English cafe?!

I went to Ryuoh town in the afternoon yesterday to attend a trial lesson.
As I told you, I got to know an English teacher last month, she invited me her English school's lesson.

According to her, English zone is held at her school once a month  on Saturday. It means that students can experience semilar to go abroad to study in Japan.

When I arrived at her school, nobody came. After that one female young student came. I said hello to her and introduced them to  each other. I knew that she was a high school student and the same age as my daughter.

I told her that my daughter had been to Austlalia when she was a junior high school. To my surprised,
she told me that she also had been there and participated in the same program. And she remember my daugher's name and face.That was amazing! What a small world it is!

Next, another young woman came. I said hello to her. She told me that she knew me because teacher yumi
was talking about me to her at first. So we could easily introduce ourselves.
We were talking about our hometown. To our surprised, her hometown is very closed to mine.
And we knew that we were born in the same hospital! Wow! I was very surprised to have an  accidental connection.

Finally, an  English native male teacher came. Although that was my first experience to have a lesson in Ryuoh, I had ever seen him before. That was amazing,too!

I told him that I remembered his face and I am a member of Koka city International society.
He also lives in Koka city and he has something to do with Koka International society.
I was very very surprised to have a lot of in common with him.

He was talking about Halloween.I am a Japanese person,so  I didn't know about it. I was able to know
about the origin of it.We were talking about a lot of topic and time went by very quickly.

The manager who was Yumi's husband served us. We had some tea and cakes.
Now teacher yumi is in china and enjoying her trip.

The teacher gave a small present (snack) to us. What a nice day it was!

I will attend a cafe lesson next month with my friend.

I went to Ryuoh town

I went to Ryuoh town today.Ryuoh town is next to my city.That is because I made an appointment to see an
English teacher whose name is Yumi.


At the end of last September, I went to Ryuoh junior high school to see the group who come from Sault Ste
Marie in Michigan. When I went to Sault Ste Marie and visited Washington elementary school, I knew that
some students and leader would visit in Japan soon.The principal told us about it.I decided to see them after I come back to Japan.　And　at that day, my son was at home, I also decided to take him to there.

At lunch time, I was able to say hello to them and have a lunch together. It was only 1 hour. I enjoyed chatting together.

http://ameblo.jp/teacheryumi/

There was an interpreter whose name is Yumi.
Before I went to Ryuoh jyunior high school , I happened to see her webpage.So I was very surprised.
I was also able to get to know her at school.

After that we sometimes send a e-mail and talking about English and other things.
I went to her English school today and enjoyed chatting.

I think that connection is very miracle.
Ryuoh town is not my city's sister city. Whenever I go to Ryuoh, I use the expressway only.
I could not imagine that I was able to meet a new person in Ryuoh.

I always try to look for good connection(relation)for me. I have to challenge next stage.

I happened to see my friend last Sunday

When I was driving in my car last Sunday, I saw my friend on the street. She is my good friend whose name is Belinda.

She used to be an English teacher in my daughter's high school until this July.

I got to know her 2 years ago when a sports festival was held in her school. At that day, I went to her school alone to see the sport festival. I happened to see a foreigner teacher and said hello to her suddenly.

(It is unusual in Japan.Japanese people don't do this action...)

We were talking about a lot of things although we just met. My daughter and her friends found us and they were disgusted because I talked too much instead of seeing the sport festival^^;

After that we had some chances to go to christmas parties together.
Recently I was told by my daughter that she quit the school and I did not know where she lives now.
So I was very glad to see her on the street.I asked her to come to my house and chat because I was free in the afternoon. I took her to my house and enjoyed chatting for a long time.We were talking about a lot of things.

At first I talked about that trip to Michigan and showed her many photos. I told her that I had many valuable
experiences in Michigan. I also told her that I learned a lot.

She started talking about Japanese life. She has been staying in Japan for 5 years. She loves Japan so much. But she sometimes does not understand something. For example, why don't Japanese people enjoy so much in their life after 5 and every weekend? Why do Japanese people work too much?Why do they have a closed society?And so son.

I know how she feels. I sometimes feel it is boring in Shiga(Higashiomi)
When I lived kyoto for 13 years after I got married, I had many chances to meet new people.
And I was able to enjoy my free time.

( I belonged to running club, Batominton club, excersise club, art flower club,and so on)

I always enjoyed my life.
Actually my neighberhood (housewives) are working as a part time job or full time job.
Only old people stay in their house.I am a very rare case.

Belinda told me that she wanted to meet new people but she could not in Shiga.
So she is trying to decide if she will stay longer or return to Australia. Japan and Australia are very different.

Of course in Japan there are many good places and many good festivals that we can enjoy.
But we have a specific rule and life style and personality. So foreigners sometimes can not follow and are
confused.

We enjoyed chatting and having some tea.
I thought, even though our dreams come true, we face some troubles and difficulties.It is reality.
Her dream was to visit in Japan someday. She is in Japan now,but she faces some troubles.
Is is normal that people have some toubles in our life?

Anyway I was very happy to see her by chance and talk to her.
By meeting people, we can know about many things...

difference

As we know, we have many different things from Japan and America.When I went to Michigan,
I realized a lot.

This was my fourth time to visit America. But all trips were normal sightseeing. I did not learn a lot about American culture actually.

I think that Americans are very friendly.When I had some chances to meet new people and see someone,
I was able to talk to them. And Americans shops staff are also friendly. When I went to the Wal-mart, one of the staff talked to me a lot. I enjoyed talking to him.
In Japan, clerks are not friendly.They seldom make some jokes in front of customers because they care about person's eye.I prefer American style to Japanese style.

I think that Americans often speak well of others. I was spoken well of by them many times in this trip.
I was very glad to hear it. But I was sometimes confused. I was wondering if it is a compliment or not.
"Which is right?" In my case, I sometimes speak well of others. But not very often.

I had some good friends many years ago. They spoke well of me every time. I felt so happy.
But one day, they suddenly reccomended me to buy their pyramid club goods.Or they suggested me to join
the religious group. I was too much dissappointed at that time and after that I always pay attention to the people who spoke well of me. Probably many Japanese people have the same experience before.
But in America, it is common. It is probably American culture.

I think that Americans love to have a party. And the participants are many types of people.
In japan, some people like to have a party. But their members are only their friends and family.
They are a very closed group.

I haven't gotten used to American style yet.  When we had a farewell party in Sault Ste Marie,many participants were there. Probably I didn't know half of them.
I wanted to say hello to new people but I couldn't. Japanese people can't interrupt thier conversation.
We hesitate to say someting to new people and join thier conversation, it is Japanese culture.

They seemed to be enjoying themselves. I always care about my husband because he is very shy and quiet.
I could not leave him alone and stayed with him. After the party I regretted not talking to them.
And I thought. It is very different. When I host to foreigners in my city, city hall staff prepare some interpreters for them.When we have a welcome and farewell party, we always care about guests.
If some guests seem to be boring, we try to talk to them. Japanese people's case, NO1 is not my self.
I am  NO2 or NO3 or...last.We may not enjoy so much.

I think that Japanese hesitate to say no thank you.
Even though we have much patience, we don't usually complain.
When we went to Lake Superior University, the host took us on a laboratory tour. Assistant explained about very difficult things to us(technology, infrared rays,engineering and so on)
We could not understand at all and could not say"it is too difficult for us,so let's see another place"or something.We had no courage to say so.

When we go abroad, we can realize a lot of things.We can't realize the difference in Japan.

I learned a lot in this trip.