Don't Worry about Language Barrier Nowadays , more and more people have to work and live in a foreign country for some reason. Language barrier can be a big concern as it may cause some social problems and practical problems. Thus, there are some people too insecure about their language to step out from their comfort zone and taking no efforts to make friends with the local people and integrate with the community. I understand their worries, however, they might make a fuss about it. In my opinion, attitude can play a crucial part in overcoming language barrier. As long as you have a positive outlook on it, and you get to know some culture differences before you go to that country, then you won't get into too much trouble even if you don't speak their language well. But you need to grasp any opportunity to practice your language by talking to the local people once you get there. Besides, local people are usually fairly open-minded towards foreigners in terms of language. As for my experience when I traveled to Japan this year, the Japanese people showed me extreme patience whatever questions I ask them with my flawed Japanese. It was a very encouraging experience for my language learning.

P.G Wodehouse's British Humour I have been reading a long novel series Jeeves＆Wooster by P.G Wodehouse, recommended by a British friend. The work is really a masterpiece. It's written in the most humorous language I have ever read, makes me laugh all the time during reading. The writer was very observant and intelligent, he used lots of sarcastic figurative words to depict the characters in a smart way. Almost every chapter contains a complete short story happened between the main protagonists with unexpected twists, which are really gripping. The stories would make you put your hair down if you just had a long day from work or study. Wodehouse was a genius at creating amusing stories with hilarious conversations. If you put yourself into the scenario by imagining that you had a conversation with the characters literally, you would have a great fun while reading.

Do you prefer a world with fewer languages? Some people think that if we all speak a same language, our lives would be more simple and easy. For the convenience, I do agree. However, a language not only serves for the convenience of communication, but also carries culture and history. The death of a language means the disappearance of a group's memory, which is definitely a lost of our whole human nature. Simplicity makes our life easy, but diversity makes our life interesting. Diversity arouses curiosity and interest as well. Just imagine, you were a teenage, one day you listened to a Japanese song which was so alien but so refreshing to you. You became curious about the language and the country, then you started to learn Japanese. You went there to travel one day , you explored the country, you talked to their people, you shared your exotic experience with your friends. You would find the world is so fascinating because there are so various things outside there waiting for you to explore. If all songs were written in same language, what would be the chance?

How to improve public health As national medical cost is getting higher and more young people have healthy issue than before, there is a growing concern about how to improve public health. Some people believe that the best way is to increase sports facilities that will allow more people to do enough exercise to keep them fit. Indeed, exercise is good for health. However, for some people who are not keen on physical activities like sports, it wouldn't be an exciting measure. Therefore, increasing sports facilities to some extent is a useful and effective measure to improve public health, but not necessarily the best way. It is important for us to analyse the causes of healthy problems and think of a comprehensive solution. As we all know, there are lots of factors related to health, such as personal lifestyle, work and social culture, living condition, public hygiene, etc. Firstly, for the citizens, we need to make sure that our personal lifestyle is healthy enough. For example, having a healthy balanced diet, getting enough sleep, doing proper exercise, having proper leisure activities and so on. As personal health lays the foundation of public health. Secondly, for the community, they need to keep an eye on public hygiene such as disposal of domestic sewage and waste around the neighbourhood to guarantee a good environment. In addition, the community should have some health-related lectures or activities regularly to help residents to get some professional knowledge or advice about health. Finally, for the government, they should impose a heavy tax policy on unhealthy food products, make more strict regulation to control air and water pollution. What's more, they also should amend labour law against overwork. Because It is essential to form the basic of healthy work culture that can increase the likelihood for the employees to balance their work and life and live healthily. All in all, to improve public health, from citizens to government, all of us should do our fair share. There is no best way, only an effective way. Every effective ways work together, it would be the best.

プライバシーに気をつけてください 皆さんは最近のフェイスブック（Facebook）のスキャンダルをご存知でしょう。ユーザーのプライバシーデータがアプリに集められ、政治団体に利用され、アメリカの大統領選挙に大きな影響を与えたそうです。このことで、世界各地のソーシャルネットワークには個人情報の公開と第三者の情報アクセスに対するもっと厳しい管理規則を発表されていました。 しかし、厳しいコントロールは本当にプライバシーを守れ、個人情報が不適当に利用されるリスクを低くさせられるでしょうか？調査によりますと、より強いコントロールは逆により多くのプライバシーの公開を起こすのです。それで、アクセスされる可能性ももっと高くなって更に利用されやすくなるのです。なぜなら、厳しい管理規則がユーザーのプライバシーへの保護意識を逆に下げ、もっと多くの個人情報をネットにシェアさせてしまうのです。 これが「コントロール．パラドックス」（control paradox）とのことです。安全ベルトの存在と同じです。運転手が安全ベルトがあるのでもっと暢気になって歩行者をヒットする可能性が高くなるのです。 だから、今のインタネット時代に、どれだけ厳しい管理規則でもプライバシーを保護できるとは言えません。皆さんは自分のプライバシーが第三者に利用されないように気をつけてください。

一つの良いこと この週末は兄の家に訪ねました。兄の娘が生まれたからです。生まれたばかりの子がそんなに小さくてかわいいか初めてわかりました。すごく感動しました。 彼女は一日中に23時間までずっと寝ています。穏やかな彼女の寝顔を見るだけで、幸せです。子供が羨ましいですね。何も考えず何の悩みがなさそうです。 ところが、彼女の親から見ると、新しい命を育むことは本当に大変です。妊娠痛が言うまでもなく、ずっと子供のことを心配していて、寝る時間がほとんどなくて疲れているのです。 姪が大人になって、自分の家族を作り自分の子を産むと両親の気持ちがわかることができるでしょう？親とは偉いものですね。 私は今まで自分がいつか結婚と出産のことを考えたことがないです。もし、ある日自分が親になれば、どうなるでしょうか？自由を失うことで悔しいでしょうか、あるいは家族がいるので幸せでしょうか？どれになっても、生活の悔しさと幸せをシェアできる人があればきっと良いことだと思います。

最近の悩み 最近は英語の勉強で日本語がさびるようになってしまいました。やはり2つ以上の外国語を両立しにくいですね。言語によって考え方や表現方式などが全然違いますので、転換が大変です。知らないうちに使い方が混ざり合われることもあり、悩んでならないです。 どうすればいいか、ビジネス会話の本を読んで更にフォーマルな日本語を本気に勉強しようとしました。 日本語の小説が好きで、何時間読んでも疲れたことがないですが、ビジネスの本を読んでみたら、すぐ眠くなってきました。計画が失敗しました。 皆さんは何かいいアドバイスがあリますか。シェアしていただければ嬉しいです！

Reality and illusion Are you a big fan of games and animes? If yes, then you definitely should go to see the new film Ready Player One. Is it a nostalgic film about pop culture? Yes, but I think it's not the point. It's a sci-fi movie. The background is set like this: in our future, everybody indulges in games, cares about nothing and nobody in the reality. Actually, if you pay attention to how people spend their spare time now, you would realise the illusion time is coming soon. As far as I know,the majority of Chinese are game players or anime addict, from children to adult, from male to female. Reading a book, going hiking with friends is like an alien activiy for most of them now. People are killing their curiosity about the world and imagination about the future by playing machine-made games or watching vulgar animes. Game is an entertainment not a life, its point is about playing not winning and losing. The virtual world is supposed to design to relieve the pressure of the reality but not take over the reality. As the film tells us, the reality is the only thing real and you can only get a decent meal from reality.

「コンビニ人間」についての感想 この間、「コンビニ人間」という小説を読みました。日本語バージョンなので心配したが、意外と読みやすくて一気に読み終わりました。面白かったです。 この小説ってリアルだなあと思います。人間社会の「普通性」と「バイアス」がありありと描かれれました。就職、結婚、出産という3つの人生段階の一つを果たさないと普通の人間ではないとみられることです。それに、人は自分と違うものに対してバイアスを多少持っているのです。批判、悪口、いじめなどの行為はいつも普通の人間から起こるのではないか。厳しい社会ですよね。そういう目に遭うと白羽さんのように逃げないでほしいです。 誰の人生も安易ではないから、「Live and let live」ということです。 反省させる作品であり、ちょっと重い感想ですみませんね。しかし、決して重いストーリーではない、ぜひ読んでみてください。