Photo Credit: Liza Summer@pexels.com

Have you ever wanted to join a volunteer group or to help others? I often hear from students who have worked as volunteers helping others abroad. One of the benefits of doing this is to forge relationships with other students and with other volunteer workers. Often times, students can also use and develop their English language skills while volunteering. Volunteer experiences can help students to broaden their horizons, too! Of course and most importantly, others benefit from students’ help, and the students, themselves, acquire life skills, gain experience from traveling abroad, learn about the plight of others who are less fortunate than themselves, and they gain satisfaction from helping others, too.

While it is exciting to participate in experiences like this abroad, not everyone can afford to do so. Also, students might want to gain some volunteer experience on a local level before venturing off to participate in volunteer activities on a global level. Do you know that you can find and/or create such opportunities for yourself right here on campus?

In fact, years ago, I helped students do this on another campus. We went to the International Center on that campus, and students introduced themselves to some of the foreign students. Then they asked them what challenges they were dealing with while living abroad. Based on the answers they received, they offered to help the foreign students with various things. For example, two foreign students needed help with learning kanji, so my students helped them. Some needed help with language barriers that made shopping, using home appliances, etc. difficult for them. Still others didn’t need help, but they expressed an interest in learning more about Japanese culture.

As a result, some of my students offered to spend a day with some foreign students to introduce them to various shrines and/or temples. After learning about where they wanted to go, my students did research, learned about the place they decided to visit, checked their use of English with me, and practiced what they would say in English when they visited the place. They often made a day of it and went out to lunch or coffee, too. Sometimes the foreign students thanked my students by inviting them over for dinner. In fact, in two cases, the visiting students invited Japanese students to their homes in the United States! These volunteer students had a wonderful time visiting them abroad. As you can see, helping others can bring about positive experiences and long lasting friendships can be forged without being far from home. If this sounds like something you would like to do, why don’t you reach out to international students on campus to see if you can be of help to them? It seems to me that the Beyond Borders Plaza would be a great place to start!

You also might like to try volunteering for the Expo 2025 Osaka. Recruitment is currently taking place, and volunteers will be able to help Japanese and foreign visitors, too. You can learn more at about volunteering for Expo 2025 Osaka at the following website: Expo 2025 Osaka [https://www.expo2025-volunteer.com/pr/]

Blog Quiz

Q1.List three ways students can benefit from doing volunteer work.

Q2.Where would be a great place for students to gain volunteer experience on Ritsumeikan campus?

Q3.What event is coming up where volunteers are currently being recruited?

Scroll down for the answers to the quiz…

Answers:

A1. Develop relationships with others, develop English language skills, and broaden their horizons.

A 2. Beyond Borders Plaza

A3. Expo 2025 Osaka

Photo Credit: Patrick Case @pexels.com

Have you noticed how well Japan has been performing at numerous international sports competitions in recent years? Japan has notable athletes and players in many of the world’s most popular sports. There has been medal winning efforts in the World Athletics Championships, title winning displays in top soccer leagues, and most recently, the ‘Brave Blossoms’ rugby team performing with great passion in the Rugby World Cup in France. If you want to improve your skills in a foreign language AND love following sports, there are many reasons you can benefit from these dual interests.

Firstly, sports is a community - local and global. If you follow a soccer team, for instance, you become a member of a community around that club. Maybe you are lucky enough to have ‘season tickets’ to go to the ground every match day and support the team vocally. Most fans, however, are armchair fans, which means they support the team online via social media instead of being present in the stadium. How about becoming an armchair fan of several sports teams and engaging with fellow fans on online forums and the club’s official SNS streams? You can comment and respond to fans in the language you are learning and benefit from the feeling of community it creates.

Furthermore, sports are regular calendar events, so you will be urged to interact in your target language on a weekly basis - or on a daily basis in a big tournament like the Rugby World Cup or the Olympics. Regularity of engagement with the target language is essential for language learners. If you feel compelled to engage with fans across the world on a regular Saturday match day for your favorite team, you are embedding valuable language learning opportunities in to your weekly routine, which is always a good thing.

Lastly, the kind of language you will encounter in fan chat zones and forums is likely to be colloquial, casual, and sometimes very passionate (!), so the range and variety of words and phrases you will learn is a bonus. This is particularly true if you are chatting in real-time during a live match. Try posting your opinions and reactions in real-time when your favorite team is playing a match. It makes you have to think quickly and write spontaneously, which is valuable practice for language output.

The community aspect of following a sports team encourages you to engage regularly with other fans, encounter real world slang expressions, and cultivate good language learning habits. If you love sports AND wish to improve your language ability, follow a favorite player or team today and immerse yourself in a fun and rewarding community.

Blog Quiz

Q1. Armchair fans buy season tickets to watch their team play live. True or False?

Q2. Sports events are occurring all the time, every week, according to their team calendar. True or False?

Q3. Fans use formal language when discussing their teams online. True or False?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

Q1. False

Q2. True

Q3. False

Photo Credit: Vera Bomstad @pexels.com

Amanohashidate is located in northern Kyoto, in Miyazu, on the Sea of Japan and is known as one of the Three Famous Views in Japan or Nihon Sankei. It is essentially a land bridge, a sandy strip of pine forest and beach which stretches for 3.5 km across Miyazu Bay, with the sea on either side. Approximately 8,000 pine trees line the white sand beach and there is a lovely walking/bicycle path leading from one end to the other. For those who do not wish to walk, a ferry crosses the bay every 15 minutes offering a view of the pine forest during the 12-minute ride.

At the top of the hills located on either side of the bay are observation decks (accessible on foot or by lifts) that allow one to look down on the entire stretch of the land bridge and the bay for a spectacular view from above. It is recommended to bend over and look at the view from between your legs (as many people do, so you won’t look strange to others around you). From this position, the sea and sky are reversed and the scene resembles a ‘bridge to heaven’, or Amanohashidate.

As well as the sea and beach, there are a number of famous shrines and temples in the area and the small town on the east side of the bay (where the train station is located) has a large number of small cafes and shops, and a natural onsen bathhouse. Most famous of the shrines are Amanohashidate Shrine, where one can pray for luck in romance, and Motoise Kono Shrine, which at one time enshrined the Sun Goddess (Amaterasu) now enshrined at Ise Shrine in Mie. Chionji Temple, located near the train station, has one of the oldest pagodas in Japan. And don’t forget to keep an eye on the small bridge crossing from the town to the beach, which sometimes rotates to allow boats to pass through, making for a great picture or video. Amanohashidate is accessible by train from Kyoto city and is a perfect day trip for those wishing to know more about the northern area of Kyoto prefecture while enjoying a day at the beach, or visiting shrines and temples, or eating some seafood dishes, and relaxing at some cafes.

Blog Quiz

Q1. Why is the land bridge called Amanohashidate?

A. Because it is a good place for a date.

B. Because when you bend over and look at the view from between your legs, the sea and sky are reversed and the scene resembles a ‘bridge to heaven’, or Amanohashidate.

C. Because it is where Amaterasu used to be enshrined.

Q2. From where is it best to see the entire land bridge of Amanohashidate?

A. At the top of the hills located on either side of the bay.

B. From the ferry that runs every 15 minutes.

C. From the small bridge that leads to town.

Q3. What is the relationship between Motoise Kono Shrine in Amanohashidate and Ise Shrine in Mie?

A. They are two of the top three shrines in Japan.

B. They are both accessible from Kyoto Station.

C. Motoise Kono Shrine in Amanohashidate at one time enshrined the Sun Goddess (Amaterasu) now enshrined at Ise Shrine in Mie.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

Q1. B

Q2. A

Q3. C

Photo Credit: Cottonbro Studio @pexels.com

One of the realities of getting older is knowing when you can reach your limit in certain areas. Whether it’s the ability or interest to try something new, or not adopting certain things that become a norm from year to year, it can be a blessing or a curse. I have learned about myself that a lot of things I may not show much interest in these days are largely because there are so many other things pulling my attention. I don’t necessarily doubt my ability to do something because of my age, but there are simply other things already in my orbit.

My family is one of those spheres orbiting my life, in particular my kids. For them, I am thankful they haven’t learned the idea of limits yet. That doesn’t mean my wife and I just let them run around, stalking the neighborhood like wild animals. Rather, we try not to stifle their interests before they realize what they want. Children’s lives do not need to be an amendment to their parents—they have their own lives that need to be understood on their own terms.

At the same time, there are some limits that are healthy for kids to have and wouldn’t hinder their imagination. The biggest one lately is my kids simply slowing down and resting. They currently still need to take naps. When they don’t, they are floating in the wind, bouncing around and responding to even the least little things. The fact that they are twins only heightens their reactions since they are also repeatedly bouncing off each other.

What does it mean for my kids to learn the limits of their bodies, those times in their day where it’s “okay” to take it easy and rest? As much as this is something for my young kids to learn, the world continues to pull at us to react strongly to anything and everything, to jump to conclusions without taking a breather or questioning what we’re doing. The world sometimes invites us to fall into the habits we had as children when we were weaker and less in control of ourselves.

During those times when we’re confronted with something new, we’re invited to be young children again. We don’t always take the time to question what we’re doing or why, or how far we should go. What makes the difference for me when I get older is knowing when to let go and move onto something else, and when it’s something worth fighting for. Then, it’s not about limits so much as it is understanding what’s most important, and that cannot really be taught.

Blog Questions:

1.     Why does the author not put many limits on his kids?

A.   His kids do not yet know what they are interested in

B.   His kids do not do many things

C.   His kids are too old

2.     How does life currently make us act more like children?

A.   We are childish people around those we love

B.    By people making decisions for us

C.    By reacting to everything without thinking about it; information overload

3.     What is different about limits when you get older?

A.   People have different hobbies when they are young

B.    Knowing when to let go and when to fight

C.    When you get older, you forget your limits

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Answers:

1.       A - his kids do not yet know what they’re interested in

2.       C - by reacting to everything without thinking about it; information overload

3.       B - knowing when to let go and when to fight

Photo Credit: Marcel Hergaarden @pexels.com

Being born in the northwest UK seaside town of Blackpool and still maintaining family connections there, and then moving to the southeast coast’s Brighton as an eight-year-old, more than qualifies me to make a comparison of these two iconic British holiday destinations. While their similarities in things such as their beaches and amusement parks unite them, they both have some obvious differences that make them particularly unique.  

The northwest’s Blackpool is in the county of Lancashire. Primarily known for its iconic, 158-meter Blackpool Tower, built towards the end of the Victorian age in 1894, Blackpool has become something of a favorite destination for northerners wishing to take a holiday by the sea. Blackpool Pleasure Beach, one of the most popular amusement parks in the UK, has entertained northern families for generations long before Disneyland was even a possibility for Brits. Blackpool is known for its lively, if somewhat tacky, atmosphere with many bars, clubs, and restaurants catering to stag and hen parties.  

Head down to the south-coast county of East Sussex to discover Brighton. Brighton’s image is a product of its vibrant arts scene and at times bohemian atmosphere. One major tourist attraction in the town is the 19th century Royal Pavilion. This small palace, famed for its exotic Indian-style architecture, is also a popular venue for events and concerts. Brighton Pier, which offers a variety of traditional British seaside arcade games and carnival rides, is a big hit with both Brits and overseas tourists.  

Both Blackpool and Brighton have long stretches of beaches that are popular with tourists and locals. Blackpool's beach is wide and flat, making it perfect for sunbathing and building sandcastles for kids. On the other hand, Brighton's beach is a bit more rugged, with pebbles rather than sand, and perhaps feels more romantic as you stroll along the promenade while looking out over the English Channel to France.  

The accommodation and restaurants of the two resorts is another big difference. Blackpool has “cheap and cheerful” traditional seaside B&Bs, while Brighton boasts a selection of more upmarket boutique hotels, guest houses, and self-catering apartments. Brighton also has a larger selection of quality continental-style restaurants, with a wide range of food on offer for most budgets. In Blackpool, low-cost fish and chips, £1 burgers and pies are the preferred option of big working families.  

Love them or hate them, Blackpool and Brighton are both popular seaside resorts that have a wide range of attractions to keep tourists happy. In the end, choosing which one to visit is all down to what you want from a seaside holiday experience. 

Questions:

Q1. What is the main focus of the text?  

a. Comparing two famous UK seaside resorts  

b. Describing the history of Blackpool Tower  

c. Discussing the architecture of the Royal Pavilion  

d. Exploring traditional British seaside arcade games  

Q2. What is one similarity between Blackpool and Brighton mentioned in the text?  

a. Both have pebble beaches.  

b. Both are located in Lancashire.  

c. Both offer a variety of continental-style restaurants.  

d. Both have iconic amusement parks.  

Q3. Which resort is known for its lively atmosphere and catering to stag and hen parties?  

a. Blackpool  

b. Brighton  

c. Lancashire  

d. East Sussex  

Scroll down ↓ for the answers 

Answers  

A1. A  

A2. D

A3.A 

Photo Credit 1: Yan Krukau @ Pexels.com 

Recently, I had a very interesting and meaningful discussion with my class. I mean meaningful in the sense that we had a chance to reflect about our own stages of life. 

A student presented about what it means to be an adult. As a concluding remark, he asked his classmates "Are you an adult?" I, the eldest in the room wondered, “Am I indeed an adult”? Perhaps, many of you also asked yourselves the same question at a certain moment. The meaning of this question is different for all of us. I thought of the “inner child” that resides in us no matter what age we are. In a morning newspaper, I read about the oldest woman in Germany -- 113 years old. I am sure that no one would doubt that she is beyond adult. Yet, in the article, she told the story of her dreams at night when she sees her “mama” and their shopping trip for a Sunday dress. When she awakes from the dream, she finds herself talking to her mother as if she were still 13 years old and then she slowly awakes and realizes that it was a dream. She chuckled during the interview saying that although she is 113 years old, she is still calling out to her “mama”.  

What are the “rites of passage” as explained by Victor Turner, when we transition into the various stages of life? Are the process of finishing 4 years of university and then looking for a job, finding a partner and then marrying, and thinking of children, the proper markers and rites in the “stages of life”? 

On July 21, 2023, Ritsumeikan University senpais (seniors) and kōhais (juniors) got together and exchanged ideas under the title "Sharing Ideas, Making Connections": Leaders' Dialogue on Future Initiatives (SKNC Event Summer 2023). It was a very fruitful event sending off graduating seniors to their new stages of life as either graduate students, bankers, human resource management specialists, or workers for international human rights organizations. The senpais who successfully finished their four years were giving back to kōhais who yearned to gain from their experiences. As I sat on the side and watched the very talented Ritsumeikan University students and their transitioning into adulthood, I witnessed the true essence of being an "adult", and that is paving the path for the next generation. I am always grateful for the opportunity to watch and also learn from my students. 

Questions:

1) What is the main idea of the essay?  

2) Who presented about being an adult?  

3) What was the main aim of the event that was described?  

Scroll down ↓ for the answers 

Answers

A1. Defining adulthood 

A2. A student 

A3. Senpais and kōhais exchanging ideas 

Photo Credit: Karen Laark Boshoff @Pexels.com  

Have you ever enjoyed Aussie sweets? What comes to mind when you think of Aussie sweets? There are a lot of traditional and popular sweets in Australia. Let’s explore some of them! 

First of all, there are Lamingtons. A Lamington is a square-shaped sponge cake covered with chocolate and coconut sprinkles. There are various theories, but it is generally believed that Lamingtons are named after Lord Lamington, who was a governor of the Queensland colony between the end of 18th and the early 19th century (or his wife). Lamingtons are really popular in Australia. Australian people have enjoyed National Lamington Day on the 21st of July since 2006. 

Next, there is pavlova. This is a meringue-based dessert. Making pavlova is not that difficult. First, whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then, bake slowly in an oven on low-heat. After the meringue base is cooked, cover it with whipped cream and your favourite fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries, mango, kiwi fruit, and passion fruit. A pavlova kit is available at a supermarket, and you can make one very easily with the kit. Pavlova is also quite popular in New Zealand, and the debate about whether pavlova was originally born in Australia or New Zealand is still ongoing. 

Another popular sweet is Anzac biscuits. The main ingredients are oats, flour, sugar, butter, golden syrup, and dried coconut (if you want). “Anzac” means the allied forces of Australia and New Zealand that were established during World War Ⅰ. Anzac biscuits were originally made for soldiers by their mothers or wives. That’s why the long-lasting and nutritious ingredients are used for the biscuits. They are sold at supermarkets all year round, but they are particularly popular on the 25th of April, which is the Anzac Day. 

These are three very popular Aussie sweets, but of course, there are other famous sweets such as Tim Tams, too. By the way, did you know that Australians consume the most ice cream per year all over the world, according to some surveys? New Zealand comes second. As it is said that these two countries have had a very close relationship historically and culturally, it seems to be natural for the countries to have similar taste in desserts. Regarding ice cream, you should try “Hokey Pokey” flavour when you have a chance of travelling in New Zealand or Australia. It was not originally born in Australia but in New Zealand. It is said that Hokey Pokey is a nationally popular flavour there. The flavour is quite similar to caramel, but it is actually made from golden syrup. Golden syrup is boiled down until it becomes crunchy, and it is mixed up with vanilla ice cream. Many people enjoy the rich flavour and crunchy texture. It is also popular in Australia. There are plenty of tasty sweets in Australia. It might be nice to enjoy their taste and also think about their historical and cultural background while you enjoy them. 

Questions: 

Q1. “Aussie” means _____

         a. Australian

         b. Austrian

         c. Summer

         d. Spring

Q2. Which of the following are not Australian sweets?

         a. Anzac biscuits

         b. Good-day cakes

         c. Lamingtons

         d. Tim Tams

Q3. Australians consume more ice cream per capita than Japanese. True or false?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers 

Answers

A1.  a

A2.  b

A3.  True

Photo Credit: ShotPot @ Pexels.com 

In this blog I would like to share with you some of the things I think about motivation. In my life I have been able to become a gold medalist in a national competition and a silver medalist in two sports (weightlifting and athletics). In addition, I have also won a world championship in weightlifting. In order to do this, I had to stay motivated for long periods of time to achieve my goals. This wasn’t just weeks or months but years of sustained practice. I have identified 2 factors that helped me stay motivated and might help you reach your goals. 

First, when I want to try to achieve a big goal, I break it down into smaller goals. These are on a weekly and monthly basis. Many people have suggested this step in the past but the real trick is to accept your failures as steps towards progress. No one progresses towards a goal on a straight line. Often times it is two steps forward and one step back in order to get to where you want to go. You absolutely must not be discouraged by failure and instead understand that all efforts have purpose. 

Secondly, I would advise you to make habits that you can sustain every week. Many people struggle to find time to practice but if you make it part of your daily or weekly routine it is much easier to sustain because it is just what you do. In my opinion people begin to stress when they are continually looking for time instead of establishing a routine that can be followed. 

In conclusion, although these two factors might not work for everyone, they can be simple but powerful tools in achieving larger goals. Breaking down a larger goal and establishing a routine are not groundbreaking ideas but they are easy enough to follow. By reducing the stress of trying to achieve something, you can instead focus on actually achieving it. 

 Questions:

1. What is the first key to motivation?  

2. What is the second key to motivation? 

3. What is the one thing you shouldn't do when trying to achieve a goal?  

Scroll down ↓ for the answers 

Answers

A1. Break it into smaller pieces. 

A2. Create a routine. 

A3. Be discouraged. 

Photo Credit:  Yan Krukau @Pexels.com 

In this short blog post I’d like to give you a brief overview of a relatively new hobby of mine that developed into an obsession (and my wife would probably say addiction). That hobby is collecting autographs. 

What are autographs? Well, they are handwriting or signatures, usually of a famous celebrity or historical figure. Some people have no interest in autographs, but for others autographs are like a special ‘memory captured in time’, and a tangible way to feel connected to someone they admire or to physically preserve a small piece of history forever. 

There is, however, a dark side to autograph collecting. Autographs can fetch staggering prices at sales or auctions. For example, a full set of authentic Beatles autographs can fetch well over $30,000 USD. Because people are willing to pay exorbitant prices for autographs, fakes and forgeries are everywhere. 

Harassment of celebrities is also another ugly side of the autograph collecting ‘industry’. In America, especially, there are numerous, professional autograph collectors who refer to themselves as ‘graphers’. These graphers are not unlike paparazzi who stalk celebrities wherever they go, often putting themselves and the public at risk by relentlessly chasing celebrities with little regard for safety. Often these graphers have multiple items for the celebrity to sign when they are finally able to track one down. Graphers are not fans of the celebrity, but instead see their targets as money making opportunities. Recently many famous celebrities such as Billie Eilish, Ringo Starr and Steve Martin have stopped signing autographs altogether, due to the unruly behavior of professional graphers. 

Autograph collecting can be a fulfilling pastime and if you are willing to wait, also an investment opportunity. Autographs, by their nature, will only increase in rarity over time and subsequently, their value will also increase exponentially. Autographs also make for fantastic ready-made display pieces around the home! However, given the vast number of forgeries on the market, it really pays to do your research and only trust autographs that have been authenticated via reputable companies such as JSA, PSA and Beckett. 

Happy collecting! 

Questions

Q1. What can fetch over $30,000 USD?  

Q2. How do ‘graphers’ view the celebrities that they follow?  

Q3. Why does the value of autographs rise over time?  

Answers

A1. A full set of Beatles autographs.  

A2. As money making opportunities.  

A3. They become rarer.