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Every week throughout the year, a blog written by a Ritsumeikan language facilitator will be posted here. These blogs cover a wide range of topics: language learning tips, stories from daily life, travel recommendations, and more.
By clicking on the ‘CATEGORY↓’ tab on the right, you can search for subjects you’d like to read about. Whatever your tastes, we are sure there will be something here for you!
コラム一覧 / Blog List
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12 .20Do you sleep well?Do you have a sufficient amount of sleep every night? I did not usually have problems sleeping, but I began to suffer from unbalanced sleep due to changes in my lifestyle; I struggled to sleep when I was in bed and then could not wake up in the morning. The change in my sleep cycle was triggered by a change in my work.When I began my post-graduate study, I had been working for eight years following the completion of my undergraduate degree. At that time, I had a normal nine-to-five job, and a regular cycle of sleep and waking. However, once I became a post-graduate student, I did not have to wake up at the same time every morning because my classes began in the afternoons or sometimes in the evenings. Some people are strong willed and never deviate from their regular schedules despite changes in their lifestyles; however, I was lazy and adapted to the new schedule. I woke up mid-morning and had a late breakfast. I sometimes stayed up until two or three am because I had a deadline or was forced on working on an assignment. After leading such an unhealthy lifestyle for some months, I had a problem with sleep. I could not sleep at night or wake up early in the morning even if I had an important appointment.Eventually, I realised that the situation was not good because I was not able to control my sleep patterns; it also meant that I had lost control of my time during the day due to feeling sleepy. I am sure that this has also happened to you on occasion, particularly during long vacations. Therefore, I tried some tips in order to fall asleep easily, when I was struggling to do so. I would like to share these tips; however, they are based on my experience and do not guarantee that you will have good sleep. In addition, if your sleep problem lasts for several months, I suggest that you see a doctor or counselor because sleep deprivation may cause a mental or physical illness.For refreshing sleep: 1. Wake up early and try not to have a long nap during the day; this will help you to reset the sleep cycle. 2. Do not drink coffee or tea after six pm, as these beverages contain caffeine; I often drink decaffeinated coffee after that time. 3. Do some form of exercise after work (or study). it does not have to be strenuous exercise, something such as a short jog or some stretching is sufficient. 4. Do not watch TV, or look at a computer, or smart phone screen before going to bed; if you are watching important or interesting news, you may not be able to sleep at all. 5. Use aromatherapy to relax; lavender oil is a good option.(Photo credit: Kha Ruxury@Pexels.com)The BBP Staff
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12 .13English LearningStudents often ask me about how they can improve their English skills. There is no simple answer to this question as learning a language is an extremely complex thing. However, here are three pieces of advice that I often give my students.1. Read, read, read! You should read extensively in English. This is because your mind subconsciously picks up language such as grammar; collocations (words that usually go together – example: torrential rain) and you broaden your lexical (vocabulary) knowledge. I often use Penguin Readers in class so that students can enjoy reading in English every week. I would recommend picking reading material that is a slightly higher level than your current reading ability. For example, read a page of text (about 300 words). If there are about three to five words (excluding proper nouns) that you do not know, then the text may be suitable for you. However, I would encourage students to read anything that is of interest to them, even if it is a simple text. You should always enjoy reading in English; it should never be boring.2. In my view, vocabulary learning is the single most important thing that a learner of English can do. A phrase I often say is ‘without grammar little can be conveyed, but without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed.’ Put another way, learning vocabulary is even more important than learning grammar. I tend not to use the word ‘vocabulary,’ instead I use the word ‘lexis’. While vocabulary tends to focus on the single word, lexis also focuses on collocations, multi-word phrases such as idioms, phrasal verbs and so on. A thorough knowledge of lexical phrases and collocations is the foundation for verbal fluency. My advice is to think bigger than the word. For example, you may know the word ‘die’ but do you know the lexical items ‘pass away’ ‘kick the bucket’ and ‘give up the ghost’? They all mean 'die' as well. That is why the memorisation of lexis is so important because your language knowledge will increase dramatically if you do so. Therefore, I recommend learning as many lexical items as possible. Use words cards to note the target language and memorise it. Use the cards as much as possible, for example whenever you are on the train or bus.3. Who owns the English language? English began in England so do the English own the language? In my view, everyone who uses English owns the language. The Japanese should not consider English a foreign language but as their second language used for international communication. You do not necessarily need to speak English like a British or American person. Nor is it necessary to speak English with a British/American accent. Your accent and use of language may differ from British/American usage but it doesn’t mean it is wrong. My advice is to speak English as a Japanese person with a Japanese accent and to be proud that your English usage reflects your identity and not someone else’s.Gary Littlecott
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12 .10Aloha Shirts
Some people call them ‘Hawaiian shirts’ but the correct name is Aloha Shirt.
They are considered formal wear in Hawaii and many people wear them to work every day. There are many kinds of styles and materials used to make them. Actually, the first Aloha shirts were made of silk. Now, they are made of cotton, polyester, rayon, and silk. One signature feature of many of the ‘Aloha Shirts’ is that the main printed side of the material is not facing outside like most shirts but facing the inside to give a more subtle, relaxed look.
The designs on the Aloha shirts reflect the scenes and the aspects of Hawaii that make it a tropical paradise. Patterns in the fabrics range from various themes and motifs, and the colors range the gamut of all the colors on a palette. Popular styles include the famous landmarks in Hawaii, such as Diamond Head, Waikiki, or beautiful mountain ranges to ocean vistas. Others display natural beauty famous in Hawaii, such as pineapples, palm trees, surfers on waves, fish, flowers, and other flora or fauna. Also, prints from ‘tapa’ cloth, or the traditional Hawaiian clothes, are popular along with prints of the royal family of Hawaii, the Kamehameha monarchy.
In the US, there is a business trend called ‘Casual Friday’. Have you heard of it before? It is where, the company allows its workers to wear more ‘casual’ clothes like jeans or relaxed collared shirts to work on Fridays. Actually, ‘Casual Friday’ or ‘Aloha Friday’ in Hawaii, was started in Hawaii. Aloha shirt makers lobbied politicians and business leaders to allow aloha shirts to be worn to work on Fridays, which better matched the tropical weather of Hawaii compared to suits and ties.
I like Aloha Shirts because I like the relaxed designs and I feel I can bring a piece of Hawaii to the students I meet. Did you know that in Hawaiian, Aloha has many meanings? It can mean, “Hello” or “Good-bye” or “Welcome” or “Love/I love you.” If you break the word down, the literal meaning is ‘Alo’ means ‘facing or the presence of’ and ‘ha’ means ‘breath’. So, having the Aloha Spirit means having a care for oneself and sharing that warmth from your insides with others, without expecting anything in return. Please talk to me about Aloha shirts more the next time you see me and I will be happy to share more about what it means to have the Aloha Spirit.
Scot Matsuo -
12 .06Living a Zero Waste LifeHow many clamshells have you seen today? You’re probably thinking about the last time you bought seafood at the market, but did you know that the term is also used in English to refer to products designed to open and close by a hinge along one side. That includes the plastic containers found in convenience stores and supermarkets that are used to package take-out food. They are generally used once and then discarded. A lot of people think these types of plastic can be recycled, but, in Japan, once they have been separated from recyclable products, they are incinerated in a process that produces highly toxic waste. In the U.S, where the average person generates about 2 kilos of trash per day, they often end up in landfills; large, deep holes in which trash is buried.Single use disposable plastic has become one of the biggest sources of plastic pollution. Even though it’s clear to many people that plastic waste has created a global problem, the amount of plastic produced each year continues to increase. How much are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of our convenience? Clearly, it’s time to end our relationship with single-use plastic.Lauren Singer did just that. In her TED Talk [Why I live a zero waste life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF72px2R3Hg)] She explains how she had been able to live a “zero waste lifestyle” for the past three years. During those three years, she produced almost no waste. One of her key points is that zero waste is not about recycling more. It’s about buying less. When she realized that all the cosmetic and cleaning products she was buying came in plastic, she learned how to make her own products from bulk materials that could be purchased in reusable containers. She stopped buying packaged food. Instead, she purchased only fresh fruit and vegetables and food that could be bought in bulk. This eliminated all the plastic packaging that was going into her trash. Instead of buying new clothes, she bought only second-hand (used) clothes. Finally, one of the most important things she did was downsize: she got rid of all the unnecessary stuff she owned and focused on taking care of the essential stuff.For me, the best part of her talk is when she describes the benefits that she has experienced from transitioning to a zero waste lifestyle. These benefits included being healthier because she has stopped eating packaged processed foods. She saves a lot of money, too. Most importantly, she is happier because she is living a lifestyle that reflects her values. When I ask my students if they could stop using plastic in their lives, they sadly shake their heads. I’ve come to the conclusion that the reason they think plastic is necessary is that they simple can’t imagine an alternative lifestyle. My hope is that watching this video will move some of them to imagine the value of living more sustainably.(Photo credit: The author)John Kuzel
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12 .03Remembering Names
As a teacher, I have to try and remember all of my student names. Teaching at Elementary school and Secondary school (combined Junior and Senior High school), it was a lot easier to remember students’ names, particularly my form (home-room) students. I spent a large part of each week with the same students. I got to know their personalities, interests and hobbies. I knew which students hated which foods and I knew their parents and family life. More than 10 years after I left that school, some of my former students recognized me in London and said hello and I could easily remember their names.
It has not been so easy to remember my students’ names in Japan. Firstly, Japanese names often have a very similar pronunciation meaning that knowing the Kanji can be quite important. When I first arrived in Japan, I could not read any Kanji characters at all, so this did not help much. Secondly, in English class, we often do not use a person’s family name. This is a result of how using a person’s family name in English indicates relative social status, which creates a social distance. Historically, teachers were seen as being extremely scary because of the way in which they exerted their social status through language. We use first names because we want our students to feel less intimidated and less anxious about speaking. Thirdly, I am teaching at university now where I see my students once or twice a week. I have very little chance to get to know my students.
These three facts did not help when I was faced with my first class of Japanese students, but I did learn their names. Even now, many years later, I do remember their names, and I do remember their faces. They even send me New Years cards every January. Their names were Tomoko, Tomoko, Tomoko, Tomoko, Tomoko, Tomoko, Tomoko, and Mariko. Unfortunately, in the first few lessons, I could not remember who was Mariko. As I got to know them better, I could remember as I connected their personalities with what they did and said in class.
Like most people, I remember the names of people who I have most communication with. Sadly, this often means that I remember the really good students and the really not-so-good students. Those students who are quiet and try to avoid speaking in class tend to be the most difficult to remember. I try to remember their names by using {the story method [https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/link-and-story-method-infographic.html]}. By creating a story and linking together interesting things, it becomes easier to remember things. As a teacher, I can help refresh this in my mind by taking a roll-call at the beginning of class, but this technique does help. Eventually, I can remember everyone’s names, but then the semester ends and I have to start all over again.
(Photo credit: )
Dominic Edsall -
11 .29Teahouse Trekking in the Nepal HimalayasIf you are interested in independent adventure travel, then I would like to tell you about a fantastic activity – teahouse trekking in the Himalaya mountains of Nepal.Nepal is a small, landlocked country in South Asia. I have visited Nepal over a dozen times, and some years ago I also had the chance to live and work there for 4 months. I volunteered for a local adventure company that guided tourists on rafting and trekking trips throughout Nepal. These experiences gave me the opportunity to explore the natural and cultural wonders of the country, and it became my favorite country for traveling.You might imagine that trekking in the Himalayas is only for serious mountain climbers, but teahouse trekking is very different from climbing snowy mountains attached to a rope. A teahouse is a simple, locally operated hotel or lodge in a village that provides meals and a bed. Teahouse trekking is simply walking from village to village on established, easy-to-follow paths used every day by local people. The trails can be challenging sometimes, but any reasonably fit person can do it.You might ask – why walk when you can take a bus or other modern transport? In Nepal, many people live in small mountain villages that have no roads or other easy access. For Nepalis living in these remote areas, trails are the only way to move around, and as a result, the trails are used by local farmers, herders and their animals, porters carrying amazingly heavy loads, and visiting tourists. For trekkers, this environment gives a unique chance to experience traditional village culture away from the noise and pollution of cities while enjoying some of the best mountain scenery on the planet.Teahouse trekking has several very attractive points. First, you don’t need a guide or an organized tour. You can plan your own trip and go at your own pace. If you don’t want to walk a long distance, you can trek slowly from one village to the next and stop at any village teahouse when you are tired. Second, you don’t need to carry a heavy pack – just warm clothes, perhaps a sleeping bag, and a few personal items. Since you can stay in teahouses, you don’t have to carry a tent, food, or cooking equipment. In addition, as Nepal is a developing country, teahouse trekking is very affordable. A trekking permit is about $15 dollars (¥1600) a day, and food, accommodation and all daily expenses should cost less than $25 (¥2700) a day. Finally, staying in teahouses is a great way to meet local Nepalis and other trekkers from around the world. At the end of the day, weary trekkers gather together in a big room for meals and socializing. It’s a great chance to practice your English or other languages!The people of Nepal are perhaps the best reason to visit. They are extremely friendly and helpful to foreign tourists. Many Nepalis can also speak English. There are a variety of different tribes with their own ancient traditions, languages, and religions. This fascinating cultural milieu helps make Nepal a very rewarding destination.The Mt. Everest region is the most famous area for trekking, but I recommend three less crowded treks: Langtang Valley, Annapurna Base Camp, and the Manaslu Circuit. You will need between 1 to 3 weeks to do a good trek, and Spring and Fall have the best weather for teahouse trekking. For university students in Japan, this matches your spring break. So next late-February and March, why don’t you take a few weeks and have the adventure of your life in Nepal!(Photo credit: Brett Morgan)Brett Morgan
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11 .29Be informed: Join the Global CommunityHave you been hearing about the millions of young people around the world, led by a 16- year- old Swedish student, Greta Thunberg, who have been protesting about the need for adults to seriously address the causes of Climate Change? It has been big news all around the world for nearly a year now but I wonder how much the Japanese media have been covering it and how many young people here in Japan know about it? The main message of this movement is ‘What is the point of studying for a future that is so threatened by a Climate Emergency’? What do you think about this message? Are you worried about your future?
One of the key points I tell my language students is that their goal of mastering English is a very admirable one, but that once you enter the ‘Eigo-world’ you are entering a world where asking and giving opinions about social, political, cultural and environmental topics is common. More importantly, once you have given your opinion, you should be able to respond to the BIG question “WHY?”, as in “why do you have this opinion?” This means that as your English abilities improve, so will the expectations of non-Japanese who you meet for you to know about current issues, to have an opinion about them as well as to give reasons for your opinion.
Without you knowing it, you may have become very passive and comfortable living in the ‘Nihon-go’ world since talking about such topics is considered ‘too serious’ and only taught about sometimes in your classes. Also, the possibility of having an opposite opinion to someone else might break ‘WA’ so the topics are either avoided or when they arise, people may just follow a kind of ‘tatemae’ response instead of sharing their true ‘honne’ feelings.
Once you enter the English world this protective blanket of not knowing or thinking about world issues will be removed and your new embarrassment and frustration will not be so much about how poor your English is, but how poor your knowledge about your own culture or contemporary global events are and that you have to answer “I don’t know” or “I have no opinion” or “I’ve never thought or heard about….”
There is a very simple solution to this and it will also act as a way to improve your English skills. Start informing yourself! To improve your reading skills, start scanning headlines, skimming key points and reading some news stories that interest you on a daily basis for 15-30 minutes. ‘The Japan Times’ is a good source for both Japanese and world news, and often has articles about topics you will never find in the Japanese news as its readership is mainly non-Japanese living here in Japan. Another great source is ‘The Guardian’ or ‘The New York Times’ or even ‘Google News’ which has a selection of that day’s key stories from many different sources. To improve your listening skills, start watching BBC news, or CNN news or listen to some TED talks. Once you start to do this, you will be ‘joining’ your peers around the world who are reading, thinking and talking about these topics and your connection to them will increase every day!
Many students who I have spoken to who did ‘Open up to the World’ tell me that in the beginning they didn’t want to, since they were worried they would find out lots of terrible news about depressing issues and with complicated reasons they were not interested in and that were not connected to their daily lives. But slowly, they started to feel a sense of empowerment in their newly found ‘global awareness’ and became more and more confident in their opinions and ideas and eager to talk about them with friends and non-Japanese students. Not only this, they began to understand the connections between the issues as well as how they affect their lives and to discover what they could do to make a change for a better future, both for themselves, their family and future generations!(Photo credit: Markus Spiske@pexels.com)Chris Summerville -
11 .26Being in the momentThis is a picture taken at BKC one morning in the summer. I was really lucky to be there and the rainbow inspired me to take the time to feel something.I like to take and look at pictures. Probably, almost all college students at Ritsumeikan University have smartphones. But do you have a jumble of photo data in your smartphone? I tried to reduce my data, but in the end I could not decide which photos to keep and which to delete. I have often seen people like me. Until recently, I hadn’t considered taking pictures with anything but my smartphone. I changed my idea though and now try to take pictures with my eyes!The action of taking pictures with our smartphones prevents us from trying to enjoy and appreciate the actual moment. What is most important cannot be captured by your camera. Consider the moment when you fall in love with someone. In my decades-old experience, I have fallen in love in the moment when someone shows a really good smile. That shows the person’s true self. It explains and symbolizes the essence of your “future” beloved partner, but it appears in an instant. In our busy lives, we have become unaware of the essence of our friends and family. They, however, show their true selves through their facial expressions which provide you the opportunity to forget your busy life temporarily.Do you know your real self? This question is enormously difficult to answer but the closest I ever came to my real self was 4 years ago. I couldn't resist smiling a happy smile when my research was praised by two famous linguists. This was the real me, I believe. It is abundantly clear that facial expressions are one of a handful of keys to revealing your true self. I am sure you value your photo albums, though your most important photo is in your brain.(Photo credit: The Author)The BBP Staff
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11 .22Encounter with a Rock StarDuring the recent summer vacation I enjoyed an overseas trip to Europe and my home country of the United Kingdom. I had a marvellous time enjoying the sights, sound and food of Greece, then headed to London for my last week where I hung out with old friends and immersed myself in the incredible sights and culture of Britain’s capital.It had been a fantastic holiday. But on my last evening in London, even I couldn’t believe what happened! That night I met two friends for dinner at a well-known vegetarian restaurant. As we entered the restaurant and took our seats, I was astonished to see, sitting at the next table, the legendary British rock star Jimmy Page! Younger readers of this blog (anyone born after, say, 1970), will probably say, “Jimmy who?” But Page is one of the great rock guitarists of all time. Together with the American blues-rock genius Jimi Hendrix and British blues legend Eric Clapton, he probably forms the ‘holy trinity’ of 1960s rock guitarists. His band Led Zeppelin defined heavy rock and were undoubtedly the biggest band in the world from 1969 to 1975. Their albums sold by the millions and their tours ( they were an incredible live act) broke attendance records set by The Beatles.As soon as I saw him I excitedly said to myself, “Oh my god! JIMMY PAGE!” My friends didn’t recognize him at first, but I did immediately. He was dressed in his familiar rock star style of black leather jacket and jeans, with his characteristic grey hair pulled back into a bun.It was amazing to be sitting only one meter from a rock legend, but we decided to ‘play it cool’, pretending not to notice him. This turned out to be a good idea because he was enjoying a family dinner with his daughter. The last thing we would have wanted would be to interrupt a private occasion. What surprised me was that he was sitting right in the middle of the dining room with all the other customers, they hadn’t given him a more isolated and private position in the room. And the most surreal thing was that I could continually hear Jimmy’s voice - familiar from tv and radio interviews - in my ear for the whole 2 hours as he talked about recording studios and whatnot with his daughter.After we left the restaurant, I was glad we hadn’t approached Mr. Page and potentially spoiled his evening. Anyway, what would I have said? “Hi Jimmy, I love your music” ? It sounds banal and is the kind of thing he’s heard a million times before. Anyway, some people say you should never meet your heroes! You’ll only be disappointed, they can never satisfy your impossible expectations of them.So, yeah, part of me would have loved to discuss my favorite blues artists with a rock legend. And it would have been great to impress my friends by saying, “I met Jimmy Page!” But we did the right thing. We respected a celebrity enough to leave him alone. For his fans, the legend, the essence of Jimmy Page lies in his remarkable music, not in his private life. And I can marvel at that music and enjoy it in my own privacy as often as I want for the rest of my days.Photo Credit: Clem Odojeghuo at Pexels.comDale Ward
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11 .18A Brief History of the HandshakeOne of the most visible cultural differences between Japan and my country (the U.K.) is how people greet each other when they first meet. Even though I have lived in Japan for a long time, my first instinct when meeting someone is to put out my hand, ready to shake. But when and where did the handshake greeting begin? I did a bit of research to find out….Of course, the handshake is pretty familiar all over the world nowadays, even if many countries don’t actually use it as a greeting, but where did handshaking start? Apparently, the origin can be traced back to Greece around 2,500 years ago. In ancient Greece (and many other countries) it was quite common to carry a weapon. People would touch their right hands together as a sign of peace. Of course, if you touch hands then you are showing that you’re not holding a weapon (unless you’re left-handed like me!)The touching of hands seems to have changed into an aggressive arm-grab during the era of the Roman Empire. You would grab the other person’s forearm (not hand) and shake the other person’s arm to be sure that they weren’t hiding any secret weapons up their sleeve. After shaking hands (arms!) and becoming friends, it was common (as it was and is in many cultures) to then share a drink (usually alcohol) to celebrate the new friendship. This is where the ‘cheers!’ gesture comes from. People would hit their cups together very strongly so that the liquid in each cup would mix together. If one person was trying to poison the other person, the poison would end up mixing in both cups, so mixing the liquid from both cups showed that nobody was trying to poison anyone. Finally, the new friends could trust each other.Handshaking is not just for greetings. It is also used to make a promise to another person. Making a promise with words is fine, but if you also use a handshake then it makes the promise more meaningful and powerful. The other effect of the handshake is to try to show that both people are equally respected. Both arms are level and at the same height, which is a symbol of both people being equal as humans. This is rather different from bowing, where one person is showing that they do not feel equal to the other person (for example, you bow more deeply if you are bowing to a boss).But is the handshake becoming less popular? Apparently, yes. A recent survey in the USA shows that 49% percent of Americans sometimes choose the fist bump over a handshake greeting. I have seen this myself often among athletes such as Premier League footballers before matches. Maybe the handshake will eventually die out and be replaced by the fist bump? It’s certainly a healthier option than the traditional handshake, which, when you think about it, is an easy way for bacteria to spread from one person to another.Maybe I’ll start using the fist bump in future!(Photo Credit: Cytonn Photophy@Pexels.Com)Simon Ball