Feb.21 New Type Harassment

※無料の英会話ミーティングはこちらから（You can join the free English conversation meeting here）

Article from 2023:

Indian Parents Sue Their Son for Not Giving Them Grandchild

A couple from northern India are suing their only son and his wife, saying that not yet being given a grandchild has been a type of "mental harassment."

Six years after their son's arranged marriage, Sanjeev and Sadhana Prasad, aged 61 and 57, say they cannot wait any longer for a grandchild. They are asking to be paid over $640,000 if they do not get a grandson or granddaughter within the next year.

The amount is based on what the parents say they spent for their son's education and pilot training in the US, as well as the cost of his wedding and a car worth $80,000.

Speaking to The Times of India, Sanjeev Prasad said that he and his wife got their son married in the hope that they would have a grandchild to play with.

They told the court in the northern state of Uttarakhand that they had to get a loan to build their house, and are having money problems as well as mental problems because they are living alone.

"At least if we have a grandchild to spend time with, our pain will become bearable," they said.

The couple's lawyer told The Times of India that the case is the "first of this type in Uttarakhand and probably the country."

The son and his wife could not be reached for comment, The Associated Press reports.

Questions:

What do you think about this article?

Do you agree or disagree with the parents? Why?

Have you ever experienced mental harassment from your children or parents?

Have your parents tried to manipulate for something? Like about your educational direction, job, having a child, and so on?

Did you have an arranged marriage? or do you want to have an arranged marriage?

Have you ever experienced mental harassment at work or school?

Have you ever experienced power harassment or sexual harassment at work? or have you ever seen someone being power harassed or sexual harassed?

Have you ever experienced or seen any other kind of harassment?

Feb.21 Troubles at Work

※無料の英会話ミーティングはこちらから（You can join the free English conversation meeting here）

Article:
Japanese School Receives $27,000 Water Bill

A school in Japan has received a water bill of 3.5 million yen — or about $27,000 — after a teacher left a tap running for more than two months.

The tap was left running for the swimming pool at Mabori Junior High School in the city of Yokosuka, Kanagawa prefecture, from late June to early September 2021, including days during summer vacation when the pool was closed.

The teacher, whose job included pool maintenance, believed that constantly adding fresh water to the pool would keep students safe from COVID-19.

Water in pools is usually kept safe and clean by using chlorine and filters.

But as Akira Kojiri, a Yokosuka City Board of Education official, told AFP, the teacher mistakenly thought that fresh water would make the pool cleaner and help stop coronavirus infections.

Other staff members would sometimes see that the tap was running and turn it off, but the teacher would turn it back on.

Kojiri said that, because of this, about 4 million liters of water were wasted in just over two months — enough water to fill the pool 11 times.

The city of Yokosuka has said that the teacher, together with the school's principal and vice principal, must pay half of the water bill.

The board of education has also apologized to the city for the problems it caused.

Questions:

What do you think about this article?

Have you ever paid a big amount of money unexpectedly?

Have you ever faced or seen a big trouble at work?

Have you ever done or seen a wrong counter measure for COVID-19?

Have you ever mistakenly kept water, electricity or gas turning on?

Have you ever forgotten a important thing?

Is there any troublemaker at your work?

Conversation starters for Sunday meeting

・１人で旅行に行きますか？　１人で焼肉屋にいけますか？
　Do you travel alone? Can you go to a yakiniku restaurant alone?

・人生で一度はやってみたいことは何ですか？
　What is something you want to try at least once in your life?

・公共交通機関で有名人に出会ったことはありますか？
　Have you ever encountered a celebrity on public transportation?

・もし1日だけ有名人になれるとしたら、誰になりたいですか？
　If you could become a famous celebrity for one day, who would you choose?

・子供の頃「時間を忘れるほど夢中になったこと」について教えて下さい。
　Please tell us about something you were so absorbed in as a child that you lost track of time.

・最近読んだ本またはお気に入りの本やお勧めの本はありますか？
　Have you read any books recently, or do you have any favorite or recommended books?

・もしタイムマシンがあったら、過去と未来どちらに行きたいですか？
　If you had a time machine, would you go to the past or the future?

・健康のために何かしていることや気を付けていることはありますか？
　Is there anything you do or pay attention to for your health?

・リンゴにマヨネーズをつけて食べますか？　変わった食べ方をする食べ物はありますか？
　Do you eat apples with mayonnaise? Are there any foods that you eat in an unusual way?

・何か自分なりのストレス解消方法はありますか？
　Do you have your own way of relieving stress?