Terrible news! Samantha is leaving us! OMG!



This came as a big shock, and Emily, Monica, Lindsey & me just couldn't agree with the reason: A new lady joined Samantha's company, so Samantha had to change her days off! Please fight back! I feel so sad, just like after the football game Spain-Germany...

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We had a huge topic today: What does the expression "Asian" stand for? Under this expression, the Japanese apparently understand the area around Vietnam, Cambodia, India etc....Basically, countries with a certain "ethnic", or "exotic" flair to them. It doesn't include China or Korea (and Japan!) for instance. This is really funny to the Westerner, as ALL of these countries are very much part of Asia, AND Japan is as exotic as Vietnam is to us (us=外人!).

Our second big topic for the day was the importance of lyrics in rock & pop music. I mentioned that I had felt from before that the Japanese listener puts a lot more weight on the lyrics of a song than the Westerner. To underline this discovery is the fact that I came across a "lyrics card" when buying a record the first time in Japan. Yes, and you have read correctly - I did say RECORD, I'm 42! 

We also discussed the fact of the high percentage of "foreign" players in many of the world's football teams. I put the word foreign in quotation marks, because the players in question are usually immigrants who have obtained the nationality of the country they are representing, or playing for. If one is in favour or against this fact is left to each person's opinion or values, but I personally find it a little strange if, for example, South Africa is playing versus France, and it looks like South Africa is playing against South Africa. Understand what I mean? 
The Japanese media frequently uses the term "ゲルマン魂" when reporting on the German football team, but actually a good number of the outstanding German players are Polish descent, like Klose or Podolski. What do you think about this? 
All right, enough of serious discussions - this was today's study material:




And this today's "Sweet Assortment":




Thanks for coming, and once again: Samatha, we'll miss you (really), and sincerely hope that your work shift will change for the better soon - Thanks sooo much. 

 In the meantime, we will all cry our hearts out:

          



The "Master"  (sitting on the far right!)