Attendance rate of past 1 month 100% ★★★★★ (36/36)
Location / Japanese Level
Home / No
Hobby / Interesting
Reading, writing, playing badminton, travelling, photography, cooking, dancing etc.
Level
Side by Side・Beginner・Middle Level・High Level
Message
Konichiwa! I am most honored to have you in my class!
I know, I do have a foreign sounding name. Most of my friends and foreign friends call me Melai, a full-time ESL teacher, and a part-time travel, culture, and lifestyle writer, also a freelance photographer.
I have been teaching in iTalk for 9 years straight. I am enjoying my current work set-up since I can teach from the comfort of my room while I travel different countries in Southeast Asia. However, when I am not traveling, you can catch me at the office.
Book my class and have an enjoyable learning experience with me.
I teach you from my house. I'm sorry I can't use some texts.If you like to use the specific text ,Please send me or iTalk support Tokyo during the day time.
自宅からのレッスンとなりますため一部テキストが使用できません。生徒様のお持ちのテキストを使い受講したい場合はスカイプで事前に送っていただきますと受講できます。Tokyo office へはまとめて送っていただくことも可能です。
Comment
• Let's study with these texts
(When you book me, please copy and paste these titles by message)
IELTS | TOEIC | TOEFL
Pre; Intermediate; Advanced
IELTS is the world's most popular English test for higher education and global migration.
TOEIC is "an English language test designed specifically to measure the everyday English skills of people...
Teacher has good typing skills that help you to have better understanding of the lesson.
The teacher can explain and simplify difficult words well.
The lesson was conducted in a right pace.
The teacher is sensitive to his students’ needs.
The class has a comfortable atmosphere.
I would like to have another class with this teacher.
• Students' Comment New 30 Comments
Student
Comment
Sakura
2024-08-09
Thanks, always. I enjoyed talking with you.
Gaku
2024-08-07
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article "Rideable Suitcases" that you kindly selected on August 6 2024.
I saw a little girl was straddling on a suitcase in an airport a few days ago, but I haven't noticed that rideable suitcases were available and we could buy them until I read the article.
However, I wouldn't buy it because I might hurt someone in an ariport even if I were a rich man.
I can use the insurance while driving a vehicle on a public road, but there is no insurance for riding rideable suitcases.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Gaku
2024-07-18
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article "Gen Z takes office: Japan’s newest politicians are young, diverse and online" that you kindly selected on July 16 2024.
I think that the number of young politicians should be increased, because most of the Japanese politicians are over 50 years old and probably stubborn. So, I expect that young politicians can improve the current issues that Japan is facing. Unfortunatelly, Japanse young people are inddifrene to politics. In other word, they cannot afford to be interested in politics due to the current economic situation in Japan.
Elderly people tend to vote for famous and senior politicians, so it would be difficult to produce young politicians in Japan except for the descendants of famous politicians.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Gaku
2024-06-12
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article "Australia to allow foreign citizens into its army" that you kindly selected on June 9 2024.
I was a little surprised to read this article because the Japan Self-Defense Force does not accept foreigners as members for now.
One of the reasons why Australia allows foreign citizens in its army is the shortage of army, but the foreigners are from English countries, such as US, UK and Canada. I suppose there must not be language barrier among the Australian Army members.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Gaku
2024-06-06
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article "Japan's tax revenue from int'l travelers likely to have tripled in FY2023" that you kindly selected on June 4 2024.
A few months after the start of the covid-19, I thought the tourism industry in Japan wouldn't be the same as it was before the corona virus pandemic.
Contrary to my expectations, the tourism industry is recovering due to the weakness of the Japanese currency.
On the other hand, the weaker currency may fuel inflation, and their lives will suffer unless if Japanese nation's salaries rise.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Gaku
2024-05-18
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article "Internet access good for our health" that you kindly selected on May 18 2024.
Most peple may suppose that this headline sounds to be fishy.
In fact, Internet access has pros and cons. For instance, watching movies, dramas, playing online games may release your stress out.
Considering many factors, I believe that the advantages of Internet access outweigh the disadvantages.
When it comes to Social Media, disadvantages of using it overrides advantages of it.
Social Media can satisfy one's desire for self-exposure and need for approval, but in fact nothing can be achieved in the real world.
In addition, enthusiastic Social Media user are more likely to be in involved crime, trouble, fraud, etc.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
sana
2024-05-18
Thank you! Fraxie(⌒∇⌒)
sana
2024-04-29
Thank you Fraxie
Gaku
2024-04-28
Thank you so much, Fraxie .
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article 'Mount Fuji view to be blocked as tourists overcrowd popular photo spot' that you kindly selected on April 28 2024.
As I mentioned in the lesson, not all doctors are smart and intelligent, but some are incompetent based on my experience.
I suppose that younger generation wants to be one of 'Clout Chasers', but I don't recommend that idea.
Achieveing something in the real world is more valuable than becoming famous in the social media world.
However, if I were a teenager, I would do the similar thing.
Japanese people don't like to see a messy environment where there is litter and people who don't follow rules and laws.
In order to enjoy sightseeing in Japan, tourists have to learn basic manners.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Gaku
2024-04-27
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article 'UK leader cracks down on 'sick note culture' that you kindly selected on April 25 2024.
As I said in the lesson, I'm for the idea of cracking down on the sick note culture.
Some lazy people may feign mental disorder. They can have temporarily leave with the sick note.
The current Japanese National Health Insurance almost compulsorily collects the insurance fee as a tax.
For this reason, abuse of sick note may cause unfairness.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Gaku
2024-04-24
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article 'Rising auto insurance premiums fuelling inflation' that you kindly selected on April 21 2024.
I don't have a vehicle, so I'm not sure the latest auto insurance fee.
As I said in the lesson, having your own car is a kind of symbol of wealth in Tokyo.
Not only car insurance, but car parking lot, maintenance fee are expensive. Due to labor shortage, the repair fee of fender bender is expensive for now. Especially, the car parking lot is exrobitantn. The rental fee of a small apartment in the countryside is the same as that of a parking space in downtown Tokyo.
In addition, even after purchasing a condominium in Tokyo, monthly fee of car parking is necessary.
(Some of the condos, monthly fee of car parking is not required.)
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Gaku
2024-04-15
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article 'Japan's elderly population living alone to jump 47% by 2050' that you kindly selected on April 15 2024.
As I mentioned in the lesson, most of Japanese people are reluctant to live with parents-in-law for the following reasons.
1) Japanese people don't like to be interfered by parents-in-law, especially their children's education.
2) Japanese people would feel stress, because they are likely to be too considerate of parents-in-law.
A husband or a wife will loss his/her partner sooner or later.
Therefore, the number of elderly population living alone in Japan is expected to skyrocket in the future.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Yoshiko
2024-04-13
Thank you for showing the interesting article of patent translation. I'm looking forward to talking to you again.
Gaku
2024-04-09
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article 'UN warns of environmental e-waste catastrophe' that you kindly selected on April 7 2024.
Nowadays, there are lots of EVs, electric vehicles, in the world. It is often said that an EV is more envilronmentaly-friendly than a conventional petrol vechile. However, many poeple are not aware how the batteries of EVs are disposed. As I looked for the answer, most of the discarded batteries are re-used, but some of them don't get re-cycled. The batteies are hard to be disassemble, and it's difficult to extract rare metals from them.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
sana
2024-04-04
Thank you Fraxie
sana
2024-03-29
Thank you Fraxie
sana
2024-03-28
Thank you Fraxie
sana
2024-03-26
Thnak you Fraxie
sana
2024-03-25
thnak you Fraxie
sana
2024-03-23
Thanks, always. I was very glad to see you.
Gaku
2024-03-20
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article 'Cashless payments in Japan - statistics & facts' that you kindly selected on March 20 2024.
As I said in the lesson, I sometimes use Cashless payments, but I mainly use a Credit card for the following reasons.
1) The rebate/cashback of a credit card is greater than cashless payments so far.
2) The number of stores where customers can use a Credit card is greater than that of Cashless payments.
In addition, Cashless payments generally cannot be used with real cash, a credit card and other cashless payments.
If the deposit of Cashless payment is not enough to make the purchase, customers must use other payment method.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Gaku
2024-03-12
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was an enjoyable, tactful class, as always, from the material based on the article 'Hollywood actor says OpenAI Sora could cause job losses' that you kindly selected on March 10, 2024.
As I mentioned in the lesson, I have watched a sample video that AI automatically generated.
There are many static photos, pictures and paints that AI made, but it was the first time of watching the video made by AI.
The video seems to be a little weired, because the move of the person in the video was not natural.
However, I strongly believe that video will be used to make real movies someday just like CG.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Sakura
2024-03-10
Thanks, always. I was very glad to see you.
sana
2024-03-10
Thank you and enjoyed talking with you!
Sayaka
2024-02-24
Thank you so much for the lessons today! Really enjoyed talking with you. See you soon!
Gaku
2024-02-21
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was a pleasant, tactful class as usual from the material based on the article 'Japan, now world's No. 4 economy, on steep road to reverse low growth' you kindly chose on 18th Feb. 2024.
There are several root causes why Japan is suffering from economic stagnation.
As I said in the lesson, one of the reasons is that incompetent employees are automatically promoted and become managers, executives and CEO.
Some Japanese large companies still have an school clique that is well known for a traditional bad system.
In order to pay high salaries to the incompetent employees, other employees have to be exploited.
For that reason, it is natural that Japan has fallen to the No.4 economy in the world.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Satoru
2024-02-15
It was nice talking to you.
Gaku
2024-02-11
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was a pleasant, tactful class as usual from the material based on the article 'Many Japanese outside major urban areas do not engage with foreigners: survey' you kindly chose on 11th Feb. 2024.
As I mentioned in the lesson, I suggest that foreginers start living in metropolitan area. as a novice resident
If they want to live in a rural area, I recommend that the area be close to Tokyo city, becaseu the farther people live from the metropolitan area, the more likely they are to be stubborn and conservative except for certain cases.
If foreginers get used to live in Japan enough, they can have a option to live in rural areas.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.
Satoru
2023-11-17
Thanks so much.
I felt the lesson time is short.
Gaku
2023-11-05
Thank you so much, Fraxie.
It was a pleasant, tactful class as usual from the material based on the article 'Tai chi could slow down Parkinson's disease' you kindly chose.
Japan has a traditional and basic exercise 'Radio Calisthenics which is similar to Tai chi.
In general, young Japanese generations like to perform Yoga, but I'm not sure elderly people like to do the 'Radio Calisthenics'.
Japanese has highest life expectancy in the world. I assume that the reason is advanced medical technologies not the people's behavior.
For that reason, such regular exercise is not always beneficial to our longevity.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking your next class.