The End of January

The third semester started on January 8th.
January is almost over.
This month’s school life was very peaceful.
Things went on as planned and no big unexpected things happened.
I hope this peaceful life will continue in February and March as well.
Some students and teachers are absent from school due to influenza.
Those who got the disease will not be allowed to come to school for one week from the day of being diagnosed or until they fully recover.
I do several things such as gargling, eating many vegetables, and sleeping well to prevent the disease.
I hope to be healthy until the end of this term.

Arashi

A Japanese pop idol group, Arashi, is going to take a break from group activities at the end of 2020.
Since I don’t have a TV set in my room, I heard the news from a student at school.
Many female students seemed to be shocked when they heard this decision.
I am personally not a fan of the group, so I don’t care about it that much.
When I read an article on a newspaper about the topic, I found out that they are older than I am.
The leader of the group is 38 years old and even youngest ones are 35 years old.
Getting a ticket for the last concert would be very difficult for fans.

Interview in Fukuoka

I am going to take a job interview this Sunday in Fukuoka Prefecture.
The prefecture is far from here.
It takes two and a half hours by bullet train.
The job is teaching English in elementary schools in Fukuoka.
I am interested to work at some schools, not just one.
The teacher goes to different schools day by day.
Only one applicant will be chosen for the post, so it would be difficult to be selected.
The interview is for 20 minutes.
I will do my best to get my ideal job for the next school year.

My Grandmother’s Comment

My maternal grandmother turned into 77 years old this year, so our relatives gathered and ate lunch together yesterday.
We enjoyed delicious sashimi, sushi, and desserts.
At the end of the reunion, she said that she was looking forward to attending my wedding ceremony in the near future.
Her comment was big pressure on me because I am still single and I don’t have much income to support my future family.
However, I really appreciate what my grandmother told me, so I want to do what she hopes for me.
First of all, I will look for a job for the next school year which can earn money enough to start to look for a partner.

Comic Books on Classical Music

I was reading comic book series titled “Nodame Cantabile.”
Nodame is the nickname of the female protagonist Noda Megumi.
Cantabile is a musical symbol that means "songlike."
There are 22 volumes and I read through until the 18th volume.
Nodame and her boyfriend were students at a Japanese music college.
Then they moved to Paris to develop their skills.
Nodame is a pianist and her boyfriend, Shinichi, is a conductor.
Nodame is a graduate student and Shinichi is the main conductor of an orchestra in Paris.
I don’t have much knowledge about classical music, but I am getting more interested in it as I read the manga.
I am looking forward to seeing what will happen at the ending of the story.

School Roles

Although I work as an assistant English teacher now, my passion for teaching English is decreasing.
I like to study English, talk in English, and make students laugh with English, but teaching English as a subject is a different matter.
I think I cannot adjust to the school anymore, because there are many roles that I cannot understand.
If I were the student, I couldn’t spend time happily at school because of weird roles and too much homework.
I feel pity for the students who have to come to school under such circumstance.
I will look for more job information besides teaching at school.

Dinner at the Mall

I had dinner with my friend at a restaurant after work yesterday.
We belonged to the same tennis team in college.
Another friend from our team is getting married this March, so we recorded a video message for him.
We are planning to get video messages from all of our friends in the tennis team, and it's going to be a long one.
Each video will be sent through LINE, a famous SNS in Japan.
The restaurant was in a big shopping mall, so it was easy to find a good location to shoot.
My friend is already married with a baby, so he is not always available to have dinner outside.
I am looking forward to meeting and talking with him again.

Avocado

I like to eat avocado because it is delicious and rich in nutrition.
We seldom saw avocado in grocery stores until several years ago, but due to the influence of Western diet, the vegetable is very common in our diet now.
However, they are not usually ripened when they are sold at grocery stores.
Their skin color is still green and it is not a good time to eat them.
There are many grocery stores in our city, and as far as I know, only one of them sell ripened avocados.
I will continue to eat it to keep in good shape.

Gym in My Life

I go to gym after work almost every day.
The gym has several amenities such as workout spaces, studios for many kinds of lessons, free space for reading magazines, and bathroom.
I train my body three times 
a week but I still go to gym even off training days to take a bath and read books.
I pay by monthly so the fee won’t vary depending on the time of my use.
For the next school year, I will move to a new place where a gym is close by.
You may say I am addicted to gym, but it’s better than to be addicted to alcohol, cigarettes and gambling.
I don’t do any of them.
I want to make my body fitter in the beginning of the next summer.

Dentist

I got to see a dentist every month to have my teeth cleaned up.
The dental hygienist is very good at doing her job, so I don’t feel hurt at all.
I like to look at my teeth in the mirror after being cleaned up.
Oral prophylaxis only costs 800 yen.
I want to have my natural teeth and not rely on dentures in the future.
The dentist gives me a new toothbrush every time.
There are plenty of dental clinics in this small city.
I can see three of these on my way home from school.
I'll brush my teeth more thoroughly to avoid cavities.

Cool Businessman

I was reading a workout magazine yesterday and found an article about a businessman.
And I was so impressed about him.
He works for a company, and he owns a gym. 
He is a good role model also in bodybuilding.
He became a world champion last year.
He is around 40 years old but looks 20 years old.
He is good in time management that he could effectively manage his work as an employee and as an owner of a gym.
He seems to enjoy being single.
He seems to be more focused on handling two jobs.
I only have one to focus on which is being an English teacher. 
I am now inspired by him to do something else that generates income too while I still have enough free time.

Working Abroad

I applied for a Japanese teaching job in Cebu, but I received an e-mail that I couldn’t meet with their requirements.
They didn’t tell me why I was not chosen, but I guess they were looking for a more experienced person in teaching Japanese.
I still have a wish to work in a foreign country.
Living in Japan is comfortable and safe, but I want to put myself in a more challenging environment.
I don’t want to get stuck just doing teaching jobs.
As I get older, it will be difficult to work overseas.
I will look for more job openings.

Humor

My biggest weak point is my talking ability.
I cannot make people laugh and I may give people an impression that talking with me is boring.
That’s why I feel envy when I see humorous people.
If I can make people smile during our conversation, I will be able to make friends and acquaintances more easily.
To become such person, I need to know wide variety of information and need to know how to make people laugh.
What I do are reading books and watching American sitcoms.
And then, I must talk with people to have more experiences.
I wish I will be such a humorous person someday.

Peaceful Days

Time passes faster than I expected since the third term started in our school.
There are not any special school events this term, so we are having peaceful days.
Flu is spreading and some students are absent due to the flu, so nowadays, the atmosphere in our classroom is quieter compared to days when all the students are at school.
This term will be over in the middle of March. 
We only have two months to go.
What I need to do is to look for a job for the next school year. 
I will search for more information and apply for jobs.

Unique Vending Machine

There was an article on a newspaper about a vending machine which sells snacks of insects in Kumamoto Prefecture which is located in Kyusyu Region.
It is still not common to eat insects in Japan, but gradually the eating habit is spreading due to the influence from South East countries.
The owner wants us to see and learn the nutritional value of these insects which can be our other source of food.
When I went to Bangkok, many kinds of insects were sold at food stalls.
The prices of the products in the vending machine are expensive.
Canned tarantula are sold at 1,900 yen, but they are sold out.
They got rid of the poison.
If I have a lot of money, I can buy it to have an experience in eating it.

Flu

These days, many students are absent from school because of flu and cold.
Club activities which are usually held after school were cancelled yesterday to avoid interactions among students and to stop spreading those diseases.
I took vaccination for flu because I care about my physical condition.
Hopefully, I will not catch flu this winter.
If a lot of students don’t come to school due to flu, classes will be canceled and students will not have to come to school.
Many students at school wear masks to prevent themselves from getting the disease.
I wish this situation won’t be worse anymore.

Private Brand

There is a pharmacy near my apartment.
It sells not only medicines but also daily necessities such as drinks, frozen food, and even vegetables.
The pharmacy has many branches around this prefecture and it has a private brand for food and drinks.
The private brand products are cheaper than other regular brands’ products.
Those kinds of imitation products are increasing in Japanese retail stores.
Famous convenience stores also have their own private brands.
It would be difficult for private brands to sell their products on a larger scale.
However, it is good that we, customers, can buy high quality products in low prices, but I learned that it is difficult to maintain food business in a long period of time.

Lottery

A lot of customers including me lined up for a lottery at a grocery store yesterday.
We were given a sticker after spending 1,000 yen at the shop and we had a chance to draw lots after collecting five stickers.
The first prize was for a ticket going somewhere in Japan.
After waiting for 15 minutes, I picked up a card and I got a 30 yen discount coupon, which was the least valuable prize.
I didn’t expect to get a better prize, but I became a little bit disappointed after seeing the coupon.
I wish I will have better luck in 2019.

Second Attempt of TOEFL

I had a TOEFL exam yesterday.
This time was my second shot to have it.
In the previous time, I was exhausted after answering all the questions, because all of the questions were new to me.
There are four sections; reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
Compared to the first time, I didn’t feel stress as much as I had felt for the first one.
If I get 80 points and above out of 120, I may be eligible to get an incentive from my managers.
The previous score was 68, so I hope I will get more than that, and hopefully, I want to get cash incentives by overpassing 80 points.

Job Interview Through Skype

I had a job interview last night.
I applied for a teaching position in the Philippines. 
The interviewer was in Cebu so we talked via Skype.
At first, he introduced about the company’s business.
Its headquarter is in Tokyo and there are branches in some cities in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
And then, we discussed the important details, such as the job itself, working location, and salary.
 I will receive an e-mail days after the final results of the interview is released. 
The interviewer was very polite and he kindly answered my questions.
I hope I will make it to the next step of the interview process. 

Wedding Reception

I am going to attend my friend’s wedding ceremony in March.
We belonged to the same tennis team when we were in college.
The former six teammates including me are invited to the ceremony.
The groom asked us to do something fun during his wedding reception.
I was checking dance videos on YouTube, but one of my friends said that he wouldn’t want to dance.
In Japan, it is common to make a funny video before the actual event and to show the video during the reception.
However, we did that already for the other member’s wedding.
I am still taking care about what we should do to warm up the wedding.

Interview Via Skype

I am going to take an interview this Friday via Skype.

The Japanese company has some branches at some cities in Vietnam and the Philippines.

Although I applied for the job, I didn’t check at all about what the company runs.

If I pass the interview, I will work at some office in the Philippines.

My dream is to live in a foreign country, but I need to check well about the job during the interview.

There are advantages and disadvantages when you work abroad.

I am still wondering what I want to do in my life.

By the way, I will prepare for the coming interview first.

Beginning of the New Term

The new term has started.
There are three terms in every school year and this term will last only for 10 weeks. 
We had two weeks off at the end and beginning of the year.
Some students changed their hairstyles and others looked more matured after the break.
I always get nervous after long days off because I slightly forget how to behave as a teacher.
I will tune myself for my job in order to be a role model for the students.
Many teachers and students are sick, so I will be careful with my health.

New Term

Yesterday was the first day of my work in 2019, although the opening ceremony is going to be held today.
I went to school only in the morning to prepare for the coming lessons and to check the schedules of this term.
Today, we will attend the ceremony and after that, clean inside school.
The students will have to write their new year's resolutions for this term.
This term lasts only about two months until in the middle of March.
Compared to the hectic September, these two months would pass peacefully, I guess.
I will prepare enough for the lessons in order to accomplish it without failures.

Yoga

I joined a yoga session yesterday at the gym where I regularly go.
In the gym, of course, you can use weight training machines.
Also, there are two large studios for daily dance, group workout and yoga sessions.
No need to pay for an extra fee on any sessions a member would care to join.
The yoga instructor was a male and he taught us how to maintain the correct posture while doing breathing exercises.
I was not confident that I did well as he did, but following his instructions made me very relaxed.
The one-hour session released my stress and I still feel in good condition starting today.

TOEFL

I am going to take TOEFL again next Saturday.
I have reviewed for the exam using previous tests, so I am getting used to the forms of questions.
If you're thinking about immigrating to English speaking countries, it is better to have a high score.
It will take more time for me to reach that level, but I will do my best to get a better score than my last one.
Getting a good score can be a big advantage for job hunting in Japan.
By the way, I have already applied for some English teaching jobs and I am still waiting for the replies.
I will study harder in 2019 to get a better score in future exams.

Pictures on Cards

In Japan, we send New Year’s cards to my friends and acquaintances at the beginning of the year.
I’ve got those cards from my friends and a tennis coach and I also wrote cards to them.
Surprisingly, there are pictures with his wife or his wife and kid in all of the cards from my friends.
That means all of them are married and have their own family.
I felt happy after seeing the pictures, but at the same time, I felt rushed for finding a partner.
I explained to myself that each one has their own style of happiness.
I wish this year will be a good one for all of us.

Suburbs

You can save money if you live in a suburb.

That is because you have less opportunities to use money for entertainment compared to living in urban cities.

If you are surrounded by forests, you will not think about staying up late outside home.

I come to think that I should live in a such place in order to focus on studying for my future.

During this vacation, I have thought about my ideal future and have noticed my dream job.

First and foremost, I have an ambition to work in a foreign country.

I need to study more to get a decent job overseas.

Living in an isolated part is an option for this year.

Inflexible

I was studying Japanese literature at a café in a shopping mall yesterday.
There were a lot of customers such as families, couples, and friends.
I personally don’t like crowded places, so I prefer regular seasons when the mall is quieter.
By the way, when I read the magazine 3 days ago, the yoga article got my attention so, I tried yoga for the first time at a lesson in the gym where I usually go.
My body is inflexible, so it was hard for me to do the same things with others.
I will keep joining the lesson this year to become flexible.
There are a few more days off until the beginning of my job, so I will enjoy the free time by reading books, talking with my friends, and doing exercise.

Grocery Stores

There are four grocery stores near my apartment.

Two of them were open even on January 1st and the other two were closed.

I think the two which were closed yesterday are superior to the others in price and quality.

From my view point, the open-through-out-year stores have to keep their sales on New Year’s Day not to miss their regular customers.

If I were a manager of a grocery store, I would want to make my employee take rests at least at the beginning of the year.

I felt the difficulty to run a big business and to make profit continuously.

Happy New Year

It is Day 1 of the year 2019.
First of all, I went to see the first sunrise on a small hill near my apartment.
The sunshine was really beautiful and it refreshed my feeling.
The most important mission for me this year is to get a job for the next school year.
I have four options so far and I am supposed to take interviews for each in January or February.
Thanks to my current job as an assistant English teacher, I have found more suitable jobs for me.
I hope I will pass the interviews and start a new job starting from April.