What are you doing for Christmas?

What are you doing for Christmas this year?

I’m afraid I am not doing very much this year so it will be a boring blog! I will go to Atsuda-Jingu to pray for my wife’s recovery since she is still in hospital. Atsuda Shrine is an amazing place. I went there a couple of weeks ago when the weather was warm (even though it was December!). I was astonished at how big it was and enjoyed walking around under the trees. I guess it is one of the most famous shrines in Japan so it will be crowded on New Year’s Eve. I like people but, I don’t like crowds so I won’t be going at that time.

I will try to challenge myself in some new ways. For example, I have been using FluentU to study Japanese online for many years. It is an excellent site which uses extracts from YouTube with translations to help you master a language in a natural way. Although it is extremely beneficial, I can’t help feeling that my Japanese has reached a somewhat higher level than these short extracts. So, I have started listening to 中田大学 which has a plethora of really interesting lectures I can follow without too much difficulty. I think, on balance, I am learning more from them than FluentU these days. My other challenge will be ‘Yoga with Adrienne.’ Every year she creates a new, free 30 day course of yoga for people to work through. It is hard to discipline yourself to do a rigorous yoga workout every night (although I do one very morning!) so I believe it will make me a stronger person, in mind as well as body.

In the meantime, let’s all try and stay warm!

Love,

Buri