Sunday, August 12, 2012

Study English in Philippines



1.Prologue

My wife and I went to Cebu in Philippines in order to study English from July 9th to 13th.
This was the first experience in our life to study abroad.


The street in front  English school named "Langrich"



Many Japanese and Koreans went to Philippines to study English because most Filipinos can speak English fluently that is their second language.

While the number of students from Japan is about 10,000 people, Koreans are about over 100,000 people.
I think that this is the one of the reasons why Koreans have bigger presence compare to Japanese worldwide.

There are many language schools established by Koreans in Philippines.
Taxi driver said to me by Koreans language.
Koreans are popular than Japanese in Philippines.
Many Koreans master English,  they dominate the emerging country like Samsung, LG.
Most teachers have Samsung's mobile phone.
There are many Koreans products in electric shops.



2. About lesson

Back to the concept,
I studied English one-on-one for eight hours a day from eight to five.  
It was very hard. 

I studied with six teachers.
Each teacher is very upbeat and warm.

In addition, I was glad with their warm hospitality.
During our stay, my wife and I celebrated our birthday by them.
Thanks to all the staffs of English school Langrich !


I had enjoyable time with them even if I studied eight hours a day.

I learned from different teachers.

A teacher who taught me about the poverty in Philippines,
A nurse who worked hard in order to live in Canada for her future,
A college student who worked hard in order to pay for his tuition.

They worked very hard but their eyes were very shining.

Many Japanese think that Japan is number one in Asia in spite of our shrinking economy.
While Japanese live in idleness,  People all over the world work hard for better life.
I had a valuable experience to hear their real voice which we could not acquire only by sightseeing.



3.After School

We spent time in our own way after school.
Some study by themselves.

This is a TOEIC special class.
This class was very good for us.


Some went to the shopping mall. 
JY Square Mall is near the school.


Ayala Center is located in Cebu city,

Some did sight-seeing.
This is a high-class resort Shangri-La's Mactan Resort & Spa




4. Graduation 

How one week had quickly passed, I graduated from school.
All graduates made a graduation speech.


Finally, everyone sang !

And, Party.






5. Epilogue

I didn't improve English skill very well because of only one week.
But I was given the power and I was motivated.
And I realized that I am a part of this world and unique.

I am glad that I study English.
My world is expanding.
I felt regret that I did nothing during my college days.
However,  I think it is still not too late to study English even if I am 42 years old.

For young people, go abroad !
You have infinite possibilities.


At last,
I'd like to thank all the staffs and students of Langrich.
I gave them my speech at the graduation party.
The link of my graduation speech is here.

And, I'd like to thank a Twitter's friend.
I came here under the influence of him.
I didn't think that I would study English in foreign country when I followed his twitter account.

Social networking service like Twitter and Facebook mix thoughts and lives of many people like a popular Filipino dessert Halo-Halo (from Tagalog word halò, "mix")  and changes our life amazingly.

I am extremely grateful for SNS.
Life is like a Halo-Halo.


Halo-Halo




The very end, 
Let's sing this song that everyone sang at the graduation party.

Carly Rae Jepsen
"Call Me Maybe"



See you again at somewhere in the world.

Daghang Salamat !



Sunday, August 5, 2012

Let's be the fire monkey!


Let me talk about top two suicidal countries.
First of all,
I'll give you an interesting number.

30,000

What is 30,000 ?
Let me give you a hint.

The third most economically powerful country in the world is no other than Japan.
There are numerous developments.
Technological developments are countless in this part of the world.
Nobody dies of poverty and starvation.

But here's the catch, 
30,000 Japanese commit suicide ever year.
This overwhelming fact places us in the top ten most suicidal country all over the world.
The limelight is also shared by the Samsung genius, Korea.

The country which embrace communism, a hardwired political belief against capitalism, are in a tip-top state of dying by suicide.
This fact makes us realize how strange far-east countries are.

What on earth are they thinking?
It doesn't take a lifetime to know that Korea and Japan place a hefty price tag to the society more than the individual.

There is no Steve Jobs in Japan.
Because the people who have been bitten by the western bug is irrationally brought out of the wall.

However, 
development of human being has been attained by person who are different from everyone else.

Let me show you examples:

Thomas Edison
Albert Einstein

and 
The monkey who made history by creating fire using stones.


So, I think that we must live following our belief and intuition.
Life gives us only one chance.
Life is very short to live for someone else.


Let's be the fire monkey !