So the question we expect from a future friend today is “What kinds of music do you like to listen to?”

Talking about music is pretty tough for me because I am not enthusiastic about any kind of music. But I am sure this is a widespread topic among people all over the world so there is a high chance that I would be involved in the conversation about music. 

Before we look at my answer, let’s glance at the genre of music. According to ChatGPT, here are some broad categories that give us an overview. Number one, “Classical Music” includes music from the Western classical tradition, Composers like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and many others fall into this category. Number two, “Popular Music” which includes Pop, Rock, Hip-hop, Country and Electronic, Dance… I think, generally speaking, when we talk about music in a daily conversation, in most cases, they intend to this type of music. Number three, “Jazz” Originating from African American communities. Number four, “Blues” Often characterized by its 12-bar structure and expressive lyrics, blues has been influential in the development of many other genres. Plus, “Folk Music”, “Reggae” and “Rhythm and Blues (R&B) Soul music” often emphasize vocal and emotional expression. That’s quite a lot. I don’t think I have enough knowledge of each genre to let myself indulge in. 

Now, let’s go back to the question we are referring to. How would you like to answer the question “What kind of music do you like to listen to?”

“I listen to music every day, and my preference leans towards classic Rock, particularly from the 1970s and 1980s, like Queen, the Beatles, Red Hot Chilipapers etc since I'm not particularly keen on exploring new songs or artists. On the other hand, when I'm running home from work at least three days a week, I rely on upbeat music to stay motivated and maintain a faster pace, typically opting for Japanese pop which tends to include the latest hits.”

One thing I found interesting was when we say “Classic” in the Japanese language, most people deem them to the classical music such as Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. Nevertheless, in many English-speaking contexts, especially among popular music enthusiasts, "classics" often refers to iconic and enduring works, which can include both traditional classical music composers like Mozart and contemporary popular music acts like Queen and the Beatles. That means when people say “classics”, they might just intend not only classical music but also an old-school, immortal or timeless masterpiece. 

Before we finish this episode, why not take note of useful adjectives that can be used to describe music? 

When you describe music as optimistic, cheerful or upbeat, we can say “lively”,” Vibrant”, as well as ”Energetic”. On the other hand, when you want to talk about some relaxed or calm music, you can say it is “Soothing” or “Mellow”, often associated with a gentle and pleasant sound. For instance, I will say “Overall, I prefer lively or vibrant music to soothing or mellow ones because I listen to music to stay motivated while running.” 

Now I am sure you can describe the music that you love based on your preference. Try some new vocab to talk about music with your friends!

In our fast-paced world, free time feels like a secret treasure. What we choose to do with it tells a story about our interests, passions, and who we are as people. Regardless of where you live, you've been asked "What do you like to do in your free time?" in social or professional situations. 

This question is a little bit tricky because we need to change the answer depending on the setting. If you are asked in a job interview, you might want to emphasize hobbies that show skills relevant to the job. Or, if you are taking an English exam such as IELTS, or something that has a speaking section in the test, you need to show your range of vocabulary by responding to this type of question. 

If you tell this to the new people who will potentially become a close friend, an honest response will be crucial because your free time activities paint a picture of who you are. Whether you love reading, cooking, volunteering, or playing sports, each activity offers a glimpse into your character.

For me I am also aiming to take the English exam, I am thinking of preparing the answer in a both casual way and a high level of vocabulary.

My original thought to respond What do you like to do in your free time? is this. I love driving a rental car and hopping brewery! That's it! 

But this must be too simple, boring and monotonous. What I want to do is to make this conversation last longer in a natural way. Then my friend chatGPT upgraded the response for me like this.

In my leisure hours, I thoroughly enjoy the exhilarating experience of driving a rental car, revelling in the freedom and exploration it offers. Additionally, I take great pleasure in visiting breweries, savouring diverse craft beers and immersing myself in the unique ambiance of each establishment.

Sounds intelligent! I like it! Since there are a lot of words that I have never heard of, I need to practice pronunciation a lot, though. In a way, I can see the improvement in the conversational sentences.

On top of that, probably I also might need to respond to the question "Do you prefer to spend your free time alone or with other people?" This question is most likely trying to see if I am an easygoing person, an independent person or things like that.

I would say, it depends on who I will spend the time with, I don't feel comfortable with people I don't much know but I love to spend time with close friends or a spouse rather than being alone.

Sound too keen or, potentially aggressive? But we have ChatGPT! who rewrote this sentence for me as follows.

Certainly, my preference for spending my free time varies based on the company. I tend to feel a bit reserved around those I don't know well, and in such cases, I often lean towards enjoying solitary activities. However, when in the company of close friends or a spouse, I relish the shared moments and find joy in spending time together, ultimately opting for companionship over solitude.

Now I am satisfied with the revised response getting better and more mature. 

How do you answer the question “What do you like to do in your free time?” and how does my revised answer sound to you? That’s all for today. See you soon!

クリスマスにケンタッキー食うんでしょ？なんで？ってめっちゃ言われる

During Christmas Holiday Season,

I was asked the following questions by a certain Canadian which made me a little bit confused to answer.

"What does Christmas look like in Japan?"

"I heard many Japanese people eat KFC on Christmas Day, is that correct?"

"Do you guys even celebrate Christmas as Buddhists?"

How do you answer if you are living in Japan? Any thoughts on these questions?

First of all, to answer the question "What does Christmas look like in Japan?", what we can mention is probably that Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan, since it is not traditionally associated with religious significance for the majority of the population. Instead, it is seen as a secular and commercial holiday, celebrated festively and joyfully. 

Similar to Western culture, The figure of Santa Claus is recognizable in Japan, as well as there are Christmas trees, both natural and artificial. 

Whereas, Christmas Eve is more a couple thing which is often considered a romantic occasion in Japan, somewhat similar to Valentine's Day in Western cultures. Couples may exchange gifts and enjoy a special dinner together. Illuminated streets and decorations create a festive atmosphere conducive to romantic outings.

Now, do Japanese people eat turkey as Christmas dinner? No, we should eat KFC! I didn't even notice that it is a unique and unexpected Christmas tradition in Japan because it is way too natural and customary common sense in Japan.  As everyone can assume, it is due to a successful marketing campaign, that KFC has become associated with Christmas. Many people place orders in advance, and KFC offers special Christmas-themed meals. Now, think rationally, most Japanese people should have no idea why we have been feeling so special eating KFC for Christmas Eve dinner.

Lastly, we need to answer the question: "Do you guys even celebrate Christmas as Buddhists?"

Many people in Japan are often struggling to answer this question in a way, because, to be honest, in most cases, Japanese Buddism is a more casual way of belief, if I can say so, it is more of the customary thing for most people, not the based on belief compared to others, for me, visiting shrine is one of the seasonal or occasional events like go to the beach in summer.    

While Buddhism is one of the major religions in Japan, it coexists with other belief systems, including Shinto, and the country is known for its syncretic approach to religion. I am not sure whether or not we believe everything, but rather just the natural nature of being a Japanese person. As a result, we most likely do everything that seems joyful regardless of the origins or intentions.

At the end of the day, I love the ambiguity and flexibility of the Japanese perspective of religion.

I have no idea if it does make sense to Canadian people. At least I could answer these questions next time! 

シーズン3突如としてスタート！カナディアンとお話するためのネタ帳を作りに行きます

Hello, it's Charlie! Hailing from Japan, I've been a resident of Canada for two years now. The challenge? I'm still on the lookout for Canadian friends! Nevertheless, I keep dreaming about the day I can confidently and fluently chat with Canadian friends in English. That's where this podcast comes in – my mission is to gather a treasure trove of tidbits, from personal experiences to opinions, and everything in between, so I can get myself well-prepared for those future conversations! If you're an English learner, join me on this journey! Let's chat and practice English together!

My apologies for letting you be surprised if you are the one who enjoys News Canada Through Japanese Eyes. As the New Year begins, I decided to transform this podcast again. Let me tell you the reason behind this. Recently, I started trying to make Canadian friends, and after several opportunities to meet someone, I found it difficult to keep a conversation going or even find some topics and talk about them! I am, like as many intermediate-level English learners, struggling to lead conversation due to limited vocabulary and speed of coming up with ideas to talk about. As a result, we are prone to listen to others’ stories most of the time. All I can do is show my understanding or feeling by saying “Sounds nice”, “Cool”, or “I am sorry to hear that” with a facial expression. This is sad! Miserable!     

The idea is to make this podcast more practical. The new series would be used as the tidbit note! A "tidbit" refers to a small and interesting piece of information or a brief and delightful detail about something. It means gathering a variety of small, engaging, and personal stories, experiences, opinions, or anecdotes to share with you guys to get myself ready to talk with my future Canadian Friends! Sad? Not really! Rather brilliant, thoughtful and creative!

Of course, not only does this podcast work for my English-speaking practice, but it also gives you some useful topics that you can think of and practice by yourself, and introduces some vocabulary which is nice to have whenever! Hope you enjoy this new season of this podcast and practice English with me!

Today, start with self-introduction. Do you know the typical question in the job interview“Tell me a little bit about yourself.”? The interview tends to start with this question, which is usually deemed to answer the summary of job experience and educational background that should meet the current position's needs and requirements. Recently I found out the question seems to be used in casual situations such as a first date or first hanging out with someone. That means most likely, we can be asked “Tell me about yourself” when hanging out with friends! How do you answer this question in English, not for the interview, but for the potential friend in a social gathering?

I will be answering like this:

I'm Japanese and grew up there, but now I've been in Canada for 2 years. Spent the last year pushing papers as an administrative assistant for a marine industrial company. I'm also hustling at a restaurant on weekends. Oh, and lately, I'm trying to become a Japanese teacher on the side. When I'm not doing all that, I'm brewery hopping and sipping on some good whiskey. 

I think this will be enough information for the introduction. Then there can be additional questions like “How do you like Canada?” or something related to a brewery! That would be the best scenario for me because in most cases, people who ask questions regarding breweries, tend to be enthusiastic about beer!! Right after I am asked these questions, most likely be easy to invite them to go drinking! That would be perfect. 

That’s the end of this episode. See you next week! Have a good one!

紅白のセトリは一応チェックしてる

According to CTV news posted on Dec 29, 2023,

The NYE fireworks show in Montreal's Old Port has been cancelled.

Montreal's annual New Year's Eve fireworks show in the Old Port has been canceled for the second consecutive year due to various factors, including a lack of funding from the city. Montréal en Fêtes, the nonprofit organizing the event, cited reasons such as the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation of production costs, challenges related to the winter vacation season, and financing issues. The cancellation marks the end of an era of free December festivities. Dimitri Soudas, chair of the nonprofit's board, mentioned that the Plante administration, led by Mayor Valerie Plante, did not contribute funding this year. The absence of the event has affected the holiday season in the Old Port, with some workers noting a lack of winter festivity feeling. Montréal en Fêtes had previously offered free activities throughout December, attracting over 200,000 people annually. The cancellation is permanent, making it the second consecutive year without New Year's Eve fireworks in Montreal.

Go to the description online to check the article.

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/the-nye-fireworks-show-in-montreal-s-old-port-has-been-cancelled-1.6704592

This is something you should know about New Year's Eve in Canada. 

Personally, unlike Japan, the nature of New Year's Eve in Canada is way more lively that has many fireworks and social gathering in typical cases. Unfortunately this article informed Montoreal annual fireworks has been cancelled, but mostly in my image, Canadian people are prone to go wild on the day by having a party outside or at home. 

For me, I have been still missing Japanese style of New Year's Eve, I miss Kohaku Utagassen or comedy program which are Japanese TV programs. I miss Soba just before the countdown. I miss going to shrine right after the countdown. Eat sushi, see my friends in my hometown, or just chill with my family even though I have been here for 2 years and this is my 3rd time to have a new year. 

This is actually my first time to feel comfortable to have new year because for the passed 2 years, I didn't have any good memories. For the first year, I felt uncomfortable of living with host family for some reasons. Second year, I was suffering from unstability of the work. I was about to be got laid off for some reasons. By all means, it is the first time to experience feeling secured, stable and comfortble year end. I am really proud of that I can end up being here today. I just have been having peaceful year end, one week holidays with full of enough mental stability which is as happy as can be. How was your year? How is your holiday going? This is going to be good time for self reflection. Anyways Hope you guys also have the wonderful news year. This is the end of this episode. Thanks for everyone that has the opportunity to listen to this podcast. we will see you soon in 2024. Finger crossed. 

ヘパリーゼは日本の宝