This Saturday will be a very special day for me. It is the retirement performance of my seniors in the Yosakoi dance circle. They have been leading us for a long time, and I have learned so much from them. Last week was the last festival where they danced with us. I felt very sad because it was the final time to share that stage together. Dancing with them always gave me confidence and joy, and now that time is coming to an end. I remember the first time I joined the circle. I was nervous and did not know how to dance well. My seniors were patient and kind. They taught me not only the steps but also the spirit of Yosakoi. They showed me how to smile even when I was tired, and how to support each other as a team. Because of them, I could grow little by little. Now it is almost our turn to become the leaders. I feel excited, but also very anxious. Can we guide the circle as well as our seniors did? Can we keep the same energy and passion? I hope we can. I want to make them proud and continue the tradition they built. Even though I am sad to say goodbye, I am also looking forward to the future.

السلام عليكم 🌿 سنبدأ بإذن الله دروسًا في تعلم اللغة العربية من كتاب "العربية بين يديك" للطلاب المبتدئين من الصفر. سنتعلم خطوة بخطوة: القراءة المحادثة الفهم النطق الصحيح مع أمثلة وتمارين في كل درس ✨ الشرح سيكون بالعربية فقط بطريقة سهلة ومبسّطة، حتى تكتسب اللغة بشكل طبيعي. إذا كنت ترغب في الانضمام أو معرفة تفاصيل الدروس، أرسل لي رسالة خاصة 🌷 Hello everyone 🌿 I will start Arabic lessons using the book "Al-‘Arabiyyah Bayna Yadayk" for complete beginners. We will learn step by step: Reading Speaking Understanding Correct pronunciation With examples and practice in every lesson ✨ The lessons will be in simple Arabic only, so you can learn naturally and improve your speaking. If you would like to join or know the lesson details, please send me a private message 🌷

Many Mandarin learners tend to take a Chinese name especially when they live in Mandarin-speaking countries or engage with native speakers fairly often. Here are some cultural things in terms of picking a Chinese name. In Chinese culture, names usually carry good wishes for their owner. 强，斌 are a couple of most common names I have seen, 强 means “being outstanding among a group, which regarding capability”, and 斌 consist of “being educated well, plus showcasing abilities to be a general or military officer, or being physically strong that can overdo a number of people when it comes to a fight”. My name takes parts of the meaning of “original, capital(the most important),one”, which carries “stick with a dream or wish made by oneself when someone was little, and keep effort onto it until they finally get around to it”. In contrast with other cultures, people whose native language is Mandarin are likely to have too many options when they get to choosing legal names, a bunch of parents are not able to give their newborn babies’ names on their own that they prefer to seek help from experts who are good at giving names, even though they realize that people with various available names are around them in everyday life. The simple motivation for picking a special name that other people don’t use so much is at the bottom of that case. So it’s not strange to see or hear very unusual names over here, which you perhaps need some lookup to call out the names, then again, the certain groups did rack their brains to find a fascinating one to address somebody. Personally, I don’t like unconventional names at all. I am fond of common names or the names are not pretty “mouthful” at least, because they are easy to remember and pronounce. My name is simply made up of one syllable, I like it.

Though I have no idea what the most healthy food in the world is, I know what the easiest cooked one is. The crown definitely belongs to sandwiches. You might think that it's not heathy due to its high calorie, but if we take out the food you wrapped inside, what will leave? There are just two thin pieces of bread. So, if a sandwich is healthy or not really depends on what you will put between these two pieces. As for an average person, we really need a kind of food which both easy cooked and offers all the nutrition our body needs. When wekeep our eyes on sandwiches, everything becomes easy. We just choose our favourite ingredients and wrap them with two pieces of bread. You can even make a sandwich just like its creator while playing cards. Even fortunately enough, your friends will use your name to name a new kind of food which originates from sandwiches.

🌿 In my last article, “The Woman Who Shrinks,” I explored what really happens when confident women suddenly feel smaller in English. It’s not grammar. It’s not fluency. It’s disconnection — a quiet break between who you are and who you become when you switch languages. Today, I’d like to help you feel this shift more clearly — not by studying it, but by noticing it. Below is a simple 3-minute reflection I use with many of my students. It helps you see the exact moment your energy drops — what I call your “shrink point.” No pressure, no judgment. Just awareness. Because awareness is the first step to reconnection. 🎯 MINI-EXERCISE: “The Shrink Point” Duration: 3 minutes 1. Close your eyes and recall a recent English conversation. When did your energy drop? That’s your shrink point. 2. Ask gently: “What was I protecting in that moment?” 3. Place your hand on your chest and say: “I don’t need to protect this version anymore.” That’s where reconnection begins — not in grammar, but in grace. If this reflection resonated with you and you feel ready to explore this work more deeply, you’re welcome to reach out to me through my profile. I don’t promise results to everyone — I choose the students I work with carefully. But if it’s the right moment for you, one conversation can change how you speak, feel, and lead in English.

When teacher o was teaching abroad, her student Mike came to her and expressed that he wanted to make some Chinese friends to improve his Chinese, but he realized that his Chinese roommates were quiet, so he thought all Chinese people are quiet. if you were teacher o, how would you suggest? thanks for the question. first, I would praise Mike's attitude of willing to learn. and I would explain to Mike that what he has are preconceived Notions or stereotype of Mike. Chinese people are also human. he needs to think of them as fully human in the first place. for example, a dog bites him or even just scares him when he's a child and so for the rest of his life he's afraid of dogs. Because he believes that all dogs are scary and dangerous and want to bite him. when he meets a dog, he doesn't have to evaluate it as an individual. his roommates are quiet doesn't mean that all Chinese people are quiet. and maybe his roommates are not like what he thinks. because in traditional Chinese culture, The nature of junzi is displayed in action rather than speech. we encourage people to act rather than speak. I would suggest Mike, if he would like to practice his Chinese, he can create opportunities of having conversations and increase interactions. after getting familiar with his roommates, I believe that they will talk more with Mike and even become friends. and I would also organise more activities to give students opportunities to speak, inviting local Chinese to our school and make students in pairs with them.

Hi! Two weeks ago, it was Halloween. The day before, I invited my friends to a Halloween party. I spent time with them at my house. We decorated my room with orange and purple balloons, and everyone wore cute costumes. I decided to make a cake for the party, so I baked a chocolate cake before the day. And we decorated a lots of whipped cream and strawberries on top. My friends said it was very delicious, and I felt really happy. After that, we ordered delivery food and ate fried chicken together. It was so tasty! While eating, we watched a movie and laughed a lot. The atmosphere was cozy and fun, and we took many pictures to remember the night. It was one of the best Halloweens I’ve ever had. I was glad that I could spend such a special time with my friends. I can’t wait for next year’s Halloween!

Let's practice English idioms! Can you guess the meaning of "a wet blanket"?

I went to a concert by my favorite band. I was a little disappointed because my seat was farther back than last time, but it ended up being so much fun and absolutely amazing. They played a lot of my favorite songs, and the setlist was perfect. Even though I went alone, I got really into it and danced along a little embarrassingly! Hearing them live always moves me every time. There was even a moment when the lights in the venue went out, but that just became part of the memory. Time flew by so quickly. Since it was the last concert of the year, I felt a little sad. Today, I went to school listening to the same setlist. I still want to soak in the afterglow. This year was full of concerts. I even traveled to Sendai and Yamanashi just for them. I want to go to lots more concerts next year too.