Happy New Year from Jabble Funabashi Eikaiwa: Angie’s Winter Holiday in the U.S.

Hi everyone! It’s Angie from Jabble Funabashi Eikaiwa (船橋の英会話スクール).

Happy New Year from everyone here at Jabble! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season with your friends and family.
All of us at Jabble Funabashi English School wish you a joyful, healthy, and exciting 2026.

During the winter holidays, I traveled back to the U.S. It had been about three years since I last returned home, so I was incredibly excited to see my friends and family again.
Along with visiting my hometown of Chicago, I also spent a few days in Los Angeles to visit a close friend.
I had visited L.A. once before on a family trip, so I was really looking forward to going back. I couldn’t have been more excited for this winter vacation.

My first stop was Chicago for Christmas. Although my parents and brother were able to visit me in Japan in 2024, I hadn’t seen my grandparents or cousins since my last trip home.
My mom keeps me updated with videos and messages, but it’s never quite the same as seeing everyone in person.
There were also a few new family members I was eager to meet, and I was really looking forward to catching up with old friends—some of whom I hadn’t seen in almost six years.

Seeing my mother and brother at the airport arrivals gate was an emotional moment.
I think I hugged them for nearly ten minutes straight, and my brother even brought flowers!
Even though I was exhausted from the long flight, we went straight to my grandparents’ house to see the rest of the family.
There was so much laughter, smiling, and present-opening—it was the perfect homecoming.

The next day, I met up with an old friend I used to work with at an aquarium.
Since we last saw each other, she got married and started a family.
The aquarium had been renovated since our working days, so it was fun to see how much had changed—both in the exhibits and in our lives.
The penguins were just as adorable as ever, and we even caught a sea lion show. It was such a nostalgic and happy day.

Jet lag finally caught up with me on the second day, so I spent most of it sleeping.
By Christmas Eve, I was back in full holiday mode. My family and I went shopping for ingredients for Christmas dinner.
Growing up, we always had a traditional turkey and ham dinner, so I was surprised when my mom announced we were having hotpot instead.
Shopping for ingredients was still a lot of fun—especially the seafood section, where my brother may have gone a little overboard.
Christmas dinner was lively, chaotic, and full of love. Spending Christmas together again meant so much to me.

After Christmas, I spent Boxing Day ice skating downtown with a close friend from high school.
We hadn’t seen each other in a long time, so skating together felt like a fun and active way to catch up.
While we were skating, we talked about our lives, work, and how much had changed since high school.
I quickly realized that I was much worse at skating than I remembered, and my friend had to hold my hand and help guide me around the rink.
I was skating at a snail’s pace and felt a little embarrassed, but we laughed the entire time.
Even when we took breaks to warm up, we kept talking and sharing memories. It was such a fun and meaningful way to reconnect.

Before I knew it, it was time to leave Chicago and head to Los Angeles to ring in the New Year.
We celebrated by bar hopping and meeting new people, which was a fantastic way to welcome 2026.One of my favorite parts of visiting Los Angeles was eating tacos.
We tried several taco spots and food stands, and everything was amazing. The tortillas were fresh, the meat was perfectly seasoned, and the salsas had just the right amount of spice.
Eating tacos together became one of the highlights of my trip and something I really associate with being in L.A. I actually ate tacos everyday when I was in Los Angeles. 

On New Year’s Day, we visited Venice Beach to watch the sunset. It was warm and beautiful, making it hard to believe it was winter.
Although the following days were rainy, we still enjoyed Santa Monica and downtown L.A. I’ll definitely be back when the weather is warmer. 

After such an unforgettable holiday, I’m excited to be back at Jabble Funabashi Eikaiwa, helping our students improve their English skills in a fun and supportive environment.
Thank you for always supporting Jabble, and I look forward to another great year of learning English together here in Funabashi.

Funabashi校
Angie

【日本人スタッフによる要約】

船橋の英会話スクールの講師Angieが、約3年ぶりに帰国したアメリカでの冬休みについて綴ったブログです。
シカゴで家族や友人と再会し、ロサンゼルスでは新年を迎えながら現地の文化や食事を楽しみました。
こうした海外でのリアルな体験は、英語でのコミュニケーション力を高める大きなきっかけになります。
船橋の英会話スクールでは、実際の体験をもとにした自然な英会話を大切にし、一人ひとりの目的に合わせたレッスンを行っています。