The single, most powerful thing you can do on your own to improve your fluency in any language is to read out loud from a good book. 

The Language Journey

The single, most powerful thing you can do ON YOUR OWN to improve your fluency in any language

This week we talk about the different aspects of Easter. Such as the religious significance, the different days of Easter, and how the Easter Bunny connects with it all.

今週、私たちはカナダと日本のイースターの違いについて、話しました。例えば、宗教的な意味合いやイースターに関係する日について、また、イースターのうさぎがどう関係しているのかなど、イースターについてとても興味深い話ができました。


Koryuu Podcast/交流ポッドキャスト

 No One Knows the Origins of the Easter Bunny/だれも知らないイースターのうさぎの起源について

In this episode, I read a story called "Charlie". It's an interesting story about a young man and an old woman who have a conversation while waiting for the bus. The story was found on manwrites.com, a blog for English learners and teachers.    

You can read the story here: https://manwrites.com/charlie-a-short-story-lesson-plan-for-english-reading-speaking-vocabulary/ 

My Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/TEA_Time_Tayvin

My teacher profile on iTalki: www.italki.com/teacher/2889545 

T.E.A. Time with Tayvin Bayless 

TEA Time story # 2 Charlie

In this episode of English Learners Boost, our experienced host, an English tutor and licensed science teacher, explores the question: What is the best strategy to learn English? Delving into effective methods and practical examples, listeners will discover how to accelerate their language learning journey. From immersion and speaking practice to goal-setting and embracing mistakes, find out the strategies tailored to your individual learning needs. Plus, don't miss the opportunity to book a personalized English lesson with our expert host on italki and experience firsthand their expert guidance and innovative teaching approach. Tune in and boost your English skills today!

English Learner's Boost

What is the Best Strategy to Learn English?

Hola! En este episodio conocerás un poco sobre mí, sobre la temática de este pódcast, y lo que puedes esperar de Spanish con Flora. Este programa está diseñado para estudiantes de español en italki, donde exploraremos temas interesantes, aprenderemos juntos y te ayudaré a mejorar tu español de una manera divertida y efectiva. ¡Espero que lo disfrutes!

Spanish con Flora

Mi presentación 

初中时，语文课本上出现的一篇文章。年少时，对这篇文章的体会不如此时深邃。现在远在异国，对父母、家庭的体会可能更加深切。小时候抱怨为什么我的家庭不是这样，不是那样，殊不知，我的父母已经给了我他们能给的全部。也希望大家常回家看看！

附全文如下：
我与父亲不相见已二年余了，我最不能忘记的是他的背影。那年冬天，祖
母死了，父亲的差使也交卸了，正是祸不单行的日子，我从北京到徐州，
打算跟着父亲奔丧回家。到徐州见着父亲，看见满院狼藉的东西，又想起
祖母，不禁簌簌地流下眼泪。父亲说，“事已如此，不必难过，好在天无
绝人之路！”
　　回家变卖典质，父亲还了亏空；又借钱办了丧事。这些日子，家中光
景很是惨淡，一半为了丧事，一半为了父亲赋闲。丧事完毕，父亲要到南
京谋事，我也要回北京念书，我们便同行。
　　到南京时，有朋友约去游逛，勾留了一日；第二日上午便须渡江到浦
口，下午上车北去。父亲因为事忙，本已说定不送我，叫旅馆里一个熟识
的茶房陪我同去。他再三嘱咐茶房，甚是仔细。但他终于不放心，怕茶房
不妥帖；颇踌躇了一会。其实我那年已二十岁，北京已来往过两三次，是
没有甚么要紧的了。他踌躇了一会，终于决定还是自己送我去。我两三回
劝他不必去；他只说，“不要紧，他们去不好！”
　　我们过了江，进了车站。我买票，他忙着照看行李。行李太多了，得
向脚夫行些小费，才可过去。他便又忙着和他们讲价钱。我那时真是聪明
过分，总觉他说话不大漂亮，非自己插嘴不可。但他终于讲定了价钱；就
送我上车。他给我拣定了靠车门的一张椅子；我将他给我做的紫毛大衣铺
好坐位。他嘱我路上小心，夜里警醒些，不要受凉。又嘱托茶房好好照应
我。我心里暗笑他的迂；他们只认得钱，托他们直是白托！而且我这样大
年纪的人，难道还不能料理自己么？唉，我现在想想，那时真是太聪明
了！
　　我说道，“爸爸，你走吧。”他望车外看了看，说，“我买几个橘子
去。你就在此地，不要走动。”我看那边月台的栅栏外有几个卖东西的等
着顾客。走到那边月台，须穿过铁道，须跳下去又爬上去。父亲是一个胖
子，走过去自然要费事些。我本来要去的，他不肯，只好让他去。我看见
他戴着黑布小帽，穿着黑布大马褂，深青布棉袍，蹒跚地走到铁道边，慢
慢探身下去，尚不大难。可是他穿过铁道，要爬上那边月台，就不容易
了。他用两手攀着上面，两脚再向上缩；他肥胖的身子向左微倾，显出努
力的样子。这时我看见他的背影，我的泪很快地流下来了。我赶紧拭干了
泪，怕他看见，也怕别人看见。我再向外看时，他已抱了朱红的橘子望回
走了。过铁道时，他先将橘子散放在地上，自己慢慢爬下，再抱起橘子
走。到这边时，我赶紧去搀他。他和我走到车上，将橘子一股脑儿放在我
的皮大衣上。于是扑扑衣上的泥土，心里很轻松似的，过一会说，“我走
了；到那边来信！”我望着他走出去。他走了几步，回过头看见我，
说，“进去吧，里边没人。”等他的背影混入来来往往的人里，再找不着
了，我便进来坐下，我的眼泪又来了。
　　近几年来，父亲和我都是东奔西走，家中光景是一日不如一日。他少
年出外谋生，独力支持，做了许多大事。那知老境却如此颓唐！他触目伤
怀，自然情不能自已。情郁于中，自然要发之于外；家庭琐屑便往往触他
之怒。他待我渐渐不同往日。但最近两年的不见，他终于忘却我的不好，
只是惦记着我，惦记着我的儿子。我北来后，他写了一信给我，信中说
道，“我身体平安，惟膀子疼痛利害，举箸提笔，诸多不便，大约大去之
期不远矣。”我读到此处，在晶莹的泪光中，又看见那肥胖的，青布棉
袍，黑布马褂的背影。唉！我不知何时再能与他相见！
                                                                                
                                                                背影 朱自清

　                                       １９２５年１０月在北京。

Chilling Chinese 

朱自清《背影》

Enjoy the tenth episode of Culture To Grow, which allows you to travel the world from the comfort of your home, your car, or if you are still half asleep in your bed.

This episode will focus on coffee culture around the world, and I believe that even if you are not a coffee drinker you will still find this episode interesting!

Please use the guide below to help you navigate important parts in the episode:

0:00 - 1:31 - Introduction

1:32 - 4:37 - Ethiopia Culture & History
*Buna 
*Jebena

4:38 - 6:03 Indonesia's Famous Luwak Coffee
*Luwak
*Asian Palm Civet

6:04 - 7:32 - Italian Culture & Advice
*Espresso (Long Espresso)
*Sip it when it is hot!

7:33 - 10:40 - USA's Coffee Development
*Dunkin Donuts 
*Starbucks 
*Hipster

Culture To Grow

Episode 10: Coffee Culture Around the World

Reading a book in Japanese ''The Music Box Planet''　Akihiro Nishino 
#17 (the final episode of this story)
You can practice shadowing, and repeating with this reading and the text below. Besides, it's helpful to study Kanji. 😊 
📚My lessons: https://www.italki.com/ja/teacher/6185061


オルゴールの 大きな大きな音色は、ちかくの星にも とどきました。

「博士、なんだいこりゃ？」
「音楽だねえ。うん。いい音色だ。ちょいと休けいしようかの」
「オンガク、オンガク」

その音色は、空に住む すべての人間をつつみこみました。
そして5000メートル下の『森』で あそぶこどもたちにも ふりそそぎました。
「ありゃりゃ？　音楽がふってきた。こりゃゆかいだ」
「お婆、オイラたちの好きな音楽が空から ふってきたぞー」
「お婆、これは空中帝国から聴こえてくるぞー」
「おい、お婆！」

さわぐ こどもたちの奥で、ゆりいすに すわっている ひとりの老婆が、
目に涙をためています。

「どうした、お婆。なにかあったのかい？」

老婆は やさしく こたえたのでした。

「阿呆が つなげよったんじゃ」



【Kanji】

星　　　　　　ほし
博士　　　　　はかせ
休けい　　　　きゅうけい（休憩）
人間　　　　　にんげん
お婆　　　　　おばば　　　
老婆　　　　　ろうば
涙　　　　　　なみだ

Kanji that have already appeared are not listed. 
Please check the previous story pages.

朗読クラブ📚Reading to Japanese language learners 

朗読：『オルゴールワールド』#17にしのあきひろ著

Hawaii's regular sunshine, short rain showers and clean air come together to create some of the planet's best conditions for viewing rainbows. Rainbows are seen so often here that a University of Hawaii professor calls the state the "rainbow capital of the world."

"Hawaii has maybe the best rainbows on the planet," said Steven Businger, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

He has even created an app called RainbowChase to help people find rainbows in Hawaii.

Rainbows form when drops of rain refract sunlight into a spectrum of colors. The brighter the sun, the clearer the rainbow.

Hawaii's winds bring many small showers with enough blue sky between them for the sun to shine through. Conditions are best during the rainy season from October through April.

Visitors should look for rainbows when it's both sunny and raining at the same time. Rainbows will appear opposite the sun. They will seem larger and higher in the sky in the early morning and late afternoon, when the sun is lower on the horizon.

Rainbows are popular symbols of island life. Pictures of them can be seen on buildings and buses, and even on vehicle license plates.

"They cause us to stand still and for a moment, forget about the past and the future," Businger said.

There are about 20 names for rainbows in the Hawaiian language, including different words for different types of rainbows.

Sam 'Ohu Gon III, senior scientist and cultural adviser at The Nature Conservancy in Hawaii, said rainbows are considered a symbol of Kāne, one of the four main gods in Hawaiian tradition. The closer you get to a rainbow, the more likely you are to meet a supernatural force or a powerful person, he said.

A rainbow is also believed to show that an aumakua — a deified family member or family god — is nearby.