April 22, 2019　=========

☆  gutsy  根性のある

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Someone who is gutsy shows courage and determination. Last month, there was the tragedy in New Zealand, with the mass-shooting at a mosque. The NZ prime minister took a gutsy approach, and refused to use the terrorist’s name. She called him a criminal and a terrorist, but said she would never call him by his name. She gave a gutsy and emotional speech that day, and even the people that voted against her agreed the speech was powerful.

I think New Zealand is lucky to have such a tough, gutsy prime minister. I’m not sure I could use the word gutsy to describe Australia’s prime minister!! WouldRead more about April 22 – gutsy[…]

April 21, 2019　=========

☆  compel  強要する

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There are two ways to use “compel.” If someone or something compels you to do something, they force you to do it. For example, the new legislation compels cyclists to wear a bicycle helmet. Or, “When she lost her job, she was compelled to move back home and live with her parents.”

The second way to use compel is when you feel compelled to do something, because it is the right thing to do. You feel you must do it. For example, if you see someone attacking another person, you would feel compelled to stop them. If someone dropped their bag as they stepped of the train,Read more about April 21 – compel[…]

April 20, 2019　=========

☆  encourage  励ます

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You encourage someone, and give them confidence, by letting them know that what they are doing is good, and telling them they should continue to do it. So… do you want to hear how last night went? Good news, we had time for a storybook before bed, and everyone was happy!

Last night, as soon as we had eaten dinner, I encouraged my son to do all his chores and get ready for his bath. I reminded him about the time, and told him what time he needed to be ready by if he wanted me to read him a bedtime story… and we did it! IRead more about April 20 – encourage[…]

April 19, 2019　=========

☆  comfort 慰める

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If you comfort someone, you make them feel less worried, unhappy or upset, by saying or doing something kind to them. For example, last night, when my son was so upset about not having time for a story before bedtime, I tried to comfort him by putting my arms around him and giving him a hug.

Unfortunately, he felt it was my fault (not his own) that there was no time for a book, so he didn’t want me to comfort him! Oh well!

Luckily this morning, he came straight to me and said he was sorry, so we hugged and comforted each other, and agreed to tryRead more about April 19 – comfort[…]

April 18, 2019　=========

☆  reassure  自信を与える

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If you reassure someone, you say or do things to make them stop worrying about something. This week’s useful phrase is, “Thanks for reassuring me.” I had to use this phrase just last week!

It was bedtime, and my son wanted me to read a book, but it was too late, as he had been watching silly YouTube videos instead of getting ready for bed. So, I didn’t read a book to him, and he screamed and cried, and screamed some more! Oh boy was he noisy!

I actually sent a message to my neighbors saying sorry for the noise! Luckily, they replied that they couldn’t hear himRead more about April 18 – reassure[…]

April 17, 2019　=========

☆  miss 恋しい

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If you miss someone who is no longer with you or has died, you feel sad and wish that they were still with you. Last week when my son went on his camp, we did miss him! At the same time, though, it was nice to spend some one on one time with his younger siblings.

If you miss something, you feel sad because you no longer have it or are no longer doing it or experiencing it. There are a lot of things I miss about Japan! I miss the great food and restaurants. The cherry blossoms! Especially at this time of year! All of myRead more about April 17 – miss[…]

April 16, 2019　=========

☆  dedicate  ささげる

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To dedicate yourself to something, means that you give it a lot of time and effort because you think it is important. For example, nurses and doctors dedicate their lives to caring for sick people. My friend from high school has dedicated himself to politics and would like to be prime minister one day!

Last year was a big (and tough) year for my family, we welcomed a new baby, but also said goodbye to my mum. Both of these events meant that our house got filled with a lot more things! Baby things, and things from my mum’s house that I wanted, or that we neededRead more about April 16 – dedicate[…]

April 15, 2019　=========

☆  congratulate 祝う

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Just like thanking someone for their support, there are many different ways you can congratulate someone. There are of course many simple ways to congratulate someone, just saying, “Well done!” or “congratulations” is fine! Or like the useful phrase, “Allow me to congratulate you!”

However, if you can, being specific about why you are congratulating them, is a great idea. For example:

You’ve worked so hard for this. Well done on your promotion!
Congratulations on your new place! Please accept this small housewarming gift from us.
Well done on your examinations! I am so happy to hear that you got into the university you wanted.

Is it usual to be specificRead more about April 15 – congratulate[…]

April 14, 2019　=========

☆  support  支援

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“Thank you for your support.” is one of the useful phrases this week. This is a simple way of expressing your gratitude when someone has helped you. There are many, many ways to thank someone for their help and support – I’m sure there are many different ways to say it in Japanese, too! Here are some that you could try using:

Thank you for your support, I really appreciate your help.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me.
I cannot thank you enough for helping me.
Teachers / Bosses / Friends like you are hard to find.
Thank you so much for your guidance and support.
Your support is greatlyRead more about April 14 – support[…]

April 13, 2019　=========

☆  criticism 批判

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Yesterday was the last day of school for term one, our school year has four terms. So, we are already 25% of the way through the school year! Ha ha, that doesn’t seem like much, but the next three terms will probably go so quickly that it’ll be a new year before I know it!

Currently in Australia, most of our schools have a 7-5 system. Seven years of elementary (primary) school, and five years of secondary (high) school. Recently, there has been a lot of criticism about this, and some have suggested changing to 6-3-3 style like in Japan. The criticism of changing to this systemRead more about April 13 – criticism[…]

April 12, 2019　=========

☆  sentiment 感情

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A sentiment is an idea or feeling that someone expresses into words. If search for “lovely sentiment” on Google, it will come up with various things, including some lovely sayings like these:

“It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” (Anon)
“To plant a garden, is to believe in tomorrow.” Audrey Hepburn
“Any day spent with you is my favorite day. So, today is my new favorite day.” (Winnie the Pooh)
“Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than the one with all the facts.” Albert Einstein.

What do you think about these sentiments? Do theyRead more about April 12 – sentiment[…]

April 11, 2019　=========

☆  meaning  目的

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If an activity or action has meaning, it has purpose and is worthwhile. I think if you can find meaning in your work, then it is a lot easier to feel excitement and passion when you wake up and have to go to work each morning.

In English, we have the word, “paper-pusher” which describes the person doing a job which basically involves just pushing paper (reports, letters, memos etc) from one place to another. For example, from the desk to the drawer, or to someone else’s desk. This kind of paper-pusher job, it can feel dull and without meaning, right? So, it’s important to find waysRead more about April 11 – meaning[…]

April 10, 2019   　=========

☆  passion 情熱

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Perhaps if you have passion, then like I talked about yesterday, a qualification might not be necessary? Your passion to succeed in your chosen area, might be enough. Obviously, passion alone won’t be enough if you want to be a doctor or lawyer, then you’ll definitely need qualifications!

But really, when I look around at my friends who are running their own businesses, none of them have qualifications in business, like you might expect. Instead, they all have a passion for what they do and a desire to succeed.

Are you working in a field that uses your passion? Is passion important for success?

Bye,

Chris

April 9, 2019   =========

☆  qualification  素質

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What do you think about qualifications? It seems like some of the most successful people skipped the study, and went straight to work in their chosen field, and learned by trial and error, and this enabled them to be a success. Richard Branson for example, dropped out of school at 16, so did Leonardo DiCaprio, and Simon Cowell.

And these days, it seems even easier to be a success without qualifications… every day there seems to be a new YouTube star, with millions of followers, and a glamorous lifestyle, all without having finished school or university.

What do you think? Are qualifications becoming less important or doRead more about April 9 – qualification[…]

April 8, 2019      =========

☆  excitement 興奮

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Today my oldest son is heading off on a school camp for three days! He is filled with so much excitement! It’s only a short distance away, maybe one hour by bus, so a little bit different from the school camps in Japan, right? However, I think the level of excitement is probably the same – all kids love going on camp, right?

When was the last time you felt the thrill of excitement? What was it about? Why were you feeling that way? For me, it was probably this morning, dropping my son at school! He’ll be away for three days, the longest he’s everRead more about April 8 – excitement[…]

April 7, 2019 =========

☆  special 特別な

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Someone or something that is special is better or more important than other people or things. For example, I told you that last month my niece got married, and part of her vows to her new husband was the sentence, “You’re very special to me.”

At work, you could use it in this way, “The new recruits attended a special welcome meeting last Monday.”

Or, when saying goodbye to someone, “It’s been really special having you here. Have a safe trip back to England.”

Can you use special in a sentence?

Bye,

Chris

April 6, 2019　=========

☆  satisfying  満足を与える

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Something that is satisfying makes you feel happy, especially because you feel you have achieved something. What kinds of things feel satisfying to you? I think if you have been studying English for a while, and then take a TOEIC test or some other test, and have improved, that would be very satisfying.

I recently found my Japanese Proficiency test certificate when I was clearing out my filing cabinet.  I took the test way back when I was first in Japan. I successfully passed Level 2, the top is Level 1. I was pretty happy with that! I had done a lot of Kanji study, so itRead more about April 6 – satisfying[…]

April 5, 2019　=========

☆  aspiring  高みを目指した

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You can use aspiring to describe someone who is aiming to be successful in their field or career. Other words you could use are hopeful, ambitious, eager, longing, and an informal word that is often used, wannabe. One thing to remember if you plan to use ‘wannabe’ though, is that it can actually have a negative nuance.

For example:

He is an aspiring musician.
He is a wannabe musician.

She is an aspiring artist.
She is a wannabe artist.

In these situations, aspiring has the positive nuance of meaning the person will put in the effort to become a success. However, wannabe has the nuance that believe they just want to beRead more about April 5 -aspiring[…]

April 4, 2019　=========

☆  proud  自慢の

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The second useful phrase this week is, “You should be really proud.” You probably usually use this word to say things like, “I’m proud of you.” However, it’s fine to use it in this way, too: to suggest that someone should be proud of themselves.

Unfortunately, it’s seen as immodest or rude to be proud of yourself, and that is why we usually say things like, “I’m proud of you.” or “Your dad must be proud of you.” But if we’ve done a good job, or gotten a promotion, or passed our examinations or done something like that, it’s perfectly fine to feel proud, I think!

In fact,Read more about April 4 – proud[…]

April 3, 2019    =========

☆  phenomenal  驚異的な

============================

Something that is phenomenal is so great or good that it is very unusual. Sometimes in the media, they talk about a famous person’s phenomenal success. They might even say something like, “She has become a phenomenal success overnight.” However, success rarely happens overnight, right?

Success, and in particular, phenomenal success, is almost always a result of a lot of hard work in the background. And it’s usually a result of trying one more time instead of giving up. Just like the quote for this week:

“The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” Thomas Edison

Thank goodness Edison tried one moreRead more about April 3 – phenomenal[…]

April 2, 2019      =========

☆  massive  大きな

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“What a massive achievement!” is one of the useful phrases for this week. What sort of situation might you use this in?

For me, last month, my niece got married and the ceremony and dinner reception were lovely. She and her husband planned it all, and got it all paid for in cash by themselves, which I think these days in Australia, is a massive achievement. Most new couples pay for their wedding with credit cards! Or their parents pay. I think the fact that they saved for many months, in order to pay cash, really shows their commitment.

And, her older brother, my nephew, was atRead more about April 2 – massive[…]

April 1, 2019　    =========

☆  amazing 素晴らしい

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This month, we’re looking at the topic of Congratulations and Encouragements – A New Chapter in Your Life. This is actually quite interesting for me, now that I living back in Australia, because April is a bit of a “nothing” month!

February and March are amazing months! Full of festivals and events, so many there’s no way you could possibly attend them all. And then there is April… it’s the middle of term one for the school year. There aren’t any new recruits starting work at their first job after university.

In fact, I think the only thing that is amazing about April is the fact thatRead more about April 1 – Amazing[…]

March 31, 2019　=========

☆  dread  不安

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Dread is a feeling of great anxiety and fear about something that may happen. So, yesterday we spoke about self-doubt, and it’s true a lot of my students say they are filled with dread when they think about speaking English.

If you feel dread when thinking about using English, please don’t! what’s the worst that could happen? You could make a mistake – and if the other person is a mean person, they might laugh at your mistake… and if they do, then you probably don’t want to be friends with them anyway!

And, if they are a good person, they will just ask you to repeat yourselfRead more about March 31 – dread[…]

March 30, 2019　=========

☆  self-doubt 自信の喪失

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Self-doubt is a lack of confidence in yourself and your abilities. Oh this is one that I come across so often as an English teacher! So many students with great English skills, but their self-doubt makes them speak badly!

Do you have confidence in your English? If you do, then that’s fantastic! Speak English with confidence every chance you get! Do you experience self-doubt when it comes to speaking English? If you do, then stop it!! Your English is good enough! You are good enough! Please speak English with confidence every chance you get!

Bye,

Chris

March 29, 2019　=========

☆  message  メッセージ

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As a noun, the word message means a piece of information from you to someone, or from them to you, when you cannot speak to them directly. For example, when you call someone and get their answering machine, “Please leave me a message and I’ll get back to you.”

These days, I get a lot of advertising calls – they all want to sell me cheaper electricity and gas for my home. It’s so annoying, that these days I never answer my phone unless I know the number. If the caller doesn’t leave then I know it was a tele-marketer and I can block the caller! 

Bye,

Chris

March 28, 2019　=========

☆  relief  安心感

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If you feel a sense of relief, you feel happy because something unpleasant has not happened, or is no longer happening. If you have to say goodbye to someone, in some ways you might feel relief, right? For example:

“When my father passed away after a lot of suffering, it was a relief for all of us that he was no longer in pain.”
“It was such a relief to get a phone call from my daughter telling me that she had safely arrived in the US.”
“I didn’t like working with him, so it was a relief when he quit!”

Can you use relief in a sentence?

Bye,

Chris

March 27, 2019　=========

☆  inner-strength  内面の強さ

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Inner-strength is having integrity of character, and mental resistance to doubt or discouragement. Inner-strength gives you the capacity to face difficult challenges. Body strength is easy to build, right? Go to the gym and lift weights! Or some other kind of physical exercise that you prefer.

But how do you build inner-strength?

One suggestion by psychologists is to focus on identifying your natural character strengths, and start working to enhance them. Most people focus on what they are not good at, which actually doesn’t help build inner-strength, because it takes much longer to feel confident. Instead, focus on building your strengths even more.

Bye,

Chris

March 26, 2019　=========

☆  gesture ジェスチャー

============================

I’m interested in this word, what exactly is the meaning of it in Japanese – why is katakana used I wonder? In English, it has two meanings, the first one is a gesture or action that you do with your hands, face and sometimes body – as in body language.

However, it also has the important meaning of being something you say or do in order to express your feelings or attitude. For example:

She sent flowers after my mother passed away, it was such a lovely gesture.
I want to send a get ward card, as a gesture of my sympathy.
He got my name tattooed on his arm!Read more about March 26 – gesture[…]

March 25, 2019　=========

☆  courage  勇気

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Courage is the quality of being brave even when you might be afraid or experiencing hard times. The question for the end of the month is this:

“How do you have courage in rough times?”

Some of the answers in the Eigo Techo include relying on inner-strength and ignoring doubts. Another suggestion is to make a list of what’s on your mind, and then take action. I really like this idea. If you just spend time thinking and worrying, it’s hard to resolve anything, right? An easier way to have courage during rough times, is to make a list of what’s stressing you, and find ways around thoseRead more about March 25 – courage[…]

March 24, 2019　=========

☆  uplifting  気分の上がる

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Someone or something that is uplifting is something that makes you feel very cheerful and happy. I have a friend who everyone describes as uplifting, she is always smiling, and spending time with her always makes you feel happy and loved. If I’m feeling down, then I try to spend time with her!

However, if she is busy, my next choice is uplifting videos! Facebook and YouTube always recommend videos for me to watch so that I feel more cheerful! The only trouble of course is that you end up watching waaaaay tooooo many videos! I never manage to stop watching after just one. How about you?

Bye,

Chris

March 23, 2019　=========

☆  loving  愛のある

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Someone who is loving feels or shows love to other people. For example, “She was a loving and kind mother.” might be a way to describe a parent who has passed away. Or if a friend leaves to live in another area, you might say, “I really miss him, he was always very loving to me.” This doesn’t mean that he loves you in a romantic way, just that he was kind and gentle to you always.

You can also take loving actions, meaning that your action is done with great enjoyment and care. For example, you might clean your house with loving care! I recently readRead more about March 23 – loving[…]

March 22, 2019　=========

☆  concerned  心配している

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If you are feeling concerned, you are feeling worried, anxious, distressed, troubled, uneasy or upset. The useful phrase this week is, “There’s no need to be concerned.” In this case, the speaker is worried that the other person might be worried about them or the situation, so this is a simple and polite way to tell them not to worry.

Here are some example sentences:

The parents were concerned about recent decisions by the school.
Her family was concerned for her safety.
A: What’s wrong? Are you OK?
B: There’s no need to be concerned, I’m just sad because my friend has moved to America for a year.

Can you use concernedRead more about March 22 – concerned[…]

March 21, 2019　=========

☆  understanding  思いやりのある

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Today is “Harmony Day” in Australia, and so my kids have added a “splash of orange” to their school. I bought them orange shoelaces to use today! Orange is the color chosen to represent Harmony Day because it signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. The color orange also relates to the freedom of ideas and mutual respect.

Harmony Day is a day to celebrate multiculturalism in Australia, and the idea is to celebrate inclusiveness, respect, understanding and belonging for all Australians regardless of their culture or language background.

The day was chosen as it coincides with the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which isRead more about March 21 – understanding[…]

March 20, 2019　=========

☆  hopeful 希望のある

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If you are hopeful, it means that you want something to happen will happen, and you might be feeling confident that it will happen.

If you’ve said goodbye to someone recently, as in a relationship ended, you might be feeling hopeful that you will get back together with that person. Or you might feel hopeful that you can remain friends with your ex. Or you might even be hopeful that they move to another state and you never see them again! Ha ha!

Are you feeling hopeful about anything right now?

Bye,

Chris

March 19, 2019　=========

☆  warmhearted 心の温かい

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Someone who is warm-hearted is sympathetic and kind. For example, like the useful phrase this week, “She’s so warmhearted.” My neighbors are so warmhearted. Last year was pretty tough for us, and one neighbor made a lasagna dinner for us – it was huge and lasted us for a few days, while I was too busy to cook.

Another neighbor helped out during an emergency and looked after my baby girl so I could go to the hospital. 2018 was a crazy year for me, but it really showed me how lucky I am too, to be surrounded by so many warmhearted and generous people.

How about you?Read more about March 19 – warmhearted[…]

March 18, 2019　=========

☆  fond  好みの

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If you are fond of someone, you feel affection for them. For example, “I am very fond of you.” You can also use fond to describe behavior when you show affection. “She gave him a fond smile.”

If you are fond of something, you like it very much. “He was fond a collecting vinyl records.” And, if you have fond memories of someone or something, you remember them with pleasant feelings. For example, “I have fond memories of our trip to France.” Or, “I have fond memories of your mother.”

Have you said goodbye to someone recently? Do you have fond memories of them?

Bye,

Chris

March 17, 2019　=========

☆  get in touch  連絡を取る

============================

When I first went to Japan, there was no such thing as internet connections at home! I had to go into Harajuku and use an Internet café to get in touch with my family. Of course, I could call them and get in touch that way, but it was hard to find the right time to call, so email was more convenient.

The other night, my friend called me at 10pm on a Tuesday! I was so surprised – it’s not that late, but it is late when you have young kids! Ha ha. I didn’t answer, but I did send a text back askingRead more about March 17 – get in touch[…]

March 16, 2019　=========

☆  send someone’s sympathy  ～に気持ちを伝える

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If you send your sympathy to someone, you let them know that you are thinking of them. In Japan, when someone dies, is there a certain phrase or comment that you must make? In English, there are a few things you can say when you want to send your sympathy. Here are some examples:

Please allow me to send my sympathy to you/your mother/your father/your coworker etc.
I’m sorry for your loss.
I was saddened to hear about XX.
Sending you love and comforting hugs.
Please accept my deepest sympathy for your loss.

Bye,

Chris

March 15, 2019　=========

☆  fret  心配する

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This week’s useful phrase is, “Please don’t fret.” Meaning, please don’t worry. You might fret over something you have said to another person. In other words, you worry about how the other person feels about what you said.

When I was young, I said something horrible to my older sister… I fretted about it for YEARS!!! I was only 10 years old at the time. Finally, in my thirties (yes, 20 years later!!) I said sorry for saying that nasty thing to you. And she said, “What are you talking about? I don’t remember you saying that!” Oh my goodness!! 20 years of energy wasted fretting aboutRead more about March 15 – fret[…]

March 14, 2019　=========

☆  suffer  つらい思いをする

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If you suffer, it means that you are badly affected by an event or situation. Saying goodbye usually involves some suffering – at least for the person or people being left behind. I remember when I was 16 coming to Japan for a homestay for the first time. I was so excited, but I’m sure my parents were worried and suffered a lot, thinking about whether I was OK or not.

The people that get left behind are the ones that suffer the most, right? My oldest son is going on a camp at the end of this month. It’s for three days, usually his school campsRead more about March 14 – suffer[…]

March 13, 2019　=========

☆  abandon  断念する

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You can use abandon in a few different ways. Firstly, you can abandon a place or person, which means you leave that place or person permanently. For example, “Her husband abandoned her and the children, and she hasn’t seen him since last year.”

Secondly, you can abandon an activity or work, meaning you stop doing it before it is finished. My son usually abandons his Lego projects before he finishes them! It’s so hard to find the pieces apparently, so he gives up!

And thirdly, you can abandon an idea, meaning that you stop thinking in that way. For example, “I was thinking about starting an internet business,Read more about March 13 – abandon[…]

March 12, 2019　=========

☆  make someone’s day  ～を喜ばせる

============================

If you make someone’s day, you make them happy. What are some ways that you can make someone’s day? Surprise notes are a nice one, I think. When I make my kids’ school lunches, I sometimes put little notes in their lunch box. Last month, I made them a Valentine’s Day love heart and note. They came home and told me that the note was a lovely surprise and it had made their day.

If someone you know is sad or unhappy because they have said goodbye to someone, a nice way to make their day is to give them a gift to remind themRead more about March 12 – make someone’s day[…]

March 11, 2019　=========

☆  console  慰める

============================

To console someone means to comfort someone who is unhappy, and try to make them feel more cheerful. One of the hardest things I’ve had to do was actually console my kids when my own mom died last year. It was the worst time for me, and I wanted to be so sad and just cry and cry, but when I cried, my kids got worried and cried too!

So, I had to console them and let them know I was OK, but just sad and needed to cry. And then of course, when they felt sad about losing their granny, I had to console them –Read more about March 11 – console[…]

March 10, 2019   　=========

☆  rough time  つらい時

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When someone is going through a rough time, it means they are going through a challenging period in their life and they are struggling to do or cope with something. Saying goodbye to someone would definitely count as a rough time, I’d say, but whether you were struggling or unable to cope, would depend on the situation.

For example, if a friend moves to a different state or prefecture, you’d go through a rough time, I’m sure, but you’d most likely be able to cope, right? On the other hand, if you lost your job, and then someone in your family got very sick, thatRead more about March 10 – rough time[…]

March 9, 2019   =========

☆  good time  楽しい時

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A good time is when you enjoy yourself and have fun, you might say, “I had a good time tonight.” Or when you are apart from someone or feeling sad, you might use the useful phrase for this week, “Just remember the good times.”

Facebook’s “Memories” is a great way to remember the good times, I think. So long as you only post happy things! If you are posting things that make you feel sad, then when it comes up in your memory a year later, then it won’t be a good reminder!

Instagram has also started this feature, showing me photos that I posted aRead more about March 9 – good time[…]

March 8, 2019      =========

☆  solace  慰め

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Solace is a formal word, to describe the feeling of comfort that makes you feel less sad. For example, it’s common to say that you “find solace in XX”, so “I found solace in running when my father died 6 years ago.” Or “Many people find solace after losing a pet by adopting a new one soon.”

When something sad happens in your life, how do you find solace? What is your way of comforting yourself and making yourself feel better? Is it running or exercise? Or catching up with friends? Or just spending time alone and writing in a journal or reading a book? WhatRead more about March 8 – solace[…]

March 7, 2019 =========

☆  tranquility  平静

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Tranquility is the state of being tranquil; a peaceful and calm state, without noise or worry. There is never much tranquility in my house – except during school hours, when there is no one at home. Ha ha.

What about saying goodbye though? Sometimes there can be a feeling of tranquility and calmness when you are saying goodbye to someone. Cemeteries are usually filled with peace and tranquility, but other than for funerals, it’s not usual to spend time at cemeteries.

When was the last time you experienced tranquility?

Bye,

Chris

March 6, 2019　=========

☆  absence  不在

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Have you heard of the saying, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” This means that when someone is away, you miss them, and long for their return. This is a good saying for people in a long-distance relationship for example.

However, there’s also the exact opposite saying too! “Out of sight, out of mind.” Meaning that once there is physical distance between you and the other person, you forget about them. This can be good if there was a break up, but not for a long-distance relationship!

So, I guess depending on the reason for the absence, you can choose which idiom you want to use. Ha ha!

Bye,

Chris

March 5, 2019　=========

☆  companionship  友達付き合い

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Companionship is having someone you know and like with you, rather than being on your own. This doesn’t have to be a relationship, like husband and wife. It can be a friendship, or even an acquaintance.

I remember my mom used to enjoy traveling. The tours were specifically for older people. Many people came alone, because their husband or wife had already died. So, even though they didn’t know each other, they had a kind of companionship with each other during the trip. Sometimes, my mom met people that she got along with well, and so they organized to take more trips together! A great way toRead more about March 5 – companionship[…]

March 4, 2019　=========

☆  empathy  共感

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Empathy is the ability to share another person’s feelings and emotions as if they were your own. I often talk about the difference between empathy and sympathy, as in the translation it can be confusing which one is being used.

Sympathy is when you feel compassion, sorrow or pity for the hardships that another person is going through. Empathy is actually putting yourself in the shoes of the other person and feeling the way they do.

For example:
Sympathy – It must have been very difficult when XXX happened to you.
Empathy – I know what it feels like to have XXX happen. (Because XXX has also happened to me)

Bye,

Chris