我的台湾朋友！

Do you read and understand this phrase? It means 'My Taiwanese Friend'.

I have friends in Taiwan. One of them is older than me by two years old and very gentle and kind girl. She has a younger sister who is the same age as me. The younger sister likes swimming very much and goes swimming in early morning, without having a breakfast! It is unbelievable for me. They have been to my hometown as long time ago.

Besides, I visited them in Taiwan in August last year. The climates in Taiwan is very hot and humid, like where I live. My favorite food there are 芒果(Mango), 餃子(Jiao-zi), 三明治(san-ming-zhi), and so on. I tried so many foods! How delicious they are! I recommend you trying those foods.

The Taiwanese friend studies Japanese hard, and her Japanese is so fluent and natural. I am not puzzled in communications with her. If She can not understand a Japanese word, she can follow my explanation in Japanese.

Since last year, I have also studied Chinese in the class at the university. Besides, I plan to learn Chinese from a native Chinese teacher. I am really looking forward to be a fluent speaker of Chinese, and communicate with my friends in the language. Then, I will enjoy the significant visiting in Taiwan next time.

[223 words ― total 2973 words]

BK1-04: Don't Be Silly

The book that I read recently is "Don't Be Silly".

One day, the students try to surprise Mrs May, who is their class teacher with a plastic snake. They leave it onthe ground outside their classroom, and they each calls "I can see a snake in the playground!". However, she finds it out.

After a while, many kinds of animals appear outside of the classroom. Each time they appear, the kids called, "Mrs May! Mrs May!". Because it happens again and again, she says, "Don't be silly." They are to do some addition sums, but the class does not get ahead, but I thought the kids are very cheerful and friendly with each other, so it is very good class.

[122 words total― 2750 words]

My hobbies

My hobby was to play the piano until when I was a junior high school student. I learned how to play the piano. However, I became too busy in studying to play the piano after I entered the high school. It was when I began to learn how to play the tunes of Sonata. I am very sorry about it.

Now, my hobby is to study some foreign languages. I have been to Spain and Taiwan, and now I try to learn Spanish and especially Chinese, not only English. I am really looking forward to see which language helps me in the future.

Besides, my favorite sports is tennis, because my parents, who like to play tennis, affected me so much. To play tennis is so fresh to me!

However, my most important hobby (or a custom?) is eating and chatting with my friends or my mother! It is also a main event in the everyday life, isn't it? I can really freshen myself and get away from the stress every day. Besides, even when I face troubles or unpleasant things, I can for get those bad memories and get ready to take a positive attitudes toward them, not a pessimistic view. This hobby is very helpful for me to keep my condition of physically and mentally. I really thank those people.

[223 words ― total 2628 words]

Run ・run ・run !

WA~IT! TRAI~N!

Today was the course for becoming a Japanese teacher. It starts at six o'clock and ends at seven thirty. The time of return train is seven forty-three, but I walk from the university to the station, and it takes about fifteen minutes. Today, it was seven thirty-three when I left the university, so there was left only minutes. No time!

I hurried and ran to the station with my friend. We got out of breath. We ran and ran and ran... we were in time for the return train. Those all were the happenings which happened only for seven minutes! Excellent!

We were exhausted, but it was a comfortable tiredness. This event was a good ending of school days this week. I will enjoy the holidays!

[131 words total ― 2405 words]

'Spanish' Hola !

I am majoring in English. I chose Spanish for the classes of second language. I feel Spanish is a very cheerful and lively language. Besides, it comes from Latin, and I think that it is like English in Vocabulary but very unique in the pronunciation and the grammar.

Because I like cheerful Spanish language, it was my intention to take the Spanish classes this year too. However, the Spanish and my compulsory subject are the same period, so I could not take the Spanish class. I consulted my teacher of Spanish about the matter. If I do not study Spanish for a year, I must forget the Spanish grammar and vocabulary and idioms, so I decided to buy a text for learning Spanish and study Spanish by myself this year. It is cheerful language!

[134 words ― total 2274 words]

BK1-03: The Broken Roof

If I could see the people long time ago and understand what they think and say, how exciting an experience it would be!

The heroes in this story, which is named "The Broken Roof", meet the children who lived in their house long time ago. When they talk with the children, the children say, "what funny names!" or "what funny clothes you have!". I bet that they think the children's names each are very antique and funny in the same way. However, they all make friends with each other.

I thought of Japan. If I could see the Japanese people long time ago, can I understand their words? What is common for us must be uncommon. Besides, they may wear Kimonos which are the traditional Japanese clothes. Not only the appearance but ways of thinking must be different a little at least. However, they must have what we do not have., so I really want to see such people. How about you?

[163 words ― total 2140 words]

~friends' marrige~

Recently, two of my friends each got married. Both of them are older than me by 11 years old, and I felt happy when I heard about their each marriage.

Both of them said that they decided to get married because when they spend the time with their own partner, they do not have to bother about many things and can be themselves or in their true colors. That is a really great partners for each of them, I thought.

One of them celebrated a wedding in March. She was so cute and lovely in a white dress, and she seemed to be so happy. Getting married is not a happy ending but the start of the new life. That is also great.

If I get married in the future, I will try hard to make conjugal life happy especially after a wedding. Of course, that is about the future. (笑ha-ha)

[150words ― total 1977 words]

BK1-02: Pocket Money

I read "Pocket Money" this week.

It was a story about a normal family. When they went camping, the father said to his three children that it would be no fun if their parents did all the work. He had an idea that the children get extra pocket money if they did the jobs. One of the children wanted an expensive thing and need pocket money. She started doing all works with the aim of getting extra pocket money. In a happening, however, she learned that she should not expect to get a reward when she do someone a good turn, and she got what she wanted at last.

I thought so, too. I should be selfless. It is "easier said than done". I think it is difficult to be always selfless. However, I should make every efforts to be unselfish and respect others every time through my life.

Lately, I have not read books and write the reviews, so I try to do it every week again.

[168 words ― total 1827 words]

Teach Japanese あいうえお

I am in a course for bringing along teachers of Japanese. Today is the first lesson, and it is to last from April to December.

In this course, we will learn how to teach Japanese to foreign people, and we are to give mimic lessons at least two times. I heard that Japanese teachers are needed not only in Japan but also in other countries, because many people study Japanese in China, South Korea, Taiwan, and so on. Native teachers of Japanese have to be objective in regarding their own language and quiet foreign learners' fears.

By the way, I decided to take this course for some reason. First, I had a friend who studies Japanese hard. She is a Taiwanese, but her Japanese is very good. She said that she studied it by watching Japanese anime and drama on TV. Though I have corrected her Japanese expressions occasionally, I have not teach Japanese to her systematically. However, her zeal for Japanese acted as an encourage to me.

Besides, it will be very useful experience, if I learn in this course. I think it is an advantage to know how to teach Japanese in Japanese, even when I move to other countries.

I would like to be eager in this course for a teacher of Japanese!

[216 words]

~~Swim~ming~~

Last year, I took classes of physical education of tennis last and played tennis once a week, but I do not this year, so my campus life is very inactive.

Lately, I made it my custom to go swimming on every Sunday not to be inactive. In the first and the second time, I got muscular rheumatism, although swimming was a sport I liked when I was a junior high school and high school student.

I expected that I would lose weight by continuing with swimming, but I will gain weight. Ha-ha. It is because I become hungry after swimming and the hunger gives more relish to foods! However, it is one of the things that give me the great enjoyment.

Today, I went swimming with my family. It was pleasant for me than going swimming alone. We had a good time.

[143 words]

Sound♪

I like some kinds of music, but one of music I like is classical music.

I think it is because I learned how to play the piano for six years. It was my hobby. My teacher of piano was a great pianist, so I could enjoy her lessons.

When I listen to classical music, it calms me down and makes me feel comfortable. It can also elevate my concentration, although other kinds of music do not.

That is why I like classical music.

[83 words]

Hot spring! ♨

I went to a hot spring today. This public bath is only fifteen minutes' drive. It is a place where many people come to. Some people come there from a distant area. The fee is reasonable, that is two hundred yen, so there are people who come every day.

The hot water has an affect on pains in body and some sicknesses, so some people come there in order to soften their pains. Drinking the hot water is good for our health. It taste a little salty, but I heard that some people use it to water down "syou-tyuu". (That is one of Japanese alcohol.)

In the public bath, there are two warm bath inside and outside and a cold bath, that is called "mizu-buro" in Japanese. I can see many stars and the moon outside. I usually take a warm bath and a cold bath one after the other. It is said that blood vessels become stronger and there is not much fear of catching a cold by doing so.

Besides there is a shop of vegetables, fruits, ice creams, flowers, side dishes, and so on. The cucumbers and tomatoes are espacially fresh. It is one of my pleasures in the hot spring.

It is a good place!

[211 words]

To Australia!?

In March, my friends move to Melbourne in Australia. They are a married couple with a baby. This baby is a so cute girl and one years old. She has a fair skin, and her cheeks are as red as roses. The mother is very good at speaking English, and her young brother had already moved to Australia about five years ago, and he is very fluent in speaking English.

I heard that they had to meet requirements in order to live in Australia. It seems to be considered whether a person have great English skill and other useful techniques.

As to the cute baby, I think she is learning English now and will become a fluent speaker of English soon rather than a speaker of Japanese. She will become my teacher of English! When I meet her again in days to come, I want to speak with her in English. I really hope so. It may become an encouragement to me for keeping learning English.

[166 words]

Reading class

We had a class of English reading today, but in this time, we took a test of current affairs from the Japanese newspaper.

We had to study for the test before the class, so I read 7 newspapers in this week. However, I watch the news program on TV every morning rather than read the news in the newspaper, so it was so hard to understand the articles... but this became a good opportunity to read the newspaper.

[78 words]

First classes!

The first classes started this week, and I enjoyed them.

For example, the first writing class was on Wednesday. The class room was the room 1446, that is, this class requires that I should use a computer! I am not good at using a computer, but I know it is very important. It was a little difficult to follow instructions, but the class was in a good atmosphere. When I corrected my last essay, I asked many questions. I could learn the right expressions in English.

I will try again next week, too. Thank you so much!

[97 words]

Writing 3 practice

Dear my host family,

Hello. It is nice to know you. My name is Jam. I am a second-year student of KGU in Japan and majoring in English. This time I made an application for a homestay in order to learn not only English but also about the culture and people. Thank you for assenting to my homestay. I really appreciate your kindness.

I heard that there are four people in your family. There are three in my family, and I am an only child, so I am very glad to hear that you have two daughters. You also have three dogs, don't you? I love dogs, and I have a dachshund too. I am looking forward to seeing you and your family.

I do not have allergies to animal hair and food. My only allergy is to dust, but it sometimes comes out in the process of getting accustomed to new surroundings, so please don't worry so much. Except for that, I am in good health.

I also heard that you keep a farm. Would you take me to your farm? I have experiences of helping in domesticating cattle and hogs and working in the fields. I will be glad If I can lend a hand.

Would you mind if I used the kitchen? Please let me make Japanese dishes once a week. Are "miso"(Japanese soybean paste) and "syouyu"(soy sauce) available in your town? If not, I will bring them. Please tell me if there is any particular Japanese food that you would like to try.

Although this is my intimate affairs, my father loves travels and he says he wants to come by your town during my stay at this opportunity. When he visits your town, would you mind seeing him?

Please let me know daily routines of your family and the rough schedule for six weeks if possible. If you would write me about what points I should be careful, it will be very helpful for me.

I will appreciate hearing from you soon.

I am really looking forward to seeing and staying with you all.

Sincerely,
Jam


[356 words]

BK1-01: Newspaper boy

I will start my reading review again. I tried reading in English during this spring vacation, too. Let me introduce a story I read.

It is "Newspaper boy". A boy named Toby is doing the paper round. One day, he gets involved in a case. However, he can solve it with the articles of the newspaper. It is because the newspaper boy likes the paper and he is familiar with the contents in articles.

I thought he is a good newspaper boy, and doing the newspaper round is the best job for him. I would like to get a suitable job for me, too.


[104 words]

Spring Vacation !

I challenged the TOEIC test in this spring vacation. It was very difficult test, and I could not follow the speed in the listening section. Also, I could not finish the reading section in time, so I realized the speed of reading was very important. Fortunately, the score was satisfying and better than I had expected.

During this vacation, I enjoyed the lessons for the TOEIC test. I tried to enrich my English vocabulary and took many exercises. It lasted for only two weeks, but it was very helpful for me. At the final exercise, I took a good score, that is superior to the last TOEIC test by 90 score! I am really looking forward to take the TOEIC test in June.

In March, I went to Nagasaki in order to visit my grandparents. I was glad to see them, because we had not seen for about 3 years. My grandfather is good at drawing pictures of especially flowers, and he is very skillful. My grandmother likes to do the gardening, and she showed me her garden. Because spring had come, there were many flowers which were white, pink, light purple, and so on. The garden was beautiful.

This spring is fresh to me!


[205 words]