See you next year!

Dear readers,

Please note (ご注意ください) that there will be no classes at E-Style for the next two weeks. English conversation lessons will resume (再び始まる) on Monday, January 10th.

Thank you for reading this blog and studying English with us this year. Jack and I wish you all the best and look forward to teaching you in 2022.

See you next year!

Alan

Happy Hanukkah!

Hi everyone,

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah. As I am Jewish, my family and I celebrate (祝う) this holiday every year. 

Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights (光の祭り) and lasts for eight nights. Each night, we sing special prayers (祈り) and light candles on a nine-branched candelabrum (枝付き燭台) called a Hanukkah menorah. We start with two and add a candle every night until the entire menorah is lit. We also exchange presents (プレゼントを交換する), play games, and enjoy traditional (伝統的な) food like beef brisket, latkes (potato pancakes), and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts). Delish!

While Christmas Day is always on December 25th, Hanukkah's starting date is different every year. This is because the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar (太陰太陽暦). This year, Hanukkah started today at sundown and will end at sundown next Monday, December 6th. The November 28th stating date is extremely early (極端に早い) for the holiday.

Spinning my dreidel,

Alan

P.S. The earliest starting date for Hanukkah is November 27th, which will not happen again until 2032!

NO TIME TO DIE

 

Good evening, 007 fans. 

Well, the day has finally arrived (やって来た): The new James Bond movie, No Time to Die, is being shown in theaters all over Japan after several postponements (延期). I saw the first subtitled screening (最初の字幕上映) at Higashi Aeon Cinemas here in Takamatsu this morning at 11:15. Here is a photo of my ticket as proof (証拠): 

Please don't worry (心配しないでください), there will be no spoilers (ネタバレ) in this blog entry. Just like 007, I know how important it is to keep a secret, so I promise not to spill the beans, let the cat out of the bag, or give the game away. All three of these expressions mean 秘密を漏らす in Japanese.

So, here is my spoiler-free, one-word review of No Time to Die: 

Wow!

Shaken and stirred, I am

Your Bond aficionado,

Woolfe . . . Alan Woolfe

Finders keepers (losers weepers)

Hi good people,

These days, I have been reviewing "Have you ever ～ ?" 「～をしたことがありますか。」with my students at E-Style. Here are some sample sentences:

• Have you ever slept in a car overnight? あなたは車の中で一晩寝たことがありますか。
• Have you ever lost your keys or wallet? あなたは鍵又は財布を無くしたことがありますか。
• Have you ever found any money? あなたはお金を見つけたことがありますか。

The second and third questions bring up an interesting cultural difference (文化の差) between Japan and the United States. The custom here is to take an item (including money) that one has found to the nearest police box (交番) so it can be returned to the rightful owner (正当な持ち主に戻す). To pocket it (猫ばばする) is considered bad (悪いと思われている); it is also illegal (違法). 

In America, however, we have a saying (ことわざ): "Finders keepers, losers weepers." This means that the person who finds something gets to keep it and the person who has lost the item can do nothing but cry (泣くしか出来ない). Sometimes this saying is shortened to "Finders keepers." 

So, if you travel to the States in the future, be careful not to lose any of your possessions (所有物) or else you, too, may end up weeping.

Finding it hot (but keeping cool),

Alan

E-Style's Summer Term

Hi everybody,

E-Style's summer term will begin the day after tomorrow (明後日), June 14th. It is a 10-lesson term and will continue until the end of August (８月下旬まで). Please check the "Lessons" page on our website for the new class schedule and contact us if you feel like brushing up on your English conversation skills (もし英会話能力を磨き直したかったら) this summer.

Jack and I hope to see you at E-Style.

Alan

Golden Week

Hi everyone,

Please note that there will be no lessons at E-Style from tomorrow (April 29th) to next Wednesday (May 5th). Classes will resume on Thursday, May 6th.

Here is a list of the holidays that make up Golden Week for you to study during the break:

April 29th: Showa Day (昭和の日)
May 3rd: Constitution Memorial Day (憲法記念日)
May 4th: Greenery Day (緑の日)
May 5th: Children's Day (こどもの日)

Have a pleasant and safe Golden Week.

See you at E-Style,

Alan

P.S. When I first came to Japan in 1993, Greenery Day was celebrated on April 29th. At that time, though, most people called it "Green Day." Maybe the name changed because of the popularity of the band.

New Term at E-Style!

Hi students,

I hope that this blog entry finds you well and enjoying the beautiful weather.

Spring has officially (正式的に) arrived and with it comes a new term (新クール) at E-Style. Starting next Monday, March 29th, the 10-lesson term will take a break for Golden Week and run until the middle of June (６月中旬まで). Be sure to check out the "Lessons" page of our website for the new class schedule for both adults (大人) and elementary school students (小学生). Feel free to contact us if you would like to brush up on your English conversation skills (英会話能力を磨き直す) these next few months.

Jack and I are looking forward to teaching you this spring.

See you at E-Style,

Alan

Bird's-eye View

Hi nature lovers,

It seems that spring has arrived a little early this year, especially for this Japanese white-eye (メジロ). As the cherry blossoms (桜) are in bloom/blooming (咲いている), this bird (also known as a warbling white-eye) has been visiting my garden for the past few days. If you get a chance, please check out (見る・調べる) not only the beautiful flowers you may find in your neighborhood (近所), but the lovely guests they attract (引き付ける), as well.

In my tree,

Alan

Hello (and a hearty welcome) to 2021!

Dear readers,

Happy New Year!

I hope that 2021 finds you well. My family and I have started the year off right with a clean house and delicious food. Needless to say (言うまでもなく), the rice-cake soup (お雑煮) was made Sanuki style, with white miso and sweet-bean-paste (餡) mochi!

Although my New Year's holiday has been both relaxing and enjoyable, I am looking forward to returning to E-Style and teaching you English conversation next week. So with that, let us say "Hello" and give a hearty welcome (心を込めて歓迎する) to 2021! Here's hoping that it's a better year for everyone.

All the best,

Alan