What is the point of language if it is not to bring people together?

I've taught over 1500 online English lessons, primarily for Japanese students. Truth be told, teaching English online wasn't initially on my radar - it was a path I found myself needing to take rather than choosing. But that is a story for another day.

Despite my glaring shortcomings in grammar and sentence structure. Honestly, to say it is not great is a bit of an understatement.  I've rediscovered what I already knew and people regularly tell me I have an ability to make people feel at ease. This allows them to shed their fear of embarrassing themselves through failure.

That opportunity to help and get so much back in the form of cultural insights and wonderful stories is not something I do not want to lose.  So I created Kaiwa English (a scaled back version of my original idea why scaled back?  Again something to be explored in the Obsessive Balance Blog.

Kaiwa English is fundamentally a space for individuals to practice their English speaking skills. Each week I will endeavour to set aside a few hours each week for anyone to drop in for a chat, be it one-on-one or in a group setting. There's no fee involved; my only hope is that participants will pay it forward in their own way, or perhaps, if they're so inclined, buy me a coffee as a gesture of appreciation.

If you're navigating the journey of learning English and are looking for a friendly chat, come say hello!


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The ‘Obsessive Balance' newsletter serves as a canvas for sharing thoughts, observations, and stories. While they may not always seem connected, they often find their way back to the subject of balance.

What people say...

“He was a very good teacher who pointed out my pronunciation.”

“He was a very calm and easy-going teacher. I would like to ask you to speak good British English again.”

“He's a teacher who cares! I enjoyed the discussion.”

“He gives me a lot of relevant information and makes the lessons fun.”

Thank you for the wonderful lesson! Your explanation was just ? I easily understood. Hope to see you soon!

“Nick is an exceptional teacher who consistently makes me feel happy, positive, and motivated.”

“I was nervous because it was my first time using the service, but I was glad that they gave me detailed instructions. Thank you again.”

“He is a friendly and easy to talk teacher!”

I enjoyed listening to various adventure stories. He was a soft and easy to talk to teacher. I hope to see you again.

He was a calm and intelligent teacher. Thank you for your meaningful lesson.

“Thank you for the lesson. It was useful class.”

“It was my first lesson and I found it friendly and relaxing. During the free talk, I was glad that he taught me some words and expressions.”

“It was a very good lesson with a lot of knowledge, contrary to what it looks like. Discussions and free talks may be better than text study.”

“Calm and a good listener. He is a very easy to talk to teacher.”

“He is a teacher who teaches very carefully.”

“Not only will it point out your mistakes, it will also tell you words with similar meanings and antonyms. I learned a lot. Even if I made a mistake, they kindly taught me, so I was able to study with peace of mind. thank you very much.”

“:*:・。,☆゚'・:*:・Dear GRESATEST United Kingdom teacher Nick!!!・:*:・゚'☆,。・:*: Most kindest sweetest the star shining the brightest amazing best teacher in the universe.・:*:・゚'☆,。・:*:You are the most warmhearted , the most reliable , the most excellent personality and humanity in the world. Words cannot describe how much I want to thank you. I have never seen such a kind/nice person like/as you. Please take good care of yourself.I am looking forward to see you soon. ☆゚'・:*:・(〃⌒ー⌒〃)∫゛・:*:・゚'☆”

They shared many different experiences and I really enjoyed talking with them. If I had better English skills, I would have liked to ask more questions. I would like to talk to you again next time.

He is kind and attentive as he speaks. I enjoy talking to you.

“He will correct the parts that you can't express well into correct English. The questions were very insightful and the lesson was very fulfilling!”

“She has a great smile, is good at teaching, and has patience, which is perfect!”

“Thanks for the great discussion!”

I was almost depressed because I couldn't read the Daily News Read Out smoothly, but after I finished reading it, he kindly complimented me and said I did a good job, which made me happy. I think she is a very nice teacher who understands the feelings of her students.

“Thank you for your teaching!!”

“Today's content was explained in detail by the teacher, so it was a good learning experience in terms of English + knowledge.”

It was nice meeting you. Thank you for teaching me. See you.

"It taught me a lot of new words and phrases and I really enjoyed it. thank you very much.”

I had so much fun talking with you. You are so easy to talk and friendly. And, your story about traveling is very exciting. I hope to take your class.

Thank you for your wonderful lesson.

He taught me a lot of things and I learned a lot. Thank you, Nick! I really enjoyed your lesson. I hope to see you again!

It was my first time taking this instructor, but the lessons were very easy to understand.

Although the lesson was short, he was an easy teacher to talk to. I would like to take the course again.

Dear Mr. Nick, I was very moved by the most beautiful Queen's English. He taught me most devotedly. The class was extremely fun and extremely useful. He answered all my questions and explained them in detail until I understood them. He is truly the "best teacher". Thank you very much, really, really (ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ.゜ * ☆I will never forget your kindness for the rest of my life☆☆*. (>ω<) *. ゜ Thank you for your continued support. (^▽^)/ I pray for your health, happiness, and continued success. m(_ _)m

Hi, Nick. It was great to meet you. You're a kind teacher with excellent knowledge and speak beautiful English. I enjoyed talking and learning with you due to your friendly demeanor. Thank you for helping me improve my English by guiding me through the article about South Korea's new workcation visa. The report was an intriguing read, and I enjoyed the discussion. It was also enjoyable to talk about things casually. Thank you for the relaxing conversations. I had a great time. See you.

Me being taught how to dance. Whilst I am not much of a dancer I do know how to balter.


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