This episode is a sequel to Episode #38 "A Christmas Lesson". Do you want to know how the Beatles jam went? Actually, after that, I had an online practice session of "Let it be" with the community of weirdos and GoGo-freaks. All the members told me that my guitar playing was fantastic! I thanked them and told them that my guitar teacher is a professional guitarist! "It's all thanks to him", I said. Being his student is a little tough, but I'm incredibly proud to have him as my teacher. Just rece...
Jan 25, 2023•4 min
It has been more than three years since I restarted learning English. Over the course of these three years, there have certainly been trials and tribulations along the way, but I have to say, English has made my life more meaningful. The first reason why I like learning English is that it can enlighten you with cultural knowledge even without traveling. Knowing the difference between Japanese and English educates me about the difference in cultural backgrounds. For example, we often don't use su...
Jan 22, 2023•3 min
I love snorkeling. Today I'd like to talk about one of Okinawa's popular snorkeling spots, the "Blue Cave." I went there with my whole family 10 years ago. It was the beginning of July. It's a popular place for snorkelers so there were a lot of people. We wanted to snorkel freely so we enjoyed ourselves without a guide. In early July, the water temperature was so good, and it might have been the season for the fish to lay their eggs. I saw a lot of small fish swimming in the amazing blue ocean. ...
Jan 20, 2023•4 min
Always be in love with a soul, not a face. Those are words from a Thai Buddhist monk, but it’s easier said than done. What is one’s “soul” anyway? My image of a soul is similar to a spirit. It’s something even deeper than your heart and mind. Some Japanese people think that your soul is your “true essence” which is established before your birth, and continues on after your death. I think that even when someone seems to fall in love with a person’s face, there is actually more to it than that. Th...
Jan 04, 2023•3 min
My crazy passion for making New Year’s cards. I’ve liked creating things since my childhood. Making New Year’s cards that give my friends a fun or interesting experience is very fulfilling for me. One time when I was about 10 years old, I made something shaped like tape measure with drawing paper, and wrote the new year’s message on a very long and skinny piece of paper. Then I rolled them up and put them into the handmade tape measure thing. They were too delicate to send in the mail, so I deli...
Jan 02, 2023•4 min
"No shoes No news" This phrase is from one island of the Maldives. It’s awesome!! We chose an island for our honeymoon where each room has no TV and you could walk all around the island without shoes. They were constantly cleaning so as not to hurt travelers' feet. I felt weird about going to the bathroom in the bar barefoot. Fortunately, they kept it very clean, so I quickly got used to it. There was a couples' spa treatment in the honeymoon activities package. Of course, I love spas. Even thou...
Dec 27, 2022•3 min
I’ve never been keen on soccer but this World Cup was special. It all started from the match where Japan beat Germany unexpectedly. I got excited and thought I might as well watch all the games from then on. It was amazing that Japan advanced beyond the group stage in spite of having to play against Germany and Spain. I always felt Japanese soccer was too conservative, but in this World Cup, I could see they were more aggressive. Although they were unable to advance to the quarter-finals, I was ...
Dec 23, 2022•3 min
A year after our trip to Tahiti, we went to the Maldives for the first time for a week. In those days, there were only a few travel agencies dealing with the Maldives, and the most popular one recommended this island. It’s named ‘Makunudu Island’, and has a group of just 37 cottages. It’s a small island that takes only 30 minutes to walk around. Currently, we use Sri Lankan Airlines, but at that time, we were on Singapore Airlines, so there was a 6-hour transit at Singapore airport. I thought it...
Dec 21, 2022•3 min
Hello! My name is Rumi. Do you do your hair by yourself? My mother used to do my hair, but not anymore. I went to StudioAlice with my family. StudioAlice is a picture studio. My sister took a “Sichigosan” picture wearing a kimono and a dress.I said that I want to take a picture too, because I love pictures! There was a helper in StudioAlice who helped us. One of them helped do my hair. She tied my hair back and used hair oil. I had a cute ponytail completed in the blink of an eye. I thought it w...
Dec 18, 2022•2 min
Our English learning community has plans to have a jam session and play "Let it be" by The Beatles. So I requested another lesson with my guitar teacher on December 2nd. He said, "Absolutely!", but then I couldn't get a response to confirm. I was waiting and waiting for his reply until December 22nd. As a last resort I wrote as politley as I could to the Englishman. I was like "⋯ Would it be possible for you to give me a lesson by the end of the year? If by any chance you could do it, Could you ...
Dec 17, 2022•4 min
I know most people use their smart phone as an alarm, and so do l. What I like most is the variety of sounds. Smart phones have many different sounds you can use as your alarm. My favorite is a soft, smooth sound. The problem is that I have to bring my phone to my bedroom because I can’t wake up without an alarm. If I have my phone, I’ll look at it until I fall asleep, and after I get up for several minutes. The worst part is my room is still pretty dark at those times. Even though I understand ...
Dec 10, 2022•2 min
Looking in the mirror, I can’t even find a feather. I can hear the voice of a rushing bird longing for the sky. I decided to get out of this town. It feels like a jail now. There is a voice that holds me back, but I will find warmth in your heart. Thank you for everything. Though all that I will lose and give up is shiny, I need to choose my own path. Are my wings moving? Can I truly fly? I was looking straight at the sky without saying yes or no. The bird’s name is Laughter, and I broke the cag...
Dec 09, 2022•2 min
Hello! My name is Rumi. Do you get an allowance? I usually get one thousand yen. My father gives it to me. I usually spend my money on clothes. I buy them at shopping malls. I sometimes spend some of it on stationary, too. I think I should save more of my money. Thank you for listening. See you again! ————————— 🗣Do you study English? Join our club! And why not read your monologue. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us. 👉smsgil0228@gmail.com *FREEBIRD English: https://www.55free...
Dec 07, 2022•42 sec
My husband and I love snorkeling on the southern islands, especially in the Maldives. There are about 1,200 islands including uninhabited and about 160 tourist-only islands. They have a law that there can only be one resort per island. Each resort has its own characteristics. If you are a surfer, you can go to an island with good waves. If you will visit on your honeymoon, I recommend a luxury and shallow water island. My husband always chooses a small, quiet and reasonable island for us that is...
Nov 28, 2022•3 min
We have way too many trees in the temple grounds. They need to be pruned to keep the landscape beautiful many times a year. We know it's better for a gardener to prune, but it's far too expensive to pay for every time. More than anything, our Zen sect of Buddhism teaches it's important to sit in zazen meditation, do indoor cleaning, and work outside as well. We call it Samu(作務). These are important practices, so we have a gardener do it only once a year. My husband and I often prune them ourselv...
Nov 23, 2022•3 min
I bought a ukulele 4 years ago, but it has just been collecting dust in my closet. Practicing the ukulele was one of the things I’ve been meaning to do but never got around to. Finally, I bit the bullet, and got the ball rolling. I want to play the ukulele because I want to sing. I love singing. I used to go to karaoke and just sing for 6 hours straight, but these days I don’t go often. I just sing at home while listening to music. I was always jealous of people who can play guitar and sing at t...
Nov 22, 2022•3 min
I had a wonderful day last Monday. My older daughter had a substitute holiday which meant it was just the two of us, so we looked forward to it. We went to Mt. Takao which is the only mountain in Tokyo. It is 599 meters high, which I think is just the right height for us to climb. It ended up taking 75 minutes to reach the top. According to the official information, Mt.Takao generally takes an hour and a half to reach the summit. I bragged to her that last time I came it took me only 50 minutes ...
Nov 18, 2022•4 min
My younger sister is Kumiko. She is a very unique and interesting person. Kumiko and my youngest sister Mieko were close in age. Mieko was very strong but Kumiko was born prematurely, so they grew up like twins. Kumiko wasn’t good at sports and even gave up learning to ride a bicycle because she had no sense of balance. One time they were playing in front of our apartment and were almost hit by a car. Mieko quickly jumped out of the way, but Kumiko was too slow and uncoordinated to dodge it succ...
Nov 16, 2022•3 min
It’s neither hot nor cold - the best season for exercising! So I started taking walks along the beach again. I drive to the nearest Beach and park the car at a free parking lot. There are many people who go windsurfing and paddle boarding, so luckily the parking lot is big enough to accommodate everyone. The beach has nice paths that are separated for walking and cycling. So it’s the perfect place to go for a stroll. It feels good to walk by the sea, and depending on the weather, you can see Mt....
Nov 11, 2022•2 min
Don't you think it's difficult to find a hair salon and stylist that suits you, and that you can continue to go to long term? What is the most important thing for you when choosing a new hair salon? Location? Fee? Reputation? It has been a huge challenge for me throughout my life! When I was in my 20s I used to go to a small salon in my hometown that a male stylist managed. My youngest sister recommended it, and even now I think it was the best. The stylist was gentle and kind, and had amazing s...
Nov 10, 2022•3 min
I went to the Night Ranger 40th anniversary show in Osaka Japan. This American band has been playing Metal for 40 years. Can you believe that? Their performance on stage was still amazing. It was a throwback to the 80s! Actually, they made me love Hard Rock and get into Heavy Metal. This band has had a special place in my heart for 40 years. So I decided to attend an event where fans can take group photos with the band members. I put on my favorite long sleeve shirt that was designed by Ebuchi. ...
Nov 07, 2022•3 min
Palau is a beautiful and natural island nation located in the Pacific Ocean. The recommended activity for snorkeling in Palau is to go to a point by boat and jump off the boat then drift with the current. The boat moves ahead of the ocean current, so you get back on the boat using a ladder. The current was strong, the sea was clear, and the coral was alive and beautiful in blue, purple, and yellow. While we were enjoying snorkeling, my mother and sister were spending a nice and cozy day at the s...
Nov 01, 2022•3 min
When Hana said “To express Abe with a simple word, he is a genius! Because his communication skills are amazing.” I agreed with her opinion. You’ve worked in a customer service department when you were a teenager. Generally, it’s quite a difficult job for even an adult. Somebody asked you to do that job, I guess that means you were already good at communication and prepared. You are naturally very empathetic, and also really good at choosing proper expressions for the situation. You often figure...
Oct 31, 2022•3 min
Hello everyone, I’m MinMin, the organizer of this podcast. Thanks to people just like you, we have released more than 20 episodes so far! I’m also a heavy podcast listener, and I really enjoy listening to other member's stories. The personalities and characters of our members really come through in their stories. Everybody is so colorful and interesting. We put the entire script for each episode in the description, so feel free to check the text as you enjoy the various stories. Our podcast is u...
Oct 29, 2022•3 min
Hello!! My name is Rumi, Do you like English? My best subject is English. Learning foreign languages is interesting for me. I got a good mark in the last term-exams. My worst subject is PE. Doing physical exercise is not easy for me. We have two mid-term-exams and three term-end exams a year. And we sometimes have five minutes tests. I’m happy when they are over. Thank you for listening. See you again! ————————— 🗣Do you study English? Join our club! And why not read your monologue. If you are i...
Oct 26, 2022•1 min
I love dolphins. Of course you can see the dolphins in the aquarium but there are several places in the world where you can swim with them. I will never forget the time I spent swimming with dolphins. Palau has a facility that keeps dolphins by damming part of the sea for dolphin research. After giving a lecture on the dolphin biology to pre-booked guests. You can briefly interact with the dolphins according to your swimming ability. My mother and sister wore life jackets and were waiting for th...
Oct 26, 2022•3 min
Currently, young Japanese people get excited about Halloween costumes. But wait... What exactly is Halloween? It sounds familiar but I'm not really sure, so I researched it. According to the article, Celts (currently Irish) had a tradition which celebrates the fall harvest and use costumes to drive away evil spirits. In the 19th century, many Irish immigrated to the United States, so it spread there. Tokyo Disneyland held an event which adapted Halloween culture to Japan. After that, it spread a...
Oct 24, 2022•3 min
It’s so funny to hear your エブッちゃった stories on podcasts. But I make clumsy mistakes maybe even more than you! Small things happen every day. For example, forgetting what I want to take out of the refrigerator the moment I open it. Another one which happens a lot is “Oh! I got to go to hang up the laundry!” and when I go to the washing machine and take a look, I find nothing inside, then I realize “Oh! I forgot, I already did it!”. I microwave a cup of milk every day, and sometimes soon after I th...
Oct 23, 2022•6 min
In my tennis lessons, I feel like my skills are dragging behind the rest of the class. I wanted to be better, or at least around the same level as everyone else. I thought if I practice more than anyone else does, I could get to their level… But my positioning and form are still off, and my ball often flies to the wrong side or out of bounds. The other day I got overwhelmed and I almost cried in the class! I always thought that practice and effort are the key to improvement, but it seems differe...
Oct 23, 2022•3 min
I always see cars charging in the parking lot at Aeon. I thought it’s free because I know there are many solar panels on the roof of the huge Aeon mall. So one day I tried to charge my car there. I plugged my car in at the charging station and went shopping. After shopping I tried to remove the cord… Bu~~~~~t I couldn’t! It made me panick! How am I supposed to go home?? My car seemed to be arrested by Aeon! “OK, Yuttan, Calm down! Let’s figure this out” I thought to myself… I found a machine lik...
Oct 22, 2022•3 min
