This is me reading mirai's diary entry: http://www.voiceblog.jp/mirai33/2120514.html

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Yesterday, there was something that caused me to think about what I want from studying the English language.

When I was talking with a Japanese lady who had just started learning English, she told me that she could get along with native English speakers even with little English ability by using gestures to help get across what she means. She said she had a fun time with an American lady the day before yesterday. 

But in actuality, when I met that American lady afterward, I felt totally differently from the Japanese lady. After chatting with her, I felt that I should increase my vocabulary, otherwise I can't fully enjoy a conversation with her.　

I guess that the more your language skills improve, the more nuances you need to be able to understand. 

However, if you are still unskilled in the language, you could probably have a fun time and get some laughs with the native speakers of the language, like that Japanese lady experienced. 

I remember when I was not able to speak English well, I made some English teachers laugh a lot because I used inappropriate English words without realizing it. I might have sounded cute, like a tongue-tied child. Of course, we didn't argue over whatever I said, we just laughed. I wonder if that was also the fun thing about using English?

I was a bit confused about my original purpose of learning English yesterday. I wonder if I want to be told that I sound cute, as I did before? I wonder if I want to make my friends who are English speakers laugh with my poor English again?

My English skill is not good enough to argue, but too strong to bring laughter or to sound cute, so I am not truly happy with the situation or the level that I am at.

In any event, I will be pursuing my dream, which is to be able to speak English fluently, since I love learning it!

I hope that I can argue with you freely someday soon!

What Is The True Delight Of English, by Mirai

This is me reading mirai's voice blog: http://www.voiceblog.jp/mirai33/2124330.html

***

Yesterday, I met a lady around 30 years old at my kimono school. I was lucky to have tea with her and my instructor for a while before the lesson.

According to my kimono teacher, the lady I met seems to be a rather shy person and always seems to be nervous talking with other people. However, when I first met her, I didn't think she was. I thought that she was very funny and cheerful, with a good sense of humor. 

If the teacher's perception of her is true, it means that I haven't gotten to know who she truly is yet. I was comfortable talking with her, no problem at all. If she's trying hard to talk with me despite feeling nervous, I would feel bad, though I don't know for sure if she feels nervous or not. 

Anyway, I've often been thinking about my preconceived ideas about people since I started going to the school because I've heard about this sort of thing a lot. That's what it's like in a woman's world, you know!

I don't think I'm good at looking at the flip side of people, which means I'm able to act naturally.　Now that I've heard about it, even though I don't want to be, I've been puzzled about how I should act or what I should say.

While we were talking about what we want to do this year, I told her that I would like to be more positive. Her reaction was funny to me. "Huh? You've already been very positive. How could you be any more positive?"

Then, I realized what she thinks of me. Actually, I was happy to hear that. However, I told her that I also feel down sometimes. I added that sometimes I feel like I've fallen into a bottomless pit.

However, I exaggerated a bit. I wonder why? Was it because I heard before that she was a person who hides her weaknesses by trying to be talkative? 

Yesterday, I saw myself acting like a different person from who I really am.


Preconceived Ideas, by Mirai

Can words hurt people? By Mirai

I don't think there are many people who intentionally try to hurt others. Rather, most people are probably trying not to hurt others with their words. However, I wonder why words can bruise other people's feelings?

The phrase "freedom of speech" has been advocated here and there. I've been talking about it with a friend from America since the Charlie Hebdo shooting happened in France. However, I still have lots of questions about this issue: When and where can "freedom of speech” exist? Can it exist among friends?

We use words to communicate with each other. Even though society tries to make up some better words, so called "politically correct words", the pain caused by hurtful words will never vanish.

I guess it's because it's not clear which words we should avoid in order to not hurt people. Words can be vague, and they can be used wisely to hide one's real thoughts and feelings.

Actually, I've provoked my friend's anger before by asking some questions. Those questions made it seem like I was testing my friend, but I didn't realize that they were taken that way at the time.

Words are interesting. We can be happy just by hearing certain words, but at the same time, we can be unhappy by hearing slightly different ones.

We'll never get bored learning languages because there's no black and white when it comes to words, is there?

Micah Killian