Category Archives: Choosing a location

Choosing a location for your business

Nice to hear English in Japan!

About a month ago I experienced for the first time in about 5 years a Japanese shop assistant in a McDonald’s hamburger shop in Umeda, Osaka speaking to me in English. “Good afternoon Sir, Would you like to see the English menu?” Although I have no problem to use Japanese everyday as I have been [...]

Got a new sign!

Hello to everybody! Looking through the old posts of the school in Fuse, Higashi Osaka, I just found out that this is my first post since the holidays! I`m so sorry! That does not mean that Fuse has become inactive. No, on the contrary, we had a quite busy and exciting time! The best news [...]

Life in Japan is Good!

Life in Japan is actually very good. I can’t imagine a safer and better place to live. Since the major earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, I have gotten so many emails from friends in the U.S.  And they worry so much about me and my family.  It is heartening.  But actually, Japan is a [...]

Exploring my part of Japan helps make lessons interesting

Since I started living and working in Kansai, I have made exploring the areas around my home in Nishinomiya and my English conversation school in Kawanishi a regular part of my life. Most of my travels have been along the Hankyu Takarazuka Main Line. The stations between Takarazuka and Kawanishi along this line are in a [...]

Chirashi – a pleasure

I have just returned from one of my regular spots, handing out flyers チラシ for my English conversation school 英会話, Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校. I am certain that the other franchisees of Smith’s School of English スミス英会話 know what an important part it is of our work. Recently, because of the weather, either very cold or [...]

The Kansai Boat Show

This weekend saw the arrival (and departure) of the Kansai Boat Show at Shin Nishinomiya Yacht Harbour in Nishinomiyahama 西宮浜, where I have lived since I moved from England to Japan just over 2 years ago. I could see the preparations for the show from my balcony, and really looked forward to making a visit. For [...]

Keeping healthy

Teaching in an English conversation school 英会話 is not quite a sedentary occupation. One spends hours every week quickstepping among the commuting throngs, and hopping up and down in lessons. But I found that I wasn’t getting any aerobic exercise when I started my new career as a Smith’s School of English franchisee. I had [...]

スミス英会話川西校 梅田スカイビル Umeda Sky Building – a great outing

Whenever I ask students at my English school, Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校, which cities in Japan they would recommend for a visit by overseas visitors, they invariably say Kyoto 京都, occasionally adding Nara 奈良市, and even more rarely, Tokyo. Only one has ever suggested Osaka 大阪市, which is also my choice. Why? Well, to me, [...]

スミス英会話川西校 Manganji Temple 満願寺 – Another Local Gem

During the 9 months that I have been the owner and teacher of Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校, I have done quite a lot of exploring in the area around my English school. I never cease to be amazed by the very special places that I have found in this part of Japan.

(スミス英会話) A Foreigner in Japan – with a camera

I have had a great love for photography ever since the first time I saw an image appear on a piece of photographic paper (as if by magic), in a friend’s darkroom. For several years I produced monochrome photographs in my home darkroom, and had some success, exhibiting and winning awards in several countries. That [...]

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