ネイティブが教える英会話のジェムスクール☆Teachers☆

Last blog, I told you I would show you my Kochi hotel. Isn't it cool? It doesn't look like I'm in Japan at all. The hotel was made to look like a city in Greece. I loved the aesthetic so much. When we were at the market, I bought a ring that was the same shade of blue. The hotel was a little expensive and out of the way from the main city, but I would love to go back.

There was a cat on the grounds but my friend couldn't find him. Towards the end of our stay, I heard it! And the hotel showed us the cat.  

My preferred reading and writing genre is YA, young adult fiction. As some of you know, I spend almost all of my weekends working on my MFA in English and Creative Writing. For a recent essay, I had to explain why I chose YA as my genre for the MFA program. Please have a look at what I wrote.

" Once upon a time, in the growing past between my adolescence and current age, I fell in love with YA fiction. I am very lucky that my mom taught me to read very early and that I grew up enthralled with books. As my life circumstances became turbulent, books became a welcomed escape from my chaotic life. In middle school, I began reading titles like To Kill a Mockingbird, Speak, Are You There God? It’s Me. Margaret, and other contemporary YA classics. The resonance and validation I discovered in these novels became something to cling to. They were not only entertaining but educational and emotionally grounding. Even though these were fictional characters, I felt validated that I was not the only girl dealing with dysfunctional family problems and growing pains.
In high school I followed literary trends, devouring Harry Potter, The Twilight Saga, and The Hunger Games trilogy. These stories served as enthralling entertainment as well as a place to reflect and work to better understand myself. As I continued to grow up into adulthood, I simply never tired of these transformative stories. My favorite YA novel, If I Stay by Gayle Foreman, bridged the gap for me as I began community college, keeping me aligned with the genre and all it had to offer.
It wasn’t until I began studying creative writing in college that I truly understood why I am still so irrevocably in love with YA as a genre. It comes back to the themes that are central to it; identity, coming-of-age, self-discovery, first love, family, and friendship. These themes are central to adolescence certainly, but in my experience, far beyond adolescence too. Even at thirty, I am working to understand and come into myself, to be a good friend, daughter, and significant other. While I am further along than at 15, my coming-of-age story still feels underway. So, even in stories with teen protagonists dealing with the perils of high school, I continue to relate and find value.
I have dreamed of being an author since childhood, simply because I loved books and good stories. Now that I am formally developing the skills I need to write well, my appreciation for YA as a genre has combined with a passionate goal of creating literature that can help support and validate readers just as so many authors have done for me. If I can write a novel that can offer some insight, comfort, and validation to just one person, I’ll have achieved my dream. "

Next time I will tell you about my all time favorite YA novel. What do you think of my essay? As an early draft of what will likely be part of my thesis, I'm content.

Happy reading and writing!

Kindly,
Erin


  

When I make desserts, I want to make sure I get the most out of them even if it means I get diabetes. So, I decided to make brownies with a Kit-Kat base and have salted caramel and mixed nuts sprinkled throughout. Needless to say, they were good and never regretted what I created (lol).


  

Hello everyone, Benson here. How is everyone doing? Are you all having fun in November so far? I’m sure everybody is finding ways to enjoy November and maximize their full potential.

Let’s talk about bringing October into November, in a manner of speaking. November offers a wonderful opportunity to embrace rustic autumn décor inside your home. As the vibrant colors of October give way to more muted tones outside, people love bringing the warmth of nature indoors. Simple touches like pinecones, dried leaves, and wooden accents create a cozy, natural aesthetic that feels just right for this time of year and perfect for your basic social media posts of choice. November’s earthy tones—browns, soft yellows, and muted oranges—blend beautifully with the changing weather. This style of décor reminds you to appreciate the quieter, less showy aspects of autumn, celebrating the season's simplicity and warmth even as the cold begins to settle in. Take care all, see you next time!


  

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of watching Cats of Gokogou Shrine, a deeply thoughtful documentary by Kazuhiro Soda and Kiyoko Kashiwagi. As someone who loves quiet, observational filmmaking, I was completely drawn into this serene world set at Gokogou Shrine in Ushimado, Okayama Prefecture, where the filmmakers themselves live.

The film focuses on the stray cats that call the shrine home, capturing their daily lives with an affectionate but unsentimental lens. These aren’t house cats playing up for the camera—they’re independent strays, sunning themselves, roaming the grounds, and competing for fish scraps from locals. While Soda avoids anthropomorphizing them, their presence reveals so much about the balance between humans and animals in this small, aging community.

One of the more striking moments for me was watching volunteers from the Street Cats Control Association trap the cats for neutering. It’s a bittersweet act of care, meant to prevent overpopulation but also aiming to eventually eliminate the cats from the shrine entirely. It made me think about how coexistence often requires difficult choices, both for the cats and the people.

What I loved most was how the film subtly connects the lives of these cats to the challenges facing the town itself. Ushimado is a community in decline, with an aging population and fewer young residents. The parallels between the impermanence of the cats’ lives and the fragility of the town are poignant without ever feeling heavy-handed.

If you’re a fan of documentary filmmaking that finds beauty in the everyday or if you’re curious about the subtle ways humans and animals interact, this film is a must-see. More than a documentary, it’s a meditation on life, change, and the connections that sustain us.

  

While walking around my neighborhood I recently found out I live within walking distance of a music store! I'm usually in need of some new guitar strings or guitar accessories so this is really helpful. I'm hoping the staff is as friendly as other music stores I've been to, because I usually tend to spend hours around instruments. When I first discovered this store it was closed, so I'll have to venture back and visit. Hope they don't mind because I'll probably be there every week haha.

  

About a month ago, I was able to check out the Niihama Taiko Festival! It was super awesome! All of the Taikodai floats looked amazing. It's also completely insane that people lift them up! Their shoulders must've been hurting so bad afterwards! It was truly an unforgettable experience and I'm glad I could see them. It makes me want to see many other different kinds of festivals!  

In October I got to celebrate one of my favorite events of the year: Saijo Matsuri! I absolutely love how alive the city becomes and how the streets are filled with happy cheers, drumming and danjiri. I always go to the event at Isono Jinja (even though it`s so early- starting around 2:00 am!) and the event at the Kamogawa. Watching the danjiri jump into the waters of the Kamo river is magical, and it makes me feel happy to live near a city with such a wonderful culture.   

Me and my mom spent some time exploring places in Niihama and one of the first places I took her was Ikku Shrine! She thought it was really cool and it was the first shrine I took her to!
  

I recently purchased a pair of sports, running sunglasses here in Japan called Goodr. They are affordable at around 5,000 yen, they do not slip off your nose or bounce when you run, and they protect you from the ultra violet rays of the sun.

They were created in the USA about 10 years ago, and are becoming popular here in Japan with runners. They come in various colors and designs. You can also use them for the beach, hiking, and many other outdoor activities. Give them a try!
  

When we went to CoCo's, it was right before Halloween, so they had a fun Halloween dessert on the menu!



It looked so cute! We had to try it.



It even looked mostly like the picture! It was pretty delicious.
Have you ever tried this dessert before?  

My friend is visiting Japan. We went to Kochi for a weekend. I love staying on the water, I think it's my favorite thing! We ate some great food and saw a morning market. The hotel was very different and interesting. I'll show you more about it next post!  

This month Tony and I celebrate our second wedding anniversary! But can you guess how many years we've been together overall?
A. 4 years
B. 9 years
C. 15 years
D. 11 years
.....The answer is....D! Ding ding ding! 11 years of togetherness. I am so grateful for the highs and lows we have experienced and how they have led us here. To create a festive mood I finally tried out using the photo printer at 7/11 and created a garland with a photo from every year we've been together. What year do you think this photo is from?

A. 2013
B. 2020
C. 2016
D. 2010
.....The answer is...C! Ding ding ding! In 2016 my grandmother gifted us with tickets to a The Great Gatsby themed charity event. I had done the promotional photography for the dance studio involved in the event, so it was special that we were able to attend and see their performance. We rented these costumes from a neat old costume shop in Sarasota, Florida. It was a very fun night!

Thanks for taking this anniversary quiz. Here's to 11 more years of joy and discovery together.

P.S. Anniversary celebration culture seems different in Japan--we both struggled to find cards and decor specifically themed to the celebration--but it's okay! I love an excuse to be crafty.

  

I had the pleasure to receive some awesome gifts for my birthday in October. One of my coworkers' got me a really cook Pac-man plushie that moves around the floor much like the game and they even prepared a cute cake with a Pac-man design piped on top. Additionally, one of my adult students got me a coffee gift since they know I love coffee. I also drew a big lot to receive some birthday Amazon money which has already been spent.



  

Hello everyone, Benson here. How is everyone’s November going? Have you all had the time to slow down and reflect? How about activities, has anybody done any fun activities in November so far? I know I’m enjoying November for sure.

November often feels like a transition month to me. It's not quite winter, but autumn's colorful display has mostly faded. However, I’ve come to appreciate this in-between time or transitional time. The bare trees, the crisp air, and the soft gray skies hold a quiet beauty that invites reflection and contemplation. It’s a time for many to prepare for the colder months, both physically and mentally. As I am a natural room heater, there isn’t much preparation for the cold on my end. However, I like to think of November as a moment to pause, to appreciate the subtlety of nature before the festive maelstrom of December arrives. It's the perfect time to find peace in simple things, like a warm blanket, a quiet walk, or a moment of stillness. Take care everyone and see you next time.


  

After much anticipation, I finally dove into Brian Evenson’s A Collapse of Horses, and it was absolutely worth the wait. Evenson’s collection of stories is eerie, disorienting, and haunting in the best way possible. Each story pulls you into a world that’s slightly off-kilter, where reality feels fragile and every twist challenges what you think you know. His writing is sharp and atmospheric, full of unsettling tension that lingers long after you’ve put the book down. If you’re into dark, psychological horror that blurs the lines of reality, I highly recommend it!
  

Hello Everyone It's Bear Sensei! Here is another blog just for you!


As previously posted I am a man who loves culture and traditions. This week I had the opportunity to visit the 66th temple of the Shikoku pilgrimage named Unpenji Temple some people go to see the gorgeous Autumn Leaves and pray. The prefix name of the temple is "Kyogozan" because the mountain resembles a sleeping giant turtle. Another fact about Unpenji temple is that it has the highest altitude of all the 88 temples in Shikoku located 900m above sea level. The temple also showcases a beautiful forest filled with Gingko trees. If you love culture and traditions like I do and want to see autumn leaves, you should visit the Unpenji temple in Tokushima prefecture. Well, that's all for this week's blog until next time!



Bear








  

I went on another night walk. This time I went to Takinomiya Park. It was super cool. For this picture, I really liked how the mountains looked in the background. In person they looked way darker like it was some monster making its way to the park haha. The clouds barely touching the tips of the mountains looked pretty neat too.  

Every year in Kochi during the month of October, the city of Ochi has a cosmos festival. As a flower fan, I had to go check it out! It was super cute- the fields full of bright pink cosmos were so gorgeous and cute. They even had a cosmos maze, which I didn`t think would be tall enough for adults to get lost in, but was surprisingly really tall!   

For the month of November and possibly December, I'm going to be highlighting one of the best parts of my year that happened this past October - my mom visiting! She was here for two weeks and it was so fun and I am going to share all the things we did!