I love Japan. If I had to move anywhere in the world, there would be very little hesitation; I would be there before you could say “konnichiwa”.
Having been there twice, once in 2016 and once in 2018, I was very excited to visit again last year, but with my wife this time.
On my first two trips, I was accompanied by friends. They are from the Gulf, but have studied and worked in Japan for the better part of eight years and, as such, were able to communicate easily with locals, and understood all the nuances and contexts required.
Their ability with the language was not only linguistically capable, but also meant they understood the culture well.
When the time came to planning for our sojourn to Japan, my wife and I decided it could be helpful and fun if we learnt the language. After a quick search, we settled on Duolingo, a free language-learning app that has become popular in recent years.
During our first week, we spent time on the app every single day. Our sessions ranged anywhere from five to 30 minutes (although, admittedly, five minutes was usually more doable). As we picked up new words and quotidian phrases, I got the feeling this might be easier than we thought.
Even though the classes started to become more difficult a month in – with more complex words thrown at us – we persevered in our quest. A few minutes a day is no hardship.
About 400 days later, it was time to travel east. We landed in Tokyo feeling confident and ready to communicate. We didn’t know how to read the language, but knew enough to ask for directions, order food or compliment something or someone.
The first couple of encounters were great; we managed to make our way to the local konbini to pick up water and other utility items, and dispatched some phrases that ensured we were viewed as knowledgeable, not just your average tourists.
We were riding a high, feeling like we’d accomplished something miraculous. Like we'd somehow “mastered” a completely new language just by spending five minutes a day on it.
Reality caught up soon enough, though, as it was quickly proved we possessed only what probably amounts to 0.5 per cent of the knowledge needed to properly navigate and use the language.
What I like about Duolingo is its gamification of education. There’s a daily tracker that tells you how long your learning streak is. There are also daily goals to achieve, which if you’re competing against friends, family or colleagues, you’ll want to do well.
However, in retrospect, picking up the language might have been more effective had we enrolled in hours-long intensive courses a couple weeks before the trip.
Luckily, Japan has come a long way in terms of using English, and many people, especially in the service industry, have a very capable command of the language.
We were not deterred for the rest our trip, either, using a word here and a phrase there. We would not waste almost 13 months of lessons just to revert to English at the drop of a boshi.
After returning, there was a moment when I considered stopping and picking up another language. Maybe Finnish, because I would like to visit Finland someday.
I didn’t succumb, though, and pushed through, reaching and surpassing 500 consecutive days of learning Japanese on Duolingo.
There will be more trips to Japan in the future, and I hope that my knowledge and ability is improved with every visit.
I don’t think the experiment was a failure; on the contrary, I think it showed what can be achieved with just learning for a few minutes each day, as well as how much better it would be with more time spent on the task.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
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How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More coverage from the Future Forum
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
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How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on Quran memorisation:
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Match info
Bournemouth 0
Liverpool 4 (Salah 25', 48', 76', Cook 68' OG)
Man of the match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Racecard:
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah (PA) | Group 2 | US$55,000 (Dirt) | 1,600 metres
7.05pm: Meydan Sprint (TB) | Group 2 | $250,000 (Turf) | 1,000m
7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,600m
8.15pm: Meydan Trophy | Conditions (TB) | $100,000 (T) | 1,900m
8.50pm: Balanchine | Group 2 (TB) | $250,000 (T) | 1,800m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (D) | 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,410m.
