One of the most valuable experiences in my life was going back to school to complete a master’s degree when I was 30 years old. I must admit it was neither easy nor without sacrifice for me and my family. However, this experience was extremely valuable as it taught me three important things.

“A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step”

First, I learned the difficulty and importance of taking those first steps. For me, the hardest step was leaving my full-time teaching position to become a full-time student at Okayama University. I strongly felt that to become a better teacher, I had to focus on my own education first. This decision was not easy for my family financially, but all four of us managed to survive on our savings and my wife’s salary during those years. This motivated me to become the best student I could because failure was not an option.

“In Rome do as the Romans do”

Second, I gained a better understanding of students by becoming one myself. As a teacher, I had forgotten how hard it was to be a student. Most, if not all, of my teachers scheduled important tests and reports during the last two weeks of each semester. This led to busy and stressful times where I couldn’t produce my best work as a student. It was a very valuable experience that taught me to have some empathy. Today, as a teacher, I am careful to spread out homework and tests across the whole semester for my students.

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today”

Third, I learned that education is a good investment, especially if you take full advantage of it. I valued my opportunity at Okayama University and took as many extra classes as I could. In addition to my master’s degree, I was able to get teaching licenses for both junior and high school English. Completing four years of university credits within a two-year time frame wasn’t easy but the knowledge and experience I gained were very well worth the extra effort.

Finally, education is a lifelong process and my own is far from being over. There is still figuratively one last mountain for me to climb - the Ph.D (or doctoral degree). From April 2020, I have started my Ph.D. at Kyoto University. Although this will not be an easy climb, I feel relieved in knowing how to take those first steps, learn from fellow students, and value everything it will bring.

Photo Credit: Pixabay@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. How did the author survive after he became a full-time student at Okayama University?

A.   By starting a full-time teaching position.

B.    On savings and his wife’s salary.

C.    By becoming a better teacher.

2. What does “Education is the passport to the future” mean?

A.    A passport allows you to travel in the future.

B.    Investing money helps you in the future.

C.    Education can provide better future opportunities for people.

3. What is the author’s current goal?

A.     Getting a master’s degree.

B.     Getting a doctoral degree.

C.     Finding a full-time teaching position.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. C

3. B

When I was growing up I didn’t spend much time in the kitchen except if I wanted to see what my mother was cooking. Food for me was whatever was put in front of me, and I didn’t really have to worry about how it got there. This loosely continued on into college and early adulthood, as well. My college had a cafeteria, and I had a meal plan to get three meals a day there. After graduating, my jobs overseas provided a similar dining setup. For too many years, I was ignorant about cooking.

That changed after I returned to the United States and got a full-time job. I had to move for the job, and, while a cafeteria setup was available, I chose not to go with it. That choice marked my process of being more comfortable with cooking. After my time living in developing countries where people got by with less, my standards were low and I just appreciated having food available (as I still do). I depended heavily on recipes and followed them as closely as possible. At that time, I didn’t trust my cooking ability enough to experiment. Gradually, I became more confident, my dishes tasted less like plastic, and I was willing to try more difficult recipes.

Much of this was made easier because I was given cooking appliances from family members that no longer needed them, but this would change when I decided to move to Japan. Bringing those familiar appliances were not an option since they’d likely get broken when shipped, or the cost of shipping would be much too high. Space was also a problem since my home in Japan had less space than where I lived in America. There were many unknowns that made my experience cooking in Japan feel like my progress was for nothing.

After I moved, I took time to adjust to the flow of life and learned what I could expect on a normal day. Cooking needed time, too, because some ingredients weren’t available and I needed to adapt to kitchen limitations. Eventually I would adjust, my recipes would taste a little more familiar, and I added a few more useful appliances after getting married (especially a generous marriage gift of a Kitchen Aid Mixer from friends in America).

What I cook now is closer to what I’ve done in the past, but with some differences. The taste and texture may be a little different because ingredients aren’t exactly the same. The time it takes to prepare varies because of available space. The oven I use is not as strong as the one in America, so the heat and cooking time need to be played around with. I am still learning to cook, but I am no longer starting over.

Photo Credit: Pixabay@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. When did the author start cooking regularly?

A.   When he first moved overseas.

B.    When he first got a full-time job in the U.S.

C.    In college.

2. Why did the author have difficulties cooking in Japan at first?

A.  Because his cooking appliances broke.

B.  Because the cost of food was too high.

C.  Because there were many unknowns.

3. Why do the author’s recipes taste different in Japan?

A.    Because ingredients are different.

B.    Because he forgot the recipe.

C.    Because he got a cooking appliance gift from friends.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. C

3. A

Is the Color “Blue” or “Green” on a Traffic Light?

Before the invention of the blue light emitting diode, which made the “blue” on a traffic light look much more blue, the color on the traffic light was “green”. In most western countries today, such as the U.S.A., the traffic light meaning “go” is called “a green light”. Today, I’m going to talk about “colors”. There are some interesting differences in the way colors are thought of by Japanese and Westerners.

Let’s start with filling in the blanks with the name of a color:

1. I am healthy = I am in the ____.

2. He isn’t mature enough = He is _____.

3. She is good at gardening= She has a _____ thumb.

4. They are cowards= They are ______.

5. He has bruise around his eye= He has a _____ eye.

Check your answers at the bottom of this page. How many did you get right? I thought number 2’s answer was blue because of “Aonisai（青二才）” in Japanese and that number 5’s answer was blue or purple because of “Aoaza（青あざ） in Japanese. It is a well known fact that the Japanese sense of color differs from that of people overseas. Some say the differences can be attributed to cultural issues, genetic factors such as the performance of photoreceptors inside the eyes or even the climate. Acquiring a certain country's ideology regarding colors can be difficult unless you are a native to that specific country.

There are also cultural differences in the way countries think of numbers. The numbers 4 and 9 are considered bad luck by the Japanese. In the western mind, the numbers 13 and 666 are bad luck or carry a negative image. I hope you have a chance to discover and experience these interesting differences in culture and ways of thinking.

1. pink   2. green   3. green   4. yellow   5. black

Photo Credit: JESHOOTS.com@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. In the United States, what color do they call the traffic light that means “go”?

A.   blue

B.   green

C.    yellow

2. What color represents a person who is not brave?

A.   yellow

B.    pink

C.    green

3. What numbers have bad images in many western countries?

A.    4 & 9

B.    666 & 13

C.    2 & 5

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. A

3. B

Have you ever done yoga before? It is said that more than 300 million people in the world do yoga these days. I started doing yoga 12 years ago and my first impression of yoga was “NOT EASY” mostly because I imagined that yoga was all about taking a yoga pose beautifully. However, my image of yoga was completely changed after I realized that yoga is more about breathing than striking a pose. More importantly, I feel that the longer I continue doing yoga, the healthier I become both physically and mentally.

So, what is yoga then? The Yoga Therapist Association [https://www.yogatherapist-association.com/column/1934/] explains that the main purpose of doing yoga is to arrange both your physical and mental condition by stretching your body and keeping specific postures. The word YOGA means a connection of your body and mind in Sanskrit. The origin of yoga goes back to about 5,000 years ago in India. Yoga was originally done as religious training but today the religious meaning has weakened, and yoga has become more for the promotion of health especially after it was introduced in Europe and North America. Did you know that ZAZEN in Buddhism originally takes a part of yoga style? As far as the connection between yoga and Buddhism is concerned, it is said that ZAZEN spread when Buddhism was introduced from India to China and Japan.

Anyway, what is good about doing yoga? The Yoga Therapist Association [https://www.yogatherapist-association.com/column/1934/] emphasizes three benefits which can be brought about through yoga;

1. Change of your Breathing

The strongest point of doing yoga can be about changing how you breathe. We naturally breathe in our everyday lives and this breathing usually tends to become shallow. However, you will be required to control your breathing deliberately along with your body movement while you do yoga. It is said that our brain especially needs a lot of oxygen and this intentional control of your breathing will make it possible to bring oxygen into your brain so that your mind will be clearer.

2. Recovery from Pain

Many people say that they started doing yoga due to their bad physical condition such as weakened muscular strength or inflexibility. Yoga originally includes poses which increase your flexibility. In other words, doing yoga is fixing your body’s distortion and straightening your posture. As a result, people can recover from the chronic body pain such as stiff shoulders and lower-back muscle pain.

3. Free from Stress

One of the reasons why yoga is accepted by so many people in the world is probably because people live in modern stressful society. Since yoga not only stretches your body but also includes self-meditation, it can help you reduce or get rid of psychological stress. Doing yoga will be able to give you the power of concentration as well as the ability to control your emotions.

Now, yoga is known globally. The United Nations [https://www.un.org/en/events/yogaday/index.shtml] established June 21 as International Day of Yoga in 2014 for introducing the advantage of doing yoga internationally. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi said in his speech at the 69th session of the General Assembly, “ Yoga is not just about exercise; it is about a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nation.”

Photo Credit: Prasanth Inturi@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. Which best describes yoga?

A.   It is physical exercise.

B.    It is mental exercise.

C.    It is both mental and physical exercise.

2. How should a person breath when doing yoga?

A.   Fast breathing

B.    Deep breathing

C.    Shallow breathing

3. What are the psychological benefits of doing yoga?

A.   It can lessen stress.

B.    It can improve ability to focus.

C.    It can aid self-control.

D.  All of the above.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. C

2. B

3. D

Do you like playing musical instruments? I do. I used to play the piano when I was little although I was not a good player. I also tried playing the guitar in college when I enjoyed listening to Avril Lavigine. I wanted to sing while playing the guitar like her. However, it was so difficult to press guitar strings with my little hands. So, I have given up the guitar and just enjoyed singing at karaoke.

Recently, however, I have started playing a new musical instrument, the ukulele. Unlike the guitar, the ukulele is smaller, cheaper and has fewer strings. This time, I felt like I could play some chords. At first, I tried to learn how to play the ukulele by reading a practice book for beginners. On the first day, I was already able to play “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” On the second day, I was able to play “Happy Birthday to You.” Wow. I was impressed. On the third day, I was bored. These are adorable and nice songs. What was wrong with me? I simply did not enjoy singing the songs.

I changed my approach to practicing the ukulele, and this new way worked well for me. I used Youtube videos. Visual demonstrations and step-by-step instructions were much more helpful for me than just following my practice book. I can even use Youtube videos to tune my ukulele! What attracted me more was that Youtube provides many videos for learning how to play famous pop music. At first, I hesitated to practice those tunes, remembering my failure in playing the guitar, but I tried. It was free anyway.

I practiced playing “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. It sounds difficult, doesn’t it? Relax. The video I used was for beginners. For a week or so, my clumsy fingers were a lot slower than my singing, which annoyed me a little, but I was very pleased and satisfied when my fingers caught up with my singing speed. It felt so good. After all, I was able to sing while playing an instrument. Of course, I cannot play the ukulele as professionally as Jake Shimabukuro or Grace Vanderwaal, but I am quite satisfied.

What’s better, I got another benefit from practicing the ukulele on Youtube. I learned some new English words and expressions because I kept watching the same video in English and singing the same song over and over again. You may be able to pick up vocabulary in a foreign language as a by-product of practicing a musical instrument. The approach is extremely simple. Watch Youtube and practice. You may be able to kill two birds with one stone.

Photo Credit: Pixabay@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. How did the author practice playing the ukulele?

A.   She used a practice book.

B.    She used Youtube videos.

C.    She used a practice book and Youtube videos.

D.  She used songs played by Jake Shimabukuro and Grace Vanderwaal.

2. What does the passage indicate about Jake Shimabukuro and Grace Vanderwaal?

A.  They are professional guitarists.

B.   They are professional singers.

C.    They play the ukulele as skillfully as the author.

D.  They play the ukulele very well.

3. What are the “two birds” in this passage?

A.  the ukulele and English skills

B.    the ukulele and guitar skills

C.    the ukulele and Youtube

D.  the ukulele and karaoke

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. C

2. D

3. A

Mt Omine is one of the most sacred places in Japan. It is located in the Yoshino-Kumano National Park which covers Mie, Nara and Wakayama Prefectures. The mountain is on the Yoshino-Kumano pilgrimage route. The highest peak is Mount Sanjou (1719m) which is the location of the Ominesan-ji temple, the headquarters of the Shugendo sect of Japanese buddhism. It is also the training ground of the mysterious Yamabushi monks.

The mountain has been a training ground for the Yamabushi for over 1300 years. These ascetic hermits reach spiritual enlightenment through acts of physical endurance, such as fasting, seclusion, meditating under cold waterfalls, and repeatedly walking the mountain paths. In the past the Yamabushi were considered to have supernatural powers, and could be found fighting alongside samurai in battle. The Yamabushi continue to train here today.

For hikers the mountain offers some stunning views and can easily be climbed in a day. There are four possible routes. However, for day hikers, starting at Omine Ohashi is the best option. Allow 6-7 hours for a moderate to easy hike on well maintained paths. This route will take you past the 3 tests of courage, one of which you are able to try.

Hiking Ominesan with its breathtaking views, pristine forest and intriguing history offers an almost mystical experience. However, the mountain is not without controversy. In 2004 the Ominesan was designated as a world heritage site by UNESCO. This was in spite of a ban on female walkers hiking on the mountain. This ban, which is said to be for historical and religious reasons, continues today.

Photo Credit: the author

Blog Quiz

1. Where is Ominesan?

2. How do the monks train?

3. Why is it a controversial place?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. in Yoshino-Kumano National Park

2. fasting, seclusion, meditating under cold waterfalls, and walking

3. female walkers are not allowed on the mountain

Who does not like a good movie?

“How do you watch movies?” That would have been a silly question 40 years ago. Of course, you go to the movie theater, buy popcorn, and sit down with other moviegoers to enjoy a film as a crowd. With the advent of the Laserdisc and the VHS (and Beta) videotape, people could enjoy a movie of their choice in the comfort of their home. From there, starting in the 1990s, more digital media appeared and the DVD dominated the market for years.

Then came Netflix. Netflix started as being an online rental provider, where customers went to Netflix’s online site and ordered DVDs that were mailed to the customers. As customers received DVDs in the mail, they returned the movies they finished watching and Netflix would send the next disc on their queue. From about five years ago, the business model has changed to the online streaming of movies. Now customers can watch movies anywhere, on a number of devices.

Many people prefer the convenience of watching any movie on demand. I prefer going to a rental shop and bringing home a physical disc and watching it instead of some streaming service. I feel the benefits of the ‘brick and mortar store’ (meaning physically there as opposed to all online) outweigh the inconveniences of the trip there and possible late fees if you do not return the disc in time.

I enjoy browsing the many videos of the store. There are many movies that I do not know about and I would never meet if those gems did not catch my eye while I was strolling down the aisles. I can talk to the staff and hear what they recommend or what is the latest movie news. Most importantly for me is the picture quality is better than what is sent over the internet. For people who consider themselves cinephiles (devoted movie watchers or knowledgeable about the cinema), they may enjoy the bonus content that is on the disc or the better sound played from the disc media.

Unfortunately, most consumers do not share my love for the rental experience.

According to the Digital Entertainment group, starting from three years ago, 2017 saw a significant drop in all forms of consumer spending on physical media. Income from subscription streaming services like Netflix or Hulu has almost doubled DVD/Blu-ray sales.

However, if you are thinking about improving your English, using a streaming service will help you to improve your listening skills at an attainable price. I do not want to change sides in my argument, but this is a blog, not an academic paper.

The more you practice something, the better you will be at it. The more you practice listening to English with the programs you enjoy, the more you will be able to recognize the nuances of English speakers. You will hear how speakers use ‘connected speech’ or speak quickly and smash words together. (for example, ‘wanna’ instead of saying ‘want to’) The more you meet speakers (characters in the show/movie) speaking that way, along with different accents and speaking with different emotions and situations, you will become a better listener. Not only that, as you become a better listener, please try to watch the show again with English subtitles. That could help reinforce your listening comprehension and may increase your reading speed.

I hope you will be able to enjoy English with your next movie or TV show streamed to your home or after you go to your local video rental shop. After that, come to the BBP and share with the staff your movie experience and which movies you recommend.

Photo Credit: JESHOOTS.com@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. What was NETFLIX's first way of business?

A.   Selling movies from stores

B.    Sending movies in the mail

C.    Online streaming of movies

2. What is one benefit of going to a store to rent a movie?

A.  There are late fees.

B.   We can see movies that we did not know about before.

C.    You need a DVD player to watch movies.

3. What are some benefits of watching English movies/shows?

A.  You can practice listening to different types of speakers/accents.

B.    You can practice speed reading using English sub-titles.

C.    You can practice speaking with the BBP staff about the movie/show.

D.  All of the above.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. B

3. D

Are you the type of student who does homework methodically or at the last minute? For example, if you have two weeks to write a 500-word essay in English, would you complete it over several days or within the final 12 hours? Based on my experience as a teacher, I estimate that at least 30 percent of my students fall into the group that begins essays only the day before they are due. If you are always racing to meet deadlines, then there is a strong possibility that you are a procrastinator. If you are not familiar with the word, Google defines it as “a person who habitually puts off doing things.” Does that sound like you?

Procrastinators are not necessarily lazy people; in fact, many procrastinators end up working extremely hard before a project is due. However, all procrastinators are poor at managing their time. Without a deadline set by someone else, procrastinators cannot get anything done. If you are a frequent procrastinator, I recommend making it a priority goal not to be one by the time you graduate.

There is a saying, “If you cannot manage your time, someone else will.” Put another way, it means that procrastinators will struggle to be leaders, inventors, artists, and entrepreneurs. While it is true that not everyone will be a leader, inventor, artist or entrepreneur, wouldn’t you like the option?

For people who struggle with managing their time, I recommend watching a funny and insightful presentation on Ted.com that is titled “Inside the mind of a procrastinator” (https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_urban_inside_the_mind_of_a_master_procrastinator?language=en) by Tim Urban.

In this 14-minute video, Mr. Urban shares his personal struggle with procrastination using the example of his process for writing a thesis while in university. I don’t want to say much about the video, because I don’t want to spoil it; however, I will say that it uses simple, humorous images and analogies to shed light on why people procrastinate. It also provides insight and advice for overcoming this tendency.

Among the tools that Mr. Urban shares for dealing with procrastination are life calendars. Unlike typical calendars, that show just twelve months, these calendars span 90 years— the length of a long life. By using these calendars, it is easier to set deadlines and get things done. These calendars can be found on Tim Urban’s blog (waitbutwhy.com).

So procrastinators, don’t put it off. Check out those websites today!

Photo Credit: Pixabay@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. A person who puts off doing something is a/an ________ ?

A.   Debater

B.    Informant

C.    Manager

D.  Procrastinator

2. Which of these words is different?

A.  Cutoff

B.   Deadline

C.    Pass out

D.  Time limit

3. What animal does Mr. Urban say is in his brain? (You will need to watch the video to answer this question.)

A.    Cat

B.    Hamster

C.    Guinea pig

D.  Monkey

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. D

2. C

3. D

In Japan, curry rice is regularly found by surveys to be the most popular dish. Even more popular than ramen and miso soup! To foreign visitors it may be surprising because Japan is not traditionally world-famous for its spices. Actually, Japanese food is famous for avoiding strong flavours. So how did Japan fall in love with curry?

The story begins soon after the Meiji Restoration (明治維新) around 150 years ago when Japan began to rapidly modernise and change. Before that, Japan was a very isolated country. In a very short period of time Japan became a very modern country and made alliances with lots of other countries. In 1902 Japan and the United Kingdom became allies. A big part of this partnership included the British Royal Navy and the Japanese Navy (海上自衛隊) sharing weapons and military advice with each other.

Japan had a big problem with their Navy during this period. The young Japanese men in the Navy often had Beri-beri disease (脚気) and nobody knew why. However, Mr. Takaki Kanehiro, who was a naval doctor and went to university in England, discovered that the reason so many Japanese sailors got sick was because the young men only ate white rice and nothing else. These young men were not getting enough Vitamin B1 and were often dying very young.

The Japanese government needed to find a cheap way to give their men Vitamin B1, so they asked the British Royal Navy for advice. One of the foods served on British ships was curry, so they introduced curry to the Japanese Navy to see if this would help stop Beri-beri. The British Navy had been controlling India as a colony for over 100 years and had adopted the Indian national dish. The British Navy never suffered from Beri-beri, so they recommended curry to the Japanese Navy and it worked very successfully. Mr Kanehiro was given the Order of the Rising Sun (旭日章) for saving many Japanese lives.

After the British Navy shared the curry recipe with the Japanese Navy, the Japanese young men took the recipe back to Japan to eat at home. The Indian spices were imported from the UK in exchange for Japanese silk. But in 1931, there was a big scandal. Some Japanese shop owners were arrested by police for selling cheap Japanese curry powder but pretending it was expensive UK curry powder! Actually, it was good news for Japan because people couldn’t taste the difference between the UK version and the Japanese version. Then Japanese spice companies like S&B became very popular with their domestic curry and British spices stopped being imported.

The Japanese then added their own white rice to the curry and also adapted the recipe to suit the Japanese. For example, yuzu was sometimes used in Japanese curry instead of lemon to make Japanese curry a little sweeter. In more recent years, Japan has created its own unique styles of curry, including curry-pan, curry-udon, curry-nanban and the very popular instant curry blocks. The Japanese Navy still eat curry rice to this day – every Friday. Each Naval ship has its own unique recipe!

Photo Credit: Buenosia Carol@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. What is an alliance?

A.   An enemy

B.    A partnership

2. Which fruit is sometimes added to Japanese curry instead of lemon?

A.   Yuzu

B.    Mikan

3. Which country did the British adopt the curry dish from?

A.   India

B.    Nepal

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. A

3. A