Flyboarding

Last Monday I went flyboarding. 

Its was super good fun but also super hard work

http://www.umimania.com/flyboard.html

.

Beer garden

Thanks for coming to RLE`s first beer garden party! We had a terrific time! Don`t forget to check the board at the school for more pictures!!!

How Well Do You Know English???

Here's a fun test you can try to test your English ability.  Unfortunately, I got 2 wrong :(  Yes, even native speakers can make mistakes.  How well did you do?

If the questions don't appear, please refresh your browser. (Ctrl+R) or (command+R) for Macs.

Does it amuse you?

Hey! I asked you a question!

How many tickles does it take to make a squid laugh?

But I didn't get an answer...

You see it was a joke, 

this is how the exchange should have looked.

------------------------------------------------

Phil: How many tickles does it take to make a squid laugh?

Awesome student blog reader: I don't know Phil. 

How many tickles does it take to make a squid laugh?

Phil: TEN-TICKLES (*Sounds like tentacles*)

Awesome student blog reader: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! 

Phil you are so funny and handsome.

------------------------------------------------

Come on people, get you act together, and don't leave me hanging!

:Phil

As an adjective

Singular

                   I have 3 biscuits

                   I ate one biscuit

                   I ate another biscuit.   (one more)

                   Then I ate the other biscuit.          (the remaining)

Plural

                   I saw some people walking,

                   and I saw some other people running.          

                                  (separate from the first group)

                  

Here are 5 CD’s. Two are mine,

                   but the other CD’s are my sister’s.                  (the rest)

As a pronoun

Singular

                   I saw 3 butterflies.

                   I caught one.

                   I caught another.

                   Then I caught the other.

Plural

                   I saw some monkeys eating bananas

                   and I saw some others eating tofu.

                   Here are 7 books. One is mine,

                   but the others are my father’s.

That’s the basics, now here are some more:

Every other (every second)

I exercise every other day.　

 (Monday but not Tuesday, then Wednesday but not Thursday etc)

Any other (separates one from its group)

                   I’m taller than any other person in my office.

                   I’m taller than any of the other people in my office.

Ok and to finish it off, some difficult ones that even grammar experts argue about:

Each other (a reciprocal pronoun) That sounds confusing but it means it shows the same action (or more often feeling between) two people.

                   They are in love with each other.

One another (same as each other but when there are more than 2 parties involved)

                   People should try to be kind to one another. (as in all people)

Australian Dictionary "B"

back of beyond - Way out there somewhere; remote. See the black stump and woop woop.

bag of fruit - Rhyming slang for a man’s suit.

Balmain Bug - Small type of crayfish. Named after the trawlermen of the historic Sydney suburb of Balmain, who pioneered the industry. See Moreton Bay Bug. 

barbie - Barbecue. “Let’s go down to thebeach and have a barbie.” Also, “He’s a few snags (sausages) short of a barbie” is used to describe someone who is a little crazy.

barney - An argument or a dispute.

barrack - To give encouragement to your sports team.

barramundi - Aboriginal name for a large tasty fish found in the waters of Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia.

battler - Someone who struggles hard to make ends meet or to overcome adversity. “He’s a
real Aussie battler.”

beaut or beauty - Great! Terrific! Also pronounced beaudy, or bewdy.

bell - To call someone on the telephone. “I’ll give you a bell from the back of beyond.”

big-note - To boast and exaggerate one’s wealth and power.

billabong - A water hole in a dry river bed. “Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong…”

bickie - A cookie.

bingle - A minor car crash or accident. See prang.

billy - A metal can, usually tin, enamel ware or aluminium used for making tea over an open fire. 

black stump - An imaginary point dividing civilization and the Outback. “She’s the biggest big-noter this side of the black stump.” See back of beyond and woop woop.

blind freddy - The person who can immediately see the bleedin’ obvious. “Blind Freddy can tell he’s a bludger”.

bloke - A male.

blowie - Blowfly. Sometimes jokingly referred to as Australia’s national bird. See Aussie salute.

bludger - Someone who doesn’t pull their weight at work and sponges off others.

blue - To have an argument or a fight.

bluey - Nickname for a bloke with red hair. Also, a swagman’s blanket roll.

blue heeler - A nuggety cattle dog with a blueflecked coat, popular with bushies and city folk alike.

boomer - A large male kangaroo. It is believed by some Aussie youngsters that Santa Claus’ sleigh is pulled by six white boomers.

boot - Trunk of a car.

bombed out - Unsuccessful, also drunk.

bonzer - A great bloke or sheila. “He’s a bonzer bloke to have on your side in a blue.”

bottler - Someone (or something) who performs well.

bottle shop - Liquor store, often part of a hotel. Also known as a ‘bottlo’.

breakkie - Breakfast.

brolly - An umbrella.

brumby - From an Aboriginal word meaning a wild horse.

bubbler - A drinking fountain.

bucket, to - To dump on someone; to blame them for everything.

Buckley’s chance - Absolutely no chance.

budgie smuggler - A tight men’s swimming costume. Named after the budgerigar, a small colourful native bird.

bull artist - A teller of tall tales; a braggart. Closely related to a big noter.

Bundy - The town of Bundaberg in Queensland. Also the name of a popular brand of rum.

bung, to - To put on an act; to throw. “There’s no need to bung it on with me.”

bush, the - Unspoiled land beyond the city with natural vegetation. Also, “to go bush” is to get away  from all your troubles. “Bruce’s gone bush.”

bushie - Used to describe someone who lives miles from anywhere. “Bazza’s a real bushie.”

bushed, I’m - “I’m tired.”

bushranger - An outlaw in early colonial days. Ned Kelly was one of Australia’s most notorious bushrangers.

Australian Dictionary "A"

ace = Excellent

ANZAC = Members of the Australian and NewZealand Army Corps in World War I. Anzac Day, which falls on April 25, is a national holiday. Delicious biscuits (cookies), made with oats and golden syrup, are also known as Anzacs.

amber fluid = Beer. “Lets have a quick transfusion of amber fluid.”
 

ankle-biter = A small child. See rug-rat.
 

apples = Everything’s under control, as in “She’s apples.”

arvo = Afternoon.
 

Aussie = Australian.
 

Aussie salute = The backward and forward waving of hands before the face to shoo away the flies.

Be careful with your English

After Ayaka Shiomura has insulted by cowards in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly a few weeks ago, Prime minister Abe decided to make a website to show his support for the women of Japan. This was the title page. Can you see something strange?

How many people do you think read this before it went online? Professionals paid a lot of money to make this didn't notice? That's right. After everything that happened, Abe makes a website for the women of Japan and tells them all to "DIE" on the title page. It is so stupid I almost can't believe it is true. You see SHINE in romanji sounds like しね or DIE (氏ね) in Japanese. If you are going to use just one word of English Mr Abe, try to make sure it doesn't mean something else in your own language next time. LOL !

HA!?

How many tickles does it 

take to make a squid laugh?

Bazza & Davo...?

There is a popular Aussie habit of nicknaming mates and (friends) by embellishing the endings of their first names with an “o”. For example, if your name is David, you may find yourself being called Davo; likewise, Stevens can expect to be called Stevo; and Johns to be called Johnno. Names ending in “n” or “y” are often transformed by a “zza” ending. A Gary is almost invariably known as Gazza, Barry as Bazza, Sharon as Shazza.

Oi!

Australians love to make words shorter. 

One way we do this is by cutting off the end 

and replacing it with a -y or -ie. 

For example:

Foot ball - Footy

Chocolate - Chocky

Television - Telly

Barbeque - Barbie

Sunglasses - Sunnies

Cigarette - Ciggie

Board Shorts - Boardies

U-turn - Uie

Biscuit - Bickie

Budgerigar - Budgie

Present - Prezzie

Christmas - Chrissy

etc...

Japanese wedding part 2

Here are some more pics of the wedding I went to in Kouchi!

    Showing off my gorgeous bouquet with the beautiful newly weds

That is what my dress looked like, Takami! ^^ Super simple really!

 Very elegant decorations in the hall. The bride looooves Paris!

                                   Stunning dining room

           The beautiful couple with their amazing kimonos

 The food was exquisite! Lobster, delicious meat, sushis, sashimis, and so much more!

 A little present for the bride since she loves Paris that much ^^

Byond the Black Stump

The "Black Stump" is an Australian metaphor for the middle of nowhere or the end of civilization. It is also a comic strip, that like Ginger Megs appears in many newspapers around the country. Can you get the following comic strips?

(click for larger images)

ginger Megs

Created by Jimmy Bancks in 1921, "Ginger Megs" is Australia's longest running comic strip. Appearing in many newspapers on a daily basis, Ginger Megs is a young red headed boy who is a bit of a rascal and mischief maker at school. Every kid who grows up in Australia knows who ginger megs is, so much so that we often nickname people with red hair "Megsy".

(Click for bigger images)

Movie review: 300 Rise of an Empire

I saw the latest 300 movie last Sunday. For those that don't know it is the second movie in a series. The first move, just called 300, was released years ago, and when I saw it I thought it was really good. So I was hoping this new one would be even better. Unfortunately I was a little disappointed. It was similar to the first film, but it didn't really do anything new. The evil character played by actress Eva Green was good, but all the other characters were very forgettable. One big problem I had was that half the cast (including the hero) were Australian actors. They made almost no attempt to cover their natural accents and Aussie accents just sound wrong for ancient Greece. I kept waiting for them to add a "mate" at the end of all their lines.

"TOMORROW WE STAND AND FIGHT...mate"

If all you want is the blood and violence you got in the first film, maybe give it a try. 

If you were hoping for something bigger and better than the first one, maybe give it a miss.

3/5

(I gave it a bonus point because I love the historical setting, 

and was glad to see a strong female character.)

My first japanese wedding

Two weekends ago I went to Kouchi prefecture. One of my japanese friends invited me to her wedding and I was very excited to attend. I had never been to a japanese wedding before and I heard many stories on how it works here but I was definitely happy to experience the whole thing. It was purely gorgeous. I was lucky to go that wedding as many people said this wedding was kind of exceptional given the venue, the decorations, the food,... it was truely beautiful! I felt a bit nervous since I went by myself and I was told there are many rules  you should follow at a wedding. But my friend had me meet her friends at the hotel before going to the wedding place so I felt much less stressed and pretty much at ease surrounded by easy going girls of my age ^^

Here is a picture of the pretty bride and her friends who really did a great job at being friendly and helpful to me!

Mochi

Do you have a sweet tooth?
Saw this interesting looking mochi on line the other day.

You can read more about it here

And more about what they taste like here

Going to have to go to Yamanashi to get one though....

Do you have a sweet or summer time treat to recommend?