The Day I Forgot My Smartphone (En)😅

The other day, for the first time in quite a while, I went to a solo concert by the Korean idol Kogun. He is a former member of NIK, a group produced by Yoonhak of Supernova(超新星), and after NIK disbanded, he joined the "Play Back 7 Project." He was scheduled to leave the project at the end of the month.

A friend of mine, T-san—a fellow fan I've known for more than ten years through our shared love of Supernova, CNBLUE, and FTISLAND—had purchased the tickets and kindly shared one with me. Although I left the official fan club during the pandemic, she still invites me to concerts and events from time to time.

I'm usually a very careful person, but what happened that day was something I never imagined would happen to me. 😅

Perhaps because of the heavy rain, I accidentally left my smartphone at home. It was the first time I had ever done that—and of all days, it had to happen on the very day I needed an e-ticket! Disappointed with myself, I quietly prayed and placed everything into God's hands. 😿

When we arrived at the venue, I tried to display my QR code using T-san's phone. However, because it was being accessed from another device, the system required an authentication code, which had been sent to the phone I had left at home. 😅 I panicked for a moment, but my name and seat number were visible on her screen, so I quickly showed my ID instead. The staff kindly said, "Please be more careful next time," and allowed me to enter without the QR code. Thank You, God!

Watching Kogun—who could hardly speak Japanese five years ago—sing, dance, and introduce each song in Japanese with such sincerity, I was deeply moved by how much effort he must have put into learning the language.

Then came another unexpected surprise. Since I usually don't take two-shot photos with the artist, I was leaving the venue by myself. The moment I opened the exit door, I literally bumped into Kogun. Completely caught off guard, all I could do was give him a small bow with a surprised look on my face. It's funny how no words come out when you're totally taken by surprise! 😅

To make things even more challenging, we had taken a taxi from Shibuya—where we had lunch—to a point near the venue in Omotesando. That meant I now had to find my way alone to either Omotesando or Shibuya Station. I have such a terrible sense of direction that I can't even retrace my own route, so I wondered how on earth I would get back without my phone. 😅

Normally, all the information I need is on my phone. Fortunately, I had looked at a map the day before and vaguely remembered that I needed to follow a street called "Lohas-dori" near Omotesando Station. As I carefully retraced my steps, I spotted a street sign for Lohas-dori on a utility pole and followed it.

Before long, the familiar streets of Omotesando came into view. Although I rarely visit the area, I had walked there several times on my way to concerts in the past. I remembered that if I turned left and kept walking straight, I would eventually reach Meiji-jingumae Station. Walking through Omotesando in the rain felt almost like strolling through a city overseas, and before I knew it, I had reached the station and even managed to catch an express train home without any problems. Not bad for someone with such a poor sense of direction, right? 🤣

Ironically, because I had left my smartphone at home, I spent the train ride completely absorbed in a book I had bought the day before: How I Passed the Eiken Grade 1 Exam at the Age of 72 through Self-Study. It also gave me a few new insights.

Looking back, what began as an embarrassing mistake turned into an unexpectedly memorable day.

にほんブログ村

にほんブログ村　　　　　

多言語学習ランキング

７２歳で英検１級に合格した人

　　　　　　　　　　　　

この本の著者は、江田信久さんという吃音カウンセリングを仕事にされている７３歳の方です。７０歳になった時に思い立って英検１級を目指し、７２歳の時に５回目のチャレンジで合格された方です。私が興味を持ったのは、彼もクリスチャンだったからです。この方を知ったのは、１年前のこのYouTubeです。

YouTubeを初めて観た時は、「この方はどんな勉強法で英検１級に合格したのだろう」と純粋に興味を持ちました。華やかな英語力を前面に出すタイプではなく、どのように学び続けたのか知りたくなったのです。そして、３ヶ月前に出版されたこの本を買い、先週土曜日はスマホを家に置き忘れて電子チケットのライブに行きましたが、この本はバッグに入れていたので、行き帰りと自宅で一気に読みました。（スマホを忘れた話は、又後ほど…😅）

江田さんの英検受験は、高校の時に２級を取得して以来の挑戦だったとのことで更に驚きました。今は準１級もありますし、約半世紀ぶりの受験なわけです。かなりのチャレンジャーで、「学びを止めることは、成長を止めること」の強い信念を持っておられます。

私も主にあって(in the Lord)かなりポジティブで、「何かをするのに遅すぎることはない」と思っていて、「諦める」ことが苦手です。これまでも、年齢に関係なく色々なことを始めています。なので、「私もそう！」「同じ！」と、江田さんに共感することは多々ありました。

そして、一番興味を持ったのは彼の勉強法でした。驚いたことに、彼は自宅で１日の殆どをオンラインでの仕事に充てているという事でした。その仕事の隙間時間を使って、１日２時間程度を勉強に充てていたのです。そして参考書を使いませんでした。

色々そろえたようですが、実際に活用したのは次の３つでした。

1. 【リーディング対策用】『英検１級長文読解問題１２０』（旺文社）
2. 【ライティング対策用】『英検１級英作文問題　改訂版』（旺文社）
3. 【単語対策用】『英検１級　でる順パス単　５訂版』（旺文社）

リスニングは、犬の散歩をしながら、イヤホンを装着し、単語帳アプリや、NHKワールドJapanをひたすら流し、ニュースのシャドーイングまでしていたそうです。ライティングに関しては、自分の書いた英文を主に「Grammarly」に添削してもらっていました。

英語以前に幅広い知識を求められる為、どのような勉強をしていたか気になりました。江田さんは、トピック別（環境、労働、人権、経済等）に何十もの項目別に、独自のノートを作って、１次試験、２次試験にも役に立てていました。

又、年齢的なこともあると思いますが、重点を置かれていたのは、とにかく繰り返すことや復習でした。私はNHKラジオの各国語学番組を聴いていますが、聴きっぱなして復習を殆どしていませんでした。勉強した気になっていたことを反省しました。😅

私が一番驚いたのは、ネイティブの友達と話したり、英会話学校に一切通っていなかったことです。では、どうやってスピーキング対策をしたのかが謎でした。彼はインプットを徹底していて、１次試験対策のノウハウを２次試験でも活用していたようです。

私が一番心にささったというか、気づきとなったのは、私は完璧を目指していたために挫折し苦しむばかりだったということです。１日のノルマを細かく計画しすぎて、それが達成しないと自分を責めるようなことばかりで、楽しむことはありませんでした。😅

江田さんは、細かい計画を立てるようなことはせず、無理はせず、「好きなことに楽しんで取り組んで」勉強をされていました。一部彼の勉強法と重なることはありました。正社員時代、通勤に往復３時間近くかかっていたので、電車の中が勉強部屋でした。

振り返れば、私は学生時代から、英単語を覚える時はいつもバスや電車の中でした。家で机に向かって覚えることは難しく、変化がある環境の方が覚えやすいのです。それで、昨日から『でる順パス単』を早天祈祷会(an early morning prayer meeting) の帰りに聴くことから始めました。細かい計画は立てずに、ゆったりと楽しみながら、学びを続けようと思います。

にほんブログ村

にほんブログ村　　　　　

多言語学習ランキング

⑳My Faith Journey: Overcoming Evil with Good (En)

　　　　　　

(For about four or five months, I was bullied by a coworker. Yet God completely protected my heart and enabled me to persevere with the attitude of “overcoming evil with good.” In the end, He gave me the victory.)

I found myself working for a Japanese company again. As a Sales Assistant, I handled export shipments, wrote English correspondence, translated documents, and coordinated communication between our U.S. branch office and the production and engineering departments. I was entrusted with a wide range of responsibilities.

The company was part of the amusement industry, so the work was exciting and full of possibilities. Even the unfashionable uniform that had bothered me at first was replaced with a new design within a month of my joining the company. I was even given the opportunity to appear on a television program called OL Club. It was a very interesting experience.

The fact that I was working for a Japanese company, which had initially concerned me, soon stopped bothering me. In fact, I came to appreciate the warm and friendly atmosphere. It was something I had not experienced in my previous foreign company. My immediate supervisor called me by my first name with “---chan,” which was a little embarrassing at my age, but it also reflected the relaxed and friendly environment.

However, for the first time in my life, I experienced open and obvious bullying.

During my first few weeks, there were only two women in our department, and we got along well. We even ate lunch together. But when two other assistants joined the company around the same time, her attitude toward me suddenly changed. I could not understand why. I thought about possible reasons, but none came to mind.

Many people enjoy gossiping and speaking negatively about others, but I have never liked that sort of thing. Perhaps I seemed boring or distant because I did not participate in such conversations. Whatever the reason, she began spreading negative stories about me. I later learned that she was speaking badly about me behind my back.

I constantly wondered whether I had done something wrong. I had always treated her with kindness and respect, and no matter what she said about me, I never spoke badly of her in return. Unfortunately, her feelings began affecting our work. Whenever I approached her about business matters, she would respond with obvious irritation. It felt as though she criticized me no matter what I did. I did not expect everyone to like me, but being disliked for no apparent reason was very painful.

Thankfully, the people around me understood who I was. Many of them did not approve of her behavior. Of course, I prayed to Jesus about the situation. I am the kind of person who can accept a difficult outcome if I know I have done my best. So I decided to continue living by the principle of “overcoming evil with good.”

After about four or five months, she suddenly resigned from the company. I heard that she simply said, “I’m tired,” and left.

The day before her departure, I approached her with an English-Japanese parallel New Testament that I had purchased in advance. I wanted to give it to her as a farewell gift.

“Thank you for everything,” I said. “Please accept this.”

But she glared at me and replied, “I haven’t done anything for you, and I have no reason to receive this.”

Even when I said, “This is simply my way of expressing my feelings,” she refused to accept it.

I was deeply hurt. Later, I spoke to my department manager about what had happened. He comforted me by saying, “Don’t be discouraged. People like her have trouble fitting in wherever they go.”

Much later, I learned something that helped me understand the situation. She loved English and had been studying it on her own by listening to English-learning cassette tapes. She had wanted a job that involved using English, like the one I had.

When I heard that, I thought to myself that things might have been different if she had approached life more positively and proactively. Jealousy, resentment, and anger do not truly harm the people toward whom they are directed. In the end, they return to the person who harbors them and prevent that person from finding real happiness.

Those four or five months were difficult for me. Yet God protected my heart through His Word and kept me from being controlled by bitterness or resentment. He enabled me to remain steadfast and gave me the victory.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
(Romans 12:21 NIV)

------ to be continued -----

p.s.

These testimonies are written in chronological order. Testimonies ①–④ tell how I came to faith in Christ, and the testimonies that follow describe my walk with Him. Please see the link below.

https://heidisstudyroom.blogspot.com/search/label/My%20Faith%20Journey%28%E8%A8%BC%29

にほんブログ村

にほんブログ村　　　　　

多言語学習ランキング

Nostalgic Queen (En)

While categorizing my Hatena Blog (in Japanese), which I have been writing for 20 years, I came across YouTube links to Queen's "The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke" and "Nevermore" in a diary entry from 2010. Both songs were linked there. Below are the two songs from Queen's official YouTube channel.

Last month, when I went to karaoke with classmates from music college, I chose "Bohemian Rhapsody." However, the tempo was so fast and the lyrics were so unusual that I was unable to keep up with it. 😅 I suspect the same thing would happen with "The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke"...

I think "Nevermore" is wonderful because Freddie Mercury's singing is so beautiful. At that time, I liked Brian May, the intellectual and sensitive guitarist, but when it comes to singing, I prefer Freddie's voice to Brian's.

Back when I was studying English literature in college, I was a quiet and introverted person, so people were often surprised when I said I listened to hard rock. My personality has changed since then, but even now, some people are surprised that I enjoy listening to rock music as well as singing hymns. 😅

I like melodic and dramatic music regardless of genre. That preference applies to both opera and rock. A few days ago, I found a recording of opera arias that I sang 17 years ago in my iTunes library. I'm thinking about uploading it to YouTube as a keepsake.

にほんブログ村

にほんブログ村　　　　　

多言語学習ランキング

Singing a Solo at Sunday Service: "なが顔われ今たずぬ" (Eng/It)

Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to sing hymn No. 559, "Naga Kao Ware Ima Tazunu," as a solo during the Sunday service. I usually sing it a half-step or a whole step higher than the original key, but during the rehearsal just before the service, it felt too low. So I asked my pianist to raise it another half-step. I am grateful to my wonderful pianist for her flexibility and willingness to adapt on short notice.

 

At my lesson the day before the service, I usually bring my copy of L'OPERA ITALIANA, but I accidentally brought Volume I instead of Volume III. As a result, I ended up singing a Mozart aria instead of Puccini. Unexpectedly, I sang the Countess's aria from Le nozze di Figaro for the first time in nine years. The first half was a mess, but somehow my body remembered the aria during the second half.

Just as with language learning, I feel that singing is difficult to maintain without regular practice. During the pandemic, recitals were canceled, and I lost my sense of purpose. However, when I talked with my vocal teacher, she told me that many of her other students felt the same way. As we talked, the idea of holding another recital began to take shape. I'm very happy and excited about the possibility of singing arias again.

                                                             **********************

Cantare un assolo durante il culto domenicale

(Video)

Domenica scorsa ho cantato da sola l'inno numero 559 al culto. Di solito canto questo inno mezzo tono o un tono più alto. Ma durante la prova era troppo basso per me. Così ho chiesto alla pianista di alzarlo di un semitono. Sono molto grata alla mia pianista.

(Video)

Il giorno prima avevo una lezione di canto. Di solito porto il mio libro L'OPERA ITALIANA. Ma per errore ho portato il volume uno invece del volume tre. Così ho cantato Mozart invece di Puccini. Ho cantato l'aria della Contessa da Le Nozze di Figaro. Era la prima volta dopo nove anni. La prima parte era un disastro. Ma il mio corpo ricordava ancora l'aria.

Come le lingue, anche il canto ha bisogno di pratica. Durante la pandemia non c'erano recital. Ho perso il mio obiettivo. La mia insegnante ha detto che molti studenti avevano lo stesso problema. Adesso pensiamo a un nuovo recital. Sono molto felice. Spero di cantare di nuovo delle arie.

にほんブログ村

にほんブログ村　　　　　

多言語学習ランキング