I spent my first month in Japan living on this tiny island in Ehime prefecture called Yugejima. Have a listen and see what you think :) 

April in Tokyo

#1: 弓削島、愛媛

Small talk - love it or hate it, you cannot avoid it!

Share you experience with making small talk - are you good at it?

British English with Maria

Making small talk

Workplace anxiety is a growing concern for businesses and organizations of all sizes. It refers to the feelings of worry, fear, and unease that employees may experience in their professional environments. This type of anxiety can have significant impacts on an individual's productivity, job performance, and overall well-being, ultimately affecting the success and profitability of the company as a whole.

The manifestations of workplace anxiety can take many forms. Employees may experience physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, and digestive issues. Mentally, they may struggle with decreased concentration, indecisiveness, and feelings of dread about going to work. Behaviorally, workplace anxiety can lead to absenteeism, presenteeism (where employees are physically present but not fully engaged), and even burnout.

At the core, workplace anxiety is driven by a variety of factors, both internal and external to the organization. Internal factors may include high-pressure work environments, unrealistic deadlines, lack of job security, poor communication from management, and interpersonal conflicts with colleagues. External factors can encompass economic uncertainty, industry disruptions, and societal stressors that seep into the workplace.

The business implications of workplace anxiety are far-reaching. Reduced productivity and performance can directly impact the bottom line, as tasks take longer to complete and mistakes become more frequent. Increased healthcare costs associated with stress-related illnesses and higher turnover rates can also weigh heavily on a company's financial resources. Moreover, workplace anxiety can erode employee morale, collaboration, and overall job satisfaction, making it challenging to attract and retain top talent.

The Global Professional Podcast

Workplace Anxiety Explained - Episode 54

If you're looking to make a good first impression on a dating app, from your POV, you might think it would be a good idea to send a text using lots of abbreviations to make it seem like you're BFFs with the person you're texting.

But FWIW, according to a recent study from Stanford University and the University of Toronto, nobody likes receiving text abbreviations — not even young people.

Don't know those abbreviations? "POV" means "point of view," "BFF" means "best friend forever," and "FWIW" is "for what it's worth"!

Researchers studying the use of such abbreviations did a number of studies with several thousand people, and they found that texts using abbreviations were less likely to get replies. And writers using abbreviations were more likely to be seen as insincere.

Of course, we all use abbreviations — in one survey, it was found that 99% of people said they used them. But the researchers found that people don't like receiving texts with abbreviations, because rather than making them feel closer to the other person, it felt like the other person wasn't putting much effort into the conversation.

And while young people are even more likely to use abbreviations, they still felt that people who used them were insincere. Young people were also less likely to reply to such messages.

Lead researcher David Fang said we often put different amounts of effort into our conversations to show how important the other person is to us.

So it might be fine to put little effort into, say, a quick message to a delivery driver. But Fang said his team's results are especially important for people who really want to make a good impression — like at the beginning of a relationship!

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Want a Reply by Text? Don't Use Abbreviations!

Hello Families, It's time for another storytime. If your child loves dragons and tacos this book is for them. If you liked this podcast consider checking out my other two story times. 

I am accepting new enrollments. I hope to meet your children soon.

Story Time with Teacher Vanessa

Dragons Love Tacos By Adam Rubin

商务中文练习，基于HSK3以上水平。

Xinli的中文课堂 - 商务中文

商务中文

안녕하세요! 
오늘은 한국에서 많이 쓰이는 단어, [갓생]에 대해 이야기해 보려고 해요. 혹시 들어본 적 있으신가요? 
갓생은 단순히 유행어가 아니라, 한국의 문화와 삶의 가치를 담고 있는 단어예요. 이와 관련된 재미있는 표현들도 함께 소개해 드릴게요!

갓생 (God-Life)
갓생은 영어 God와 한국어 '생'의 조합이에요. '생'은 삶을 의미하죠. 그래서 갓생은 생산적이고, 규칙적이며, 목표를 달성하는 "신적인 삶"을 뜻해요. 예를 들어, 매일 아침 일찍 일어나 운동하고, 공부하고, 계획한 일을 모두 이루는 사람을 보면 "정말 갓생 산다!"라고 말할 수 있어요.

"나는 이번 주도 갓생 살기로 결심했어."
I've decided to live a productive life again this week."
한국 사회는 자기계발과 성실함을 중요하게 생각하는데, 갓생이라는 단어가 그런 문화를 잘 보여주고 있죠.

갓반인 (Ordinary Person)
그런가 하면, 갓반인이라는 단어도 있어요. 이것은 "갓"과 "일반인"의 조합인데요, 일반인은 평범한 사람을 뜻해요. 주로 덕후, 즉 팬덤에 푹 빠진 사람들이 자신과는 다른 평범한 사람들을 표현할 때 사용해요.

"나는 덕후로 살다 보니 갓반인이 너무 부럽다."
"As a passionate enthusiast, I sometimes envy ordinary people."
이 표현은 덕후들 사이에서 자조적이면서도 유머러스하게 사용된답니다.

머글 (Muggle)
머글은 Harry Potter에서 온 단어로, 팬덤이나 특정 취미와 관계없는 사람을 뜻해요. K-pop 팬들이 자주 사용하는 표현이기도 해요.

"내 친구는 완전 머글이라 내가 덕질하는 걸 이해 못 해."
"My friend is a total muggle, so they don’t get my fan obsession."

현생 (Real Life)
마지막으로, 현생은 현실 생활의 줄임말이에요. 현실 세계의 책임이나 일 때문에 취미나 팬 활동에 집중할 수 없을 때 주로 쓰이죠.

"요즘 현생이 너무 바빠서 덕질을 못 하고 있어."
"I'm too busy with real life these days to indulge in my fandom."
이렇게 다양한 표현들이 한국의 대중문화와 일상 속에서 쓰이고 있어요. 여러분은 지금 갓생을 살고 계신가요? 아니면 현생 때문에 바쁜가요?

오늘 팟캐스트를 들으신 후, 꼭 이 단어들을 한 번 사용해 보세요! 다음 시간에는 또 다른 재미있는 한국어 표현을 들고 올게요. 감사합니다!

[ㅇㄱㄹㅇ 덕후 톡] Real Deok-hu Talk Straight from K-media

[갓생] Living a God-Life: Unlocking Korean Slang Gem

Learn the Korean word for “home.”
This episode shows simple ways to describe where you live and rest in everyday Korean.

Key expressions:

집에 있어요.
(I am at home)
집에서 쉬어요.
(I rest at home)