End of November

Today is the last day of November and we have one more month to go this year.

I am not a type of person who makes resolutions on the New Year ’s Day.

Regardless the date, I make a resolution and revise it.

My current interest is my job for the next school year.

When I think about the ideal life for myself, having more free time is more important than making a lot of money.

During the free time, I will read books and study English more.

Years later, I want to start my own business to contribute our society.

I will consider how to live my life in more reasonable ways.

Finding a Group

I was moved by a quote “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.”
This is what I have to do: Find a group of people who study English hard.
I live in a rural area of Japan so it is difficult to find such a group.
There will be a seminar next month in Hiroshima.
The seminar is for English teachers who work in junior high school or high school.
Hiroshima is a bigger city than my city so I might as well find a group of people who study English hard.
I will apply for the seminar hoping that I can make friends who study English harder.

Dinner at The Mall

I met my friend after work yesterday and ate dinner together at the mall.
We belonged to the same tennis team when we were in college.
He got married a couple of years ago and had a baby last month. 
His wife and child went to her parent's so that we can hang out.
Right now I am still single.
Honestly, I feel comfortable to live alone and don't want to have somebody in the same room.
When I talked to him yesterday, I felt like going back to our college days.
I am looking forward to seeing him again.

Exam Week

More than seven months have passed since I started to work for the current school.
I come to understand each student’s characteristic and the school's culture.
We still have one month to go for the second term. 
The second term is from September until December.
End-term exams are held for three days from Wednesday to Friday.
Traditionally, there are no big events or school activities until December. 
These begin on January, when the winter vacation is over.
I feel less pressure compared to the days when we were preparing for the choral competition.
I still don’t have any plans for the next school year.
If possible, I want to go to a foreign country to work.
I will search job openings in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Canada.

Hong Kong

The region is nominated as one of the top ranked countries of universal healthcare.
The number of hospitals for the population is more than other countries.
English is also used as a public language so it is relieving for me to visit there.
There is a direct flight from this city and the fare is reasonable if you reserve seats beforehand.
Since the place was colonized by Britain, you can see remains of the era such as buildings and cuisines.
I watched a video that filmed the downtown sceneries of Hong Kong, and it has an Asian atmosphere than I expected.
I wish I can travel to the region soon.

Keeping Data Online

I like to take a lot of pictures using my smartphone.
Using Google Photos, I am able to store all of my photos online, but I want to move them in my USB storage so I can categorize all of it.
Also, I try to keep track of my documents like utility bills and personal online receipts. 
I use a phone application to convert them into PDF.
Next March, I plan to leave my current apartment.
It will be a hassle to carry the paper documents when I move out.
Once I understand how to store my photos and documents, I can manage these files in simpler ways.
This morning, I will do all of these things.

Living in Japan

It is often said that you need to love yourself first before loving someone.

In my case, I don’t like myself while speaking Japanese because I am shy and not funny.

On the other hand, I can be more generous while speaking English.

Also, I can be manly while doing weight lifting or playing tennis.

That means that English and exercise makes me love myself.

As long as my life goes on in Japan, using Japanese is necessary.

I am seriously thinking about going abroad after this school year.

I feel alienated for being in the Japanese society.

To behave naturally, living in a foreign country is a good option for me.

Wedding Ceremony

I attended my friend’s wedding ceremony today.

The groom and I belonged to the same tennis team at high school.

The new bride and groom went to Disney World in Florida and held their ceremony a couple of months ago.

Today’s guests watched a video that recorded their ceremony in America.

The bride likes Disney movies and characters very much, so they looked very happy.

Also, the female guests were watching the video enviously.

I enjoyed eating delicious cuisines, talking with other tennis teammates, and being in their ceremony.

I don’t want to get married at this moment, but it was fun to see my friend’s new departure.

Long Weekend

Tomorrow is a public holiday, Labor Thanksgiving Day, in Japan.
On Friday, I’m going to attend my friend’s wedding ceremony which will be held in Ehime Prefecture. 
It is 150 km away from here.
Therefore, I will go back to my parent’s house after work today.
On Saturday, I’m going to play tennis at a university where I graduated.
The former boys and girls of the tennis team will gather to play tennis together once a year.
On Sunday, there’s nothing to do the whole day.
Therefore, I will relax at home or meet my childhood friend who lives in Kagawa Prefecture.
To enjoy these three days, I will focus on my job today in order not to make any mistakes.

Recommended Restaurant

One of the students in our school nicely recommended me a restaurant which he likes.
According to him, the restaurant is famous for its cozy interior and fried chicken.
I went there yesterday after work and I was surprised with the number of customers.
Some people were at the entrance waiting to be seated.
I rarely see such restaurants which was crowded even on a week day.
The fried chicken which I ordered was very crispy and tender.
I want to share my experience with him at school.
Local people know more about their places, so I will visit more places which the students recommend.

New Room Rental Service

I found a new service about a living place.
You can rent a room for 10,000 yen ($88 USD) per month, which is very reasonable.
Also, water and electric bills are included in the price.
As long as you live in Japan, you need to register your home address at a city hall to prove that you have a place to live.
The residential tax is also paid at the city hall which covers the address.
The share house is useful for people who move around this country and even foreign counties.
They can keep a Japanese residence by paying only 10,000 yen per month.
I may try this service if I move to Tokyo next school year.

https://pocketresidence.jp/

English Lessons

Recently I consider if classes at school are meaningful for students.
I have never met a person who managed to speak English after taking English classes at school.
Most of them come to dislike English because of the classes.
Students have to join English classes almost everyday, but they cannot speak even simple English phrases.
Being in this situation, students may waste their time by being forced to take lessons.
Most Japanese don’t use English in their daily lives and we can survive without it.
Of course, being able to speak English is better than not being able to do it.
If they want to learn English, they should learn it by themselves outside school.
This is what I have been thinking about these days.

TOEIC

I took the TOEIC exam this afternoon.

The test taking place was different from the previous ones.

The venue was inside the campus of Agricultural Department of Kagawa University.

It was very inconvenient to get there because it’s located in a suburb of the city.

However, there is a merit of the site: free parking.

By the way, I was surprised at the number of participants.

There were more than 100 people in our room and the exam was held at several rooms.

Answering 200 questions within two hours was very tiring.

My previous score was 945, so I wish I can get a better one this time.

Passport

My passport will expire at the end of December.
I am going to renew it next week.
The office where I'm going to submit the documents is far from here.
Also, it is closed on Saturdays and Sundays, so I have to go there on a weekday after work.
When I checked the pages in my current passport, there are many stamps from the time I went to Australia, America, Thailand and some European countries.
The immigration stamps reminded me of the days when I was in those countries.
I don’t have any plans to go abroad at this moment but a new passport is necessary to take TOEFL for identification.
I want to visit many foreign countries in the next ten years.

24/7

I went to a 24/7 grocery store near my apartment at 10:30 p.m. last night.
I usually don’t go there late at night so I was surprised there were many customers even at that time.
McDonalds and convenience stores in this city are also open for 24 hours a day.
Needless to say, it is good to be able to get food anytime but I think we can live without those 24/7 stores.
When I go to foreign countries, I avoid going outside because I find it uncomfortable considering that I am not yet familiar with the place.
I buy food, snacks, drinks for my meal until dinner and other useful things during the daytime.
If there weren't any 24/7 stores, we would already buy these goods from our regular community's grocery stores. 
It is ideal to sometimes take a break from home at night by walking to these 24/7 stores.
It is nice to entertain yourself from time to time by jogging or walking and buying for yourself from a 24/7 store.

TOEFL Score

I got a TOEFL score which I took two weeks ago.
My score was 68 out of 120.
I am convinced of the score because I didn’t do well in all four sections.
Based on my experience, getting a good score in the reading section will boost me to answer the other sections quickly and correctly.
You have to read several long entries within 80 minutes in the reading section.
I was heartbroken when I took the exam the last time and I couldn’t focus on the rest of the exam.
To get a better score next time, I will study with the previous exam questions.

Winter Season

It is getting colder these days especially in the morning and evening.
Also it gets dark sooner in the evening.
It is already dark at around 5:30 p.m.
When I was a child, I didn’t like the winter season at all.
However, as I get older, I come to like this season.
That is because you can enjoy winter sports such as snowboarding and skiing during the season.
Doing those activities makes me forget the temperature of winter.
I am looking forward to enjoying them with my friend.
In our area, there are no any snow mountains so I need to go to a place in a different prefecture, though.

Osteopathic Clinic

I went to an osteopathic clinic for the first time in my life.

I had a pain in my lower back since yesterday so I went there to have them check if there are any problems in my body.

The staff politely explained me the process of their treatment and found the cause of the pain.

My backbone was distorted a little and the pain came from it.

After some cracking sound, my lower back and neck felt lighter and the pain relieved.

The staff explained to me that the pain will disappear in two weeks.

I will go there this evening again to adjust my balance more precisely.

Second Prize

I joined a tennis tournament yesterday and won the second place.
As for the prize, I got a cool large bag which was worth $50.
There were seven matches including the final.
I have muscle pain this morning.
During the matches, I realized that I need to modify my forehand form.
My next aim for tennis is to practice my forehand stroke to hit balls towards targeted spots.
The tournament was organized by a tennis coach who used to work for a tennis school.
She is the person whom I respect the most in the world.
I will practice tennis to show her that my forehand stroke will have been improved.

Art Museum

I went to the Kaii Higashiyama Art Museum in Sakaide City.
The city is located next to our city and it took about 20 minutes from my apartment.
The Yokohama-born painter visited the city to meet his grandfather.
This is the reason why the museum was built in that area.
He traveled to European countries to draw pictures of sceneries and architectures.
What surprised me was the building of the art museum.
Honestly, I was amazed by the building's architecture more than the paintings.
Yoshio Taniguchi was the architect who designed it.
Ginza Six which is one of the hottest places to visit in Tokyo is also his work.
I was satisfied with enjoying the paintings and the architecture at the same time.

Short Trip

I decided to go to new places after work.
I went to the top of a hill and two udon restaurants so far.
Those new places reminded me that there are still many places to visit in this city.
My next destination is a museum.
It opens only until 4 p.m. so I cannot go there on weekdays.
That's why I am going there this afternoon.
There are also shrines, temples, pastry shops, and different kinds of restaurants in this city.
I'm going to make a budget for these visits.
I realized that I can enjoy going to these places just like going to other tourists spots outside of my city.

New Skills

I feel more nervous when I talk with Japanese than when I talk with foreigners.
There is a new ALT in our school from America.
Talking with him makes me feel relaxed because I don't need to be formal during our conversation.
On the other hand, talking with the Japanese teachers makes me feel tired because I need to pay attention to what I say in order to behave politely.
For this reason, I want to live in a foreign country someday. 
However, the only job I can get is Japanese teaching jobs.
The jobs seem worth trying but the salary is not good.
Therefore, I am planning to leave Japan after obtaining some skills besides languages in order to get a well-paying job.

New Discoveries

There are a lot of udon noodle restaurants in Kagawa Prefecture.

The restaurants are usually open during daytime only.

I found one which opens until 6 p.m. and went to the restaurant yesterday.

It had a cozy and traditional atmosphere.

The large udon serving cost only $2.83 and it was tasty.

I started to go to new places every day after work since yesterday.

A pastry shop in the neighboring city is my next destination for today.

The information I gather around this area can be a good topic during conversations with my students.

As I visit new places, I come to like this city.

Fun After Work

Yesterday, I made a new resolution: visiting new places every day such as museums, shrines and mountains.

Places that would be peaceful and serene which can clear and relax your mind.

I started this yesterday by going to the top of a mountain by car after work.

The sunset seen from the top was very beautiful.

One of my students has strongly recommended me to go there.

I didn't have to pay anything for this wonderful experience.

It was truly gratifying, just looking at God's wonderful creation for us to see and appreciate his gift to us for free.

There are many of these places where I have never been yet.

Visiting a new place after work can motivate me to finish my work earlier.

I am still thinking about the next place I will be visiting tonight.

Work Life Balance

It has passed more than half a year since I started to work for the school.
What I think these days is how I can shorten the time to spend for work.
My current job starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 4:15 p.m. and I cannot change the fixed time.
However, starting from next school year, I strongly hope to shorten the time for work.
Although incomes would decrease, increasing my free time is more important.
During the free time, I will study English and read books more.
Currently, no stamina is left after work and it is difficult to take enough time to study.
I am wondering how I should manage my time for work and personal life.

TOEFL

I took the TOEFL exam for the first time yesterday.
It was so grueling that I felt exhausted after completing the four and a half hour test.
The vocabulary used in the exam were not complicated but the amount of entries were more than I expected.
By the way, there were ten participants including myself and we all sat down in front of PCs and put on headsets.
All the instructions were provided individually and we chose the answers shown on the screen.
I didn’t do well at all so I need to study more to get a higher score on the exam.
At least it was good to find a new goal.

Model

I went to a shopping mall to see my student who had a photo shoot as a model.
He looked nervous but held his poses in front of the camera.
A hair stylist and clothes coordinator took good care of his appearance before the big moment.
He held various poses following instructions from his family and staff. 
I thought he seemed to be matured compared to being a student at school.
After his photo shoot, I talked with him and his family, and I left the venue.
Seeing different sides of my students made me think that I know nothing about them on a personal level. 

Fashion Show

One of the students in our class is going to participate as a male model in a fashion show event today.
It is going to be held in a big shopping mall in our city.
He seemed to be nervous at school yesterday.
I am going to see his big moment this afternoon.
We are both first timers for this event. 
He as a ramp model while I as a spectator for such events.
At school, the students have to wear the school uniform but he was given a school clearance to wear casuals today.
I am excited to see how he will be on and off the ramp.
Next week, I will tell my impression for his performance at school.

Phone Call

A friend called me at 10:30 p.m. last night while he was at school.
He's a high school teacher.
He complained about his job because he had to write a lot of reports about the training sessions he joined.
He'll have to come to school again at 7:00 a.m. the next day.
I cannot stand such an exhausting job but I admire him for his passion for teaching.
When we were still students, we often practiced English together to pass an English exam.
We both love speaking in English.
I hope he will keep a work-life balance.

Tour Guide

I passed an oral exam for tour guide in this prefecture.

The prefectural office sent me an e-mail to inform me the result yesterday.

In a few days, official documents are going to be delivered to my address.

Currently, I work for a junior high school so spending time for the job is difficult.

I may shift my main job from teaching to tour guide starting from next school year.

The details of the job are not released yet.

There are many questions I want to ask such as “How long do I have to work a day?” “How much money can I get?”

All I can do is to wait for the envelop which contains official documents.