An 80-year-old granny has started a blog to teach Japanese for
free.
E Mei, a retired Japanese language teacher in Shanghai, opened
her blog recently to help youngsters learn Japanese.
Filled with funny stories, riddles, songs, culture tips and
useful language points, E's blog has been attracting an increasing
number of visitors.
"Besides helping those who want to learn Japanese, the online
class helps me keep up with the latest trends among the young," E
said.
She acknowledged that she preferred the company of youngsters to
those her own age.
E Mei, updates her blog
that helps youngsters learn Japanese.
"When I am with older people, I always feel a huge 'generation
gap', because they always have the old attitude toward things and
seem to have lost their passion for life," E said.
"Who said the elderly should idle at home and do nothing? I
always want to do something, especially with young people whose
passion and energy I can partake of."
E said she borrowed the idea of teaching Japanese online from
the young when she attended a competition on innovation late last
year. More than 600 participants, most of them youth, shared their
innovative ideas with others.
With the help of her granddaughter, E opened her online Japanese
language class, as a supplement to her free language class
available during the summer vacations. E has been offering free
Japanese language classes every summer in Shanghai since 2001.
She moved to Japan with her father at the age of three and lived
there for a couple of years. Speaking fluent Japanese, she wanted
to share her language learning tips with more people after retiring
from a college.
She learnt how to use the computer and build up a website from
her granddaughter and was delighted to surf online.
Her blog Houseful Cherry Blossom has opened a new space for her
to communicate with others, especially young people.
"I tried to make my blog interesting with jokes, riddles and
funny stories from daily life, otherwise, youngsters will not
visit," E said.
"I have never regarded myself as a teacher online, because I
probably learned more from the young. I am just their elderly
friend."
"Young blood does not only belong to youngsters," said E, who
admitted that she sometimes even forgot to have dinner while
chatting with an online friend or writing a blog article.
Her online friends sometimes come visiting. They help E clean
the house and maintain the computer.
"Thanks to the blog, I live a busy and happy life," she said. "I
feel I am full of vigor."
(China Daily April 11, 2007)
