2019年04月:イングリッシュフォーユー松本校

2019/04/27

Hello everybody!

I hope that you are all doing well. I'm doing great! I've really enjoyed working in our new school over the past month. It's wonderful to have so much space and I really like having views of the river!

I'm also really happy that Golden Week is finally here! I hope that you all of some amazing plans for it. I don't really have any plans as such. I will just relax at home and recharge my batteries. If the weather is nice I will try to go on some hikes and bike rides. Fingers crossed!

Anyway I hope that you all have a great Golden week. Speak to you soon!

From,

Matt

2019.04.27│Comments(0)

Hey, say goodbye!

2019/04/26

please don't laugh

...I'm sorry. That really was the best title I could come up with. And I hate puns.

No, I'm not saying 'goodbye,' don't worry! Just goodbye to the Heisei era.

But what is a pun? In my dictionary, it is:

The worst kind of joke.

But how to explain them to a Japanese person? The closest I have found is 'oyaji gyagu.' The kind of joke that some people love, and some people hate. The kind of joke that makes everyone hear it say 'uuuuuuuuughhhh.'

Even more interesting to me, though, is how Japanese and English have basically the same name for that kind of joke. 'Oyaji gyagu' -- old person's gag or joke, is also known as a 'dad joke' in English. As in, the kind of joke your dad, and only your dad, ever thought was funny. The most 'classic' dad joke:

"Dad, I'm hungry..."
"Hi Hungry, I'm Dad!"

Don't get me wrong. I am not writing in support of puns or dad jokes. But even I am not above making a terrible pun on occasion.

I'm sorry.

Have a great Golden Week, and an awesome Reiwa!

--Josh

2019.04.26│Comments(0)

桜

2019/04/25

ここしばらく教室から見える淡く優しくピンク色に咲き誇る桜と、その後方にそびえるアルプスの雪景色にうっとりしていました。

窓から川沿いの桜の写真を撮っている海外の方もたくさんいらっしゃるのが見え、いつの日か英語が話せて当たり前のようになるのかもしれないなぁ～と思う次第です。

桜は日本神話に登場する女性の神様、木之花咲耶姫（このはなさくやひめ）が富士山頂から花の種を蒔いたことで日本に広まったそうです。

サクラの語源は開花した木の花(桜)の女神、木之花咲耶姫（このはなさくやひめ）。美と短命の象徴。

桜の花ことばは種類によってたくさんあるそうですが、一般的には「精神美」「優美な女性」「純潔」なんだそうです。

西洋では、英語の花ことばがあって
「spiritual beauty(精神の美)」「a good education(優れた教育)」だそうです。

「spiritual beauty」は、アメリカの初代大統領ジョージ・ワトソンが子供の時に誤って父が大切にしていた桜の木を切ってしまったけれど、正直にそれを告白したことを褒められたという有名な逸話からきているそうです。

実際にはワトソンが子供のころにはアメリカには桜の木はなかったそうですが。。。

凛としていて華憐にはかなく、潔い桜。心魅了され、癒され、明るい気持ちにしてくれました。ほっこりです。^^

美しく花を咲かせたと思ったら、あっという間にハラハラと散ってしまいましたが
皆さんの笑顔の花はこれからもずっと美しく咲き続けますように！

Miko

2019.04.25│Comments(0)

Kimono!

2019/04/24

Hello, everybody!
How are you doing? I hope that you're all good. I'm looking forward to the coming holidays and excited about the new era, "Reiwa," next week.

Have you ever worn a Kimono? Or, are you interested in Kimono? I would say Yes! About two weeks ago, there were places to drink green tea at Matsumoto Castle. It’s called”Cha-Kai”, and I went there in my Kimono. Some people were there to see the castle. Others came to drink the green tea. I was in the second group. The tea was surprisingly beautiful and great. I could drink amazing tea while seeing cherry blossoms. I loved it.

Although putting a Kimono on takes time and need preparation, it makes me realize and feel what Japanese manners are. This part is one of the reasons why I sometimes want to try wearing it. If you're interested in Kimono, I would like to talk with you!!

I hope you have good holidays with your family and friends! See you in two weeks!!