Toastmasters Club

When I was in Japan, my friend brought me to Toastmasters . It was 1.5 hours meeting including 10 minutes break. After meeting, I thought it was a great opportunity to improve my presentation skills. And then, some members of Toastmasters recommended me to participate in Toastmasters in Canada if I want. At that time I was not sure to do because I did not have enough confidence to join the club in Canada.

Yesterday, I participated in Toastmasters in Canada. It was a second time to be there. It was tough and still difficult to listen Canadian conversation or presentation but I thought it is a good way to improve my listening skill. My weak point is a listening skill. I should improve it.

There were about 20 people in the meeting room. I was only man who is from Japan. Of course, the members speaks English well. Sometimes I felt nervous but they helped me every time. Usually they said, "You can speak English very well. If you feel nervous, don't worry. This is a practice. You can have a lot of mistakes." The message made me relax. All of the members are so nice. I think I am lucky because I found good club.

If I could participate in Toastmasters 5 times as a guest, I would be regular member. I want to try.

What do you think about English tutor.

I took English lesson from tutor who is my friend's friend and she is from England. It was a first time for me to take the lesson from English tutor in Canada.

I know there are a lot of opinion about taking a lesson from English tutor. I asked some of my friend about tutor. One of my friend said, "$20/hour? It is expensive for me. You don't need it because you have a lot of opportunity to have conversation with Canadian." And some other said, "Taking lesson from tutor is good idea because we don't have enough time to stay Canada. It's efficient way to improve English skill."

I think taking English lesson from tutor is good idea because...

(1) English teacher always point out our English mistakes.

I have a lot of experience to make conversation with Canadian in the coffee shop, on the street, in the shopping mall, and so on. This kind of activity is very good and I can talk to Canadian. But usually I have conversation about 10 minutes or something like that. Usually I could not keep conversation with Canadian over one hour. And then, nobody pointed out my English mistakes because it's a kind of rude. But English tutor can do that.

When I lived with host family, sometimes they pointed out my English mistake. But English tutor always point out my mistake because this is a job for them.

(2) Private lesson (One to one) is good environment.

I think private lesson is a good idea to improve your English skill. Someone said, "If you want to take private lesson you can do in your country." I agree with this idea but I think taking private lesson in Canada is important. I mean if you take English lesson in Canada, you can review outside to have conversation anywhere. If you stayed in Japan, you would not do that.

(3) To spend money is good way to keep our motivation.

I think $20/hour is not cheap. But to spend money is good way to keep your motivation. It is my technique to keep my motivation.

Have you ever taken a English lesson from tutor in Canada? If your answer is NO, you should try that. :-)

Japadog

There is a hotdog shop on Burrard Street. I think it's special because the owner is Japanese and the munu are unique. If you went there, you would see Japanese taste special menu.

I was happy when I ate hotdog, which is called Japadog. It was so nice and there are a lot of customer.

I've already move to apartment but...

I already moved to new apartment yesterday but I forgot to bring some of my things so I needed to visit to Ling & MD's house. And today also I am gonna stay their house. :-)

I am happy to meet them again!!

Today's dinner is hamburger below.

We think it's so-so because hamburger is like a cake. MD said, "I put flower into the hamburger too much. OK! Next time I will make hamburger again." I said, "OK, I will come back here again!" Anyway, now I am full...

I don't know why but I think I get cold. They give me some medicine for cold.

I will go to bed soon.

I like you guys...

I live in friend's house now. I am supposed to live here from August 24th to September 1st. They are so kind to me and always they take care of me.

I like you guys... Ling & MD. Thank you so much.

They gave me a dinner & wine and they said, "You got a job! Congratulation, Hiro!"

Are you sure? Are you gonna go back to Taiwan end of September? I will miss you... Don't go...

【概要】

8/11で語学学校を卒業、8/24でホームステイの生活に別れをつげました。8/24に新しいアパートに引っ越す予定だったのですが、アパートのオーナーの都合で引越し日が9/1に。それまでの間、友人の家に居候しています。ありがとう、Ling & MD。

First day of the work in Canada

I worked in coffee shop. It was a first day of the work in Canada.

My job started at 10:00. At that time, owner's wife, Sachi, and I were in the shop. It was so busy in the morning. I was just watching what she was doing beside Sachi. I thought I could not manage if I were a casher.

I had had a experience to work McDonald's for four years when I was university student. I have a advantage of this kind of job. I hope I get accustomed soon. But I still have problem about listing so I need some help. I wanna be a person I can manage everything by myself.

Anyway, thank you for telling me how to manage in the shop, Sachi.

This job is very nice to me because I have a good opportunity to communicate with customer. When I finish to work, I got $8 as a tip. I felt so happy. :-)

This is the coffee shop below I am working.

【概要】

今日、coffee shopでの初仕事。初日にしてはスムースに対応できたと思う。これも大学時代にやっていたマクドナルドのバイトのおかげだろう。ただ、メニューを完全に把握できていないのと、お客さんの英語が聞き取れないときがある。これらが改善できれば、もっと仕事が楽しくなるんだろうなぁ。多くのお客が常連らしく、お客さんの質もすごく良い。英会話の訓練としては最適の場だと思う。我ながらいい仕事をGETしたものだ。。。

I have finally gotten a job.

I was graduated from ESL School on 11th of August. I was looking for the job until today. And then, I have finally gotten a job (See the email to my friend below).

【概要】

8/11に語学学校を卒業し、仕事探しをしていました。本当はシステムエンジニアやプログラマとして就職先を探していたのですが、会社からは音沙汰なし（2週間のロス）。せっかちな性格の僕は、簡単にGETできる職業で妥協することにしました。でも、コーヒーショップで働いてみたかったので、今は納得してます。カナダに長期滞在したい（可能であれば3年くらい）と思っているので、Wrok Permitを取得する方法を模索中。コーヒーショップでお小遣いを稼ぎながら、どうやって長期滞在できるか考えてみようと思います。

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Hi Mr. S,

How's it going? (Actually, I am not comfortable when I say how's it going to the guy who is older than me. :-) )

Finally, I've gotten a job as a coffee shop worker in Sinclear Centre where is placed near Waterfront Station.

I was looking for jobs on the web site "JpCanada" today. I found the advertisement about the coffee shop in this morning. And then, I had been to Sinclear Centre for taking a job interview and two hours later the owner of the shop called me and said, "You can work here since tomorrow morning."

On the other hand, I've already spent a lot of time, about two weeks, to find a job as a System Engineer or Programmer, but I couldn't find it. I think if I wanna get this kind of job, it's gonna take a long time. That's why, I've decided to change my mind to get easy job something like coffee shop.

I think the coffee shop which I am gonna work is very good because I've already known this shop. I have been to the coffee shop many times. (But the owner of the shop does not know about me... I think worker should remember about the customer! :-) ) Anyway, Sinclear Centre is very good place and the owner said, "Most of customer works in Sinclear Centre and they are very nice customer." I think it's a good opportunity to have conversation with them and to improve my English skill.

Just one thing I have to do is to get work permit. I don't think the coffee shop owner will help me to get work permit. I mean I have to find the way to get work permit.

Never give up. I think if I keep looking for the way, I will get work permit.

It was long sentences but just I wanna say, "Thank you so much." You made me be assertive and positive. I appreciate it.

If I earn the money, I will treat you next time. :-)

Thanks,

HIRO

Restaurant language

When you want to make a reservation

I'd like to make a reservation on Friday at 6:00 pm for five people.

Would it be OK if we have a window seat?

Would it be possivle to get a window seat?

If the shop is already packed

How long do we have to wait?

How long is the wait?

Asking for another place setting

Could we have another place setting, please.

Ordering something for breakfast

Waitress : May I take your order?

I'll have an order of pancakes please.

Can I have pancakes please?

Complaining about food

This seems to be overcooked.

This seems to not be cooked.

This tastes really dry.

This tastes really thin.

Vocabralies

cutlery, hashbrowns, crab cakes, chicken strips, steamed mussels, shrimp cocktail, goat cheese, calamari (squid)

cutlery : knives, forks spoons, and so on. SILVERWARE

mussels : a small sea animal, with a soft body that can be eaten and a black shell that is divided into two parts

Job hunting

I will be at Edmonds station at 3:00 pm because my owner of the new house which I will move to will give me some information about jobs around the house. She said, “Our house is very convenient. It’s easy to go to Metrotown and there is a big supermarket near the house.”

It’s nice. I think it’s easy to hunt a job around there. In advance, I have to finish writing resume… Oh my…

Costco

My friend drove me to Costco last week. Costco is a shop which is located in Richmond. When I was there, I thought, "Here is a super big warehouse! I can buy everything I want! It's nice!" But if you want to buy something there, you must have a membership of Costco. At that time, my friend has a membership.

In addition to that, everything is very big. For example if you want to buy a bottle of water, you have to buy 20 bottles of water. If you want to buy something there, you should go by car. Of course I don't have my car.

http://www.costco.ca/en-CA/Warehouse/LocationTemplate.aspx?Warehouse=54