Weekend

I had a (very late!) wedding party at the weekend in Ueno. It was good fun and good to see people from the English Village as well as meet some of my wife’s friends for the first time. I attempted a speech in Japanese which I think was just about okay-it wasn’t helped by me worrying I was going to lose my voice. I had a really sore throat but think cold medicine might have disguised it! There were also some  of my ‘interesting’ haircuts on display from the 1980’s in the slideshow, which I wasn’t expecting!

Nightmare!

Yesterday, I had to go to Odaiba on business by car but when I was driving back to Kinshicho from Odaiba, I completely lost the way! Every time I tried to change direction, I found myself backing the same wrong road and I got into a panic!!!

Normally it takes only 20 minutes from Odaiba to Kinshicho but it took 1 hour and 20 minutes for me! Yes, actually I have no sense of direction!

I was so tired out!

Mina

Kinshicho Valentine’s event!

2月16日（土曜日）１９：００～２１：００まで、バレンタインイベントをイングリッシュヴィレッヂ錦糸町で行います！

イングリッシュヴィレッヂバンドが生演奏が皆様をWelcomeします！イギリス人の先生、MichaelとNiallもみんなに交じりますので、英語を話す緊張も忘れ、楽しい時間を過ごせる事間違いないです！

生徒さん以外の方誰でも参加できますので、このブログで興味がある方は、是非、是非、お気軽にご参加してください。

会費　2500円　飲み放題＋スナック

それでは、バンド紹介は英語でします！

On keyboard: Our principal Neil. He’s been working on making music so hard! His hobby is playing the piano and reading. He started playing the piano when he was a child. I think he’s a great pianist but he’s the sort of person who prefers to help behind the scenes!

On guitar: Hiro!!! His real job is solid work! He’s a really fantasitic guitarist. He’s just beyond belief! His technique is like that of a professional, I think. He’s a very interesting man. He’s a great guitarist but at the same time, he likes going fishing! But his main job is solid work!

On keyboard: Misato. She’s the English Village receptionist. Her hobby is going to  rock concerts and beauty therapy. She also can tell you a lot about fashion! She’s a marvellous pianist too. She graduated from a music university. Oh, actually, her mum is a piano teacher! By the way, she’s a realist. She’s just the opposite of me so she supports me in many ways.

On bass: Shuhei. He’s a graphic designer. If I have to describe him in one word, he’s very unique. He admires “SAMURAI” sprit so he wears a kimono or Yukata when he’s at home. However, he plays football very well!!! He’s a very interesting man.

On vocals: It’s me. Mina! I do take care not to catch cold before the parties! Oh, I’ll intruduce myself. I’m the deputy principal of the English Village and I write mail magazines. My hobby is sports. I’m always “GENKI”!! When you feel down, you’d better come and see me. I’ll give you some energy!

Please come and see us!

Kimuchi!!!!!

  Look at this picture! This is some hand-made Kimuchi!

The mother of one of our “Kids’ course” students in Kinshicho made it with a Korean lady.

She kindly gave some to us. I ate it last night and tonight. It was delicious!

Mina

Tommyがやってきた！！

数年前にイングリッシュヴィレッヂ錦糸町校で働いていたTommyが遊びに来てくれました！！

 今はイギリスのニューキャッスルの病院でコンピュータープログラマーをしているとの事で、数年ぶりに会っても全然変わらないナイスなTommyでした。

当時働いていた時も、Tommyはとても優しく、多くの生徒さんから慕われいました。週に1回日本語のレッスンをとても熱心に受けていて上達ぶりに驚いたのを覚えています。私達のテキストブックは全て手作りなのですが、彼の空き時間に一緒に手伝ってくれた事もよく覚えています。今まで手伝ってくれたのはTommyだけだったので、今でもとても感謝しています。

イギリスから日本に来た時に、当時働いていた男性スタッフが緑茶をトライしてみてとTommyに渡し、その緑茶を飲んだTommyが渋い表情をし、微妙な反応だったのに、その次の年には気付いたら自分から緑茶を美味しいと飲んでいた事などいろいろ思い出しました。

そして、うちのカフェMary Pearson’s Kitchenのハーブティーセットを堪能してくれました♪

ハーブティーはTommyチョイスの「Elderflower Dawn」。

ハーブティーもスコーンも美味しい！と笑顔満載のTommyでした。

Tommyへ。

また日本に来たら、是非遊びに来てね！！

snow

It was absolutely freezing today, wasn’t it? When I was driving from Kinshicho to Funabashi tonight, it was snowing quite hard so it was quite scary. I hope the snow hasn’t settled tomorrow morning.

Mary’s comforter!

 After doing some paper work, I wanted to refresh my brain and I had some Mary’s comforter which is the name of one of our herb teas.

It refreshed my brain! I’m fond of its slightly minty taste!

 Mina

Stiff!

Hello, everybody!

some poeple around me have got a slipped disk! I think it’s because of the cold weather!

I think we should stretch qite often every day, otherwise our bodies tend to be stiff because of this cold weather!

Mina

カラオケで歌った曲は・・・

日曜日の雪の日、皆さんはどこで何をしてましたか？

私は音楽を通じて知り合った友達6人とカラオケに行きました。5時間も。

結構雪が降っていたので、6人集まった事がすごいと思い、その内2人は傘を持っていなかったことにはサスガだと思いました。

そんな6人が歌った曲はだいたいこんな感じ・・・

↓　↓　↓　↓　↓　↓　↓　↓　↓　↓　↓　↓　↓

いや～、このメンバーだから全員好きに歌ってましたが、きっと違う人達だったら、この選曲はしてない事でしょう。って言うくらいものすご～くマニアックな曲まで歌ってましたから。

声を出すということは良いストレス発散ですよね。

雪の日の私の休日でした！

Weekend!

I’m off for a magnificently lazy weekend (& to brush up on my pancake recipe!)-I hope everyone has a magnificent weekend, lazy or otherwise! (It’s also too cold but if we get snow I’ll be happy in a nostalgigic way).

Niall