2年半本当にありがとうございました！楽しかった！また次のポッドキャストで会いましょう！

Hello everyone, and welcome to the final episode of this podcast! As we close out this journey together, I want to take this opportunity to reflect and share my plans for the upcoming year. At the end of the year, I find it so meaningful to make plans and set goals, as it gives direction and motivation for the future. For 2025, I’ve set three main goals, and I’d love to share them with you today.

Goal 1: Improving My English

My first goal is to become more comfortable speaking English in both social and professional settings. While I feel confident speaking English at my workplace, that comfort comes from being familiar with the people I work with. My challenge now is to prepare myself for "first-time settings," where I meet new people and communicate effectively right away.

Here’s my plan:

Taking a Learning Course: To expand my vocabulary and discussion skills, I’m planning to take a home-brewing course. I’m currently passionate about this topic, and it’ll provide a great opportunity to meet others and practice discussing something I’m excited about.

Consistent Comprehensive Study: I’ll continue my study habits from 2024 but add some improvements. This includes:

Speaking lessons twice a week.

Reading one book a month.

Listening to podcasts for two hours during work.

Practicing shadowing for 30 minutes every morning.

Watching one movie every weekend.

Starting an English Podcast: In January, I’ll launch a new podcast where I’ll speak only in English. This will simulate a social setting and help me practice communication in a more spontaneous way.

Goal 2: Building Another Income Stream

My second goal is to build another income stream targeting the Japanese market. Currently, I have a side job with a Japanese company, but I’d like to grow this and ideally double my income by the end of 2025.

In the long term, my career vision is to create a stable online income that allows me to work anywhere, anytime, and for anyone I choose. To support this goal, I recently enrolled in an SNS marketing course in Japanese. This will not only benefit my current remote side job but also contribute to my plans for a small business in Canada aimed at the Japanese market.

Goal 3: Staying Mentally and Physically Healthy

Last but not least, my most important goal is to prioritize my mental and physical health.

Physical Health: In 2024, I ran 5 to 10 kilometers three times a week and did CrossFit twice a week. However, I’ve grown a bit bored with this routine, so in 2025, I’ll explore new activities that excite me and keep me active.

Mental Health: To maintain a positive mindset, I’ll aim for no arguments with my family throughout the year. I’ll also allow myself to relax and de-stress by watching Japanese comedy, which always lifts my spirits.

One exciting update I’d like to share: I’ve built meaningful friendships in Canada! In 2024, I used Bumble for friends and connected with two wonderful women—one from Korea and one local. Along with another close friend here and my two friends in Japan, I feel like I have a solid support system. In 2025, I plan to deepen these bonds and cherish the friendships I’ve built.

That’s it for my 2025 goals, and with that, this podcast comes to an end. I know the latest episodes have been quite personal, and I hope you didn’t find them too boring. I felt the need to share these thoughts with you as part of my journey.

To all my listeners, thank you so much for being part of this experience. Your support has meant the world to me. I wish you all a happy and fulfilling New Year, and who knows—maybe we’ll meet again in my video podcast soon. Take care, and goodbye for now!

伝われっ…！！！

Today, I want to dive into the topic of language learning, something that has been a significant part of my life for the past three years. As someone learning English as a second language, I’ve faced many challenges, and one of the hardest has been keeping my motivation alive.

Motivation in language learning can be tough to sustain, especially if you’re someone without many hobbies or specific interests. We’ve often heard that learning a language should be a means to achieve a goal. Setting a goal can be also challenging unless there is an external motivation—like passing an English exam or attending a business meeting with a foreign company—if you are filled with curiosity, learning motivation can be more pure and authentic, such as reading books, having conversations with various people, or playing sports. That is most beautiful triggers to start learning a language.

I’ve spent a lot of time wondering about my own motivation. My English isn’t perfect, but then again, perfection isn’t necessary to lead a life. I’m not preparing for an entrance exam or a job interview, so what is the purpose of learning English for me? Do I need to cultivate hobbies or interests to keep going? These questions lingered in my mind for quite some time.

Recently, I’ve started to uncover the answer. It turns out that my motivation isn’t tied to hobbies or specific interests. Instead, it stems from something fundamental: my need for self-expression. And let me clarify, not everyone feels this impulse. Some people don’t feel the need to express themselves deeply, and that’s perfectly okay. Let’s call them Group A. Then there’s Group B—people like me—who feel a strong desire to express themselves to make life easier or more comfortable. Today, I want to speak directly to Group B.

Throughout history, humans have developed countless ways to express themselves. From art, music, and fashion to cooking, dancing, and photography, the avenues are endless. For me, the most meaningful forms of self-expression have always been writing and speaking. When I think back to my childhood, I remember I loved writing letters to friends during class and creating a monthly newspaper for my classmates. I loved watching Japanese comedy and crafting stories through my words. Even in my professional life in Japan, writing proposals and delivering presentations were central to my work.

Connecting these dots, it’s clear that writing and speaking are not just skills but fundamental parts of who I am. They’re my most intense desires and sources of fulfillment. This realization was a breakthrough for me.

That means, As long as I feel incomplete or limited in expressing myself in English, I’ll continue learning. For me, it’s not about finding external motivations like hobbies; it’s about refining my ability to convey thoughts and ideas. The joy of discovering a more interesting way to say something or being moved by someone else’s words is enough to keep me going.

This journey of self-expression through language has been breathtaking and, in many ways, surprising. Realizing that my motivation lies in something so intrinsic has brought me clarity and peace.

If you’re in Group B, like me, and sometimes feel the need to express yourself, I hope this episode resonates with you. Language learning isn’t just about practical goals; it’s also about finding ways to connect with yourself and the world. Thank you for joining me today. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Feel free to share your experiences with language learning and what motivates you.

Until next time, keep learning and keep expressing yourself. Bye for now!

人生で2年半も何かを続けれたことあるかのう？

Today’s episode is going to be a little different, a little bittersweet, and, hopefully, very exciting. It’s been three years since I arrived in Canada, and I want to take a moment to reflect on this journey with you.

When I first came to Canada, I felt like a stranger in every way. I had zero English skills when I started college here, and I was completely overwhelmed by how talented and capable my classmates were. Competing with them? That felt impossible.

Somehow, I managed to graduate, but then came the next challenge: finding a job. I applied to 163 companies during my first year here. Can you imagine? 163. Even then, I got laid off twice because my communication skills weren’t enough. There were moments when I thought about going back to Japan, but I couldn’t let myself leave without achieving something.

So, I stayed. I extended my visa and pushed forward. In my second year, I finally landed my current job as an administrative assistant—but not before applying to a total of 630 jobs in those two years. To make ends meet, I kept my restaurant job while trying to survive the ups and downs.

Even with all that effort, I felt like I hadn’t accomplished enough—nothing I could confidently bring back to Japan as a success story. That’s when I decided to aim for permanent residency. I knew I needed more time, not just to build a life but to convince myself that I belong here.

This year, my third in Canada, feels like the real beginning of my life here. With a two-year work permit, I finally feel like I have stability. For the first time, I’m not just surviving—I’m starting to build something meaningful. It feels like I’m standing at the starting line of a race I’m ready to run.

And that brings me to this podcast. This has been such an important space for me, a way to share my thoughts and grow my English skills. Since August 8, 2022—almost two and a half years—I’ve been creating episodes for this small but dedicated audience. I’m so grateful to each of you who has listened, supported, and shared this journey with me.

But today, I have an announcement: I’ve decided it’s time to close this chapter. This podcast has been amazing, but as I begin a new phase in my life, I want to start something fresh.

Starting in January, I’ll launch a new video podcast. It’ll be in English only—no scripts, no Japanese versions. This will be a big step for me, a way to push myself even further into the world, no excuses. It’s a little scary, but it feels like the right move.

So, this might be the second-to-last episode for this channel. I’ll release one final episode to wrap things up before transitioning to the new project. I hope you’ll follow me there and be part of this exciting new journey.

Thank you so much for being part of this podcast since the beginning. It’s been a transformative experience, and I’m so glad I’ve had this chance to connect with you all. Let’s step forward together into the next adventure.

あいつこんな簡単そうなのになんであんなに旨いんだ

So, here’s the situation: I’m back in Canada after spending some much-needed time in Japan. It was a whirlwind trip filled with family, unexpected challenges, and reflections. But now that I’m back, My husband is heading to Japan just as I return. It’s not just a short trip—his timeline for coming back is completely up in the air. He’s waiting on a positive assessment of his sponsoring company from the Canadian government. If you’ve ever dealt with government processes, you know how painfully slow they can be. No updates, no timelines—just an endless wait. It’s tough, especially because I went through the same thing not too long ago.

So, this holiday season, I’ll be flying solo. Now, spending the holidays alone doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. I’ve decided to make the most of this time by diving into something I’ve always wanted to try—home brewing! Yes, I’m making my own beer at home, and I couldn’t be more excited.

For those who don’t know, home brewing is illegal in Japan, so this is one of those cool opportunities that living in Canada has opened up for me. It’s like a little rebellious dream come true. I’ve already invested in a starter kit—it set me back $149, but I know it’s worth every penny.

If you’re curious about home brewing, here’s a quick overview. First, you’ll need some basic equipment:

A fermentation vessel—think of it as the magical container where your beer transforms.

An airlock, which keeps the beer safe while letting gases escape.

A large pot for boiling your ingredients.

Bottles for storing your masterpiece once it’s ready.

When it comes to ingredients, you’ll need:

Malt extract for the body of your beer.

Hops for that bitterness and aroma.

Yeast to work its magic.

Good-quality water, because beer is mostly water, after all!

Next, I am going to talk about the process. The process itself is pretty straightforward. You start by creating something called wort, a sugary liquid made from malt extract. You boil it, add hops at different stages to build flavor, and then cool it down. Once it’s cool, you transfer it to your fermentation vessel, add yeast, and wait.

Fermentation takes about one to two weeks. After that, you bottle your beer, add a bit of sugar for carbonation, and let it sit for another couple of weeks. And then—it’s time to taste your very own beer!

So, that’s my winter plan—making beer and making the best of it. If you’ve ever brewed beer at home, I’d love to hear your tips or stories. And if you’re thinking about trying it, let’s learn together!

Thanks for tuning in to this episode. Until next time, take care and cheers to new beginnings!