Picture 1

Look at all 5 photos. With a partner, discuss the following:
Where is/are (s)he/ they? What is/are (s)he/ they doing? Why? How does/do (s)he/ they feel? What happened before the photo was taken? What will happen after this?

Please explain in your next post about what is happening in a photo, and what were the causes that created this effect. If you can only write a small amount on one photo, choose two or three.

Resolutions

The end of the year is nearly here already, and we're all starting to think about the winter break. Some of you will be looking forward to a "romantic" Christmas, others will be having fun with friends. Both sound fine to me. Of course Christmas has nothing to do with romance in Western countries...it's a family time, more like O-shogatsu here.


As the new year approaches, it's also a traditional custom to take stock of yourself
(= think about how you are now, what you would like to change). People make new year's resolutions (things they promise themselves they will change, e.g. some bad habits or weak points of their character). My resolution is to eat more pizza and drink more beer, because I didn't have enough in 2011 (ha ha).

How about you? Do you have any regrets about 2011? What would you like to change for 2012?

Something new

As a university student, this is the best time for you to have a variety of experiences, right? When was the last time you tried something new (did something for the first time)?

During our trip to Hokkaido in the summer, my wife and I went to the horse races, not for the first time, but the second time for me, and the third time for her. It had been 25 years since my first time, so it felt like a new experience. If you've never been, you might enjoy trying it once if you go to a place with pleasant facilities like this one (in Hakodate). We could sit on the grass, see the horses as they walked around before the start of the races, and have some small bets just for fun.

What would you like to try for the first time, as soon as possible? If you have no definite idea, just write about a couple of things you think you MIGHT enjoy trying (not "challenging"...Japanaese English).