Category Archives: Living in Japan

Every day life: What it’s like to pick up and stay here for real.

スミス英会話高円寺 How Many English Words Are There?

An often asked question at Smith’s School of English Koenji (スミス英会話高円寺) is “ How many words are in the English language?”, which is similar to asking the question “How many metres are in a piece of string?”
Throughout the world there are over 6500 languages spoken, yet only about 1000 of them have a dictionary [...]

Monkeys… Arashiyama, My Favourite Place in Kyoto

Living in Japan we get a lot of visitors from home. My sister has visited, my parents, friends from home, friends from university, even friends from other parts of Japan. I love showing people around, being their local guide. Giving my friends and family a tour of the places I love and introducing them to [...]

Smith’s 2010 Cherry Blossom Viewing Party スミス英会話大阪城公園お花見

It’s almost Cherry Blossom Viewing season again and time for the annual Smith’s School of English Kansai Area Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) Party. Cherry Blossom Viewing Parties are common all across Japan as the Cherry Blossom buds open to reveal their oh so delicate and beautiful blossoms. Usually, families, friends or co-workers get together for [...]

Plum Blossoms. Kozen Koen, Semboku, Sakai City.

スミス英会話堺東・なかもず校講師が書いた記事。日本語のメインサイトはこちら→(スミス英会話堺東校)(スミス英会話なかもず校)
Last Sunday was really great weather in the Semboku(泉北) area of Sakai City(堺市). My wife and son decided to go for a walk to a park that I had heard about in my English conversation lessons at Smith’s School of English Nakamozu(スミス英会話 なかもず校). Many of my students live in the Semboku area, and have told me [...]

Science Fiction

It’s not so long ago that science fiction movies showed such an outrageously modern instrument as a video phone. I remember thinking how cool it would be to see the person that you were talking to, especially if you didn’t know them. How brilliant to put a face to the name. Then a company called [...]

The Greatest Reward of All – 1 Year On

I have been the franchisee and teacher of Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校 for one year today!!!!!!!!
I have always loved languages, especially English, so it is really rewarding being able to earn my living teaching my favourite language at my own English conversation school. I always enjoy my lessons with my very special students, especially [...]

Keeping it Fresh

I’m writing this sitting in the classroom at my English conversation school Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校 waiting for my next student to turn up.
Yesterday, Asada Mao won a silver medal in the women’s figure-skating at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Today I have already used an exercise, based on an article about the final from the [...]

3D TV – in TOEIC and Reality

Al, of Smith’s School of English, Okamoto 英会話岡本, and I have recently been working together on some TOEIC listening excercises on the smithweb.co.jp website. Our latest effort, yet to be published, relates to the launch of 3D television, and more specifically, to Japanese manufacturers position in this new market sector. I am looking forward to using this [...]

Professional Basketball in Japan?

Basketball in Japan?
Sports. I love ‘em. I love to watch sports, I love to play sports.
My hometown, Nanaimo BC Canada is a standard Canadian city- small, homely, and full of sports. Or so I thought. Nanaimo has Junior Hockey, College Baseball, and a slew of minor leagues and high school sports. Now that I live [...]

Teachers Say “Thank You”

Valentine’s Day is always a humble experience for Smith’s Eikaiwa Nakamozu and Smith’s School of English Sakai Higashi teachers. As we all know there is strong culture of gift giving in Japan and Valentines is no exception. We received many delicious chocolate sweets for which we are very grateful. Some of them were even homemade, yummy! I [...]

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