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Curricula

The Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Japan

Here are the chronicles of my adventures in Japan.  Living in western Tokyo, I've had the opportunity to visit all the major tourist hotspots, and some places off the beaten track.  The latter category is normally saved for a person's second or third trip to Japan, but if you want to spice your first trip up a bit, you can try one of these.

The Wanderers

Follow the travels and travails of the wanderers as they travel here and there, and check out new and interesting sights and restaurants.

News and Views

Interesting news items from around the world, and some of my views about the world we live in, culture, society, life, or frankly anything that will stimulate discussion.

Europe is Wonderful After All These Years

This set of lessons describes our trips to Europe in the spring of 2023 and the spring of 2024. They were very different trips, though some of the same countries were visited - just different parts. The first trip encompassed Vienna, Rome, and Florence. The second trip - with me driving - included Zurich, Lucerne, Como, Milan, Bolzano, Innsbruck, and separately, Prague. I wonder if we will return to Europe again for a third trip...

John and Marie Part 1

This curriculum includes lessons, vocabulary and quizzes that focus on the lives of John and Marie, a typical couple navigating life together. We begin the story before John and Marie met, going back in time to the 1990's. From there we will follow their journey through their early working years, how they met, their relationship, and well, we shall see where the story leads!

There will be many idioms included in the lessons that are used very commonly by native English speakers. Knowledge of idioms should be a priority for advanced English learners.

Elaine's Travels

Traveling has become a major focus in my retirement years.  

Personal Computers

This curriculum provides a high level review of the hardware, software, and network components of a personal computer.

Key Technologies of the Past and Future

This curriculum is intended to focus on anything that is technical, past and future. Originally I was thinking of just having a Virtual Reality curriculum, but decided to broaden it because of all that is going on in AI and robotics.  Let's see where this takes us!

Dr. John Tanaka, MD

This curriculum of lessons will focus on healthcare in many different facets.  Follow Dr. Tanaka as he works his wonders, providing the best care for his patients.

Please note - these lessons should not to be used for the diagnosis or treatment any any real illness.  They are intended to get you familiar with common ailments and their English descriptions.  If you are ill, consult a real doctor or website that specializes in medical information instead of this website.  Thank you for your attention!

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See Our Samraisms!

How about a little Samra family culture to lightenup up your day? Click the link below to see our collection of Samraisms!

Samraisms
Friends and Family
Friends and Family - 友達と家族

Date Debriefing

Published: 2020-10-30

John and Marie share their date experience with their best friends. Is this the start of a real relationship? We shall see...

First Date

Published: 2020-10-25

John and Marie had agreed to meet at The Dandelion, a British pub on 18th Street, at 6pm on Friday.  John arrives first, at about 5:45.  He finds an empty table, and sits down.

John Meets Marie

Published: 2020-10-12

Harry invited John to come out for drinks with some of Harry's friends from college.  They arrive at the Franklin Bar on 18th St. at around 6pm, and Harry sees his crowd at a table towards the back of the bar. 

Office Buddies

Published: 2020-10-11

John has been working at Comcast for 5 years.  He has made a lot of friends at the office, but Harry is his best buddy.  Both John and Harry work in the systems engineering department.

Marie

Published: 2020-10-01

Meet Marie Wiley. She is single, and lives in an apartment in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.  She is 29 years old. Marie is ambitious, and knows what she wants.

John

Published: 2020-10-01

Meet John Chestnut. He is single, and lives in a condo in the Penn's Landing neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He is 32 years old. 

New Lessons

The Chambers of Power: A Spring Stroll Through Tokyo’s Political Heart

Over the years I have seen many pictures of The National Diet Building in Nagatacho, but never actually came close to visiting it. Well, finally that day came, and it was grander than I expected. And we even got a chance to visit the Parliamentary Museum and the National Diet Library before our tour started!

My Latest Experience With ChatGPT and Its Condecending Personality

I've been a paying customer of OpenAI for a while in order to use their ChatGPT AI product suite. In the past I've used AI to generate lesson quizzes, at which it did a credible job. Recently I decided on a project for this Samraworld website that I thought ChatGPT could help me with. Well, it did help, but it took some patience. 

Himeji Castle, its White Splendor Amidst the Cherry Blossoms

Himeji-jō, known as the White Heron Castle because of its distinctive white exterior, is the most visited castle in Japan. We had visited other castles in Japan before, but this one was at a different level. Not only is Himeji-jō very well preserved, but in cherry blossom season, it is absolutely spectacular.

Yoshinoyama - Hiking the Plush Sakura Hillsides in Nara

The mountainous region of Nara known as Yoshinoyama has been known as one of the best places to visit during cherry blossom season. So we wanted to see if the reality was up to the hype. Well, I am here to report that it did, with flying colors!

Tō-ji, an Historic Temple Established After the Capitol Moved to Kyoto

To-ji is an important temple on the southwest side of Kyoto. It is especially pretty in cherry blossom season, and in the fall when the colors change. It's probably not a place you will visit on your first visit to Kyoto, with all the other more well known temples to see, but you will not be disappointed if you have time to visit To-ji.

Nakiryu, a Michelin Star Winner, Still Has a Great Ramen If You Don't Mind Waiting For it

The Creative Noodle Factory Nakiryu was on my short list of ramen places to visit in 2025. This classy ramen shop had won a Michelin star in 2017, so it is going to be good. How good was the question.

Byodoin, a World Heritage Site That Is Probably Not on Your List to Visit

This spring we took a bus tour to a few beautiful locations for viewing cherry blossoms, referred to in Japan as sakura. The first stop in the tour was Byodoin, an ancient Heian temple located in the southern part of Kyoto. Most folks visiting Kyoto are not aware of Byodoin. It is a bit out of the way in Uji, and well, there are so many temples and shrines closer to the center of Kyoto that Byodoin is kind of an afterthought, if thought of at all.

Nobunaga! A Ramen Shop For Savory Chickens

It's been a long time since I posted a lesson about a restaurant. I was intending to last fall, as I visited a couple of well known ramen shops. But for whatever reason I never got around to it. So, here is a quickie review of Nobunaga, a tasty ramen shop on the edge of Ginza.

Eagles Win Super Bowl LIX For Its Beleaguered Fans

Being a sports fan from Philadelphia can be a blessing, or a curse. Success breeds contempt, as can be seen from online trolls trashing the Eagles and their fans. 

An Afternoon Stroll Through Silicon Valley's Tech History

As some of you know, I like to explore. And having an information techology background, and living not too far away from Silicon Valley, I thought it might be fun to take in some computer industry history.  So I took a look at the map, and identified three places to check out if this is your thing too.

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