. I though that I should study English still more. The Second problem is food. American food has volume, and since it is intensely flavored, I wants to eat Japanese-style food.

Inspector Logan

I read "Inspector Logan". This story is very interesting. I like this book.

After reading Q2: Kerr made some mistakes which helped Logan to catch him. What were his biggest mistakes?

I think brooch is a clue to understand this case. His biggest mistake is dump brooch at Buchan's house. If Buchan is a culprit, never dump brooch at his house. It same "the culprit is hisself".
So I think it Kerr's biggest mistake.

I hope read another case, be active inspector Logan.

Noriko

Business as usual

Our rather drab and dreary building is getting a make-over, so for the next month or so we are hiding behind a funky blue screen & scaffolding. Don't worry, we're still here & open all hours!

Question on the tips of everyones' lips is...what colour will we re-emerge as? What country would you like? Click on the questionnaire (right) to register your suggestion for our new decor.

In the meantime, please accept our apologies for the inconvenient reduction in parking spaces - use Circle K/Skylark quietly - or try to squeeze in where we usually park our k-car? We also expect it to be a bit noisy/smelly, but we are sure it will be worth it. Bear with us?

How I Met Myself

Q.4 Would this story work best as a play or a film?

Yes! I think pictures will express so much presence effectively rather than a novel. Some scenes, for example, a man meets other person who has the same face, the Taylor's investigation, the event what happened on '3rd' 18 January, will make us feel we are really there.

I would like M.Night Shyamalan to direct the film. He will take us to the world of the story as like as his other films, 'The Sixth Sense' and 'Unbreakable'.

By the way, I wonder why a day of the week goes backward year by year. The 18 January was Monday at first year. The day of second year was Sunday and the day of third year was Saturday. This is absolutely in reverse order to real. Perhaps all of the story was a dream of Taylor. When he woke up, he told his dream to Andrea and Kati. It was 18 January morning. This is an answer of Q.7 "Write an extra chapter called ‘18 January again!’", as well.

Describing a building in Tsu City

The most beautiful building in my hometown is Hyakugo Bank Headquarters. It is in the centre of Tsu City in Mie prefecture.

It was built in 1968. A past building had become old, it was built newly. In the 11th floor building, at that time, it was the highest building in Mie prefecture.

Tsu City was bombed to the U. S. Army in World War 2. There weren’t any outmoded buildings in the built-up area because of burnt ruins. If it didn’t encounter war damage, the castle might have been the most famous building.

You can enter to the ground floor because it is a bank window in this building. You cannot go up to the 10th floor and the rooftop because you aren’t the people related to the bank. I guess that view from the rooftop is wonderful. For the east of the building, you can see the Ise-bay and the centrair airport. For the west of it, you can see the expressway and wide rice fields.

There is this building along the route 23.
If you go to Ise Jingu Shrine from Nagano prefecture, you will able to see this building.

How I Met Myself

After reading:Do you believe it is possible to meet your doppelganger?

I don't believe doppelganger, because I have never seen doppelganger yet.

A lot of people say "If you met doppelganger you will die in a few days". I don't know that is true or false. I can't decide that is true or false. In this story it was false. If I can meet doppelganger, I wish help me from danger like this story.

After reading, I thought that doppelganger is in each one's mind. It was very mysterious story, I enjoyed reading.

The House by the Sea

Good morning Jim! I finished reading the book.

1.At the end of the story, John says he had kept the bag ‘So that I never forget how easy it is to lose the things you love’.Do you keep any objects to remind you of someone or something?

I don't keep anyone, because I have nothing to need reminding me.

2.Do you think The House by the Sea is a good title? Make up a different title.

I don't think it's a good title, because the title likes as Love story's title. I make up a different title "Horror Sea".

Have a good vacation! I will pick up tomato in my vacation. Bad vacation for me.

Yoichi

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Sayaka on passing her Cambridge ESOL KET exam! We knew she could do it! Sayaka has been a student with Luna since she was about two and a half years old, always gives of her best, always participates fully in class activities and always does her homework. This just goes to show that hard work does pay off and that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. We are all very proud of her.

Postcard from...Hawaii

How are you?

I am now in Hawaii. The people in Hawaii are very friendly.
When I wake up, I can see the beautiful sea from the hotel.
It is very fun in Hawaii.

See you for now.

From Toshiya, Hawaii.

{Jim adds - well done Toshiya on passing your Cambridge ESOL P.E.T. exam "with Merit". That means you got over 85%! Enjoy the rest of your holiday and see you soon.}

Different Worlds

Sam is deaf girl. She loved Jim. She is very active girl because she attend a party to meet jim.
She and Jim became to love each other. She talk him about her and he talk her about him.
Howerer, He didn't talk her what he like playing music. So she is very sad.
She thought he didn't talk because she is deaf. Sam's mother worry about them.
She invite jim to Sam's home so Sam and Jim became friends again.
I hope they are happy.

The kids have all the fun!

It can never be stressed enough how important it is to make classes meaningful for the students and as true to life as possible. This includes relating topics to everyday life as well as using realia in class. Everyone learns in a different way and it is important for the teacher to provide visual, aural and kinesthetic stimulus so as to facilitate learning for all learner types. This applies to all ages, but is especially true for children. We all agree that seeing, touching, using or experiencing something is more memorable than just being told about it. So here is how we put this theory into practice. I played this 'getting dressed' game with my Supertots group last week and they absolutely loved it. As well as practicing clothes vocabulary they also got to practice related action words in context.

Another thing we had fun with the other day was the craft activity. Students had to make a crown by cutting out the shape with scissors and then decorating with circles, triangles and squares. The results were beautiful and I'm not lying when I say I wasn't just a little bit envious of those wearing the crown.

Wish I was a kid again.

Within High Fences

The best character is George ,because he is very kind person. He wanted to help people and loved Nancy deeply. I think he is really nice person. I want to be like him if I can. I don't like Nancy and Tom, because they didn't try to understand each other. If they had much communication about themselves, they maybe understood each other.

George and Nancy will have many problems in their life ,but be happy with pure love.
Tom is very poor person.He believe money make everything good.We can't buy mind.

Posted for Shin

A building(bridge) in Kawazu-machi --- Homework

The most beautiful (Not really beautiful, but famous) building in Kawazu-machi is The Loop Bridge. It’s a huge looping bridge which is standing in mountains.

Before the bridge was built, the road was very winding. In 1978, there was a big earthquake, and the old road was seriously damaged. The bridge was built as safer way, in 1981. It used to be very popular because it was novel shape.

This bridge is 1064m long, 45m high, and has diameter of 80m. It rotates twice.

You will feel a exciting strange impression when you are driving on the bridge.

You must go, but be careful. Do not drive at over speed.

Circle Games

I read this book. I found common word with five stories on the book. It is "wheel".

The first story is "Quick Man Tan". He hepled a man who had pointed a knife on his face just like a wheel.

The second story is "The Wheel on the Wall". It is an old wooden wheel sits on English pub.

The third story is "Special Clay". Americans young man made the wheel.

The fourth story is "The Trishaw Man", He dorve people around on a three-wheeled trishaw bicycle.

The fifth story is "Beautiful Thing" that is the strange wheel thing. But, I didn't understand connectiron their stories means and the book's title.

Logan's Choice

This book is a mystery.

Jenny Logan is a inspector in the Edinburgh Police. She is cool and smart. Grant is an police officer helping her.

Alex Maclennan had died in the bathroom in his house at night. Logan thought this was a murder. Some suspects showed up. Logan chose the suspect, and set the traps at the end.

3. Do you think 'Logan's Choice' is a good title? Make up another title.

I think Logan's Choice is the best title.
I make the other title....

"Three suspects"

"Edinburgh Mystery"

Bon Bon - 2008 style

A very enjoyable night out, I must say!

What an evening, and what a great turnout we had? At least 70 people of all ages joined us this year, and most managed to last the pace from start to finish. Dancing for 3 whole hours is a big ask - and I'm sure there are some aches and pains being felt today?

I can't remember where we went! I know we ended up in front of Parco for the second year running; we avoided the graveyard = the top of eki-mai. The length of Ise-machi, and the crowds along Hon-machi dori, and we had a few moments of glory in front of the main stand outside 82 bank. Think our big hands were well photographed again (makes us look tall & shiney), and our super cheerful young brigade did us all proud.

Anna & Hina-chan led us along smartly, and Eri's tennis buddies once again led the choreography with a lot of help from Tomohiro & Yumie; Tomoko & Yuki kept us supplied with refreshments and made sure the glamourous team behind us didn't trample us!

As you can see from the photos everyone had a great time. Thanks everyone for coming & joining us/supporting us; please share your photos & comments here too?

Dancer of the year = Rui-kun