Hey everyone! This Friday, we're continuing our weekly meetups to help us NAVIgate the course and stay on track. Here's what's coming up: 🌟 Welcome to our new members! @Carrie Li, @Elle Marine, @Lili Pan, @Lin Dong, @Linda Huang, @Ling Zhang, @Emily Brontë. Emily, @Yanqi Chen, @Wang Sherry, @Litao Wu, @Xiaoyan Chen, @Danny W, @Fenglin Li, @Han Lin -- and everyone else I haven't mentioned yet -- don’t be shy! This is a great place to meet English-speaking friends. Just drop by, even if it's just for a few minutes. Getting started is super simple: “Hi! I'm Emi, and I'm from China. I'm a new member, and I enjoy speaking English. Where are you from?” That's all it takes! We've all been there, and we're here to help. 🤠 Think in English Ah yes... the advice every ESL learner hears: "You need to think in English!" Easy peasy, right? 😭 But seriously, it's a powerful habit if you want to become fluent. It's when you stop trying to translate your thoughts from your native language into English, and instead just think directly in English. That's when the words come out more naturally -- without getting stuck on “How do I say that in English?” 😳 But... how do we actually do that? Are there any techniques that help? 💭 Let's share our tricks! Every thought matters. Every experience helps. Let's learn from each other. And remember: 💡 Your English level doesn't matter here. 💡 Don't stress if you forget a word -- gestures, smiles, mixing things up… it all works! 💡 English isn't an art to master; it's a tool to connect.

Today, we once again witnessed how deeply alike we humans are fundamentally -- and how beautifully different we are in our personal experience. Fundamentally -- We confirmed the famous Bouba/Kiki effect: 95% of people associate "bouba" with a round shape and "kiki" with something spiky. Science says so, and we proved it again today. Personally -- Our “English sense” experiences by touch, smell, sight, hearing, and taste were so wildly different -- I honestly wanted to try on every single one... even @Alex Understated's dusty carpet. Big thanks and special mentions to: @Alex Understated Best wishes to you and your wife on your son's birthday tomorrow! Even while driving, you found time to say hi -- appreciate it :) @Evelyne Vincent Your English feels sticky like honey, smells like an old book, looks like London, sounds like Tube announcements, and tastes like black tea with a cookie. Just don't tell Coach Shane about your secret crush on British English :) @Eva Bosakova Your forest path full of roots and rocks reminded me of what Coach Shane says: Don’t get lost in the details -- you can't see the forest for the trees. @Yulong Deng English as a door into a brand new world… such a deep and meaningful image. @Ada Ada Fresh bread, soft and warm, with curious little details. Keep that curiosity alive! @Moxa Xie English as a smooth river journey with Coach Shane guiding the boat… peaceful and natural way of learning -- no fear, no stress. @Sia Zhang Your version of English grew from scratch: a textbook, coffee, music, bread with butter, and a charming stranger with blue eyes. Brad Pitt… or Bread Pitt? @Anton Krutov Glad you made it! Thanks for the guitar tune recommendation -- I'll share the link below.

That’s what I learn these days. A viral cold stroke me two days ago. I’m now home, surrounded by headache, dizziness, muscle aches, sore throat, trembling within a coat, no energy to go anywhere. But still one good thing. With the prescription medicine, I’m forced to relax. It’s side effect (or main purpose?) makes me sleepy and tired, all I could do is sticking to the bed. Then I realize something. For the whole holiday, I was busy. One day, went to a Comic Con with my daughter. She is too young to go there by herself. But the air conditioner was crazy. One day, went out for work. The air conditioner at the base was crazy again, but I didn’t ask for an adjustment. Other days, I was busy with language learning, flowers, reading, and stayed up late almost everyday, to live my life fullest. Then I got sick. Now, I wake up naturally, eat and sleep according to my own schedule, without any guilt. I don’t have to say a single word, don’t have to communicate with anyone, don’t have to worry about anything except my health. I pay attention to myself, over every other thing in the world. Self compassion. The book I’m reading steps into my real life. Before another round of deep sleep, friends, you don’t have to wait on yourself until you’re sick.

Hello, everyone, I know it is a sensetive topic. However, I want to know your opinion. Do you think marriage at an early age is preferred? Especially if someone who deosn't work or doesn't have a stable job, What do you think? Another situation: If someone likes a girl and he wants to marry her though he doesn't have a job? What shall he do in this case?

1. Prancing around: My girl is often prancing around in the living room with her princess costume, full of joy 2. Desperate for attention: When I realized that I was posting a moment, somehow desperate for attention, I would hide it, just to show for myself. 3. Shower me with X: My little girl always showers me with a lot of love, like hugging me with her little arms, whispering, saying I love you more, mummy and etc. 4. Ditched: I ditched some clothes recently that I rarely wear. 5. All signs point to~: All signs point to my boss being satisfied with my document about the release process. That's it, I will make more sentences with the new glossaries from DDM later.