How do you learn a foreign language?

What is the best way to learn English? You may say "Studying abroad in an English-speaking country is the best". I partially agree with you, but what about the cost? I'm not rich enough to pay thousands of dollars for studying English!

Some Japanese believe that as long as they study abroad, they can master English. I don't like this idea. My understanding is that I'll be able to speak English fluently even if I stay at Japan.

What I try to do is read, listen to, speak and write English as much as possible. I make efforts to spend time using English every day. You know, writing this blog is also my practice^^ By the way, I forget to write why I'm learning English. May be next time.

What way do you think the best to learn foreign languages?

A Korean girl

Today I enjoyed dinner with a Korean friend. We went to a Thai restaurant. It's been 4 months since I saw her last.

She is studying abroad in Tokyo. When I saw her for the first time, I felt she had something different from Japanese girls. Although she seems aggressive, she does have kindness. In addition, I love her innocence. She doesn't hesitate to show her feelings and what she thinks.

When I look at her, for some reason my heart hurts a little. Maybe that's because both of us are originally from another country. I know well what it is like to live abroad. You may be faced with discrimination and bullying. Sometimes I feel lonely, because I'm different from people around me.

However, I was happy to know she was doing well here. She seems to enjoy life in Japan very much. I hope she can have a lot of fun in Tokyo.

Bye Bye King of Pop...and thank you!!

I was deeply shocked to hear the news. Michael Jackson is dead. He just turned 50, and was scheduled to start his show run in London in a few weeks. I was convinced that he was a superstar in the world. Even if you are not a big fan of him, you have listened to his music for sure. Many friends of mine love his great music and dance. He is really popular in Japan too.

I know we'll die some day. Even so, my heart hurts.

Rest in Peace

First things first

I'm going to be very busy next week.

First, I'm supposed to give a presentation on World Englishes on Thursday. I'll talk about them completely in English. Therefore, I'm busy preparing for it.

Then, I have to take an English language test on Sunday. Do you know TOEIC? In Japan, we need to get a high score on this test to apply for excellent companies. To tell the truth, the test is not that difficult, so I don't worry about it.

Lastly, I'm going to the dentist next week. I broke my teeth(>-<) That doesn't hurt. However, I need to wear a mask when I attend school. I hope it won't take a long time to have them treated...but actually it seems impossible. Oh well^^;

Working as a waiter

I'm working part-time as a waiter. In Japan, it's really common for students to have a part-time job. Almost everyone works for money. However, you can get valuable experience too.

How does it feel to work as a waiter? Generally, It's a lot of fun. I get along well with my co-workers. Although we all work hard, we like to joke around too. And somehow I'm popular among customers, who are madams^^;

On the other hand, it's tough to be a waiter too. I've been working in my restaurant for a year, having dealt with several customer complaints. Sometimes customers get angry at us. Other times I have to apologize due to my subordinates.

But I learned a lot. I was able to learn from my mistakes. I memorized customers' preferences and am giving personalized survices. One of my customers always needs Tabasco when he has a salad.

Overall, I enjoy this work. And I want to work as a waiter in an English-speaking country^^
Is it common for students to work part-time in your country?

Tokyo with night views

Have you ever been to Tokyo? For those who haven't, I show you some pictures of Tokyo's beautiful night views.

Tokyo, the capital of Japan has a population of about 12 million people. It is one of the largest cities in the world.

Two symbols of Tokyo, Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge

Tokyo Tower was built in 1958. At 333 meters, it was the highest artificial structure in Japan at that time. Rainbow Bridge has the length of 570 meters, completed in 1993. You can see both of them frequently in Japanese movies, dramas and animes.

Then, let's look at this picture.

This is Tokyo station. It's the busiest station in terms of number of trains per day(over 3000). When we go to other prefectures, we often use Tokyo station to get on Shinkansen.

How do you like these beautiful night views in Tokyo? Now you feel like visiting Tokyo, right?:)

Japanese comedians imitating American celebrities

I have something funny to show you:D

The first one is the most famous singer ever.

Yes! He is Japanese Michael Jackson! His name is Michau Ryo（マイコーりょう）, becoming popular these days. In this video, he is singing Japanese song. At least, his dance is great, isn't it?

Here's another funny video. Can you guess who it is?

Oops, that seems too easyXD You are right-he is Japanese Barack Obama. His name is Nocchi(ノッチ）. I heard that his wife is really strict with him...Sorry for trivial information^^;

Anyway, watching this kind of video is a good way to get rid of stress. It makes your life more enjoyable!

Why was yesterday sunny?

Oh, no! The rainy season has set in in Tokyo.

We have a lot of rain between June and late July. From now on, the weather is expected to be mostly rainy or cloudy, and a slight chance of good weather for a while. The temperature is about 25 degrees or higher.

This is the season that I dislike the most(>~<;) And I guess almost everyone in Japan hates it. It's humid and makes you feel depressed! That's OK if it rains once in a while. But it rains almost everyday! In that case, I enjoy listening to music or going out drinking with my friends. It helps me to get rid of stress:)

Hey world, how is the weather there?

Secret Garden

Music is one of my loves in life. Today, I introduce my favorite songs. Have you ever heard Secret Garden?(http://www.secretgarden.no/index_back.html) I have really been into their music for a long time.

A lot of their music is quite soothing. I cried for the first time while listening to music. It really moves me^^

That's not all. Some of their music has a very positive feel to it. It makes me feel strong.

The standout feature is it's melody. It sparks my imagination and creativity. Although many of their songs don't have lyrics, for some reason I can easily imagine the world in the songs. Sorry for my poor English^^; I can't explain this clearly.

How do you feel about their music? It's so beautiful isn't it? I'm sure you are a fan of Secret Garden nowXD

How mysterious the universe is!!

First of all, let's look at these pictures:)


I got these pictures at HubbleSite(http://hubblesite.org/) They all look great and mysterious, don't they?! I have been interested in astronomy since I was a little boy. I like learning about space and watching a starry sky^^ It's a lot fun! If I have the chance to be born again, I would choose to become an astronomer. I love this mysterious world that much:D

Speaking about space, I have some questions for you.
First, do you know which country spent people into space first? Surprisingly, it wasn't the US. It was the Soviet Union. The two countries were competing in space science in the 1960s. And, nowadays Japan is helping to build a space station. It's called kibo, or "hope" in English. The space station kibo is designed to carry out some experiments. Maybe, it's just a matter of time before we build a city on the moon:)

Second, do you believe there are aliens in space?
In my opinion, I think that there they are. Why? Just because I hope that way^^; It would be interesting if we can interact with them. But in all likelihood, there has to be aliens in space. Our universe is such a large world that it's not unusual there are other living things. I'm sorry I can't show you any evidence. If you are familiar with this kind of topic, would you tell me more about it please?

Lastly, do you know how small our planet is? The amazing answer is in the following video.
Where is the earth?!

Tokyo has an excellent rail transport system, but...

I go to school by train. It takes almost an hour and a half to get to my university. You might say that it's an incredible waste of time. Yes, I agree with you! I know, in other countries it's common for a college student to live in a dormitory, but in Japan many of students attend school by train.

However, this isn't the most serious problem to me. I enjoy listening to music or seeing the scenery out of the window while getting on the train. It's a good time for me to learn English too(^-^)b I usually listen to Podcasts or read books to improve my English.

The trouble is the trains are really crowded during rush hour. I often can't find a seat. That means I have to stand all the way for an hour and a half(><;) Also, in the summer it's terribly hot on the train. It seems like Hell^^;

If you got interested in the awful situation, let's watch this video. You've got to find how horrible the train is during rush hour in Tokyo!!

Did you already see "Terminator Salvation"?

A few days ago, I went to see movies with my friends:) I saw "Terminator Salvation". I have been a big fan of this series.

It seems that people weren't satisfied with the story. I read many reviews on YAHOO!http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810025211/user To tell the truth, this movie wasn't better than I expected. Maybe, that's because the 2nd one was so great! And, Arnold, who played as a terminator in the past three works wasn't in it.

However, of course this one has good points too. I was very excited when I heard of the theme music of the series!! Also, Christian Bale playing as John Connor did a great job. I like him:) Furthermore, there are some surprises in this movie. If you are a big fan of this series, I'm sure you'll be surprised! Anyway, I hope you go to see it.



Would you tell me which terminator movie of the four you like the best?

A little about me

I'm originally from Shanghai, China. When I was 9, my mother and I moved to Tokyo. My father was already in Japan. He had gone there before I got into elementary school.

It's been about 11 years since I started living in Tokyo. I still live with my parents here. I'm a college student majoring in teaching of English, so I really want to improve my English:)

Also, I'm working as a waiter. Although it's hard work, I like that kind of work. Interacting with people comes naturally to me, I guess.

By the way, are you interested in learning Japanese or Chinese? I can speak both of them fluently. If you want to improve them, I'd be happy to help you(^-^)b

Well, that's all for Today. I welcome your comments and advice^^