Merry Xmas, Everybody!

We love Halloween. Every year, we make our own Halloween costume. We also make our own Xmas cards. We often include our Halloween costumes in our Xmas cards. This year, we were the old-style Batman, Batwoman (NOT Batgirl!) & the new-style Batman (A.K.A. The Dark Knight).

You can check out all our past Xmas cards here...

https://plus.google.com/photos/105578912182962098197/albums/6096691685950291249

Have a merry Xmas and a happy & healthy 2015!

Video from Halloween 2014 on the Dotonbori Bridge

A huge crowd of young, costumed Japanese celebrate Halloween 2014 on the Dotonbori Bridge, in Shinsaibashi, Osaka.

Photos from Halloween 2014 on the Dotonbori Bridge

Click Here for Photos from Halloween 2014 on the Dotonbori Bridge

Japan invented "cosplay" so it makes sense that Halloween has become a BIG thing here! Every year, huge groups of young Japanese dress in costumes and go to the Dotonbori Bridge, in Namba. This year, Halloween fell on the Friday before a long weekend so more people than usual dressed up & celebrated on the bridge. Here is just a small selection of some of the costumes that were there...

Halloween 2014 on the Dotonbori Bridge

What to do for Halloween in Shinsaibashi & Tennoji this Friday

Last Halloween (the REAL Halloween -- October 31st!), I visited the Dotombori Bridge with a friend to check out all the people in costume. We had a great time!

This year, I'm meeting some other friends at Ola Tacos Bar (http://homepage2.nifty.com/olatacos/), in Shinsaibashi, at 8:00 pm for a quick dinner. After dinner, we're going to go down to the bridge to check out this year's costumes.

After we've finished on the bridge, we're going to catch the subway down to Tin's Hall, a bar in Tennoji, to watch a friend's concert & join the bar's Halloween party.

If you want to join us, come to Ola at 8:00 pm!

Here are some photos from last year's trip to the bridge:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.461674580617132.1073741826.195824250535501&type=3

2014 Halloween at Ola -- The Photos!

Every year, my family & friends enjoy celebrating Halloween at Ola Tacos Bar ( http://homepage2.nifty.com/olatacos/ ), in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. This year, we were Classic Batman, Batwoman & The Dark Knight -- a Bat-Family!

You can check out all our photos from the night here: https://picasaweb.google.com/105578912182962098197/HalloweenAtOla2014?authuser=0

Halloween Party in Shinsaibashi, Osaka, this Saturday, October 25th

 

Halloween is nearly here -- already!!!!  This year, we'll be going to the Halloween Party at Ola Tacos Bar this Saturday, October 25th, from 6:00 pm.

Please Note: This event is intended for ADULT students!

We hope to see you there!  Don't forget that it's more fun if you wear a costume!

Here are a few pictures from previous Halloween parties at Ola (Click on the links below each photo to see more photos!)...

 

Halloween at Ola 2008

 

Halloween at Ola 2009

 

Halloween at Ola 2010

 

Halloween at Ola 2011

 

Halloween at Ola 2012

 

Halloween at Ola 2013

A Fun Way to Review

We're always looking for new ways to make review interesting for our younger students. Recently, Mayumi read a book by Goro Taijiri, an English teacher who often works on NHK. He recommended using fly swats for a fun (& safe!) version of "Flashcard Slam." As you can see, the kids love it!

何事も反復練習が大切です。新しい単語や表現を学んでも、身に付くまでは何度も練習。間をあけて何度も練習です。その１番の方法はゲーム！私たちもあれや これやと考案し、巷のアイディアを参考にしながらやっています。今回はNHKテレ基礎英語の田尻悟郎先生のおすすめアイテム。『ハエたたき』カルタゲーム でカードを取るのにピシャリとハエたたきを使います。初めて見る道具にびっくりの子供たちが白熱するのに時間はかかりませんでした！（笑）
レッスンの前半でしっかり学ぶ
そして後半で楽しく英語で遊ぶ
『遊ぶ』よさは、私たちがする英語的リアクションを、ゲームに夢中の子供たちが自然にやり始めることにもあります！

Live Music on Friday, September 12th

OMG! (Oh, My God!)  What happened to the summer?!  I was planning to post soooo many things on this Blog over the holidays ... and now it's nearly the middle of September!  I guess time really DOES fly!

Anyway, the temperature is starting to cool down.  It's a good time to start going out again.  This Friday, September 12th, my friend David is playing at the Shinsaibashi Blarney Stone with the band REVolution, which plays a mix of hard rock & funk covers.  The band will start playing around 8:30 pm.  I'm working on Friday night so I will get there around 9:00 to 9:30 pm.  There is no entrance charge and recently the band has been sounding VERY good -- hope to see you there!

What Happened to the Shinsaibashi Classroom?

It's been just over 4 months since we moved out of the Shinsaibashi classroom.  It seems like only yesterday, but it seems a lifetime ago!

We're still in contact with our old landlord & now friend, Noriyuki Ueno.  Recently, I saw some photos of what the classroom looks like now.

 Wow!  That's quite different, isn't it?!

Noriyuki is now a host for Airbnb (that's Air B&B, an online site for booking bed & breakfast accommodation).  He rents out rooms for one-night, weekly, & monthly stays in Shinsaibashi.  You can check out all his rooms here: https://www.airbnb.com/s?host_id=10286213

The big yellow table is not gone!

We still use it for our adult classes at the new classroom in Sekime Takadono.

Thermae Romae 2

 

On Sunday night, my family & I went to see Thermae Romae 2.  It was great fun!  I could really relate to Lucius, the main character, because he's also a foreigner trying to understand Japanese baths. (My favourite scene was Lucius trying to work out where to look in the mixed bath [混浴] -- I totally understand that scene!!!)

After the movie, we checked out the merchandise in the lobby.  We were surprised to see that Camera Otoko, the No-More-Movie-Piracy character, had his own corner!

We also found the must-have Thermae Romae merchandise -- a bathtub plug shaped like Lucius.  Of course we bought it!

You can check out the trailer for the movie here...

What Happened to the Last 2 Months?!

Wow! What happened to the last 2 months? They just seemed to fly by!

In English, we often say that “time flies when we’re having fun.” This means that when we are having fun, time passes quickly. I’m not too sure if I’ve been having fun in the last 2 months! – I’ve been too busy to notice!

Actually, since the beginning of April, I’ve been flat out like a lizard drinking! (Click on the expression to find out what it means.)

Live Music at the Hard Rock Cafe (Hommachi), Friday, April 25th

Our friend Dave is in a rock/funk band called "Revolution." They are playing at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hommachi, on Friday, April 25th, from about 8 p.m.. My family and some other friends will go there around 7:00 p.m.  We THINK they'll finish playing at around 11:00 p.m.!  Why don't you join us!

Hope to see you there!

They are playing funk in the above video.  When they play rock, they sometimes play AC/DC -- what's not to love!

No Way! ありえへ〜ん！

気持ちと英語表現が重なると身につきますね！

Thank You, Kyoko!

 Many years ago, I wrote on this Blog about our student Kyoko, who is a fashion designer (Be & Me Student Saves the World). Yesterday, some really funky cushions designed by Kyoko were delivered to our new classroom. They were a new classroom-opening present.

Thanks, Kyoko! The kids really love them!

Be & Me 英会話 Club の 高殿教室 の オープニング パーティー

昨日は心斎橋教室の生徒さんや友人が

高殿教室のオープニングパーティー集まってくれました
わいわい　がやがや　２５名くらいかな
バルコニーでは　子供たちがピクニック
コトミが開いてくれた　ジャマイカ料理に舌鼓　♪
ビールに　ワイン・・
そして
みんなからいただきました
きれいなお花や緑たち
We're going to look after them well!
ほんまにありがとう！
明日は小学生コースのスタートです！

 

高殿教室　開校します！

高殿教室 開校します！

長年みなさまに通って頂いた心斎橋教室も、今月末で引っ越しになりました。

本当に長い間ありがとうございました。

さて　高殿教室でスタートします「小学生コース」のご案内を致します。

曜日：　火曜日　　水曜日　　木曜日　　金曜日

低学年　　 ４：３０－５：１０　（午後）

中低学年　　５：１５－５：５５

高学年　　 ６：００－６：４０

定員：　６名／クラス

お月謝　：　８，０００円／４０分／４回

入会金・テキスト代は不要です。

初回のみ、スクールバッグ購入のため、５００円が必要となります。

詳しいことはお問い合わせください。

説明会も開催しますので、お楽しみに！

問い合わせアドレス　：　beandme.takadono@gmail.com

Above photo by Kenji Matsuyama

Alright!

I finished work early today (it was graduation day) so I've been cleaning out my PC (getting ready to "retire" it). I found this GIF, that I made many, many years ago using photos I took at one of our spring picnics.

高殿教室 説明会の様子です！

日曜日は高殿教室の小学生コースの説明会でした。

たくさんの方に参加して頂きました。

ありがとうございました！

3月25日よりレッスンスタートします♪

地域のみなさまへも募集開始させて頂きますので

よろしくお願いいたします！

詳しくは　be-and-me.com ホームページの「生徒のみなさんへ」を

ご覧ください！

Be & Me 英会話 Club - 06-6916-2613

スクールカレンダー & イベント

みなさん、こんにちは！オンライン”スクールカレンダー＆お知らせ”の ページをアップデイトしました！当月のサービスレッスン日やキッズクラスの日程、祝 日やイベント案内が日本語で確認できます。

当校の ホームページ（http://www.be-and-me.com/） の “スクールカレンダー”または "生徒のみなさんへ" をクリックして下さい！または直接下記のアドレスへリンクして下さい！（携帯電話からも可能です）

ス クールカレンダー :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-3.html

生 徒のみなさんへ :
http://beandme.blog6.fc2.com/blog-category-5.html

よ ろしくお願いします！

ヨガりました！

おはよぅ・・イタタタタ

腹筋あたりが・・少し・・

肩甲骨のまわりも・・

でも　よく動く！　よくまわる！

ヨガはやっぱり気持ちがいいです

 しのぶ先生は　肩や首まわりから　ゆっくりストレッチをスタート

教室のバルコニーから朝の柔らかい日差しが入って

気持ちものびのび

しのぶ先生チョイスの音楽も静かに流れて・・

身体のこと
筋肉のこと
骨盤のこと
子育てのこと

いろいろ話しをしながら　先生の動作をまねます



ひとつ　ひとつ　の動きが　ヨガのポーズへのステップ

「英雄」　とか　「ネコ」　や　「ドッグ」

名前をだんだん覚えてきました

正月太りが（正直）気になる私のリクエストに答えて

お腹回りを鍛えるエクササイズもやってくれました

だから　今朝は　イタタタタ

でも　「エクササイズしたぞ」感の痛みが嬉しい私

さぁ　毎日１０回　続けるぞ

＊　高殿教室　ヨガクラス　＊

毎週　月曜日　午前１０：３０－１１：４０　（７０分）　　１０００円／１回

要予約　：　beandme.takadono@gmail.com
件名　：　「ヨガ予約」　と書いてください　

大阪市旭区高殿６－３－１５　ハイツアドニス　２階　（１階はマクドナルド国道関目店です）

今年もよろしくお願いします

みなさん　お久しぶりです　　
Be & Me 英会話 Club　は　新しい教室に　引っ越しました
じゃ～ん

大阪市旭区高殿６－３－１５　ハイツアドニス　２Ｆ
（１Ｆはマクドナルド国道関目店）

谷町線関目高殿駅徒歩１分／今里線関目育成駅徒歩５分

英会話レッスンの本格スタートを３月に控え、只今準備の真っ最中です
まず最初のお知らせは　ストレッチヨガクラス
私自身が習ってきた　＜　佐藤しのぶ先生　＞　を　お迎えしてスタートしました
毎週月曜日　午前１０：３０－１１：４０
料金　：　１０００円／１回　（１０回参加された方には１回無料プレゼント）
先生の気さくな人柄とオモシロトークで　ビギナーの方にこそ体験してほしい！
動きやすい服装で　無料貸し出しマットもありますので　気軽に始められますよ　
１月２0日（月）から　毎週やっています
来週月曜日もまだまだ空いてます 　 ご予約待ってます！
予約アドレス　：　beandme.takadono@gmail.com
件名　：　ヨガ予約　（　と　書いてください　）

 しのぶ先生　高殿教室

Live Music in Shinsaibashi this Friday, Jan. 24th

My friend Dave sings in a rock band called Revolution.  Revolution are having a concert at The Blarney Stone, an Irish pub in Shinsaibashi, this Friday night.  I'm going to go.  Why don't you join me?

Here are the details...

When: Friday, January 24th.

What time: The band will start to play around 9:00 pm.  I will be teaching until 9:30 pm, so I'll get there around 9:40 pm.  The band will play until very late, but I will leave at about 11:15 pm, in time to catch my last train.

Where: The Blarney Stone Irish Pub in Shinsaibashi, opposite the Comfort Hotel in Europa Street.
Click here for a map (in Japanese): http://www.the-blarney-stone.com/shinsaibashi/jmap.php

Cost: The concert is free.  Drinks are "cash on delivery" (you pay each time you order a drink).

Hope to see you there!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  Did you have a good holiday?

Be & Me 英会話 Club starts lessons again from today, January 6th, 2014.  We are looking forward to seeing you soon!