ネイティブが教える英会話のジェムスクール☆Teachers☆

Now that the holidays are over, it's time for me to really buckle down and start planning what we're going to do when my mom, aunt, and aunt's partner come to visit me in April! They're going to be here for just over two weeks, so there's a lot we want to try and do in that window of time. We're going to start off in Tokyo, then come back here to Takamatsu, then hit Osaka and Kyoto before they have to fly home. Or at least that's the plan as of now, I won't be surprised if things end up changing again depending on what everyone wants to do. I'm going to have to make a list with them and figure out everyone's must do/see places and go from there. I'm really excited to show them my life here in Japan! For now though, I've got to focus on the first day back in classes!  

This morning, I prepared nanakusa gayu, the traditional seven-herb porridge eaten on January 7th. It’s a simple, nourishing dish meant to bring health and balance into the new year after the indulgence of the holidays. As I chopped the herbs—seri, nazuna, gogyo, hakobe, hotokenoza, suzuna, and suzushiro—I thought about their symbolism: renewal, vitality, and connection to the earth’s cycles. Eating it feels like a small but meaningful way to honor tradition and invite a fresh start.

  

Recently I've gotten back into studying Japanese. Living in Japan is a lot easier when you can speak to the locals, so I want my language skills to get better. I found a set of study flashcards attached to a ring, and since there's a lot, I can easily store and study a lot of new words! It would be more convenient if I didn't have to make the cards myself, but that part is actually kind of fun in itself. I'm looking forward to getting WAY better at Japanese this year!