Question 1

I think gardening is popular for some retirees. My mother maintains a big garden with a variety of flowering plants, vegetables, shrubs, succulents and bonsai plants too. I guess it is popular with retirees because you don't need to invest a lot of money on it. In the Philippines it's also popular to share cuttings or seeds with neighbors so you can enjoy it more with other enthusiasts.

Question 2

When I first started growing plants I ended up overwatering them so I guess the roots rotted and the plant died. Now I have 3 plants in our apartment and so far they have survived. I consulted my mother before buying them to make sure they are low-maintenance plants.

Question 3

The law says that 65 years old is the official retirement age. However for government employees, they can negotiate for an early retirement. From what I researched, 65 years old is also the same retirement age in Japan but I heard that they have plans to raise it to 70 years old in the future.

Question 4

My parents are now retired. They used to manage a fish shop and now they spend their time taking care of our dogs. My mother enjoys taking care of her plants while my father spends time taking care of roosters for cockfighting. He brings the roosters to an official cockfight on Sundays.

Question 5

I think they do enjoy being retired. They keep themselves busy by starting new hobbies. It's also a good thing that they moved back to their hometown so they are able to reconnect with childhood friends and a lot of relatives.

Question 6

I would like to spend my golden years travelling. I want to go on an architecture pilgrimage and visit famous buildings from all over the world.

Tough Vocabulary

Question 1

In Japan, I have noticed that hiking is popular among retired people. I think it is popular because staying physically active and mobile is very important, especially as we age.

Question 2

I have been hiking before, but it was pretty difficult sometimes. There were some mountains that were much harder to climb and I was worried if I could make it back down. I had to rely on others to find a nice path.

Question 3

In the United States, the age of retirement is 62, a bit earlier than Japan's age of 65. I feel that it is an appropriate age because we need more time to focus on our health and it becomes more important as we get older. We also need to reduce the amount of stress in our lives.

Question 4

In all three prefectures I have lived in, I have seen many people play gateball at local parks or by the river. Many of my neighbors participated regularly. In the US, my grandmothers usually enjoyed arts and crafts or cooking, while my grandfathers usually still did work at home like farming.

Question 5

I think most of them enjoy being retired. It would be very nice to have time to do the things you love.

Question 6

I am not, but it would be nice! I can't imagine working until I'm 65 years old. I think I would be really tired. Hopefully I can retire a bit earlier and spend some of my healthier years traveling and enjoying Earth. After I am content, I would like to spend the rest of my time in the countryside in a beautiful house with a garden.

Tough Vocabulary