Hello from Jack

Hello! My name is Jack, and I’m very pleased to meet all of you.

I’m from Dublin, Ireland – a long, long way from Japan. I’ve been here for a little over a year and a half. Before moving to Kobe, I taught English at a school in Himeji. Although I spend a lot of time in Sannomiya and Osaka, I don’t know Ashiya very well – so I’ll probably be asking you all about good places to eat and drink here!

I studied Meiji-era history and East Asian politics in university, so I’ve always been interested in Japan. I’ve read a lot of books and seen a lot of movies made in Japan too, so I wanted to come and see what it was like – and it has been a great experience. I especially love the food and culture in Kansai, so I’m very happy to be here. Back in Ireland, I worked as a teacher and as a journalist – but doing these jobs in Japan is much more interesting!

I love to read and watch movies about other places too of course and I like to watch and play a lot of football (soccer) and a little bit of baseball and American football. I have become a Tigers fan and I love going to Koshien for games! My favourite football team is Leeds United in England, and I enjoy watching Ireland in international games. I cook often and am always on the lookout*(1) for interesting recipes or dishes. Living in Kobe is great – there are so many bars, restaurants and venues to enjoy and I particularly love playing and listening to jazz and soul music… although my singing leaves something to be desired*(2).

So, that’s a brief introduction to myself. I hope to see you all around imagine* and can’t wait to hear about you too. Let’s practice some English together and thanks for reading!

Jack

*1 – “I’m always on the lookout for ______” = “I’m always searching for _____”
*2 – “______ leaves something to be desired.” = “______ is not very good.”