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I also have been studying today; English and mathematics as well as prepared some issues ready for tomorrow´s work. In the morning I went to do some exercises at the local gym, afterwards I had a sauna. James, I think Alex is not a celebrity (sorry Alex), Shakira maybe, Madonna definitely (fame and stardom). One has to be a star and a very famous person to be called a celebrity. I admire you James, how diligently you have studied, I take learning some what seriously, but I have also noticed, that it is good to enjoy it as well. All best for everyone.

Hello there. By coincidence, my birthday is on 28th September as well, the same as that of Confucius. But I don't even possess one-fifth of his intelligence. The teachers' day in HK is on 10th September, we students used to write cards to them to express our gratitude towards their teaching. But usually we aren't very motivated to do so because we do that every year and it is getting boring and lack of innovation. Afterall I reckon that thanking teacher doesn't necessarity have to be an outward action... it's what indside matters more, right? Then how do students in Taiwan thank their teachers in the teachers' day? Kindest regards, Lisa

Hello James :: I'd appreciate it if you could write some more about your country, your town, the customs you have in Taiwan and that kind of things. Maybe you can give us a few examples of a joke you laugh. I'm sure grammar is very, very important, I personaly like or even love grammar but I don't knoe a lot about your country which is for me on the other side of the world. I can learn a lot from books on geography, but I really like to hear personal opinions: they are much more interesting, I think. Best regards.

Hi!The ghost festival is taking place in the castle in my small hometown these days. My niece Barbora, who acts there too, invited me to visit the performance. I refused since I would prefer learning English. Duh duh! I was thinking the whole afternoon. I won`t switch on the thing any more. Two days I read only(influenced by Alex and Ana Paula). O. Wilde tales were sad and then J.K.Jerome stories that were funny a lot. I thought, Alex would teach us, James would ask questions and I would be only quiet in the school. But, James /4/ is used to eat three meals a day, I think, and Mr.Rod, maybe, was a show host at that time. Thanks James! Learning is stil a fun!

Hi James. I never forget all the teachers I have ever had. I remember a misunderstood portuguese teacher I had who was always explainning the roots of the words "this word comes from latin..." and all the class hated him. I was the unique who loved his lessons. Now my portuguese is very good and when I see people having problems to choose s, ss,or ç in their writings, I remember his lessons. It's not because my father is a teacher but I think this profession is one of the most important and we don't see all the work they do because it doesn't finish after classes. My father is continuously planning his lessons, updating, reading all newspapers with so much dedication that I regret to have been jealous of his students. I see how much he is important for them in the same way my teachers have been for me. I'm always giving gifts for my son's teachers. It's usual to do that here on teacher's day, or other special dates. Is it usual in Taiwan? Good night James.

Hi,From your blogs these days,I guess you are a diligent student.When it comes to homework,i usually recall my schooldays.As you put it,after the teacher gave us the assignment,we not only finished it,but doing extra portions to practise again and again,which is the same as here in mainland,except teachers'day,for we have no confucius'day,and I know confucian,which are famous and great intellectuals of ancient China.You are a knowledgeable man i am sure,for one who have visited many countries ,and also want to learn much from others.Good Luck and Good Day.

Hi James, Thanks for your sharing, you must have put great effort in English study, do you ? your grammar is really good ! Could you introduce much more about Taiwan ? You may recommend some delicious food and also sight spots to readers who had never been to Taiwan. See you ! Awaiting your next blog.

Dear James, I have just read your blogs, which are quite interesting though a bit strange for me! But I think they must be a bit peculiar, as you live from a very big distance from my place and customs and habits are different. I would be very glad, if you could write us more about your country, I am sure that many of us are interested in the way you live, what you eat, which public holidays you have, what you do on an average day and so on! Where were you abroad...etc. Please write us about your country and about the people who live there! Thank you very much in advance!

Hello James. It's always ecouraging to get a compliment from a fellow English student. I read your Friday blog last Saturday and immediately I sent you a comment of gratitude. Because of the day I sent it or for some other reason the comment hasn't appeared. So I say Thank your for your kind words which reached straight into my heart. How you know I'm Spaniard and I live in a town in the South East of Spain called Almeria. It's a beautiful place by the Mediterranean Sea. The location of the town is: 36º50'21.55"N 2º27'44.10"W I want to tell that like you I'm 51 years old and that I've been learning English for about three years and a half. But how I read once It's never too late to learn a second language. So I'm going to keep my learning til the end. Keep up the good work. See you.

Hi James, I have been reading your messages since it started. I think you are good at writing. I would like to know a little about teacher’s day in your country. Is it a holiday or a working day? How do Taiwan people celebrate this day? Best wishes.

Congratulations, James! Wow, the BBC! It brings to mind Frank McCourt writing in Angela's Ashes about growing up poor as a child in Limerick, Ireland - how he would steal over to his neighbors' place just so he could sit under their windowsill and listen to the beautiful English of the BBC broadcasters emanating from their kitchen radio...You definitely have to be eager to learn a foreign language and put yourself out on a limb! 'Trip' can be used as a verb in American slang, but not in a way that you would ever probably want to use it! It means 'to experience a high from a drug', as in, 'Don't worry about Sam -he's just tripping.' When I was growing up as a teenager in the U.S., if you said or did something absurd, someone might say,"You must be tripping!" or "Are you tripping, or what?" So, you see, we might not be surprised if an old hippie said that he had spent some time "tripping around a few countries", but otherwise it would give the wrong, unintended meaning... Hey, mistakes can be fun - like the time I thought I was ordering four donuts in Chinese but actually I said ten and was too embarrassed to explain and then was the laughingstock of the household when I walked in with two bags of the stuff.. Just relax and share about yourself, like you are just having a conversation with some friends (although tricky grammar exercises can be intimidating for anyone!). We have a month to discover you, James, and we'll all learn a lot from each other in the process!