Hello everyone! Welcome to the ELC. We are studying English, and although we have a long way to go, we are continuing to have fun and enjoy studying! Including working on this podcast. I'm Etsuko, and today I'd like to talk about my favorite colors. My favorite color is green. When you hear the word green, what comes to mind? Traffic lights? Plants? Maybe turtles? I do indeed love turtles, but the first thing that comes to mind is the color of the shallows in Tahiti. The sea is turquoise, a blui...
Jun 11, 2025•4 min
We visited Bathala during the dry season for the first time, and the island was surrounded by crystal-clear water. It was breathtaking! We spent most of our days snorkeling with sea turtles, sharks, spotted eagle rays, and colorful fish. The resort staff were dedicated to protecting the marine life, which we were happy about. My husband and I love snorkeling and staying on small Maldivian islands. We enjoyed relaxing with friendly European guests in the island's only restaurant and bar. It felt ...
Mar 26, 2025•4 min•Season 1Ep. 106
One day I answered my phone and the first thing I heard was the sound of a siren. Needless to say, I was quite upset and worried. Just as I feared, my mother said frantically, "Your dad collapsed! We are heading to the hospital in an ambulance!", so I rushed to the hospital as well. The doctor who treated him explained that he had suffered a heart attack, and they had to revive him with electric shocks. They were successful, but he still had an irregular heartbeat, and needs a temporary pacemake...
Feb 21, 2025•5 min
Around the end of the year, there are a lot of videos and podcasts that rank the shows and movies that were released in that calendar year. I am not a big fan of anime movies, but my favorite TV producer recommended "Look Back," so I watched it on Prime Video. This story was originally a “one-shot” manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto, a popular manga artist known for "Chainsaw Man” that was made into an animated film. The film is directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama who is well-known as an animation director and...
Feb 14, 2025•4 min
Lately, I've been reading a book titled "The Five People You Meet in Heaven." The story begins at the end with the protagonist's death. This intriguing opening made me eager to learn more about the protagonist and kept me turning the pages. As I read, it reminded me of a viral story from a few years ago called 100日後に死ぬワニ, which translates to "a crocodile that dies in 100 days." It first appeared on X, where the creator posted one episode each day. Though it just portrayed the ordinary life of th...
Jan 27, 2025•4 min
I took a 3-day trip to Hokkaido in September. I’ve been there many times, but it was my first time going to the Touyako area. Also, it has been a while since I had travelled because of the covid-19 pandemic. I was so excited for the trip, but I was so busy that I had little time to make a precise plan. So, I used AI to make a travel plan. The plan that AI made was a little bit off in some ways, so I had to change it here and there. Luckily a parking area the AI had chosen was near a bird sanctua...
Jan 25, 2025•3 min
In this podcast, Abe’s students present monologues that they have prepared and practiced for his lessons. I’ve always dreamed of being able to communicate fluently in English, but it’s hard to improve and stay motivated due to my age, and lack of opportunities to use it. Then I came across a podcast called “GoGo Abe Kaiwa” Abe’s English is very easy to understand and Yoshi speaks in Japanese, so I can always understand what they are talking about, and most importantly, their conversations are ve...
Jan 10, 2025•4 min
This is our 100th episode! What a milestone! Congratulations to everyone that has contributed to this podcast! I hope you are all enjoying your English journey, and I'm so happy that you chose to be a part of this project. Also, special thanks to Free Bird English for proofreading our writing and adding some spice and expressions. Let's continue to make learning English a journey that is fun and enjoyable! ---------------------------------------------------------------- 🗣Do you study English? J...
Dec 31, 2024•5 min
I went to a concert headlined by CARCASS in Japan. It had been 10 years since I last attended their solo concert. Their performance was so tight and impressive that it was hard to believe they had aged 10 years! I watched this amazing show from the best spot. First, I was at the very edge behind the amplifier, so it was hard to see the stage. I said hello to a group of three women next to me. They told me some interesting stories about the history of the band. They had been devoted and passionat...
Dec 19, 2024•4 min
My least favorite day of the year is my medical checkup. About two months before that day comes, I tend to think about unpleasant things and feel uncomfortable. However, I know that it’s beneficial to stay healthy and recognize health problems early, so I reluctantly continue to do it every year. For my check up this year. I had to get to the clinic by 7:50 AM without eating or drinking anything except water. It took me 40 minutes to get there, as I had to switch trains. Upon checking in, I was ...
Dec 06, 2024•5 min
I’m not a big movie person, but I have a few favorites I can watch over and over again. One of them is “Legally Blonde,” known as “Cutie Blonde” in Japan. Recently, I found “Legally Blonde” on Amazon Prime and decided to watch it again for old time’s sake. The story is about Elle Woods, a bubbly, fashion-forward sorority girl who transitions to law school after being dumped by her boyfriend. At first glance, it might seem like a typical comedy, but if you look deeper, it’s also a story about emp...
Nov 01, 2024•4 min
Monday, July 15th 2024 After a night in a hotel near the international airport, and then a seaplane and boat the next day, I finally made back to this small, cozy, and amazing island. This trip might be the last time though, it's too far! The restaurant served mainly Mexican food tonight, and I was looking for something spicy with beans, but I was too tired and ended up eating something else. During the evening information session, about 20 guests were listening to the explanation in Italian, an...
Aug 06, 2024•7 min
Last month, I rode the Hokuriku Shinkansen for the first time. I was visiting my mom in Fukui, and for the first time, I could take the Hokuriku Shinkansen directly there. The Hokuriku Shinkansen has been operating since 2015, but initially, it only connected Tokyo and Kanazawa, leaving my hometown, Fukui, out of reach. However, this March, the line was extended to include Fukui, making my journey much more convenient. When I was in elementary school, I remember my dad telling me that someday, a...
Jun 16, 2024•4 min
You know the typical style of Asian cuisine. There is rice, side dishes and soup. Needless to say, rice should always be in the center position. Side dishes and soups provide extra nutrition and a variety of flavors. However, I watched an interesting video on YouTube about diet and health. They said the most important thing is the order in which the dishes are eaten. Their recommendation was to eat fruits or vegetables first, followed by proteins such as eggs, tofu, etc, and rice should be eaten...
Jun 11, 2024•4 min
I’ve seen a lot of castles in my time, but Himeji castle takes the cake! It was built in 1609, and even after more than 400 years, it’s beauty is incomparable. I had been looking forward to visiting Himeji castle, so I booked a guide. Having a guide made the experience totally different. He taught me how the castle was built, how it was defended from enemies, how day to day life was for the inhabitants, how strong the castle’s construction is, and the list goes on and on. The wisdom and way of t...
Jun 02, 2024•3 min
I went to Primal Fear's show in Osaka. They are a German metal band. As I came in I saw a notice posted on the wall at the entrance to the venue. It said: "Today's show won't be perfect. If you agree to that, please proceed to the venue floor." A spokesperson for the band appeared on the stage when we, the audience, were waiting for the band. She announced, "They can not provide you the show you expected today. Actually, their drummer fell ill yesterday and is in the hospital. Fortunately, we co...
May 29, 2024•4 min
Today, I’m going to talk about a new part of my morning routine where I go outside right after waking up. Initially, I aimed to get back into running after suffering from sciatica last year due to a sedentary lifestyle. However, I found it quite challenging. The most difficult part was getting my butt out of bed and going outside in the cold weather with just my running gear on. My husband suggested that we invest in an stationary bike, which was a perfect interim solution, allowing me to exerci...
May 02, 2024•4 min
Spring break was from the end of March until the beginning of this week, which means I had to make my kids lunch boxes everyday when they were out of school. When you make a lunch box there are various things that you have to consider. There is a lot of pressure on mothers to make a lunch box that their child can be proud of when eating with their friends. If your child’s lunch box looks boring, they might be disappointed or embarrassed. Therefore, things like color balance are actually just as ...
Apr 25, 2024•3 min
When I get up in the morning, sometimes I remember two or three dreams I had. All of them are completely different, and pretty detailed. Do you have similar experiences? Recently, this happened again. Let me tell you about it… I dreamed that my best friend in Tokyo got in a car accident. I told her about it in the morning because I was worried about her. But I also told her, “It’s just a bad dream Don’t worry too much because my dreams are always weird, and they never come true.” I also told her...
Apr 23, 2024•4 min
I like playing a pretending game. In Japanese, I think it’s called “ごっこ遊び”. I’m getting more and more forgetful. Therefore, recently I created a new game to benefit from my forgetfulness. The game is very easy, doesn’t cost any money, and you can play it anywhere you want. In the morning, I tell myself “Oh! I have something fun and interesting to do at work today!” That helps me start my work day in a good mood, which is how this game cheers me up. I eventually forget that I was playing this gam...
Apr 20, 2024•3 min
JR Higashi Nihon, a railroad company, held an interesting campaign recently. They sold one day “free pass” tickets to ride any JR train in east Japan, including bullet trains! It costs only ten thousand yen and can only be used on weekdays. This is amazing! I am the kind of person who never misses something like this. I got the ticket for myself and I went to Morioka city last Wednesday for the first time in my life! To be honest, I wanted to go to Aomori, but Aomori is too far for a day trip. M...
Apr 02, 2024•4 min
On the 7th of February, my friend and I had a plan to meet, so we were texting about what to do the day before. The only thing on our agenda at that time was a morning visit to a popular temple in Tokyo. The afternoon was free, and I was content with the idea of simply catching up. However, at around 8 or 9 PM, she called me with an incredible proposal: "Do you want to go to Taylor Swift's concert tomorrow?" I was taken aback, because I didn’t even know that Taylor Swift was in Japan or that her...
Mar 31, 2024•4 min
I highly recommend listening to podcasts for English learners because you can get used to the rhythm of English. There are so many English programs, so you can find whatever you like."Free Bird English: Teacher Talk" is my current favorite. In that program, native English teachers who have lived in Japan for a long time talk about various things. Since they have experience teaching many Japanese English learners, they know what learners need. I like “The Bridge” story series which were some of t...
Mar 01, 2024•3 min
What do you think is the most important thing when traveling? For me it’s the weather. My husband and I went to Miyazaki prefecture last month. The place we wanted to go to most was Takachiho Gorge, which is close to the prefectural border between Kumamoto and Oita. Second was Toi Cape which is the southernmost tip of Miyazaki prefecture, so we couldn’t do it in one day. Takachiho Gorge was a truly beautiful gorge just as I had seen in the photos. Toi Cape was supposed to be a beautiful cape wit...
Feb 14, 2024•4 min
This is a sequel to Episode #80,"On Cloud Nine" .I'd like to give a special thanks to Minakov for contributing to this episode. -------------------------------------------------------------- On Cloud Nine (Part 2) When I stood in front of them, my mind went blank and my heart was pounding. I decided to call them each by name and say the same eazy line to all the band members. First, there was the original guitarist. I said "Bill, thank you for coming back to Japan. It's been 8 years!" Thankfully...
Feb 10, 2024•4 min
It had been a while since my friend and I went to a concert, so we decided to see Billy Joel at Tokyo Dome. As I had imagined, the audience was older, and the ticket prices were quite high. I bought seats recommended by a friend who often goes to concerts, and they were great. The concert, which started with his hit song, “My Life,” was a dream-like experience for me. Since the audience was Japanese, he limited his on-stage banter between songs, and he spoke slowly and used simple English, so I ...
Feb 03, 2024•3 min
When people ask me, 'Which do you prefer, summer or winter?' I always answer 'summer.' I have a higher tolerance to heat than the average person, and I prefer being warm. I've always been a summer girl, and there are many events I look forward to, like rock music festivals, get-togethers with friends, and traveling. Summer always brings opportunities to enjoy these kinds of things. However, if you were to ask me what my absolute favorite type of weather is , I'd say it's a sunny WINTER day. It's...
Dec 22, 2023•4 min
Finally, my favorite band CARCASS came back to Japan! They performed at a Heavy Metal festival that featured 12 bands in March. I wanted to get as close to the stage as possible, So I went into the floor area long before they played. I inched forward during the opening acts taking advantage of the mosh pit chaos. Fortunately, I was able to get to the very front! I was on cloud nine ! CARCASS was playing right before my eyes! I could almost reach out and touch them! I wanted this precious moment ...
Dec 16, 2023•3 min
Since I quit going to the gym I've been feeling like I need to get some exercise. I used to commute to work on foot, but working from home has become more common, so I started taking walks around my neighborhood every morning instead. There is a canal nearby that is very beautiful, especially when the cherry blossom trees are blooming. In summer, walking along the canal and seeing the sunlight dance on the surface of the water makes me feel re-energized. However, I think now is my favorite seaso...
Nov 26, 2023•3 min
Today, I want to talk about Chat GPT. Recently, I upgraded to Chat GPT-4, which is a subscription-based service, and let me tell you, it's exceptional. I started using it by talking into an app called NOTTA, which transcribes my voice. I then copy this transcription and paste it into ChatGPT. I asked them to proofread it for me, and boom! Just like that, it produced a perfect translation. They recently added voice chat! This is another game-changer! Every morning, I open the Chat GPT app, tap th...
Nov 23, 2023•4 min
