Last week I handed in my 15,000 word dissertation to complete my three-year long Master of Science program at Aston University. My dissertation was on motivating children to engage in extensive reading and EFL classroom reading. It was a lot of work and difficult to fit into my busy schedule, but I learned so much. I’m really glad I made the decision to get my degree in Teaching English to Young Learners.

 

However, once it was all over, I was really exhausted! Karuizawa was the perfect place to go away for the weekend and relax. The history of Karuizawa is so interesting, from its beginnings as a summer holiday destination for foreigners in the Meiji Era to the early 1970s when John Lennon came here with his family. I also love two of John Lennon’s favorite Karuizawa hangouts – the Manpei hotel and French Bakery. (Inside French Bakery there is a poster sized photo of him on a bicycle with a baguette in the basket. There’s also a large sign next to the photo saying, “Don’t take photos!”)

 

I don’t know if John Lennon was a fan, but one thing I love about the ManPei hotel is the gooseberry jam for breakfast. It’s sweet, a little bit sour, and delicious on toast.