DESCRIBE A HOTEL OR PLACE AWAY FROM YOUR HOME THAT YOU HAVE STAYED IN. You should say: -where you stayed -why you stayed there -how you felt when you stayed there and explain how you felt when you stayed there.

 

I’d like to talk about my stay in a traditional Japanese-style inn. To find it I had arranged to meet one of the staff outside the station to walk me to my accommodation which was very nice. After finally meeting her we made small talk for a few minutes before heading off to the inn. It took about 10 minutes all up and on the way there I spoke in my bad Japanese while she spoke in her bad English and somehow we managed to understand each other.

The inn was beautiful on the outside and spotlessly clean on the inside. It had the usual traditional straw mats so you had to take your shoes off before entering the premises. As expected the rooms were small with sliding decorated paper windows and a futon on the floor for sleeping on. They even had western-style toilets and not the traditional Japanese-style toilets.

At the inn they served traditional Japanese food which I was very much looking forward to. I remember my first meal in Japan was dinner and consisted of a bowl of miso soup, a bowl full of Japanese soy beans, a small bowl of mixed pickled vegetables followed by a radish salad and a mouth-watering piece of Japanese mackerel. After dinner a big group of foreigners staying at the inn decided to go out drinking and invited me to go with them but I was far too tired for that so I politely declined.

Overall, I’d have to say my first night in Japan was a very pleasant one thanks to the wonderful hospitality of the Japanese people I had made contact with on my first day. Yes , there was mild culture shock but my exuberance about actually being in Japan far outweighed any negative feelings I initially had and I would have to say I adjusted very well after that.

 

PART 2: Vocabulary

NOUNS

culture shock: the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life or set of attitudes.

 exuberance: the quality of being full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness; ebullience.

 homesickness: the feeling of being uncomfortable and anxious about being in a new unfamiliar place.

hospitality: the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.

inn: small hotel that usually also provides food and drink.

maze: an area in which you can get easily lost because there are so many similar streets or passages

 

ADJECTIVES

customary: according to the customs or usual practices associated with a particular society, place, or set of circumstances.

 insulting: disrespectful or scornfully abusive

 gleeful: really happy

 homesick: a person who feels anxious and uncomfortable about being away from their familiar surroundings, especially when travelling abroad to a new culture.

 hospitable: friendly and welcoming to strangers or guests.

 spotless: absolutely clean or pure; immaculate.

 

VERBS

adjust: to change or modify

Anticipate: ( something ) regard as probable; expect or predict.

await: (of a person) wait for (an event).

blur: to make or become unclear or less distinct.

insult: ( someone ) speak to or treat with disrespect or scornful abuse.

overwhelmed ( by something ): To be mentally defeated or crushed by a situation.

lug: carry or drag (a heavy or bulky object) with great effort.

  

ADVERBS

gleefully: exuberantly or triumphantly joyful.

spotlessly: perfectly clean, ultraclean, pristine, immaculate, shining, shiny, gleaming, spick and span

 

IDIOMS

a change is as good as a holiday: you can get as much good from changing the work you do as from having a rest.

mouth-watering: smelling, looking, or sounding delicious

time for a change: an expression announcing a decision to make a change.

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