Thank you so much for always reading my long post! Since I usually write about 1,800 to 2,000 characters,it must be difficult to read all, but I really appreciate it when you correct, it really encourages me. The Struggles of Studying for IELTS: The hardest business meeting finally ended this morning! Because I was preparing for it while also working on video editing jobs, I couldn't got sleep enough, so I’m really happy it’s finally over. The competition is still ongoing, but I actually feel pretty confident. As a reward for my hard work, I treated myself to sushi for lunch after the meeting and took a nap in the Imperial Palace gardens’bench! In my private life, studying for IELTS is honestly tough. Most Japanese people study American English until we graduate from university, so a lot of us struggle with British English listening. I’m no exception—I seriously can’t listen what they’re saying at all. I love Adele and Amy Winehouse, so I sometimes watch their interview videos, but every time, I'm not sure what they’re talking about (cry). Also, the differences in vocabulary and expressions are tough. What is “petrol”?? Isn’t “gas” okay? The content is also very academic. In Listening Part 3, there are often topics where two university students discuss their research, and Part 4 usually features university lecture content, so I find myself zoning out. My company headquarte is in the US, but for some reason, non-native English speakers are required to prove their fluency with an IELTS score of 7.0 or higher, so I have no choice but to take it. However I mainly talk to Americans at work, why can’t it be TOEFL?? At this point, I’ll just have to practice listening to only British English every day. I’ll only watch Downton Abbey and Harry Potter for entertainment, and I’ll listen only to British music…! Maybe it will work! The 1975, Friendly Fires, Bring Me The Horizon, Amy Winehouse, Adele… I’ll listen to their music and interviews as much as I can. I’ll do my best.