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Hobbies and interests can create social interactions in English (By Andrew Leichsenring)

June 3, 2019 : Essays

I would like to share with you an activity that I enjoy when I have a few hours of free time on a windy day. It’s kite flying. I have several kites but my favorite is an octopus kite. The reason that I like it the best is because it’s the most challenging one to fly. When you look at the picture that I have included, what do you think the size of this kite is? Well, its head is over 1 meter wide and its body is about 8 meters long. Flying this octopus kite requires concentration and physical strength. As you can see from this picture, it can be quite a spectacle when it’s flying high in the sky. When people see me flying the octopus kite, they sometimes want to take photos of it and start talking with me. My kites have provided an ice-breaker for those social interactions. So, kite flying can be very fun and I have met people from Asia, Europe and North America through my kite flying adventures around Tokyo. Perhaps, you may find that a hobby or interest can lead you to enjoy talking in English (and Japanese) with people from all over the world.