ネイティブが教える英会話のジェムスクール☆Teachers☆

I have definitely discovered my go-to restaurant! I am always in the mood for sushi!



  

Hello Everyone It's Bear Sensei!

Taking you on another adventure full of excitement and beautiful scenery. As I was walking I stumbled upon a green field which gave me a feeling of nostalgia and mystery. Japan makes us feel nostalgic, indescribable deep feelings and I'm glad I am witness to such perfect beauty. See you all later!



  

I received some buffalo sauce over Christmas and I finally got around to making buffalo wings! They are just fried chicken wings with a spicy sauce that are one of the classic American foods. They were so tasty and I even had some ranch dressing to dip them in!  

Next to Chichbugahama Beach in Nio there is a small local coffee shop called Zuzuzu. It is a simple place that serves just coffee, lemonade, and small scones.

There is a nice view of the beach from the seats, and the staff was very friendly. The atmosphere was quiet and relaxing. I really enjoyed the setting and the food and drinks. Please stop by if you want to experience a pleasant and peaceful time while traveling in the area.   

My husband visited America recently. While he was there, he went to a South African-themed restaurant called Nando's. They serve peri-peri chicken there, which is a type of Portuguese chicken dish. This is what the inside of the restaurant looked like:



I thought it looked very interesting! I wonder why they decorated around the tables that way? I dont know much about South African culture, but we thought it was cool to see this!  

I rescued a turtle the other day. He was near the police station---hopefully he didn't need a police officer! The turtle was on the sidewalk, far from water so I picked it up carefully. I put it in my basket and walked it to the river. I leaned down as far as I could and dropped him into the water. I felt bad because it was a high jump. He swam to the surface and seemed okay!

I saw Japanese men kicking around a turtle once and I've been bothered by that for years. I didn't want that turtle to be mistreated too. I hope the little turtle has a good life in the river.   

Hello everyone, Benson here. I can’t believe we’re approaching the end of April already! How has everyone’s April gone so far? Have any of you been able to do activities you wanted to do in April? Has anybody here tried anything new in April? I know my April has been pretty good!

Today, I want to talk about bees. I’ve seen a few bees here and there during my time in Japan, but are bees commonly found everywhere here? I am fascinated by these small creatures, they seem like such hardworking, tiny creatures and some bees also help produce honey. Are there many apiaries in Japan? I would love to visit one and see how the beehives are kept here in Japan. I wonder if there are similar processes for keeping bees here in Japan versus the rest of the world. Do you know of anybody that has a beehive? I wonder how the bees got here in Japan in the first place! Where are bees originally from? There are so many things to read about and learn regarding bees. I definitely will look into it more. I think during springtime is when I think about bees the most. From what I understand, spring is an important season for bees. In any case, I hope everybody had a great April and see you all in May! Take good care.


  

Hello, everyone! For many, spring is a time of decluttering and organization. I’ve been working on making my apartment more organized yes, but also a bit more homey and cozy. That brings me to the star of this blog post: HardOff! ***Cue the catchy HardOff theme song**

In America, shopping as much as possible from thrift stores and secondhand shops was an art and passion for Tony and me. One of the things we miss the most is our favorite SPCA thrift store, where all proceeds go to the town animal shelter.

While HardOff isn’t exactly a thrift store, it’s been a close second for us here in Japan. Our favorite location in Marugame was a treasure trove this past weekend. We were able to purchase two comfortable floor seats that were originally twice the price at Nitori, and we even got a TV.


I love sorting through the “junk” bins too–I buy cheap CDs to listen to on my commute. I’m always surprised by just how many American artists I find as well as Japanese. It’s been a ton of fun!

If you haven't been to the HardOff in Marugame, I highly recommend it! OffHouse is upstairs too. Happy secondhand shopping!  

I have a deep admiration for Japanese package design; it’s like each item is a work of art waiting to be discovered. During a recent shopping trip, I found myself drawn to these solely because of their stunningly simple packaging. It was an impulse buy, completely unrelated to what I needed, but I couldn’t resist. Now comes the ultimate test: do they taste as good as they look?”
  

Hello Everyone! It's Sensei Bear/Kuma


Do you like Mazes? I love a Maze once in a while and I had the opportunity to visit one of these mazes in Kamiyama Shinrin Park. It was beautiful and filled with breathtaking scenery. If you like parks you can't miss this one see you all later!!





  

While out for a walk I visited a nearby shrine. I noticed across the street was another Torii. I thought this looked really neat! It reminded me of like a portal to another world or something. Which also reminds me of a manga genre called isekai. I think it's a really interesting genre. The nature around it really elevates how cool this looks.  

Recently I went to Kobe and tried the famous Kobe beef. It was pretty expensive but I really wanted to experience it at least once! It was amazing and so flavorful- probably the best piece of steak I’ll ever eat!  

I went to Kobe for the first time! It was an amazing experience and I hope to visit again.

  

In Japan it is kind of difficult to find whole wheat bread, so I decided to make some of my own! This was a whole wheat fococcia with garlic and basil! It turned out delicious!
  

In the city of Nio on Chichibugahama Beach, there is a small taco restaurant called Tranquilo Tacos. The shop sells tacos and taco rice. They sell single tacos or set meals for a reasonable price.

It is a small place with a simple menu, but the food was good and the location is right on the beach. It seems that there are very few taco shops in Kagawa, so this is definitely a good find. If you happen to stop by the beach, then walk in and have some tacos!
  

My husband's grandmother loves to make quilts! She recently made this one for my daughter:



She made the quilt in a very traditional pattern. The pattern is called "Sunbonnet Sue." It's supposed to look like a little old-fashioned girl wearing a dress and a sunbonnet. I think it's pretty cute!

Have you ever seen this pattern before? What do you think of it?  

I've been enjoying decluttering videos where people clean out their rooms. I've been doing it for a few weeks on and off myself. Some of my rooms are still messy but the closets, bookshelves, a drawers look great! You can declutter in small ways too, like a bag of makeup or an accumulation of papers. The shows I watch usually rely heavily on clear containers for things, and I love going to Daiso for those. I'm finding and emptying containers as I go this time, so I haven't needed to go shopping yet. Golden week will probably be when I finish.   

Hello everyone! Are you enjoying the warmer weather and beautiful sakura blooms? I certainly am. After being sick in March, April has been a welcomed change in scenery and season.

Last weekend I visited a famous sakura spot here in Kagawa: Asahiyama! It was a wonderful recommendation by Katie and I am so glad we were able to go together.

We saw many cute dogs, picnics, and of course, beautiful trees. We had a picnic too under the trees. We even ran into a few other Gem School teachers, which was a nice surprise!



This was my first time ever seeing sakura and it was a magical experience. Tony and I have dreamed of coming to Japan for many years, so seeing the pink and white blooms felt like making a dream come true. I am so grateful to be here in Japan with you all, and I will continue working hard to help my students reach their wildest dreams too.



Enjoy the sakura and have a wonderful week!
  

Hello everyone, Benson here. Halfway through April, how is everyone doing today? I hope some of you have had a chance to enjoy April, whether that be through activities or hobbies. As for myself, I think I’m curious about birds this week.

Does anybody here go birdwatching? Birdwatching is usually considered an outdoor activity, so it might not be for everyone. What kind of things do you need to bring to go birdwatching? Also, how long do you usually go birdwatching for? I’m guessing someone who goes birdwatching will have to have good knowledge of where specific birds can be spotted and plot a trail to see them. I’ve never formally gone birdwatching, but it’s always interesting to notice what birds are out and about during the day. I am not a bird expert unfortunately, but I’ve noticed some interesting looking birds on my daily walks. There are some really small birds that are mostly white, I’m not sure what their name is, does anybody here know? I don’t see those back home in Canada. Also, has anybody seen birds flying around at night? I believe birds usually sleep at night, but again, I’m not an expert. I’ve seen some big, ominous black birds gliding around at night before, maybe they are ravens or crows? I believe ravens, since they were quite large. Do you have any birdwatching or bird stories to share? Have a great week everyone and take care!


  

Cherry blossoms, or sakura as they're known in Japan, hold a special place in my heart. Their beauty goes beyond just the visual. It's a sensory experience that awakens the soul! From pictures and merchandise you can never dream of just how visceral and beautiful the experience of cherry blossoms are when you're up close and personal with them.

My first encounter with them was unforgettable. I got to enjoy the experience with another teacher who invited us out to a place they knew to be good and I am in their debt. When you come up on cherry blossoms, the air is filled with a subtle, sweet fragrance, with notes of springtime magic. The blossoms themselves are a marvel, of course. Their colors are breathtaking - a spectrum of pinks that ranges from the palest blush to a vibrant magenta - and sometimes there's a hint of yellow in there for an extra pop, as our noble leader and trusted head teacher pointed out to me.

Sharing a picnic under a cherry blossom tree, a tradition known as Hanami in Japan, is a wonderful way to experience their transcendent magic and I marveled at all the people who enjoyed this practice. If you ever have the chance to witness cherry blossoms in bloom, don't hesitate. If you get to enjoy the beauty of these blooms, picnicking with friends or family it's an even more intense and memorable experience. No matter how you enjoy it, it's an experience that will stay with you forever.