A Language Learning Story // His Journey and a Transformative Stay in Japan

Hello I'm Akari, I'm a online Japanese teacher and tour guide in Kyoto.
I've been teaching Japanese since 2013, and thanks to this job I met amazing people along the way.
Today I interviewed Akira, who took my lesson around 2020, then came to Japan and spend three month from autumn 2024 to winter 2025. 
He's learning Japanese journey is not only language learning, but it's related to his dad's family history and his future wife.

Akari's online Japanese lesson:
https://www.italki.com/teacher/916033

Akari's information:
linktr.ee/akari.japanese

Akari Talks Japan

A Language Learning Story with Akira // His Journey and a Transformative Stay in Japan

In this episode of 'English Learners Boost,' explore the art of setting SMART goals for the New Year. Discover the power of Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals in transforming your English language journey. With practical examples and personalized approaches, learn how to enhance your vocabulary, grammar, listening, and writing skills. Plus, don't miss the exclusive opportunity to experience a unique teaching methodology by booking a lesson on iTalki. Elevate your English learning adventure and make 2023 the year of language breakthroughs. Tune in now and set yourself up for success!

English Learner's Boost

Setting SMART Goals for the New Year

ESTE CUENTO NOS HABLA DE UN LEÑADOR QUE ERA MUY HONRADO Y NO QUISO MENTIR. Y
POR SER ASÍ RECIBIÓ UN PREMIO.

Antes de comenzar la lectura

1. ¿Te molesta que tus amigos mientan?

2. ¿Tienes amigos que nunca mienten?

3. Adivina qué premio recibió el leñador por no ser mentiroso.

Presta atención a la lectura de tu profesor.

Había una vez un pobre leñador que regresaba a su casa después de una
jornada de duro trabajo. Al cruzar un puentecillo sobre el río, se le cayó el
hacha al agua. Entonces empezó a quejarse tristemente:

—¿Como me ganaré el sustento ahora que no tengo hacha?
Al instante ioh, maravilla! una bella ninfa aparecía sobre las
aguas y dijo al leñador:

—Espera, buen hombre, traeré tu hacha.

Se hundió en la corriente y poco después aparecía con un hacha
de oro entre las manos. El leñador dijo que aquella no era la
suya.

Por segunda vez se sumergió la ninfa, para aparecer después
con otra hacha de plata.

—Tampoco es la mía —dijo el triste leñador.

Por tercera vez la ninfa busco bajo el agua. Al
aparecer llevaba un hacha de hierro.

—¡Oh, gracias, gracias! ¡Esa es la mía!

—Pero, por decir la verdad, yo te regalo las otras
dos. Has preferido ser pobre y no mentir y te
mereces un premio.

Spanish Reading Comprehesion

The honest woodcutter

Conversación básica en español y árabe marroquí. 

Aprende árabe con Radia 

Conversación en árabe marroquí y español

Textile waste is an urgent global problem, with only 12% recycled worldwide, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a fashion sustainability nonprofit.

Nowhere is the problem greater than in China, the world's largest textile producer and consumer, where more than 26 million tons of clothes are thrown away each year, according to government statistics. Most of it ends up in landfills.

The country's clothing industry is dominated by "fast fashion" — cheap clothes made from unrecyclable synthetics. And Chinese e-commerce brands Shein and Temu make the country one of the world's largest producers of cheap fashion, selling in more than 150 countries.

Currently, only about 20% of China's textiles are recycled, according to the Chinese government. And many Chinese consumers are unwilling to buy used items anyway.

Still, among younger Chinese, there is a growing awareness of sustainability and some "remade" clothing businesses have emerged.

Designer Zhang Na's fashion label, Reclothing Bank, sells clothes, bags and other accessories made from materials such as plastic bottles, fishing nets and flour sacks.

The items' labels have QR codes that show their composition, how they were made and the source of the materials.

Reclothing Bank began in 2010 to give "new life to old things," Zhang said of her store in Shanghai. A large used clothes deposit box sits outside the entrance.

Zhang said she has seen sustainability consciousness grow since she opened her store, with core customers in their 20s and 30s.

But recycled garments sold at stores like Reclothing Bank cost much more than fast-fashion brands due to their production methods.

And that's the real problem, said Sheng Lu, professor of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware.

"Studies repeatedly show consumers are not willing to pay higher for clothing made from recycled materials" he said.




Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

26 Million Tons of Clothes Discarded in China Each Year

日本人は〇〇〇していない女性の事、どう思ってる？
一部海外で出回っている日本のマナーに関するデマ
日本人ってストレスヤバそう！

日本人對沒有〇〇〇的女性是什麼看法？
海外流傳的關於日本禮儀的謠言
日本人看起來壓力很大！

以下のリンクから匿名で質問できますので、ぜひぜひ質問を送ってください！こちらのPodcastで質問に答えたいと思います☆感想も大募集中！
可以通過以下鏈接匿名提問，我們會在這裡的 Podcast 上回答您的問題☆
https://tellonym.me/midori.podcast

Podcastに出てみたい、出ても良いよ！という方、下記までご連絡ください～
如果有想參加我們的 Podcast 或願意參加的人，請聯絡我們～

※日本語、中国語レベル問いません　※日文、中文程度不限
※出演料が出せないので、そちらご了承いただける方 ※由於無法支付出演費用，請諒解
miniless1010@gmail.com

Midori Talks

23【日本語ひとりごと回】日本人って幸せ？私がよく学生さんに聞かれる質問Q&A /日本人快樂嗎？我經常被學生問到的問題Q&A


بی تو مهتاب شبی باز از آن کوچه گذشتم
همه تن چشم شدم خیره بد نبال تو گشتم
شوق دیدار تو لبریز شد ازجام وجودم
شدم آن عاشق دیوانه که بودم
در نهانخانه جانم گل یاد تو درخشید
باغ صد خاطره خندید
عطر صد خاطره پیچید


یادم آمد که شبی باهم از آن کوچه گذشتیم
پر گشودیم ودران خلوت دلخواسته گشتیم
ساعتی بر لب آن جوی نشستیم
تو همه راز جهان ریخته در چشم سیاهت
من همه محو تماشای نگاهت
آسمان صاف و شب ارام
بخت خندان و زمان رام
خوشه ماه فرو ریخته دراب
شاخه ها دست بر اورده به مهتاب
شب و صحرا و گل و سنگ
همه دل داده به آوای شب آهنگ

یادم آمد تو بمن گفتی" از این عشق حذرکن
لحظه ای چند براین آب نظر کن
آب آیینه عشق گذران است
توکه امروز نگاهت به نگاهی نگران است
باش فردا که دلت بادگران است
تافراموش کنی چندی از این شهر سفر کن"

باتوگفتم
"حذر از عشق؟
حذر از عشق ندانم
سفر از کوی تو هرگز نتوانم
روز اول که دل من به تمنای تو پر زد
چون کبوتر سر بام تو نشستم
تو بمن سنگ زدی من نه پریدم نه گسستم
باز گفتم که توصیادی و من آهوی دشتم
تا بدام تو بیفتم همه جا گشتم و گشتم
نه بریدم نه گسستم"
اشکی از شاخه فروریخت
مرغ شب ناله تلخی زدو بگریخت
اشک درچشم توغلطید
ماه بر عشق تو خندید
یادم آید که دگر از تو جوابی نشنیدم
پای در دامن اندوه کشیدم
رفت در ظلمت شب آن شبوشب های دگرهم
نگرفتی دگر از عاشق افسرده خبر هم
نکنی دیگر از آن کوچه گذر هم
بی تو اما به چه حالی من از آن کوچه گذشتم !!

 

Persian Poetry

Fereidoon Moshiri - کوچه (the lane)

IELTS Preparation. Band 8-9 Answers. Part 1 - Flowers q1-2.

Q. Do you like to have flowers in your home? [Why/Why not?]
Q. Where would you go to buy flowers? [Why?]

Write down few ideas that you got inspired by and see you today for 2 more questions.

P.S. If you want mroe IELTS questions and answers - please check my podcast section for more :)

See you in my classes.

IELTS-SPEAKING 8-9 BAND IS POSSIBLE. DAILY SPEAKING PRACTICE PART 1,2 & 3. Listen daily.

IELTS Preparation. Band 8-9 Answers. Part 1 - Flowers q1-2.

Is there a graceful way to navigate the depths of sadness through words? Smith believes there is. In his insightful discourse, she touches on the art of expressing emotions when feeling low. With a touch of advanced yet approachable language, Smith emphasizes the power of honest self-expression in those melancholic moments.