英会話プライベートレッスン

Hi there, Anand again. Hope everyone is studying hard! As you all know, there are lots of things you have to study if you want to get better at a language. You have to study reading, writing, speaking and listening among other things. It’s a challenge for me as well, since I want to improve Japanese. In particular, I want to pass the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) and the Kanji Kentei. But when I study kanji and vocabulary, I’m sometimes floored by the sheer amount I have to memorize. And they are words I never use! Of course, I could just write a list and drill it every day…but that would take forever. Instead of that, I use a flashcard program called Anki.

It was designed for English speakers who want to learn Japanese, but it is also useful for Japanese speakers who want to learn English. You make a bunch of flash cards, then you practice them. ?The idea is that you only study the cards you are about to forget. Apparently, this is the best time for studying. Also, this saves time. You don’t waste time with easy cards. So, if Anki shows you a card and it’s too easy, you tell it “It’s too easy!’ and it won’t show you the card next time. But if you make a mistake, it will show you it until you remember.

I made over 10,000 cards in order to study Japanese! I study kanji, vocabulary and grammar with Anki. I think it’s useful. And it has Japanese support too! And…you can use it with you iPhone or Android phone!

The best thing to do is try it!

Here’s a link to a Japanese guide

Here’s a link to the main page (in English)

Don’t forget, studying English and using English are two different things. But both are important!

Until next time,

Anand

Hi there! Well I am finally starting to feel settled at my work now that my big move is over. But my job is more than I expected! As you know, I am the main teacher at Awesome English. However, I don’t just teach English. So far I have translated documents, gone to our English cafe, done franchise research and I have even worked at parties! So I really am turning into a multi-talented man! I love keeping my mind busy, so it’s pretty fun (and tiring). Recently, I have been working at our company’s international preschool, Sunrise Kids, right in Nishi Ward in Yokohama. Check out the site here.

The kids are incredibly cute! And while I can’t discuss politics or philosophy with them, I can watch them learn and grow in front of my eyes. And they learn FAST. Sometimes I wonder why that is. Why do kids learn so fast? I guess there are a few reasons. I read somewhere long ago that our brains have a critical stage when they develop where we can learn a language very quickly. If we start learning after that stage, new languages become much more difficult. I think that is the case for most Japanese people and English, and it was definitely the case for me and Japanese. So that’s why I always struggle…

I also think that because children are learning their native language at the same time, they don’t worry about translating. For instance, if I learn the word りんご, I translate the work to “apple” in English and then I understand. But children just imagine the fruit itself. It’s a huge difference, and it allows kids to use what they learn more freely. I also think they are less inhibited and less afraid of making mistakes. Kids are more worried about bed monsters and thunderstorms. And of course, kids have much less on their mind than adults. I have to worry about finishing all of my work, paying my bills and things like that. And when I am not worrying, I am thinking about cute girls and getting in shape. So Japanese is often the last thing on my mind!

Anyway, maybe an international preschool is the best place to start learning English. It catches kids at just the right time. But most of us aren’t so lucky. But that’s when you sign up for Awesome English or the Riverside Cafe! Then we can work together! Hope to see you soon!

Until next time,

Anand

Hi there, it’s me again!? Been studying hard?? From now on I someone will usually update the blog on Tuesday, so I figure I had better get into the habit.

So it’s only been a few days, but I have been all over the place!? On Saturday I woke up early and?hopped on the Shinkansen and headed to Nagoya.? But it wasn’t a relaxing trip…I had to write a wedding speech.? My friend and I got married and I was chosen to be the best man.

Lots of Japanese people have no idea what a best man is, so I should explain.? A best man is usually a good friend of the groom.? He stands by the groom during the ceremony and signs the marriage certificate as a witness.? He also helps at the reception, delivering a toast and speeches and generally being friendly and charming to everyone.? Here is a Japanese explanation.

I was writing my speech for the reception.? Usually I am not nervous during speeches, but I had to translate the speech as I said it.? That’s not easy!? I can speak in English and I can speak in Japanese, but it’s hard going back and forth.? Thankfully, everything went smoothly and I didn’t ruin the wedding.? ?In fact, the bride’s father (a Japanese man with?very good English) told me, “Your Japanese was better?than your English today.” I think that is a compliment, but I am not sure.?

The groom is a great friend of mine.? We met and taught?English?together in Yotsukaido.??I had just arrived in Japan, but he helped?me learn many things about teaching and Japanese culture.? The?bride is also a good friend too.? She was an English teacher in?junior high school.? They live in Washington, DC now, but they came back for the wedding.? It was a great reunion.?

After the wedding we got lunch with the bridesmaids and talked about?old times.? I didn’t want to leave!

But we are all starting new lives.? They are starting?their married life, and I am starting my new life in Yokohama.? It’s good to?remember old days with old?friends, but new beginnings are important too.? I am looking forward to my new life in Yokohama and I hope you come to Awesome English or the Yokohama Riverside Cafe to enjoy it with me!? Check out my blog at the Riverside Cafe page too!

Until next time!????

Anand

Have you ever heard the story “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse?”? It’s one of Aesop’s fables.? I used to read this story when I was in elementary school.? Not only that, when I lived in Katsuura, I taught?two students this story for a speech contest.? We won first prize in the region!

There are many versions, but here is the basic story:

A mouse from the town visits his cousin in the country.? The country mouse offers the town mouse some dinner, but the town mouse thinks that his cousin’s food is too simple and his life is too boring.? He then invites the country mouse to his home in the town.? The town mouse and the country mouse enjoy the food and sights of the town, but suddenly they are attacked by dogs and have to run away.? The town mouse prefers the town, but the country mouse decides he prefers his simple, safe life and goes back to the country.

You can read the full story at this link (I recommend the Aesop version): http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0112.html#aesop

So what made me think of this story???Well, I just moved to?Yokohama from Katsuura.? Katsuura, which is?in the southern part of Chiba, is definitely the countryside.??But Yokohama?is definitely a big city.

Where I used to live. This was 10 minutes from my home!

Just a little further, there were rice fields upon rice fields!

As you can see, Katsuura had a lot of beautiful scenery.? But it was missing a lot of things, too.? For instance, it didn’t have a single department store!? In fact, it didn’t even have a McDonald’s!? Hard to believe, right?? When I taught in public schools, some classes would only have?five students!? But even though it didn’t have many things, I really miss the kind people and the wonderful bike rides in the country.? I will definitely write more about Katsuura in other blogs.

But now I live in Yokohama, right in the middle of the city.? It’s quite a shock!? All my favorite shops are close together.? In Katsuura I wanted to join a dance class, but there wasn’t a single one.? I must have found six or seven in Yokohama just walking around randomly.? I feel like I can buy anything here, as long as I have the money.? But life here is also quite busy.? There are many people and they seem to always be in a rush.

So which one am I?? Am I a country mouse or a town mouse??I guess now, because I work in Yokohama, I must become a town mouse.? But sometimes, when I think of the cool beach and beautiful hills I think that I am still just a little bit of a country mouse too.

Until next time,

Anand Mohan

Hi there! My name is Anand Mohan and I am one of the teachers at Awesome English. I thought I would use my first blog to introduce myself, so here I am!

I just finished a half marathon. How am I smiling?

First, I have a challenge for you. Try and guess where I am from! If you don’t look at my profile, it’s pretty hard! Maybe you guessed India. Good guess, because my father is from South India. In fact, my name means “Happiness” in Sanskrit, which is an old Indian language. If you guessed the Caribbean, you are close, but still not there. My mother is from Trinidad and Tobago, which is famous for steel drum music and for producing very fast sprinters (I am not one of them.) Still have no clue? Don’t worry, I’ll tell you.

I’m from Canada!

More specifically, I was born in a city called Edmonton in the province of Alberta. Later on, I moved to Ottawa, the capital of Canada. Finally when I was in around the third grade I moved to Brampton, which is where my family lives now. Brampton is close to Toronto, which is the biggest city in Canada. Since Toronto is close to the US, our English sounds almost the same. But sometimes we pronounce and spell words the English way, like colour, or doughnuts. I actually studied English in university, so I am really interested in these kinds of things. I love to talk to Japanese people in English and Japanese, and luckily most Japanese people find my English easy to understand.

I love Japan, and I have lived here for five years (wow…) During that time I taught English in public schools at the elementary and junior high school level. I also ran a small English conversation circle for adults in the community. First, I worked in a suburb called Yotsukaido in Chiba, and then moved to Katsuura City, also in Chiba but further south. Katsuura is a small beach and fishing city. It was nothing like Yokohama for sure! It didn’t even have a McDonalds! Now I must get used to my new life in the big city. If you have any tips on fun places to go or new things to try, let me know.

I am terrible at sports, but I love being active. Since I can’t catch or throw a ball, I like to run, swim and ride my bicycle. When I lived in Katsuura, I used to run road races in costume. My students loved it!

I also like reading books and studying Japanese! I want to get better and better but sometimes it’s difficult. I think it’s the same way with English. But it’s always good to have some help! I hope I can help you get better at English, so let’s work together!

Hope to see you soon!

Anand Mohan