Today let’s learn about Smith’s School of English Sakai-Higashi language coach, Michael Drum.

Interview by Edward Iwaskow (EI).

EI: Today we are talking with Micheal from Smith’s School of English in Sakai-Higashi.

EI: Hi Michael, thanks for joining me today.

Michael Drum (MD): My pleasure Ed.

EI: OK. First question. Where were you born?

MD: I was born in Melbourne, Australia.

EI: Where did you go to school?

MD: I went to school in Brisbane, but I went to 2 schools, twice each.

EI: What did you study in university?

MD: I studied dentistry.

EI: That’s interesting.

MD: Well I was a dentist for 20 years but I didn’t want to continue practising after 40-45.

EI: What languages do you speak or study?

MD: I’ve studied a couple language, especially Japanese cause I live in Japan but I have no… I cannot speak Japanese and I find it very difficult to listen and to read it. I studied Spanish years ago but I can’t speak Spanish, and I can’t speak Japanese.

EI: What do you do on your days off?

MD: My days off, I have a couple of days off and I play tennis those 2 days. I sleep in while I can sleep in, and I have a late breakfast when I can have a late breakfast.

EI: OK, now let’s get serious about English study.

EI: What do you enjoy most about teaching English?

MD: Well I thought I learn a lot about Japanese culture. It used to be everyday but now every week I find something very unusual that Japanese people do. It’s very different from Australian culture, if there is a culture in Australia, but it’s just very interesting.

EI: Yeah, I’ve found the same thing.

EI: What advice do you have for someone starting to study a new language?

MD: It’s not a problem to make a mistake, and it’s very difficult to get that across, especially as my Japanese is very broken for beginners. And even people who’ve been speaking for some time they still get embarrassed speaking. I can understand

EI: Sakai-Higashi is your school. What are the good points about your Smith’s school?

MD: It’s convenient to a very busy station, it’s about 5 minutes walk away. It’s very spacious. Quite a big room, big rooms. I’m there by myself. What’s special about it? I think it’s fun. I usually have fun with every lesson. Every lesson. Even some people who are very difficult to get on with, I still have fun.

EI: That’s good, having fun is key to anything you study.

EI: OK, now let’s get a little bit silly.

EI: What is the best music to relax to?

MD: I have lots of music I listen to, depending on the time of day or night. I use easy listening music. I tune in to internet radio. At the moment the popular one is from Holland. So anyway that’s one type of music I listen to. It’s usually around 1990-2000, year, the music.

EI: What is the best sandwich?

MD: Best sandwich- Vegemite sandwich. Vegemite is the Australian, like a miso. But for Japanese people who smell it, they don’t want to taste it.

EI: Anything else on the sandwich, or just Vegemite?

MD: Bread and butter and Vegemite. Fresh bread!

EI: Fresh bread, butter, Vegemite, got it.

EI: Describe a perfect Sunday morning.

MD: I sleep in until 9:30-10 o’clock. Usually have breakfast about 10:30 and then play tennis and then come back and have lunch. And that’s my perfect solution to a Sunday.

EI: Love it. I love it.

EI: Describe yourself in 2 words.

MD: Impossible, Pass.

EI: Great. Thank you very much for your time Michael.

MD: Thank you Ed, good chatting to you.