One Day Free Ticket to Shiga, and Mie on August 30, 2013

1. To my dearest tutors in Rare Job,
2. I like posting about my daily activities etc. in the blog.  Dear my tutor at rare job, please use this page as our textbook.  I like posting in the blog about my daily activities and so on.  During the lesson, I would like you to read with me, and make suggestions and corrections if you find some awkward sentences, phrases, grammar, spelling, singular or plural verbs/nouns, articles, a/the and etc.
3. I would be pleased if you use skype's chatbox for corrections.   As I am not in a hurry to  finish all of the sentences here today, please feel relaxed and if you have questions, please don't hesitate to ask me. Thank you!  
4. Here is a long story that you might be interested in.
5. In Last June, I went to a large daily necessity store (or in another words, fixture shop) which sells products ranging from small kitchen items to farmers' machinery parts called Morris and I  bought 2 pieces of T-shirts priced at 500 yen each.  
6. At the cashier, I took 1000 yen out of my wallet and paid for them.  (them meant as T-shirts.  If I want to express them as the cashiers, I should use "to" instead of "for.")
7. The cashier gave me a the receipt and one small ticket for a lottery.  
8. It was so appealing, right?  I was so excited about it, and read it instantly. 
9. It was about a chance to win an invitation to a one day free-of-charge bus tour around Shiga  and Mie Prefecture. 
10. Meanwhile, I found a large desk and three chairs close to the cashier.  With some ball pens and a large box on the desk so that we can that we can use to fill up the ticket there. , and a box for filled (meaning written down) ticket was also placed on the desk.
11. I sat down on a chair.  I wrote down my address, my name, phone number, etc, in the ticket, and put it in the box.  I sat down in a chair, and I wrote down my address, my name, phone number, etc. in the ticket, and put it in the box.
13. (Lesson feedback on Sept. 5
14. Regarding the sentence No. 11, the early part, "I sat down on a chair.....,"  is related to sentence No. 10.   The latter part ",and I wrote down...." is written about a different thing, so let's separate the one sentence into two.)
16. Early in August, I received a postcard telling me I was chosen as for a participant of the tour.
17. As a participant, there was one condition. There was also one condition on the participation.
18. Along with a free lunch service and two of the sightseeing spot visits, we must go to a jewel manufacturer first, listen to the trader's demonstration and stay there for as long as 90 minutes.  Along with a free lunch service and visiting two of the sightseeing spots, we must headed for a jewel manufacturer first and listen to the trader's sale's demonstration and stay there as long as 90 minutes. 　
20. (Lesson feedback on Sept 5
21.  parallelism  - Let's compare the followings:
22. (A) Along with + a free lunch service (noun) + visiting two of the sightseeing spots (gerund)*
23. (B) Along with + a free lunch service (noun) + two of the sightseeing spot visits (noun)    
25. * gerund ..... verb+ing
26. When compared with sentence (A) and (B), the sentence (B) sounds more sophisticated.)
28. We must stay there for during the a long time period, but we were not required to buy anything.
29. In order to do this, we must assemble (in another word, gather) be gathered at Himeji Station as early as 6:30 a.m. on that the day. 
30. The chartered bus was scheduled to leave Himeji Station there at 6:40 a.m.
31. They asked me if I liked to participate in the one-day event. 
32. I thought about it for some minutes -- "There are daily bus services leaving the bus stop close to our home to Himeji station every hour." 
33. But according to the bus timetable, the earliest bus leaves (at) from the bus stop at 7:01.  That means, I cannot use the daily regular bus service. 
34. It was It's too late for the event.   
35. Also waking up that early hour was a little hard for me.  But they offered a free bus service to the sightseeing spots, so it was not so bad.  wouldn't so bad,.  So, I sent them a reply letter saying I would like to participate in the event. 
36. On Friday, 30th of August,  August 30th,  I woke up at 5:00 a.m. and left home before 6:00 a.m.   Fortunately, my husband offered me to drive me for taking me to the station by car.  I arrived at Himeji Station at 6:20 a.m. 
37. Then A female tour attendant had been searching for the participants.  I was surprised to learn that they have a total of 3 buses carrying approximately 135 participants for that day's  the today's event. 
38. Two of the buses (No.1 and No.2) were scheduled to leave at 6:40 a.m., and there were 90 participants were on the two buses.
39. The last one (No.3) was scheduled to leave some minutes later. 
40. I was assigned to sit on My seat was chosen in the fourth seat behind the driver on bus number 2 the No.2 bus.  
41. We left at 6:35 a.m., which was 5 minutes earlier than the schedule because all of the participants were already on the bus and ready to go got ready.
42. Before we arrived at the jewelry store, we had a took a ten-minute toilet break at a parking lot in the highway.
43. After 20 minutes driving, we, the participants of bus the No.1 and bus No.2 bus, arrived at the jewellery manufacturer simultaneously.
44. 90 participants were invited to their seats in a convention room, and a female manager seller, probably in her late 60s, told us various things about the high quality of their jewellery.
45. Their necklace The neck less contains some mineral so that it helps to relieve neck pain.   
46. She was wearing fancy showy jewelleries everywhere, like necklace, earrings, buttons on her clothes.
47. At first I firstly thought that she is her a kind of weird/strange for at her age, but after listening to her for 5 minutes, she seems to be a happy person who cracks makes funny jokes every minute, and no participant seemed getting bored.
48. She talked for about 30 minutes, and then we were invited to their store/shop selling section exclusive only for tour participants.
49. Compared with the veteran happy manager speaker staff, the 5 female sales staffs younger sales female clerks were waiting for us in the room, were younger.
50. At first glance of the price tag, we were surprised at the price.  One simple pair of earrings priced from 150,000 yen.  For (More) gorgeous design earrings, priced around 200,000 yen.  One thinner necklace priced at 200,000 yen.  Regular size was priced at 300,000 yen. 
51. I wondered why I, who bought two pieces of a-500-yen-T-shirt, was selected to participate in the event.
52. Also another 88 participants didn't buy anything at the shop.
53. Only one female participant bought a 300,000 yen necklace as far as I noticed.
54. I wondered why she was able to decide to buy such an expensive thing big shopping so instantly.
55. Maybe she is wealthy. 
56. It seemed like long hours at the jewellery shop.
57. Then we visited a place called "raccoon dog village," which sounded more interesting.
58. Raccoon dog is a native animal to Japan,.  and I have seen saw them in zoos before many times, and I have also seen saw preserved dry up (or stuffed specimen) raccoon dogs at museum.   They are believed to live in the mountains, but I have never not come across in the mountains or in my neighborhood.    

The above picture above shows raccoon dogs or "tanuki" in Japanese.  We might see them in the mountains.  The raccoon dog village (or tanuki mura in Japanese) doesn't sell live animals.  They sell raccoon dog statues ranging from the 1-centimeter-long at the minimum to 8-meter-long at the maximum from the maximum length 8-meter- long to the minimum 1-centimeter-long.

                                    

 

 8-meter-long raccoon dogs statues welcomed us in front of the store "Raccoon dog village" in Shiga Prefecture.

These are made of Shigaraki ware, which is famous as this area's souvenir. 

 

 

You can see cups and dishes made of Shigaraki ware. 

Raccoon dogs statues are made of the same Shigaraki ware. 

 

      

 

On top of the In head part of their raccoon dog statues, you can find its price tag.   One female staff shouted us, "Please take some of the raccoon dogs here" at us, which means "please buy some." 

After the Raccoon Dog Village Tour, we went to a restaurant along the highway to eat lunch.  A Japanese style lunch was offered free of charge to the participants of the tour.

1. The restaurant has two floors. Our assigned seats were at the second floor.
2. The restaurant was located in both 1st and 2nd floor of the building, and our seats were assigned to the 2nd floor.assigned.
3. You can find my meal portions in the picture.
4. As you can see, there are two fires (in red-colored-circle) beneath the iron dishes.
5. Above the two iron dishes, one of them was some pieces of raw beef.  They served us this way so that each guests enjoy roasting by themselves and guests could eat them immediately after roasting roasted them.  The other was a cold soup with raw fish that we boiled by ourselves boil the soup ourselves.   
6. We were a total of totally 90 participants at the restaurant at the same time.
7. That means it means a total of 180 fires on the table.
8. The restaurant became extremely hot.  Many of us became thirsty for cold water especially after the 60-min bus ride to the restaurant.
9. The restaurant became extremely hot because there were too many fires on the table, and many of us became thirsty after the 60-minutes of bus ride, and wanted cold water.
10. However, I noticed that what we had on our table were several thermos for hot tea.
11. However, I noticed that there were many thermos for hot tea.
12. I went to the corner of the table to get cold water. However, I had to wait for my turn because many people are lined up for it.
13. I finally found that thermos for cold water on the corner of the table, but it was far away from my seat.   
14. I went to all the way to take it after many people's usage. 
15. But the thermos was empty when it was my turn to get water so I had to ask the restaurant servant to get another one.
16. But the thermos became empty, so I asked another thermos to a restaurant servant.
17. As soon as I finished the lunch, I felt the hot air uncomfortable, so I went down to the 1st floor, and looked around the souvenir shop in the building to cool down.  (correct)
18. After a 20 minute-break, we continued on our the tour.
19. Our next stop was "Red Eye 48 Waterfalls" or "Akame 48 Taki."  (correct)
20. The tour attendant on the bus gave us a map showing "Red Eye 48 Waterfall" on the bus.
21. I read the map on the bus, and learned the followings. 
22. The This map below shows that there are 22 major waterfalls along the road.   You may find the "START" point on the upper left side top on of the map.  Some signs are written in small letters making them unreadable and unreadable, so I would like to explain it to you.  From If you start at the start point, it will take you a 90-minute-walk (or 3,290 meters) to get to the final point, No. 22.  Wow!  Because we have only 90-minute stay at the falls we could stay there only 90 minutes this time,  we cannot go that far.  Why not try going to No. 10?  It will take a 50-minute-walk to get No. 10, which means, if you go get there and come back to the start point there, it will take a total of 100 minutes.  Still, we cannot go that far.   I wonder how far I could go given the time I have can I walk through. 

  
                 

1. The bus was stopped beside a large souvenir shop in front of the "Red eye 48 waterfalls."
2. We, 90 participants, went into the shop, and we were greeted by the shop female owner greeted all of us,. and She also had the same map on her hand and made a quick speech.
3. "Thank you for visiting this place.  We are sorry that it started raining now.  (correct)
4. You, all are the participants of the bus tour have which has 90 minutes here to look around.  Please come back on time.  Please be punctual on time.
5. Your bus attendant have handed you a map, so please read it take a look now. 
6. Don't try to go any further from No. 7.  If you have reached No. 7, please go back.
7. Your bus will leave here at 3:15, so I would like to advise you that you try to be at this souvenir store at 3:05, so that you may still have a chance to go to the toilet before boarding getting in the bus.
8. The number of toilet is only 10 (5 for men, and 5 for ladies). so Many people rush into to the toilet (before boarding their buses).  If you don't come back on time (not  in time), you might miss your chance to go to the toilet.  leaving and you will miss the chance to go to the toilet before 3:15.
9. The map tells you that going to No.7,  it will take 20 minutes. 
10. It is now raining,  and the road is narrow and slippery.  If all of you,  as many as 90 participants, will walk along the road simultaneously all at once, it can be dangerous. 
11. I'm afraid that but you may fall below, so please be careful. and enjoy watching  waterfalls.  This is the end of my speech.  Please enjoy watching the waterfalls."
12. We left the souvenir shop, and went to see the water falls.

                                                  The entrance of "Red Eye 48 Waterfalls."
                                                 

33.  The picture above reads top of picture is read Murō-Akame-Aoyama Quasi-National Park, written in blue letters, in Japanese language. 

34.  The picture is the an entrance of a museum of Japanese giant salamander or Oosansho Uo in Japanese. 

35.  We all went into the museum (free of entrance fee) and find a the unique fish.  There were some fish of aged 30 or 35 years old.

36.  So far As far as I noticed, I have seen 10 of these big sized sizes aged 30-40 giant salamanders in a museum in my neighborhood.  I also found more salamanders in the museum.  (correct)  
 
                                    

38.  After visiting watching the museum, I went out to see the to outside and walked the road for the waterfalls.

39.  The picture is blurred, but here is a red-eyed (both eyes are in red color)  cow statue welcomed us along the road.

       

 

                                                                 Water fall

                                          

40.  What do you call this kind of place in English?  Ravine? or Gorge?    Creek.

41. After 30-minute of walking, I went back after 30 minutes of walk. On my way back I went back to the souvenir shop. On my way back I saw many people lined up in front of a little sweet shop.




42.  The shop name sells a unique Japanese style cake called, "eat-it-and-fart-out cake" or "Hekoki Manju" in Japanese.



43. The board reads "eat-then-fart cake" or "Hekoki Manju" in Japanese.



44.  The cake is covered by mashed sweet potatoes. 

45.  Japanese people say that eating sweet potato makes your fart out.  The shop owner actually had his farted out after eating it.  And he named after the cake.  He came across the naming of the cake right after he farted.  That's how he came across with such a name for the cake.

46.  Each cake one has one flavor including : Its inside there are one kind of either 8 kind of flavors. 

       1. Plain (nothing inside) 
       2. Smashed sweet red beans
       3. Strained sweet red beans
       4. White sweet red beans
       5. Apple jam
       6. Green tea paste
       7. Mixture of cream cheese and cranberry paste
       8. Strawberry jam

 48. If I wanted to try all the flavors, I would have ordered 8 pieces (one for each flavor).
       If I had wanted to try all the flavor, I would have ordered 8 pieces (each of one flavors.) 

49. But if I try all the flavors in that case, my fart will come out after boarding the bus, so I ordered only one piece with smashed sweet red beans.

50. I thought this kind of cake, which is only famous for having a special name, does not taste good.  I thought this kind of cake, only famous for its special name has not tasty.  However, I guessed it wrong,. It tasted really good. 

51.  I had an umbrella with me, so I didn't get wet soaked. 

52.  Finally, I went back to the souvenir shop.  

53.  Many participants were already at the shop,. Some of them were sipping coffee, while others some were eating having ice cream in the shop's restaurant their restaurant of the shop.

54. In general On the whole, I enjoyed the free ticket tour,. But I wanted to walk along the waterfalls farther if it wasn't raining were not rained.

55.  My husband picked me up at Himeji Station, and we went home.  (correct)

55.  He asked me about the tour, so I showed him the pictures, and I told him about the tour.  (correct)

56. When As he found the picture of the special cake, he wanted some pieces for him a his portion.  He complained why I didn't buy some pieces as a souvenir for him.
　
　
　
　　
                           I should have bought the cake box as a souvenir.        

How I Improved my Listening Ability

I would like to write about how I improved my listening ability of English. 

After graduating from a high school at 18, I studied at a two-year Japanese college majoring in English language communication.  I took many classes which were taught by native speakers of English.

After that, I worked as a clerk at various import and export businesses for 20 years.   I was assigned to work for international departments.  I wrote several kinds of business documents in English and also send/recieve emails with foreign customers.
 

1. I enjoyed working as a bilingual secretary.
2. When I was 24 years old, I studied at a US college, and studied business for one year.
3. Unless the time I attended the classes When I didn't have classes, I stayed at a the college dormitory for the most of the time.
4. For summer vacation, During my summer vacation,  I left the dormitory, and I stayed at a house with American family.
5. Because I studied only one year there at the age of 23, and now I am at 47 years old, time has passed since then. I had a short stay in America, and now 24 years have passed since then, my English speaking skills may have decreased.    
6. But I kept keep up studying English ever since.
7. I took TOEIC two years ago, which marked got a score of 835.  My speaking ability is still not good enough still needs improvement, and that's why I chose to enroll at rarejob online school.
8. Nowadays, I study English through by listening to news lessons.
9. I have been studying in English in through the following ways since January.
10. I buy a monthly English news magazine which was actually broadcasted in NHK.
11. NHK is short for Nippon Hoso Kyokai, the only broadcasting station run by the Japanese governemnt.
12. The magazine contents contains 15 or 20 different news written in English with its Japanese translation.
13. One news' length is about one minute (60 seconds) to one and half minute (90 seconds).
14. One CD disc is attached by with the magazine, which was English native speaker read the news is read by an English native speaker with both "normal speed" and "slow speed."
15. Every month, I go to a bookstore to buy the magazine.
16. And I go back to my home, I sit down in front of my personal computer.
17. Then, I go back home, sit down in front of my pc, go to iTunes, and put CD into the my computer, and then transfer the content of the CD to my ipod.
18. Every day, I use my ipod to listen to an item a piece of the news. CONTINUE to the next lesson, thank you!
19. I play and pause, and write down every phrase that I just have heard.
20. Then, replay it again to ensure that what I have heard is correct.
21. I spend 20 minutes to replay and repeat this until I finish the new item
22. Through this practice, I think my listening ability has been improved.
23. Now, I try to listen to BBC world podcast news every day.
24. I think I already understand half of the news.
25.  After 20 minutes of repeating/replaying, I can now say that I have the ability to understand it fully.
26. IN the near future, I hope I can already understand the podcast/it just by listening to it once

Thank you!