I reached an open area. There were small mountains to the left and to the right. The landscape was wide and spacious. I enjoyed having such a peaceful walk through the woods. It felt so good, so I laid down on the wooden boardwalk under a tree. I looked up at the sun shining through the leaves of the tree above. It was so quite without the hustle-bustle noise of the city. All I could hear was the gentle sound of a soft breeze.
6/29/2017
小網代の森
I reached an open area. There were small mountains to the left and to the right. The landscape was wide and spacious. I enjoyed having such a peaceful walk through the woods. It felt so good, so I laid down on the wooden boardwalk under a tree. I looked up at the sun shining through the leaves of the tree above. It was so quite without the hustle-bustle noise of the city. All I could hear was the gentle sound of a soft breeze.
12/26/2016
Honolulu Marathon
This is a blog written by a student at Miami. I made some corrections, but she did a great job!
This year I tried participating in a full marathon for the first time. As far as exercise, I’ve only been going to a sports club for about 6 months and participated in a 10km running competition. However, I wanted to try something really difficult, so I joined the Honolulu marathon. I always imagined a full marathon would be so severe for beginners, but actually it didn’t feel so hard. Perhaps it was because the scenery was great, and many people were cheering on the sidelines and gave me high fives. Moreover, all the other runners around me were also trying to do their best, so I managed to do it. It was a memorable experience. Next year, I want to keep running and try something else new!
今年、初めてのフルマラソンに挑戦しました。それまでは、スポーツクラブにほんの半年通ったり、たったの10km走を走ったりする程度でした。しかし何かにチャレンジしたいと思い、ホノルルマラソンに参加してきました。初心者にとってフルマラソンは過酷だと思っていましたが、実際辛さは感じませんでした。それは、景観が素晴らしいし、沿道の人々が応援やハイタッチをしてくれたおかげです。さらに、私の周りのランナー誰もが、頑張っていました。だから私も完走することができ、忘れられない経験となりました。来年もランニングを続け、新たなことにも挑戦したいです!
11/27/2016
The Christmas Spirit
私は子供の頃、周りのみんなが幸せな感じに見えてクリスマスの季節が大好きでした。どこにいってもクリスマスの音楽が流れ、人々はクリスマスの挨拶を交わし、助け合っていました。クリスマス当日はシーズンの集大成でした。たとえ外は凍える寒さだとしても、暖かいパジャマで、家族やたくさんのプレゼントに囲まれたクリスマスツリーの前に座っていたのを覚えています。たくさんの食べ物とお菓子がありました。私の祖父母の家には大きな暖炉があって、暖炉の前はとても暖かく居心地が良かったです。これらのものがどこからやって来たのか考えたこともなかったですが、このようなクリスマスを過ごせたことはとてもラッキーだったと思います。
今思えば、両親、特に母が私と兄弟のためにこのような素敵な時間を作ってくれたのはとても大変だったろうと思います。私の父は海軍にいたのでバージニアの基地に近い所に住まなければいけませんでした。母はハワイの出身です。実家から遠く離れた場所で友達もおらずインターネットもない時代、とても寂しかっただろうと思います。でも父が仕事で海上にいる時、母は私と兄弟を育てるために一生懸命努力しました。私は母から、与えること、助けること、他の人の面倒を見ることなどクリスマスの精神を学びました。
When I was a child, I really loved the Christmas season because of the feeling of happiness that everyone around me seemed to have. Everywhere I went, there was Christmas music playing, people were giving each other Christmas greetings, helping each other and sharing. There was a feeling of love, peace, and happiness. It seemed like the world was a perfect place without any war, hunger, or hate. When Christmas finally came, it was the culmination of a perfect season. Even though it was freezing cold outside, I remember sitting in my warm pajamas in front of the Christmas tree surrounded by my family and so many presents. There was so much food and sweets. My grandparents had a large fireplace in their home, and it felt so warm and cozy sitting in front of the fireplace. I never thought about how these things came to be, or how lucky I was to have a Christmas such as this.
Now, I realize how hard my parents worked to make such a nice time for me and my brother, especially my mother. As my father was in the Navy, we had to live in Virginia close to the Navy base. My mother was from Hawaii. I imagine that she must have been so lonely being so far away from home without any friends or the internet. But she worked so hard to take care of my brother and I when my father was out on the ocean and it is because of her I learned the meaning of the Christmas spirit; giving, heping, and taking care of other people.
11/20/2016
Thanksgiving is almost here!
Let's talk about Japanese Culture in English!
10/01/2016
Halloween Lecture on 10/20!

9/28/2016
STAR WARS
When I was a kid, I was a die-hard Star Wars fan. I had tons of action figures and toys. However, there was so much Star Wars merchandise and my parents couldn't afford to buy all of them. I remember thinking to myself that when I became an adult I would save my money so that I could buy ALL of the Star Wars merchandise! When the latest movie came out I recalled my thoughts as a child and I went to the Yodobashi toy department to but some Star Wars merchandise. At first I became very excited when I saw the toys because they brought back memories from my childhood. I started piling toys into my basket, but then I looked at them all and I realized that I still don't have enough money to buy them.
私は子供のとき、筋金入りのスターウォーズファンでした。そしてたくさんののアクションフィギュアとおもちゃを持っていました。しかし、とてもたくさんのスターウォーズ商品があったので、両親は全てを買う余裕がありませんでした。私は大人になったら、全てのスターウォーズ商品を買うことが出来るようお金を貯める!と思っていたことを覚えています。最新の映画が公開されたとき、子供の頃の考えを思い出しスターウォーズ商品を買うためにヨドバシのおもちゃ売り場へ向かいました。最初おもちゃを見たとき、子どもの頃の記憶が戻ってきて、私はカゴにおもちゃをドンドン入れ始めました。しかし、それら全部を見て私は、全部を買う充分なお金をまだ持っていないことに気づいたのでした。
8/07/2016
Pokemon in my classroom!
Today one of my students showed me the Pokemon game. It was my first time to see it. I was very suprised to find a Pokemon character in my classroom! How about you? Do you play the game? Please leave a comment and tell me if you play Pokemon Go.
3/03/2016
Tennis accident
12/13/2015
Whiteboard Update
Hello! Time to jog your memory! I just updated my whiteboards for this week. Please have a look and try to practice what you have learned. Good luck!
12/07/2015
Whiteboard update!
Hello! Time to jog your memory! I just updated my whiteboards for this week. Please have a look and try to practice what you have learned. Good luck!
11/22/2015
Whiteboard Update!
Hello! Time to jog your memory! I just updated my whiteboards for this week. Please have a look and try to practice what you have learned. Good luck!
11/15/2015
Whiteboard Update!
Hello! Time to jog your memory! I just updated my whiteboards for this week. Please have a look and try to practice what you have learned. Good luck!
11/08/2015
Whiteboard Update!
Hello! Time to jog your memory! I just updated my whiteboards for this week. Please have a look and try to practice what you have learned. Good luck!
11/01/2015
Whiteboard Update
Hello! Time to jog your memory! I just updated my whiteboards for this week. Please have a look and try to practice what you have learned. Good luck!
Whiteboard Dropbox Folder
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/iarrn46th9qtpcl/AAChHzwyx2lJgTqQsRObpuBwa?dl=0
10/31/2015
HALLOWEEN ESSAY CONTEST - WINNER
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このブログは私の生徒の一人が書いた物です。
もし私にあなたの記事の校正をしてほしい場合は写真と一緒に送って下さい。
詳しくはこちら→添削サービス情報 https://sites.google.com/site/mrjohnsenglishclass/home/tensaku
********
Bugs
By Kimi Maekawa
I really hate bugs. The bug that I hate the most is the centipede. Last Saturday night, my husband was away on a business trip, so I had a
lonely dinner. Of course, I do like eating dinner while watching TV. After about one hour, I finished my dinner and I wanted to wash my bowl and dish, so I went to the kitchen. When I turned on the water, I found a black long bug crawl out from the drain and move around the sink. OH MY GOD! It was a centipede, I was very scared and shivering , but I quickly found one bottle of insecticide. I sprayed the insecticide and it took about 10 minutes till I ran out. When that black long bug couldn't move anymore, I used the cutting board to chop the centipede into black small fragments. That night, I was shivering almost all night. I really hate centipedes. I don't know why they are so scary to me, but this experience taught me how to strong by myself. Now, I keep three bottles of insecticide in my home.
Listen!
**You can listen to this blog by clicking the link here このリンクをクリックするとこのブログを聞くことが出来ます
Quiz
1. Where was her husband?
2. Which bug does she hate the most?
3. Where did she find a bug?
4. How did she kill it?
5. What color was it?
Vocabulary & Phrases
1. shiver 震える
2. insecticide 虫除け
3. run out なくなる
4. fragment 断片
5. experience 経験
Japanese Translation
私の怖い体験談
私は、虫が本当に大嫌いです。
そして、中でも最も嫌いな虫が、ムカデです。
ある土曜の夜。
夫が出張のため、私はいつも通り独りでテレビを見ながら夕食をとりました。
約一時間後、夕食を終えた私は、食器を洗うため、
キッチンに向かいました。
そして、私が水を出したとき、シンクの排水口
に黒くて長い虫が動いているのを見つけました。
キャ~! 神様助けて!
それは、まさしくムカデです。
恐怖に震え上がりましたが、私は、自分でも信じられない
迅速さで、1本の殺虫剤を手にしました。
そして、私は約10分の間、ムカデに
殺虫剤を噴射し続けました。
さらに私は、その黒く長い虫が、動かなくなるまで、
まな板で、叩き続けました。
そして、ムカデが黒い小さな断片になった夜、
私は一晩中ベッドの中で震えていました。
私は、ムカデが本当に嫌いです。
なぜ私が、ムカデをそれほど怖がるのか、
いまだに、私にはわかりません。
しかし、この経験が、どうしたら強くなれるか、私に
教えてくれました。
そして、翌日私は、3本の殺虫剤を買いました。
家に置いてたよ。(^∇^)
Quiz Answers
1. On a business trip
2. centipedes
3. In the kitchen sink
4. By spraying it with insecticide, then chopping it into small fragments.
5. Black
Teacher comments: Wow! What an interesting story! It sounds like you are the killer! I am happy that I am not a centipede. Good job!
********
MIAMI 英会話教室 in 上大岡。生徒募集中! www.miamieikaiwa.jp
STUDENT BLOG - GHOSTS IN THE NIGHT
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もし私にあなたの記事の校正をしてほしい場合は写真と一緒に送って下さい。
詳しくはこちら→添削サービス情報 https://sites.google.com/site/mrjohnsenglishclass/home/tensaku
********
GHOSTS IN THE NIGHT
By Ryoko Yamaga
I left the office a little later than usual. I rode the train and got off at my station. At night, the station on the outskirts was very quiet. The moon was shining brightly. While looking at the beautiful night view of the moon behind the pine trees, I enjoyed walking home slowly. I was waiting at an intersection near my house for the crosswalk light to turn green when an aged woman began to cross holding hands with a little girl. Even though it was such a dark night, they could be clearly seen in the moonlight. As I stopped there and looked at them idly, I noticed they had no legs! I was very shocked. Then suddenly, they disappeared into the dark. I returned home in a hurry. I couldn't talk about that experience to my family. It was too scary for me. That day was the BON festival, the festival of the dead. It is said that the dead return home to their families. In my house, my dead father's first Bon festival was held about one month after that scary experience. After that, I happened to hear the story about that grandma and grandaughter I saw at the traffic light. They had a traffic accident on that road and died several days before that night when I saw them. They were returning home for the Bon Festival. Now, I pray for their souls whenever I cross that road.
Listen!
**You can listen to this blog by clicking the link here このリンクをクリックするとこのブログを聞くことが出来ます
Quiz
1. What did she see at the crosswalk?
2. Why was she shocked?
3. When did it occur?
4. Who did she tell about it?
5. What was behind the pine trees?
Vocabulary & Phrases
1. Crosswalk
2. Intersection
3. Pine trees
4. Disappeared
5. Hold hands
Japanese Translation
Quiz Answers
1. An aged woman holding hands with a little girl.
2. Because they had no legs.
3. Around Obon
4. Nobody
5. The moon
Teacher comments: Nice ghost story! Perfect for Halloween! Good job!
********
MIAMI 英会話教室 in 上大岡。生徒募集中! www.miamieikaiwa.jp
STUDENT BLOG - THE RIVERBANK
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もし私にあなたの記事の校正をしてほしい場合は写真と一緒に送って下さい。
詳しくはこちら→添削サービス情報 https://sites.google.com/site/mrjohnsenglishclass/home/tensaku
********
THE RIVERBANK
By YOKO HIRASAWA
About 10 years ago in the countryside of Saga prefecture, I enjoyed riding my bicycle along a river one afternoon. It was a wide, rapid river with a concrete embankment along the sides. There was a sandy slope that led up to the roadside from the embankment. After going across a bridge, my bicycle slipped and I tumbled off in a gap between the end of the bridge and the road fence. My body was sliding down slowly toward the river. I ended up on my back, upside down on the sandy slope. When the movement stopped, I realized that I was in a terrible situation. I said to myself that I had to keep calm and wait for someone’s help. But nobody came. Only one car came by, but the driver didn’t notice me. I was so disappointed. Then I decided to try to climb up the slope. But I started to slide down toward the river whenever I tried to move because of the sand. I was only 50 centimeters from the embankment, and was close to falling off. I was starting to worry more and more about being left there in the dark. Finally, I decided to take a chance. I stretched out along the bank as far as my arms could reach. After some time, my left hand was lucky enough to be able to catch a fistful of weeds. I grabbed them firmly and pulled my body up slowly, little by little. I could see something like a small branch protruding from the top of the slope.
When my right hand was able to reach it, I was really relieved. It needed so much concentration, so I felt really tired.
I never want to go through that again.
Listen!
**You can listen to this blog by clicking the link here このリンクをクリックするとこのブログを聞くことが出来ます --->
Normal SPEED
Quiz
1. Where did this take place?
2. Where did she tumble off of her bike?
3. Why couldn't she move?
4. How many cars came by?
5. What did she get a fistful of?
Vocabulary & Phrases
1. embankment つつみ?
2. Tumble 頃ごろ
3. Gap あいだ
4. Slope さか、のりめん
5. Fistful にぎり
Japanese Translation
それは約10年前、佐賀県のとある田舎で起きました。
ある午後、私は川沿いの道をサイクリングをして楽しんでいました。
その川幅は広くて急流で、垂直な崖のようなコンクリートの護岸がずっと伸びていました。
そしてまた砂が撒かれた斜めの土手が道路際まで続いていました。
ちょうど小さな橋を通り過ぎたとき、デコボコ道が私の自転車をとらえました。
私は橋の終わりと道路のフェンスの間の隙間に落ちてしまいました。
私の体はゆっくりと川に向かって滑り落ちていきました。
どういうわけか斜面の土手の上に、私はあおむけに さかさまにされていました。
滑リが止まって、わたしは自分が恐ろしい状況にいるということを、はっきりと認識しました。
あのような深刻でみじめな状態から脱出する方法はないと思いました。
私は自分自身に、冷静を保たなくては。そして誰かの助けを待とう。と言い聞かせました。
でも誰も近くには来てくれませんでした。1台の車だけが橋の近くを通ったけれど、運転手は私にまったく気がつきませんでした。
私はとても失望してしまいました。
それから私は上方に行こうと何回か試みました。
でもそこから脱出しようとすればするほど、私の体は砂のために川のほうに滑り落ちていきました。
私はコンクリートの護岸の端からわずか50センチの土手に、あおむけで頭を下にしていたままでした。
だんだん夕闇が迫ってくる中に、ひとりで置き去りにされるのが心配になってきました。
とうとう私は一か八かやってみようと決心しました。
ゆっくりと腕を伸ばせるだけ伸ばして、土手を探ってみました。
しばらくして幸運にも、私の左手が一握りの雑草をつかみました。
私はそれをしっかりと握り、注意深く、少しずつ少しずつ自分の体を上のほうに引きずって行きました。
そして土手の上のほうに、小さな木の根っこが出ているのがわかりました。
右手がそれに届いたときには、ほんとうに ホッとしました。
危機から脱出するため、たくさんの集中力を必要としたので、非常に疲れ果ててしまいました。
もう2度と、このような恐ろしい状況には、なりたくありません。
Quiz Answers
1. Saga Prefecture
2. Between the end of the bridge and the road fence
3. Because when she started to move, she slid down the slope
4. One
5. Weeds
Teacher comments: What a scary story! I wonder, was it true? Please be more careful! Good job!
********
MIAMI 英会話教室 in 上大岡。生徒募集中! www.miamieikaiwa.jp