There's a whole lot of talking going on at Mid-Manhattan Library on Thursday evenings! People from all over the world have been coming to Mid-Manhattan Library's English Conversation Hour for intermediate and advanced speakers. It's a great way to meet people and practice speaking English. Some people are just passing through New York on a quick visit, while others are planning to stay longer, maybe even forever. We're having a wonderful time meeting these interesting people and sharing ideas and experiences, so we wanted to introduce some of our regular conversationalists to you.

Please feel free to join us for an in-person chat on Thursday evenings! Our last conversation hour of the summer will be August 18 at 6:30 p.m. The conversation will start up again on September 15, 2011. Native speakers are welcome, too!

What is your name?
Tika

Where are you from?
Tokyo, Japan

How long have you been in New York?
I have been in New York for six months now.

How long do you plan to stay?
I'm going to stay here for three years.

Do you work? Do you go to school? Where?
I work as a volunteer for the Metropolitan Opera Guild, which offers fabulous lectures that help people to understand the operas more deeply. I also teach a cookery class at my place for some friends. We start with baking something basic like scones and then progress to preparing a full English tea. After each lesson, we enjoy what we bake with different kinds of tea, and I talk a little about the particular tea and its history.

How did you hear about the Thursday English Conversation Hour?
I got this information from Library's website.

You've been participating in the group for several months now. Why do you keep coming back?
Because I can always meet new people. And I made some friends through this group, which is great!

What is your favorite place in New York?
I would say Lincoln Center! Because, I LOVE watching ballets and operas.

What is a place everyone who visits Japan should see?
I would recommend visiting Kyoto. It's the best place to see traditional Japanese culture. There are so many beautiful shrines and temples. Their gardens are stunning, especially in spring and autumn.

Can you recommend a book or a movie that other advanced English language learners might enjoy?

• Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber. I borrowed this book at the Library. It's a truly heartwarming story. Good for reading around Christmas time.
• Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series. The stories are based in London and are about a person who really likes shopping! Just hilarious!
• The Disney movie Tangled. This is a very well-made film. Good for adults as well. [Note:Tangled is a retelling of the fairytale Rapunzel.]

Your English conversation skills are really good! Do you have any language learning tips to share with our readers?
Don't be shy! Have the opportunity to speak in English as much as you can!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself or about the Library?
NYPL is definitely helping me to enjoy life in NY! Conversation group, movies, book reading, and game night... there are so many free activities!
And I can borrow DVDs and CDs for free, which is amazing! The website is very useful. What I like most is I can reserve the item online, even for DVDs and CDs!

Thanks very much or taking the time to share with us, Tika! See you at the next conversation hour.