失礼します

As I have mentioned before, there are many expressions in Japanese that do not easily translate into English. Another everyday Japanese expression is 失礼します。So what does it mean? I think we could say:

• Excuse my intrusion
• Excuse my interruption
• Excuse me
• I beg your pardon

These expressions are very common if we want to disturb or interrupt a person, especially if they are having a conversation or blocking our way.

In Japan, waiters usually say 失礼します at our table in a restaurant but this is not the case in England.

薔薇

Thank you Kyoko for the pink rose in the office. It looks and smells great. The rose has come from Kyoko's garden. The national flower of England is a red rose. There are roses in every season but June is the best time to enjoy roses in England. There is a very famous quote from Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare:

• What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

お疲れ様です

Japanese has lots of polite expressions that do not exist in English. For example:

• お疲れ様です

There is no easy way to translate this expression into English. If a person has worked hard for you personally, you can say:

• Thank you for your hard work
• Thank you for your effort
• Thank you for your help

大雨

What terrible weather we are having! The rain is heavy today so please take care. There is a nice idiom you can use in this weather: 

• It's raining cats and dogs!

An amusing expression for a rainy day in England is:

• Nice weather for ducks!

お土産

Thank you to the Takeshima family for the souvenir from Hong Kong. They have given us a box of panda cookies. I shall be serving the cookies with tea.

和食

I didn't see any Japanese restaurants in Spain. Spanish people prefer to eat Spanish food most of the time. I did see some Chinese restaurants and some Italian pizza restaurants. Other countries' cuisines are difficult to find. I didn't eat Japanese food for one month! I went to a Japanese restaurant the day after I returned and had this food.

Mmm. Nice!

最初の聖体拝領

Spain is a Christian country with many Catholic traditions. An important event for Spanish children is called First Communion (English name). Children attend a course of religious lessons which culminates in a ceremony. The ceremony is a major event for Spanish children. They wear special costumes and receive lots of presents from friends and family. There are parties at the children's houses and the presents are displayed next to the costumes. People bring presents and food, usually cake, and the proud parents welcome each guest enthusiastically.

I was invited by two neighbours in Spain and took these photos.