Candle Walk

University art students held this candle event in the snow in the downtown area.  It was very windy, so the students had to keep relighting the candles. As always, we didn’t know what it was all about, but it was interesting.

English Class Dinner at Bombay Blue

Socializing and eating at a restaurant with English speaking staff and native English speaking friends is a great way for university students to practice their English skills!

The Shungo Show

These are three of my University English students performing at a University event. Is the correct idiom "a barrel of laughs" or "a barrel of monkeys"?

The Japanese Christmas Party

This week I was invited to and I attended a Christmas party, with an international guest list – USA, England, China, and Japan. 

We played games, sang Christmas carols, saw the Christmas story acted out, had a gift exchange, and ate.  Very Christmasy, indeed!

Walking in the Gym

Now that it’s winter I am walking/jogging inside again.

I’m pretty low tech when it comes to exercise.  I don’t have any gadgets that tell me my heart rate or speed or distance.  I have a little hand held counter that I click each time I do a lap, and the wall clock tells me how long.

Sometimes there are PE classes or sports teams in the gym when I’m there, other days I’m all alone with my thoughts. I don't know which I prefer.

Hokkaido Soccer Tournament

Last week, our university hosted the Hokkaido Soccer Tournament, with the championship game held on Sunday.  It was 35 degrees F and windy and snowy, so I stayed inside, but Ted, being the hardy outdoorsman he is, witnessed our school win 2-0 and he took a lot of photos.  Here are just a few.