Simon先生の英語ブログで学ぶ使える英語表現ーStarting School 「学校の始まり」

※Simon先生のシリーズ前回の記事「Simon先生の英語ブログで学ぶ使える英語表現ーThe Eggs of Easter 「イースターのたまご」」を見逃した方はこちらからどうぞ！

さて、4月と言えば入園・入学のシーズンですね。今回のブログは、そんな入学をテーマに、Starting School 「学校の始まり」をお届けします。

Hello, this is Simon.

My daughter bid farewell to her daycare at the end of last month. And this month, she began new adventure: starting at elementary school.

We went along to the entrance ceremony the other day. There we got to find out her teacher, and the other students in her class. It turned out that three friends from her daycare center, and the girl who lives next door are her new classmates. We breathed the big sigh of relief, as she can get overwhelmed by new environments, so having friends around is a big help.

The students all walk to school together in designated groups. And, last month, two kids from her walking group came and introduced themselves to us, which was nice. They explained where the meeting place was and said they would come down to our place to get my daughter. I was very impressed.

Since she started, I have been taking her to the meeting place every morning. The group leaders seem very well organized, and friendly. This again made me feel relived, as I had just heard a story recently from my wife about her coworker’s daughter. Apparently, the leader of her walking group is very scary, and now she doesn’t want to go to school. I’ve been counting my lucky stars so far.

There’s a lot of new preparation, every morning and we are still getting used to the new routine, but we are slowly finding our rhythm. Most important of all is, my daughter is enjoying school so far. What more could I ask?

ーそれでは、本文の中からピックアップした英語表現を見てみましょう！

“bid farewell”

To “bid farewell” means to say goodbye to someone or something. It can be literal

e.g. Before boarding the plane, we gathered to bid farewell to our friends and family.

or figurative

e.g. As the sun set on their last day of vacation, they bid farewell to the beach and headed back home.

“designated groups”

The verb “designate” means to officially assign or set apart someone/something for a specific role, task, purpose or use. In this context, “designated groups” refers to specific groups of students that have been officially assigned or designated by the school for walking to school together.

Other common combinations used with “designated” are: designated driver/smoking area/parking spot leader/route/seating.

“I’ve been counting my lucky stars”

This expression means feeling fortunate or grateful for one’s good luck or blessings. It’s like acknowledging and appreciating the positive aspects or outcomes in a situation

e.g. Despite the challenges, she counted her lucky stars for having such supportive friends and family.

“finding our rhythm”

This phrase refers to becoming accustomed to a new routine or pattern, especially in a way that feels comfortable and natural. It implies adjusting to and syncing with a new way of doing things

e.g.

-After moving to a new city, it took some time, but we’re starting to find our rhythm and settle into a routine.

-Learning to play the piano was challenging at first, but now I’m finding my rhythm and enjoying it more.

What more could I ask?

This is a rhetorical question expressing contentment or satisfaction with the current situation. It suggests that everything is going well, and there’s nothing more that you could wish for or desire

e.g.

-With a loving family, a fulfilling job, and good health, she often wondered, “What more could I ask for?”

-Sitting by the fireplace with a book in hand, he pondered the peaceful evening and thought, “What more could I ask for on a quiet night like this?”

April is the start of many new things. I hope you’re all off to a great start this new school year!

See you next month!

フルーツフルイングリッシュで英語表現の楽しさ感じてください 。初めての方には英作文添削チケット2回分をプレゼント。
「無料英語テスト800問（解説付）」メルマガも大人気。今すぐチェック！

Simon

Hello! My name is Simon.

I am from New Zealand, and have been living and teaching English in Japan since 1999.

My hobbies include movies, playing the guitar, gardening and hiking.