August 22, 2009 – 8:22 pm
Last night I had the pleasure of having a few drinks and karaoke with some of my students and friends. We had a wonderful time as usual. As the night grew on I found myself thinking about how karaoke has evolved over the years. My first experience with it was in 1982. There were no “karaoke [...]
I recently had the misfortune to have to spend eight days in the hospital. It was a first for me here in Japan, and hopefully the last. But I am a believer that there is a reason for everything, and as I thought about the experience over the past week or so I realize I [...]
“Y” started taking lessons at Smith’s Hashimoto over four years ago. She retired at the same time and started as a pink level student. She has done nothing but amaze me over these years. At the moment she is a very strong green level student, and I attribute it to three reasons. She consistently takes [...]
March 17, 2009 – 12:43 am
Last week one of my one-on-one students arrived 30 minutes late for a two-lesson block on Saturday morning. He was still wearing his suit from the night before and told me that he was out with “the boss” all night and hadn’t made it home yet. So I decided it was opportunity time and started [...]
February 18, 2009 – 1:43 am
Now that is music to my ears. I have heard this sentence twice this week and I am sure many others have as well. It tells me two things. One, that I am certainly doing something right on the motivational side. To like something is to continue doing it. Secondly, it tells me that learning English [...]
January 10, 2009 – 9:22 pm
My winter break was quite good. I went on a few day trips, spent three days in Tokyo, but the highlight of it all was a simple dinner with my family. For those that think Japan is nothing but fish and rice, think again. It is all here, and we chose the “Outback Steak House” [...]
December 20, 2008 – 8:31 am
It was a good year here. Lots of new faces of all personalities and ages…Steady growth at Smith’s Hashimoto…And yes, so much to be thankful for, as Mark Smith said…Here is MY list: I am thankful for:
Two parents that are still alive, two beautiful children, this safe haven I live in, the dynamite support from Smith’s [...]
November 16, 2008 – 3:28 am
Last weekend I met up with several teachers in Japan that I used to work with or have an acquaintence with. We had drinks and food in a nice place and it was real nice to see these people again. Thankfully they all have jobs and seem to be in high spirits about what they [...]
November 3, 2008 – 3:01 am
I worked for that other place way too long. I thought I was getting a good salary. I was, comparatively. I was probably one of the highest paid eikaiwa EMPLOYEES in Japan. Lucky me though, I escaped the place three years before the collapse. Ask me what my salary was…Not telling…But I [...]
October 18, 2008 – 7:16 am
Yes, I think we are. I worked for a large company here in Japan when the bubble burst. Students kept joining regardless of the large fees they had to pay… That was surprising to me…But I think those days are coming to an end, and this is why we are special…We are [...]