"Running man"

The key word is running from this article. It illustrates why human are good at running and what kinds of people are more suitable for running. Except for a inborn advantage on their ideal bodies, mountainous terrain is a important element to marathon winners who live in Kenya's western highland. They develop an enormous lung capacity to remain more oxygen out of the thin air.

This article told us that running has always played a significant role in human life and culture. people continue to run for money, sport, exercise, enlightenment or just for fun.

And now, I believe that running is an exciting activity that is gaining popularity all over the world. Regularly processing running promotes a healthy lifestyle, and it is worth being recommended to the public. especially , for urban dwellers who actually suffer a lot from the pressures of everyday life which can lead to serious illnesses.

They are ascetics

“Running around the World” was an interesting reading. Running certainly plays an important role in human life, and it is also important for our culture. Especially, the story, which Japanese monks run to reach enlightenment, was interesting for me.

They practice rigorous religious austerities, and they achieve enlightenment after a long period of practice. They are on the verge of death because it is so hard to achieve their goal. I think it is a reason that they can see the world in a new way. They are often near death, and probably their consciousness is dim, so they have hallucinations or auditory hallucinations. They might think those were real things, or they might feel they met God, but the few monks who have completed the 1,000-day challenge must gain a new horizon.

Japanese students also run to build up their body at school in a cold winter. Students put on a short-sleeved shirts and shorts, and then they run. Many students want to skip class because it is freezing and boring. Marathon class doesn’t give us enlightenment, but gives us a strong body and mind. That has the same meaning for students as the monk’s challenge.

 

Influence of the media on young people

There is no doubt that the media has influenced young people to spend a great deal of time visiting social networking sites, watching TV and so on. The media is always easy to use and fast, so they don’t need to work hard and read to find answers or to read novels because they can watch movies instead, even in the magazines pictures and written articles are chosen to attract young people. 

However, that would waste their time and energy while they could use that time to do something more useful. Such as, reading books, developing new skills and spending quality time with their family. In fact media can help them learn faster but that doesn’t mean they should spend most of their time using it, and I think parents should try to control their children by following some tips. Firstly, they must limit TV viewing to 2-3 hours every day. Secondly, parents can sit with them and discuss the positive and negative about using the media. Thirdly, it is important to keep TV, video games, etc. Out of their room. Another tip is to spend time together doing activities.

I never tried the 1000-day challenge

I chose "Running around the World". I enjoyed reading this article. It described in a really nice way to how good running is  with three examples, the Kalenjini in Kenia, the Tarahumara in Mexico and the Monks in Japan. I have heard about "monks" but I didn't exactly know what they do. Their training, which is to reach enlightenment, is too hard for human beings. I can't believe there are 46 monks that have completed it. I think their hearts were incredibly strong and patient of their weaknesses otherwise they wouldn't have completed it. On the other hand, some monks might die while they were working on the 1000-day challenge. I hope this challenge isn't carried out any more. 

Running around the world

Running is a great activity for people. In fact, humans have got better lungs for running a long time than other animals in the world; especially, the people who live in Kenya's western highlands, the Tarahumara, and monks from Hiei Kyoto, Japan. Personally, I think that marathon running is very important for several reasons, for example, money, sport, enlightenment, just plain fun, and exercise because when people run, it'll make them stronger and be good for their health.

Kohtaro Kaba

 Hello everyone！My name is Kohtaro. Please call me “Koh” because Kohtaro is long and hard for foreign people to say. I’m from Japan and I’m 19 years old. I came to upper intermediate this term. So I was in intermediate last term. It has been more than 4 and a half months since I came to Dunedin. I’m going to stay here until August. I live with my host family. I have a few experiences of going overseas, to Brisbane, Australia; Vancouver, Canada and here.

Why have I come to Dunedin? Because Otago University and mine in Gifu are sister schools. Of course I also study English because I’m specializing in English in my University. And Dunedin’s environment is very similar to my home town. It is also country side, there are lots of traditional and cultural buildings and nature. In winter, the temperature becomes very low. These are the reasons.

I have some hobbies. Firstly, I like both watching and playing sports. In particular, I like baseball. I had played baseball for 12 and a half years. I have been supporting the “YOMIURI GIANTS” which is a Japanese professional baseball team since I started to play baseball. I always look forward to singing any team songs when I go to watch a game.

Secondly, I like singing. I often go to Karaoke with my friends. And thirdly, listening to music. Especially, I like Japanese pop and western music. Recently, I often listen to “One Direction” and “West life”.

In my future, I want to be an English teacher or an interpreter. If I can become a teacher, of course I want to teach English and I want to teach baseball too in a club. Then, I want to tell about my experience of studying abroad. If I can become an interpreter, I want to work at my favourite baseball team the GIANTS because when the team wins a game, players who succeed in the game have to answer in an interview. So if the player is a foreigner, an interpreter is definitely needed.

        This is my introduction. Thanks for reading it. I’m going to do my best to learn English and to realize my dream in the future.

Nova

Hi, my name is Nova, and if you are wondering what my name means it’s” a star that unexpectedly becomes very bright". I was born on January the third in 1997 in Dhahran. I live with my parents, and I don't have any brothers or sisters.

I came to Dunedin New Zealand with my family two months ago. After I graduated from high school, I decided to study the English Language and University in New Zealand.

Currently I’m studying English at the Otago University Language Centre. It is a great experience to meet new people and learn about different cultures, especially in Dunedin which is a peaceful place and has beautiful views. The people here are very friendly and helpful, which makes me feel at home.

I’m kind of a creative person so I usually prefer to do things in my own way. And most of the time I’m active and talkative, I like to talk and discuss with people and express my ideas. Mostly I’m helpful and supportive to the people I care about. I’m also a hard-working person especially when it comes to achieving my goals.

When I have free time I usually like to read novels from the ILC, and I think with reading you can travel with your imagination to places you haven’t been to. I also enjoy doing crafts such as crocheting and sewing. They help me to relax and present my ideas. I love cooking as well, and the idea of trying different cultures’ cuisine. I always watch new recipes on TV, and on the Internet and read cook books, so I can learn and develop my passion for cooking. Another thing I enjoy the most is gardening, just the Idea of growing my garden on my own is amazing, and I would like to grow my favourite vegetables and fruits, such as tomatoes, green peppers, grapes and figs.

Rio

Who am I? I’m Riyadh Almadani, my English name is Rio. I’m 21. I’m from al-medina, Saudi Arabia, but my family lives in the capital and east in al-Dhahran. My family is quite small, I have three brothers and one sister, and I’m in the middle.

I don’t work at the moment. I’m a student in the Otago Language Centre. I’m planning to do the foundation year and my major here at Otago University. My major is environmental management. I choose this major because it will help us and our kids to live in a safe and unpolluted world.

I have a lot of hobbies but some of them are bad hobbies and some good. Let’s start with the bad hobbies I smoke cigarettes and I go to bed too late. Sometimes I get back from outside early and go to bed early but nothing changes. I can’t sleep before midnight because I like to muck around on Facebook or Instagram. When I was young one of hobbies is swimming.

On weekdays, I wake up early in the morning then I go to school, by bus or car or sometimes walk. In the evening I like to get a rest whether I’m tired or not. To rest sometimes I sleep not less than two hours and sometimes I just lie on bed thinking or listening to music. I have dinner at a late time as usual and then sleep again so I don’t have free time. If anything jumps into my day and I didn’t arrange for it, it will take some of my sleep time. Mostly everything I do at night.
I’m so happy to be in DW Up. Int. Lets talk. I’m your class mate.

Kaho Nishimoto

Hi, I’m Kaho and I was born and raised in Osaka, Japan. I’m a third year student studying International Tourism at Hannan University, but I’m learning English at Otago University Language Centre as a study abroad student now. I have been to here for two months. I major in tourism but I’m interested to know more about an international situation, so I’m studying about The World Bank and NGO’s especially.


There are 6 people and 4 dogs in my family. There are my parents, my grandmother, two older sisters, four miniature dachshunds and me. My father and one sister work at schools and my mother and another sister work at a town hall. My dogs sleep almost all day.


In my free time, I enjoy watching movies, listening to music, and walking with my host family. When I was in Japan, I often went shopping with my sisters but Dunedin is smaller than Osaka, so I don’t feel like going shopping. There are not so many stores, but New Zealand’s beautiful nature is wonderful. On Sundays, I go to a beautiful beach or a bush with my host mother and her two dogs. When I go for a walk, I always bring a digital single-lens reflex camera and take pictures. Last year, I stayed in South Korea to study Korean and I often went Naksan Park which is famous for all the street art in its small alleys. I like the place, so when I came to Dunedin, the art made me happy. Dunedin also has wall art everywhere in town. It is painted beautifully. I think it is a must-see in Dunedin.


Korean wall art



Dunedin

Actually, I don’t like studying English, so that’s why I came here. I have to overcome my preconceived idea that I’m poor at English. I can’t speak English fluently now, so please watch over me warmly.



Hono Kawamura

Hello everyone, I’m Hono Kawamura. I’m a native of Japan and my hometown is Osaka, which is in the middle part of japan. I’m a 21-year-old and I consider myself optimistic. I live with my family, father, mother, grandmother and one-year-older brother. They are reliable and sociable so I really like them.

I’m a student of a university in Kyoto and my major is English. That’s why I came here to improve my English more. Now I’m a third-year student in my university so after I go back to Japan, I will study English and something more essential things another a year. I have been thinking about my job in the future for a couple years and I think working in hotel is the best job for me so far because that’s the best way to brush up English even if I’m in Japan.

I belong to a club at my university which is called Habitat for Humanity student branch. It’s a one of volunteer organization in the world and its birth place is in Atlanta in USA. Their main work is to build a houses for poor people. That comes from their belief which is “A world where everyone has a decent place to live.” So as a member of this organization, I went to the Philippines last summer for eleven days. There were 13 members including me, and we helped build a big community house. In the Philippines, there is still a big gap between the rich and the poor. I saw it directly with my eyes so it was a terrible shock to me. This experience has got me inspired me to study more. If you want to know more details about Habitat for Humanity, just let me know. I’m happy to share my experiences.

Xiaohang Terry

Hi,
I am Liu Xiaohang from China, and you can call me Terry. I’m 24yrs. I graduated from Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology in July 2014 and have completed a Bachelor degree of Management majoring in Business Administration.

Studying abroad has always been my dream, especially, in Dunedin, in New Zealand. Therefore, I applied to do a Master of Tourism at the University of Otago, but, I have to complete English language studies before being accepted by an important program. So, I must work hard in this important time of my life.

In terms of my hobbies, reading books is part of my life. it is a necessary friend to me. I prefer reading different kinds of books, such as detective novels, books on environmental matters and books which have positive value. I really believe that books can enrich our outlook and knowledge. They open windows for us to learn about the outside word and something that you want to know.

Beside reading, I also really enjoy swimming so… so….much in the pool, coz, I think that swimming is good and healthy exercise for mental relaxation. After swimming for approximately 40 minutes, I will reach a point where all my troubles and pressure and things that I want to forget seem to disappear. When I stop, physically, I am a little tired, but psychologically I am refreshed.

Recently, I found a satisfactory swimming pool in Dunedin. It is not only cheaper than another pool, but also is very close to the University of Otago. So, there are some people who like swimming as much as me. This is my WeChat and Instagram account : “Nightbleach”. Please, do not hesitate to contact me.

Last but not least, I am really glad to see you David and accommodating classmates.

Art Nantawat

Hi!! I’m Nantawat Suksangpleng a 20-year-old. My nickname is Art. I come from Pattaya which is in the middle of Thailand. I have got a big family in the city. I graduated from high school in 2012. I studied at Chulalongkorn University when I was in Thailand.

I have been staying in Dunedin for 5 months to study English because my English skills were very poor. In addition, I’m going to stay here until October and then go back to Thailand. I’ll study medicine next year because I’d love to be a doctor. Hopefully, I’ll be able to work as a surgeon in the rural area to help poor people. 

I enjoy staying here so much. At first, I have got a scholarship from a Thai government and I have chosen New Zealand to study in because I love natural places. There are many reasons why Dunedin is my favourite place in New Zealand. While I’m here, I always try to capture every stunning scene that I have trekked by.  Furthermore, I keep exploring and I have discovered more natural phenomenon in this city than in any other one I have been to!! Not only have I got lots of experiences but also I have improved my English a lot.

Moreover, most of the time, I have to study mathematics, physics, and biology. The fact is that these subjects are very important in my major. However, I don’t take life so seriously. I carve out moment to laugh, play and be goofy by listening to music and hanging out with my friends.

Don’t forget to live….I mean to live!! Showing us that it takes risks to progress in doing what you love. Nice to meet you David and my lovely classmates. I hope that we will be fantastic friends forever.

David Woodfield

Who am I? Let me try to answer this question. I’m a 52-year-old pakeha Christian male. I was born in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1963. I live with my wife, Patricia, my daughter, Sarah, and our dog, Neo, in one of Dunedin’s leafy hill suburbs.

On weekdays, I walk to the UOLC to teach ESOL. I love my job here for several reasons. First, I love words. I love both the order and complexity of language. In addition, I enjoy exploring various media such as magazine articles, songs and movie clips with my students, in their quest to unlock the English language’s secrets. To top off these points, I relish working in such a multicultural environment where each of us involved in a class can learn so much about each other’s cultures. You can hardly fail to widen your horizons in a UOLC class!

I enjoy participating in the life of my church, attending worship services on Sunday mornings, a Bible study ‘home group’ on Tuesday nights, and a book club meeting once a month. My faith in God brings me an overarching reason for living and informs the decisions I make about what is right and what is wrong. It challenges me to consider what I can do to make the world a better place.

On a typical weekday evening, I enjoy watching a little TV, and listening to music while cooking dinner and stacking the dishwasher. I enjoy quite a wide variety of music. Recently I have been listening to quite a lot of folk rock and rock with a jazz flavour. Musicians I have been listening to of late include Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons, Buffalo Springfield and Nina Simone. Interestingly much of this music was made in the 60s and 70s.

I also enjoy reading. Some of the kinds of books I enjoy include books about Christian spirituality and lifestyle, books about interior design, biographies and crime novels.

On Saturdays, I sometimes go to school fairs or flea markets to buy oriental ceramics or second hand books or CDs. Alternately, I go for a hike in the hills with Neo. I love walking in the bush and up on the tops around Dunedin. The views over the city and the sea refresh me, and besides that I need the exercise to stay healthy.

As for my character, I would say I’m optimistic and enthusiastic. My weak point though I would say is ‘leaving things to the last minute.’

Well welcome aboard this ship that is Upper Int. DW. I’m looking forward to finding out where we are going to go. It’s all up to us.

Welcome Everyone

Welcome to our class blog everyone. I'm looking forward to reading what you have to say. Lets share our ideas here.