Garden of English

Garden of English is an extracurricular program for UTokyo students, researchers, and staff members who want to improve and maintain their conversation skills in English. Are you an international student at UTokyo who speaks English fluently? If so, please apply for the TA position :-) We will put a notice about the TA positions on this website when we recruit new TAs.

Let's have a chat in English with UTokyo international students!

What's "Garden of English"?

Basic information

✓ English conversation program for UTokyo students, researchers, and staff members

✓ Free of charge

✓ Conducted online via Zoom

✓ A session is about 15-30 minutes *15 minutes for 21:00 sessions

✓ A pair of TAs will talk with one guest or a pair of guests who know each other

✓ You can chat in any other languages if everyone in the Garden agrees to do so

✓ No teaching of English (or other languages)

How to join the Garden

3 steps!

1. Check the calendar below for the TAs' available dates and times

2. Click the date and time of your preference on the calendar, and enter your name, affiliation, and email address you usually use to book the session
* You can use a nickname
* In case that you didn't receive a confirmation email upon your booking and it is not in your spam folder, please email us for the Zoom information (Contact)
* If you wish to cancel your booking, please select "Click here to cancel this booking" at the bottom of the email you receive from Garden of English upon your booking. This will allow other people to make a booking for the time slot

3. When it's time, join the Garden via Zoom. The details will be sent to you upon your booking
*After you leave the Garden, please access the questionnaire (you can find the link to the Google Forms in the email sent upon your booking) and give us your feedback on your experience

Sometimes there are last minute cancellations and reservations become available. Please check the reservation section just before the session, even if it is fully booked!

Session calendar and booking (Can be booked up to 2 weeks in advance) * 12/24-1/5 Break

* Session not shown on the calendar if already booked

• TA pair No.1: Daniel & Sarah (Wed 11:00 & Wed 11:35)
  
• TA pair No.2: Ariane & Shuyi (Mon 10:00 & Mon 10:45)
  
• TA pair No.3: Julia & Dildora (Tue 21:00 & Fri 21:00)
  
• TA pair No.4: Tengis & Jess (Mon 10:30 & Thu 10:00)

TA pair No.1: Daniel & Sarah (Wed 11:00 & Wed 11:35)

TA pair No.2: Ariane & Shuyi (Mon 10:00 & Mon 10:45)

TA pair No.3: Julia & Dildora (Tue 21:00 & Fri 21:00)

TA pair No.4: Tengis & Jess (Mon 10:30 & Thu 10:00)

Introduction of 2024A TA

Daniel

Home: Canada

Language: English, Mandarin, Some Japanese

Interests: Cycling, Hiking, Scuba Diving, Travelling

Hello, my name is Daniel. I was born in China and moved to Canada in elementary school. Currently I am a first year masters student in the Department of Civil Engineering. When not studying, I love to travel around Japan. This summer I took a road trip in Kyushu! I rode a helicopter at Mount Aso and experienced the full force of typhoon 10 on Yakushima island. Last summer I completed a 600km cycling trip from Tokyo to Shizuoka. You can see me with my bicycle at a view point on Izu peninsula with Mt Fuji in the background in the photo.

Feel free to drop by for a fun chat with me. I would love to meet new friends, exchange cultures and talk about various topics.

Ariane

Home: Switzerland

Language: German, English, French, Japanese (little)

Interests: Trail Running, Road Cycling and Hiking

Hey there! My name is Ariane. I'm a 2nd year PhD student in the Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Sciences focusing on Biophysics.

Whenever I need a break from hard-core science, I engage various sport activities. During the week, I love cycling and am leading a running club. On the weekends, I enjoy travelling outside of Tokyo and trail run in the nature of Saitama, Kanagawa and Yamanashi. My favourite spot so far was Shiroyama (Yugawara, Kanagawa).

Drop me a message to talk about nature, sports, fantasy books and movies, or cooking.

Julia

Home: China

Language: English, Japanese, Chinese

Interests: Martial Arts, MBTI analysis and K-pop

Hi! This is Julia from China. I'm currently a master's student in the Department of Engineering, studying Technology Management of Innovation. I spent four years in Canada for my bachelor's degree and decided to continue my studies at Tokyo University. I know that speaking is the hardest part of nearly every language, and I am experiencing this difficulty with my Japanese as well. Feel free to chat with me about anything; it's always a pleasure to learn with you!

Shuyi

Home: China

Language: Chinese, English, Japanese

Interests: City Walk, Eating, Watch Cooking Shows, Travelling

Hi! I'm Shuyi from China, and I am currently pursuing my Master's degree in Linguistics at the Department of Language and Information Sciences. Outside of academics, you'll often find me on city walks, trying out local cuisine, or watching cooking shows for inspiration in the kitchen. I love to travel and share experiences about the places I've visited. So, if you're interested in sharing your passions or just want to chat about food and travel, feel free to drop by! I look forward to meeting you all!

Sarah

Home: Indonesia

Language: Indonesian, English

Interests: travelling, music, watching movies, eating

Hi there! I'm Sarah from Indonesia. I came to Japan and my PhD in the Department of Mechanical Engineering this April. I used to play music back home and I absolutely love it! I also enjoy traveling, experiencing new cultures, and, of course, trying different foods.

By the way, I'm pretty outgoing and love chatting with others, so feel free to talk with me!

Tengis

Home: Mongolia

Language: Mongolian (native), English, Japanese, Chinese (little)

Interests: Volleyball, Jazz, Photography, watching movies and animes

Hi! My name is Tengis. I moved to Japan when I was 18 to pursue my studies and recently graduated with a degree in Chemical System Engineering from the University of Tokyo. I'm now a first-year Master's student. I'm passionate about teaching and love helping others improve, which led me to work as a high school physics teacher in Mongolia for a year.

In my free time, I enjoy exploring different genres of music and movies, which have been my greatest language teachers. I have a special love for jazz music. Recently, I was inspired by an Indian movie called 12th Fail, which motivated me to put my best effort into everything I do.

Feel free to reach out and talk about anything! I'm excited to meet you all.

Jess

Home: Singapore

Language: English, Chinese, French, Japanese

I'm a 3rd-year PhD student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, focusing on applying machine learning to enhance the thermal conductivity of cellulose nanomaterials. My goal is to develop sustainable technology inspired by the elegance of nature.

I have a deep appreciation for nature and find relaxation in spending time outdoors. Although I've studied French and Japanese for many years, I've often been too shy to practice speaking them. Now, I aim to create a welcoming environment where people feel comfortable practicing their English.

Feel free to reach out — I'd love to chat about anything under the sun!

Dildora

Home: Uzbekistan

Language: Uzbek, Russian, English, Japanese(little)

Interests: Reading, traveling, cooking

Hi! My name is Dildora, and I’m a Master's student in the Department of Applied Chemistry. I'm from Uzbekistan and have been living in Japan for 2 years. I love reading books, especially classical novels and psychology-related books. During holidays, I often travel around Tokyo with my family. Feel free to reach out!

The TAs are friendly and can accommodate a wide range of guests, from those who need courage to speak English to those who can speak English well. Please broaden your experience by interacting with the TAs of different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Please respect each other and enjoy your exchange!

Please feel free to contact us via email if you have any questions or inquiries.

Contact

Garden of English, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

Office: Rm.324 via 2nd floor, Eng.Bldg.No.8, Hongo
E-mail: utokyo.garden[at]gmail.com
Phone: 03-5841-2323（Ms. Nemoto）