The Perfect Time to Turn Over a New Leaf (ジーアン先生)

Spring break this year gave me a lot of time to get household chores done, including stocking up my fridge and rearranging my furniture. Now, I know why schools in Japan start in April. The spring season is a great way to start something. The appearance of cherry blossoms and the warm weather make spring the perfect time to “turn over a new leaf.”



This expression in the English language means to become a better person or to give more effort in doing something.



So, this spring, I also decided to give more effort in learning Japanese. It’s very difficult since it’s so different from English and Filipino, but I was able to learn more Japanese words and expressions by answering textbooks and watching several Japanese films. I’m hoping this will increase my Japanese vocabulary!

いつもと異なる新年度 (キャロル先生） － the ways to stay creative and mentally healthy

Welcome to the new school year, I know it’s a strange time for everybody right now but when everything is back to normal, it will be lovely to meet both new and previous students again. It’s good to keep busy during this time. I have been keeping busy by reading, watching shows on Netflix and doing some creative writing. I hope you have all found your own ways to stay creative and mentally healthy, even though this can be difficult to do. I find ways to entertain myself, for example, I have created a number of children’s picture books for my nieces and nephews and godchildren. I create funny stories to help children learn and which in turn, keep me entertained too! Previous stories have involved cats or dogs and even dinosaurs! When they are finished, I send them to the lucky child as a gift. I love creating silly stories and it makes the perfect gift in which they can hold onto forever.

I hope you are all doing good and enjoying your time with your families. I make sure to keep in contact with my family and friends back in Ireland. Everybody is in this together. Let’s use this time wisely and keep our mental health in check. Soon we will be in our classrooms again having fun quizzes and you’ll be showing off your fantastic English skills!

2019年度の終わり （ジーアン先生）

The following months in Japan have been very eventful, with the rise of a global pandemic. Fortunately, it was the last term, and many classes were already over. Spring has already come, and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom!

 

There’s a sakura tree outside the staff room, and I get a good view of it every day. It’s so beautiful when it’s filled with large pinkish white flowers, and the fact that it lives for only a short while makes it more precious.

 

There are many beautiful parks in Japan, and I celebrated my birthday with friends at one in Bunkyo. Nearby Inokashira Park is another great place for sakura-viewing, and I’m lucky that it’s just a few minutes away from Fujimura.

 

I think it’s fitting that, in Japan, the cherry blossoms mark that short period between the end and beginning of a school year. The weather has been getting warmer, and the sun has been out more and more.

 

This school year has been exciting, challenging, and memorable. I’m looking forward to the next one!

Trip to Nara （キャロル先生）

During the month of February, I was lucky enough to visit Nara and the friendly deer that live there. My friend and I bought some crackers at a small stall to feed them. I held my hand up and bowed to them and was delighted when some deer returned my bow, I then fed them the crackers. One deer was so hungry he tried to eat my trousers and a large group of deer became very hungry as soon as they saw I was holding the crackers. I was too afraid to feed them and ended up screaming and running away, it was all very funny! My friend thought this was hilarious and couldn’t stop laughing at me! The deer in Nara are definitely not shy compared to the deer in Ireland. Nara reminded me of a large, city park called Phoenix Park in County Dublin, Ireland. You can see wild deer roaming and eating grass. If you are lucky enough you can even feed them. I lived very close to this park a few years ago and would spend my mornings jogging while catching glimpses of the deer. It was especially beautiful on cold, winter days when you could see the mist over the green grass.

Hopefully I’ll get to go back to Nara again someday to say hello to the cheeky deer.

永平寺での座禅体験 （キャロル先生)

During my winter vacation, I was lucky enough to stay at a Buddhist temple high in the mountains in Fukui. The temple is called Eiheiji temple and there are one hundred and fifty monks practicing Buddhism in the temple. The temple is over eight hundred years old and surrounded by a stunning waterfall and picturesque bridge. Tall five-hundred year old cedar trees keep watch over the temple and the moss covered landscape.

I stayed for one night and trained in the zazen meditation technique which involved a number of forty minute meditation sessions. This was difficult as my legs became numb from being folded and I found myself drifting off in my own thoughts. The monk informed me that if we lacked concentration during zazen, we would receive a hit with a stick to the shoulder, not as punishment but as encouragement. I found myself with pursed lips and a concentrated face staring at the wall, terrified of the monk with the stick! But luckily, I made it through without being hit and found that the more zazen sessions I

東京で過ごした年末年始（ジーアン先生)

It’s the new year, and I’m excited to be back in school!

I spent my Christmas and New Year here in Tokyo, Japan, and it was my first time to celebrate the holidays away from my family, in another country. It was exciting, and I was able to visit many places in Tokyo.

With some friends, I went to visit some shrines in Asakusa, Bunkyo, Shibuya, and Akasaka. I also saw some amazing sights in Odaiba and Meguro. Although I was far from home, I wasn’t lonely because Tokyo kept me busy with all its lights, festivals, and attractions. It’s impossible not to love it!

 
The winter break also gave me time to appreciate Japanese traditions and cultures, especially when it came to visiting shrines. I tossed a few coins, clapped my hands, bowed, and rang the bell to offer my prayers and wishes. I also saw many booths selling drinks, food, fortunes, and souvenirs.

Although the weather was extremely cold, the warm atmosphere and presence of friendly company kept me warm.

My first winter holiday in Japan was truly memorable and exciting.

渋谷と川崎でハロウィーン！ （キャロル先生)

This year was my second time to spend Halloween in Tokyo. I didn’t get a chance to visit Shibuya Crossing last year, so I made it priority to visit it this year. It didn’t disappoint, it was so busy but so much fun! My friends and I dressed up in costumes and walked around Shibuya, meeting new people and taking photos of all the different kinds of costumes on display. There was such a great variety of costumes from people from all over. It really was something special.

The next day, I hopped on the train and travelled to the Kawasaki Halloween Parade. This is world famous and I didn’t want to miss it. I stood at the front of the crowd with my camera and managed to take some brilliant photos of the participants in the parade. Some of them saw me taking photos and posed for me, which I really appreciated. It was so busy there but I managed to take many photos to add to my Halloween collection. The make-up and costumes were out of this world and I can’t imagine being able to see anything like it anywhere else. Being Irish, I am a huge fan of Halloween and I am very lucky to be living in another country that celebrates this occasion just as much as Ireland. Halloween originated from Ireland and so it is very close to my heart.