ネイティブが教える英会話のジェムスクール☆Teachers☆

I've been supporting an artist called Pikaole for about 6 months. Every month, I send them a little bit of money. In return, I get icons for my phone, wallpapers, and a reward! I ordered a few stickers from her, and my rewards came too. Wow! So many stickers!!!! And a bat pin! You know I was so happy about that. I am very glad I supported this artist.   

These are wind power machines on top of a hill in Hokkaido. I have head that there wind power turbines being built off the shore in Japan. Japan has power shortage problems maybe this will help.  

A good introductory certification that one will find recommended very often, especially on various subreddits, is CompTIA's A+. The exam covers a lot of hardware and software topics and is primarily an entry certification for computer technicians, but considering the later exam topics do in fact make use of the information covered on this one, I thought it was best to knock this one out first. So far, I have found that I know a lot of the information already from my years of being around tech, so I figure with some dedicated studying, this should not too difficult.


  

I visited Dogo Onsen over the Obon Holiday. The trip to Matsuyama was a long one, clocking in at about 3 hours. I decided to take the bus. When I arrived, the onsen itself was actually pretty small, with only one pool in the main building. I had heard that it was the oldest onsen in Japan, so, somehow, I expected it to be bigger. Turns out it is the oldest....not the biggest.
I visited Dogo Onsen over the Obon Holiday. The trip to Matsuyama was a long one, clocking in at about 3 hours. I decided to take the bus. When I arrived, the onsen itself was actually pretty small, with only one pool in the main building. I had heard that it was the oldest onsen in Japan, so, somehow, I expected it to be bigger. Turns out it is the oldest....not the biggest.


  

I prefer to live in the countryside compared to the city, because it so much more peaceful and I can enjoy nature easily. The city may have more store and people but I prefer to spend my time with one or two people instead of large groups in heavily populated areas. Would you rather live in the city or in the countryside?  

The rose plant is doing well. Thanks for asking. Look at that cute little bud. It's growing new leaves too which I was certainly worried about.



It's pretty hot on the Kagawa side. We should all do our best to stay cool and keep your liquid intake high.

It's a good time to get ice cream. It's my favorite part of summer, but we all need water, just like my little rose friend.   

Well, this is it. I’ve cleaned my apartment, packed my bags, and now my wife and I are heading to the airport. This time tomorrow I will be in the Philippines. I’ve spent four amazing years in Japan. I’m sad to say goodbye to the country, but I’m excited for my new adventures in the Philippines. I’m also excited to start my new position as a cyber teacher! I will do my best! See you all soon! Goodbye :)


  

One of my favorite "avant-garde" composers is
Steve Reich. He is a leader in so-called Minimalist
Music. He uses repetitive phrases in his compositions. The phrases shift gradually as the music
progresses. I find his music pleasantly hypnotic.
Notable compositions are It's Gonna Rain and Music for 18 Musicians.  

This past weekend was Obon in Japan and, although I mainly stayed at home, I read a bit about it and saw that in some parts of Japan they hold lantern festivals during this time! Japan is a beautiful place.  

You may know Don Quijote as a major discount store here in Japan, but did you know us Westerners know this name exclusively as a major literary character?! It's a book four centuries old by Miguel Cervantes and it's hilarious!  

Rice is an important staple crop in Japan. It is a standard part of most all of the Japanese diets. Japan is currently the 11th largest producer of rice in the world (China, India, and Indonesia as the three largest rice producers). With the advent of agriculture, evidence points to rice fields being in Japan sometime around 6000 years ago. Thus, rice has been part of the Japanese diet for a long time!

Up until the mid-19th century and the end of the Tokugawa Period in Japan *1603-1868), rice was used as a form of currency/wealth with landowners, samurai, and feudal lords holding most of the rights. The unit of measure was called a “koku” and it equaled 180 liters or 48 gallons of rice. Or 150 kilograms or 330 pounds. One “koku” could feed a person for about 1 year.

In Japan the rice planting and harvesting seasons vary by region, but generally it runs from spring planting until fall harvesting. Somewhere above 80% or the farms in Japan plant rice annually, and the production is mechanized in many regions.

The Japanese Government officially oversees rice production, distribution, and sales due to the Staple Food Control Act of 1942. Since the Government controls most aspects of the rice business in Japan, most imports of rice are banned from entry into the country. Rice production is also subsidized by the Government to assist the farmers, and the prices are typically high for the general consumer. Surprisingly, Japanese consumers are fairly tolerant of the high price, and most believe that foreign rice tastes bad.

Rice is such an important product in Japan that has an almost revered (possibly even sacred) status for its nutrition and usefulness to the general population. Next time you eat rice here in Japan, remember that (in the Japanese view) it is more than just a meal – it is a cultural phenomenon!
  

It's not often that every single one of my close friends in America are watching the same thing. But in this case, we all watched The Sandman. The Sandman is a very well known comic that was adapted into a Netflix TV show. It was fun and interesting to watch. I think all of my friends have read the comic. Not me though.

My friend Rob made a joke on twitter, giving a review about sand instead of the story. The creator of the comic and tv show saw it! That was pretty cool.

I'll probably watch all of it during Obon.   

Photo of the Sea of Japan. The sea of Japan is quite nice but has less waves that the Pacific side of Japan. This photo was taken from the top of a hill in Hokkaido. I wanted to take a photo but there were many Japanese hornets flying around so I could only take a quick photo.  

If one does not know a lot about the field of IT, then it is not easy to see how one might enter into the field. One of the more obvious routes is to pursue a undergraduate degree in a field like Information Technology or Computer Science. But that is not the route I will be taking into the field - I have decided to start studying for two of the beginner certifications offered by CompTIA: A+ and Network+. I am hoping to sit for the exams (online of course) sometime in November. I plan on dedicating about a month of study to each exam.


  

A few weeks ago, I went to Pokapoka Onsen for the first time. It was a really good experience. Unlike Busshozan Onsen, it is more of a resort than just a bath. Along with the onsen itself, there were restaurants, saunas and relaxation pods inside. In addition, you were able to watch Japanese TV shows while in the bath. I have to say that I like Busshozan a little better, but if I am ever looking for a more commercial and all-encompassing experience, then I will head over to Pokapoka.


  

I neglected this rose plant last month and it got very upset with me. With plenty of water and a big trim, I'm bringing this guy back to life.

Wish me luck.

There's this term called "Green thumb", which you say to people who are good with plants. Especially those who can save one from certain death. I wouldn't call me a "green thumb", but my neighbor sure is. They have a great big garden with a lot of veggies to share with the neighborhood. Nice people.


  

I only got to swim for a little bit, but this weekend I got to go swimming! It was a nice break from my busy weekends right now. I hope I can go again soon!


I went swimming in saijo river, but I didn’t take any photos. So I hope you like this one of the ocean :D  

As some of you may know, I'm from Wyoming. It's the least populous state in the whole United States but one of the largest! We're famous for our geological features and natural resources. This photo is from Yellowstone National Park. Isn't it amazing?  

As most of my students know, I'm from Miami, Florida. The beach there is very famous, but have you ever heard of Wynwood? It's a small art district near Downtown Miami. What's awesome about it is that every building is covered in murals!
  

I have only recently developed an interest in
Karlheinz Stockhausen. He was a German
avant-garde composer who has been described
by reviewers as "groundbreaking." His music
fascinates me, whereas it might repel many others.
Two of his works are "Klavierstucke" and "
Kreuzspiel." An interesting side note: he influenced
The Beatles, notably on the track "Revolution 9. "