I am a student learning English.
My friend asked me to translate her letter in English.
I did my best not to twist her original meaning.
Would you check to see if there are any awkward expressions?

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We expected that we could have gotten your letter in August if you had sent it early. We shouted with joy when we received your letter. My first daughter asked me to read your letter quickly.
We live far apart, so it is hard for us to ask and answer about each other at once. Let’s gradually know about each other through letters like this
I am a woman and my husband’s name is “Tom”. He and I are the same age, 37. While we went to the same school, we fell in love and got married. I have two daughters. One is “Jane”, 10 years old. The other one is “Jena”, 6 years old. When I sent my first letter to you, I also enclosed the letter which my first daughter wrote.
I work for the company which leases construction equipment. I have worked here for over four years. I have a plan to study to be a teacher after quitting my current job in 2011. After pass the exam, I want to work as a teacher in preschool.
My goal is to run a preschool after building my career.
Now is summer, so my family members are tired because of heat.
I am okay in the office thanks to air conditioner, though.
I enclose my family’s picture. I was sorry not to send you my family’s picture.
The girl with a hat is my first daughter “Jane” who is 10 years old. She is a third- year student. She is good at studying and singing. She goes to church, and her voice is pretty, so she joined recording the CD of hymn.
The little girl with pink stripped trousers is my second daughter, “Jena” who is six years old. She has yet to know how to write. She is good at dancing and very lovely, so family loves her.
The last man is my husband, “Tom”. He is a nice guy. I fell in love with him when he sang to me with his nice voice. He is an established man in his company. He is a plant manager in the steel company.
I came from a poor family. My parents were very poor.
Compared to my childhood, I am better off now.
We are not that rich compared to other people in my country, but everyday my family is grateful for our happiness.
I am also grateful to God about meeting you. We give you just small help, but you give us very big happiness.
In Korea, there is a compulsory education course. So, to some extent, students automatically move on the next grade. I was happy to hear that you passed the exam to promote to the next grade.
Your mother works in the restaurant, right? She must be tired.
However, having a job is also to be thankful for.
I believe that you will be a great person who makes your mother proud because you are a good child.
I hope to see the picture showing you and your mother the next time.
I am sorry not to go to your place to see you.
I’d like to go there to meet you someday.
My family will do our best here. I hope that you and your mom will also live good lives.
I love you.

Until I left university making friends was so effortless its like I cant remember how I did it. I guess because I was around people I had something in common with and we instantly clicked.

Now after graduation we are scattered about all over the country and are at least 3-4 hours apart. Not the kind of journey you can do regularly without tiring yourself out or going broke over the train fares. In the last year I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve hung out at someones place, gone to the cinema with friends or out for a drink or meal.

I’m not saying I am a big party animal who wants to go out all the time but I really hate going home after work and sitting in night after night with no one to meet up with. I’ve tried making new friends but I don’t really seem to be making any progress.

I thought I’d make friends at work and although people are friendly they mostly have such long commutes that outside of work we are nowhere near each other. Making friends in my local town is hard as its a cold unfriendly place. My family have lived in the same house for more than 10 years and the neighbors don’t really talk to each other.

I tried joining clubs, or groups and I volunteer but the people I meet there aren’t really my type. Beyond the activity, we have nothing in common. My idea of fun is going to see a film or hanging out at someones place watching DVDs, theirs is going to a posh restaurant and having a serious conversation. Plus I cant afford expensive restaurants.

I’ve tried looking into where people like me tend to hang out in my area, bars, the library, cafes, but the problem is that I don’t think there are a lot of people like me. I don’t have a car so I can’t get to other places easily. I was hoping to find local friends. Its been more than a year and I’m worried I’ll never make any new friends

Until I left university making friends was so effortless its like I cant remember how I did it. I guess because I was around people I had something in common with and we instantly clicked.

Now after graduation we are scattered about all over the country and are at least 3-4 hours apart. Not the kind of journey you can do regularly without tiring yourself out or going broke over the train fares. In the last year I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve hung out at someones place, gone to the cinema with friends or out for a drink or meal.

I’m not saying I am a big party animal who wants to go out all the time but I really hate going home after work and sitting in night after night with no one to meet up with. I’ve tried making new friends but I don’t really seem to be making any progress.

I thought I’d make friends at work and although people are friendly they mostly have such long commutes that outside of work we are nowhere near each other. Making friends in my local town is hard as its a cold unfriendly place. My family have lived in the same house for more than 10 years and the neighbors don’t really talk to each other.

I tried joining clubs, or groups and I volunteer but the people I meet there aren’t really my type. Beyond the activity, we have nothing in common. My idea of fun is going to see a film or hanging out at someones place watching DVDs, theirs is going to a posh restaurant and having a serious conversation. Plus I cant afford expensive restaurants.

I’ve tried looking into where people like me tend to hang out in my area, bars, the library, cafes, but the problem is that I don’t think there are a lot of people like me. I don’t have a car so I can’t get to other places easily. I was hoping to find local friends. Its been more than a year and I’m worried I’ll never make any new friends
I guess I just don’t see that many people that look like they want to talk.

ok, so this is VERY vague, and I realise there is slim chance of anyone actually knowing the movie I’m referring to from the little information my memory will allow me to provide you, but…..

sometime in the last 10 years (lol) I watched an asian comedy movie on SBS late one night. If I had to guess, which I do, I’d say it was made in the 80’s. The few details I can remember are that it was about a man who was unhappily (possibly arranged?) married to a horrible woman with an equally horrible family, whom he lived with during his marriage, and I think worked in a restaurant kitchen owned/operated by them. He was kind’ve bumbling and unlucky… leading to funny situations… usually miserable for him. From there, all I can sort of remember is that I think to get away from the wife & her family he went on some whacky adventure which maybe saw him in some kind of tree house/hut type thing in Africa with some of his buddies??

If by some sheer bolt of brilliance any of this I’ve described rings any bells for anyone, sounds even remotely familiar to a film you know of, could you PLEASE tell me it’s name so I can find this movie? Thanks for any help KUDOS

My degree choice was originally Criminology. I was planning on graduating and then attending law school. However my plans have changed since then. I plan on graduating and attending culinary school after I obtain my bachelors. Then later on in the future (10+ years from now), I want to open up my own restaurant. In the meantime between that I’ll be attending culinary school in order to increase my cooking skills/knowledge, and then I’ll try to get a job that will help me gain experience/knowledge for when I decide to open up my resturant.

My problem now is picking a degree.. I was thinking of maybe a business related degree. Or one in hospitality. I’m not sure. This is where you guys come in. Any ideas?

Construction worker, chef/restaurant owner or petroleum engineer or nuclear engineer. I want a job at gets good money and doesn’t like 10 years, most six years of school i love cooking but i like the other good jobs to im really good at math but don’t like it really.
yes blaire i know what you mean but i want to go for a job that i would get enought to pay rent and stuff i want a job that pay’s 40k+ you know so i can pay rent and have enought to save up and im not a college person not planning to go unless the job i want is needs a degree

My girlfriend and I have been together for almost 3 months and known each other for like 10 years. We are both still living with our parents/she has a college apartment but she is always at home.

Im taking her out to a real nice place on Tuesday, but I’m ready for the relationship to move up. She’s more than ready, and so am I, but I think she is waiting for me to make the first move. How do I spruce up the evening rather than just driving to the restaurant, eating, and driving back? Neither of our houses/apartments are available for use.
I thought about that, but I want it to be a little more romantic than that. I don’t want it to just be sex. You know what i mean? And i just don’t think taking her to a hotel, especially just out of the blue doing it, would impress her much :/

My girlfriend and I have been together for almost 3 months and known each other for like 10 years. We are both of age, and neither of us are virgins. We are both still living with our parents/she has a college apartment but she is always at home.

Im taking her out to a real nice place on Tuesday, but I’m ready for the relationship to move up. She’s more than ready, and so am I, but I think she is waiting for me to make the first move. How do I spruce up the evening rather than just driving to the restaurant, eating, and driving back? Neither of our houses/apartments are available for use.

I want to bring it up in conversation, but I don’t know how. I don’t just want to go to some hotel and expect her to, I don’t think that will impress her.

Sorry I keep posting this over and over, but I haven’t got the answer I’m looking for yet, and I keep forgetting to put in details that are needed. My girlfriend and I have been together for almost 3 months and known each other for like 10 years. We are both of age, and neither of us are virgins. We are both still living with our parents/she has a college apartment but she is always at home.

Im taking her out to a real nice place on Tuesday, but I’m ready for the relationship to move up. She’s more than ready, and so am I, but I think she is waiting for me to make the first move. How do I spruce up the evening rather than just driving to the restaurant, eating, and driving back? Neither of our houses/apartments are available for use.

I want to bring it up in conversation, but I don’t know how. I don’t just want to go to some hotel and expect her to, I don’t think that will impress her. Even if we did go to some hotel, I can’t spend the night. My parent’s are really religious and they’d freak, just like they always do. :/

I’ve known her for a very long time and I had a thing for her which was on and off for the past 5 years. It was after this trip we took with our other friends that I felt like there was something. We went to Disneyland and we spent almost the whole time together. I’m not really a fan of rollercoasters and one of the rides freaked me out so bad (because I didn’t expect it to be this frightening) I actually grabbed her hand and held on tight. She was okay with it and a couple of days later, we were just casually chatting online when she told me that I should get over my fear of flying [airplanes]. I have been deathly afraid of airplanes for almost 15 years and since I had so much fun with her at Disneyland, I told her that I’ll go with her (and the group) the next time she goes on a trip. She was surprised enough to say that if I’m afraid, that she’ll let me hold her hand again. On another day, when I brought up the hand thing again, I told her that I would only go on a trip because of her. Then she was (maybe jokingly) saying ‘what do you mean? you’re only going because you want to squeeze my hand?,” and i told her yes. when i lean towards her, she doesnt move away or anything. i really don’t know how to convey this clear enough but if i know this is flirting but because we’ve been friends for so long, she can’t be doing this as some kind of friendly gesture right? is she oblivious about my signs of affection towards her?

in my book, this is flirting, but ultimately, because we’ve been friends for so long, i don’t know what to make of it. i think i’ve made it apparent to her that I am starting to really like her. she drives, but i told her im gonna go all the way to her place to pick her up (even though she can drive). the next time i’m hanging out with her, it’s only going to be us two heading to a restaurant.