How I would like to proceed our conversation exchange <This is a part of a message I wrote to my conversation partner..> Speaking of exchanging conversation, I was thinking about the same as what you wrote in the message. I need to prepare a topic for conversation at my current speaking level. I also would like to make a small speech for a couple of minutes sometimes. After that, I want to have Q&A time or I would like you to give me feedback. I forgot telling you about this. Sometimes I use strong words and very often repeat the same verb in a short time. If it sounds rude, ridiculous or stupid to you, please correct me. (My intentions are good, but I just don't know other suitable expressions. I want to say sorry in advance.) Let's have a conversation next week! Please let me know what time is the best for you since you are busy and I have flexibility in my schedule.

An email message for my friend I haven't seen for along time Hello N, Thank you for telling me a good story about you today. It was very nice meeting you. I hope that you fixed the problem and went back home not too late. Actually I had a lot of things I wanted to tell you about, but I couldn't. When I write a message like this, I've never used a dictionary. When it comes to having a conversation I can't explain well what I want to say. I think I sometimes give up on finishing what I try to say. That's something I need to change. Recently I started to expose myself to speaking English. I mean being forced to talk in English for 2 to 3 hours a week. Next time we will meet up my speaking should be improved. I'm looking forward to seeing you again :) Keep in touch, C

Thank you mail after first meeting with a conversation partner Hello L, It was nice meeting you and your daughter today. What manual dexterity she has! Thank you for bringing me a new word, dexterity, today! International district would work for us. We can meet somewhere Capitol Hill, too. I like walking. I think you want to focus on reading and writing rather than speaking fluently. If so, there are several books I recommend. I'm going to send detailed information to you later. Have a nice weekend, C

Teaching Japanese in English #2 I went to a coffee shop in Capitol Hill to see a conversation partner. She is a working mother taking a class at university. She's been trying to get a degree related to Buddhism. We were talking about Kanji reading. She asked me how she knows when to use On-reading or Kun-reading. I told her that there's no simple way to explain it, but tried to give her some small tips to make a better guess. http://japanese.about.com/library/blqow44.htm