"My sister is about to get married next time" The story of an English teacher.

「今度、妹が結婚することになったんだ」とうかない顔で話す彼は、フィリピン・セブにある語学学校で働く21歳の英語講師。私は彼から毎朝オンラインのレッスンを受けています。今回の話は、授業の雑談時に彼が話したことを元にまとめました。彼が世界一大切にしている家族、その中でも仲がいい妹の結婚について。彼の父親は彼が6歳の時に亡くなっています。その翌年、彼の母親が再婚したため、彼らはずっと義理の父親と一緒に住んでいました。義理の父との関係がよくないこともあり、彼は長男としてだけではなく、妹たちに対して父親がわりに接してきました。そんな彼と、彼の妹の結婚をめぐる物語です。

I take an online English conversation every day. One morning, an English teacher told me, "My sister is getting married." His sister is 18 years old. She is very talented and he is proud of her. What does his sister's marriage mean to him?

be getting married=今度結婚する、talented＝才能のある

Beautiful, wise and gentle-A proud brother.

He is a 21 year-old Filipino. He works as an English teacher at a language school in Cebu Island. He graduated from university at the age of 19 (*), and this year marks his second year of service. He sends most of his salary to his mother spending for siblings' tuition and for their living expenses.

His sister will graduate from high school this year. According to him, his sister is very smart and his school performance is good.

He was very excited about his sister's future education, saying, "She may be a lawyer or an accountant someday."

* Filipino students go to college for two or four years from the age of 16.

currently＝現在、service＝奉仕・役に立つこと（仕事を始めて2年目）、parents' home＝実家、siblings＝（性別を問わない）兄弟、tuition=学費、living expenses＝生活費、According to him＝彼によると、smart＝賢い、performance＝成績、accountant＝会計士

"I'm definitely against my sister's marriage. She should go on to school."

About three months ago. In a chat time before the start of class, he said in a face that he did not float, "Sister wanted to get married." At that time, I thought I was quite young, but said, "Yes! Congratulations."

At that time he said, "No, I'm not at all good. I told my sister that I shouldn't get married, because she's still 18 years old. She should go on to school. How do you feed your family? "

"If I didn't admit marriage, my sister wouldn't listen and wouldn't answer the phone," he was depressed.

His parents' home is about five hours from Cebu Island by boat and bus. Because his sisters live in their parents' homes, he can only talk directly to them with a telephone.

"What's your mom doing?" I asked him. He says, "Mom is okay. If she has a baby, she will take care of her, so she agrees with her daughter's marriage."

He said his mother was a very generous person. He said his mother would not get angry with her children. That's his mother's answer. However, when he was born, his mother was young and about 20 years old, so she may have thought, "Well, I'll do something."

"Mom crying every day."

About three days later, he asked, "What happened to my sister's marriage?" He had a bright face and said, "Sister understood."

I and he both thought my sister was going to college.

But last week. He again said, "My sister has got married."

"Aren't your sister going to college?" I asked him. He said, "I don't go on to school because my sister gets married, and she lives with him far away from home, so my mom is crying every day."

His mother must have thought, "If my daughter gets married, she should live with me or live nearby." Nevertheless, the daughter and her fiancé are said to live far apart. If she gets pregnant, her mother is still full of little sisters, so she can't go to her daughter.

Mothers would have expected to live with their daughters because it is natural to live in a large family in the Philippines. However, her daughter leaves the house. I think my mother is sad and dying.

"I was supposed to support my family together."

From him, if she can get a job at a company where she can go on to school, not only her sister, but also her sister can make life easier for her whole family. In addition, the burden and pressure of his monthly remittance may be reduced. Until my sister gets a job, I'll do my best for two more years.

He may have been looking forward to his sister's entrance to school. Still, his sister is suddenly married. In Japan, she can go to college even if she is married, or she can continue to work and work. However, in the Philippines, birth control has been denied due to religious relationships, and it is highly likely that children will be born as soon as they get married. If she had a child, she would have to drop out of school. So it is difficult to go on to school. That's why he was opposed to marriage and was depressed.

My sister and my boyfriend have been dating for three years, so the locals may be together. Still, his sister leaves home because of her poor relationship with her father. That's why they may dare live far away. This is my guesswork, so I don't really know.

He is the eldest son. If his sister had a hard time living, he would send him extra money to help him, apart from sending him to his family. If a child is born to her sister, she may be sent off for the child.

The pressure on him will be considerable.

"Let's start our class," he said.

I hope he, his sister and family are happy.

His sister graduates from high school this spring and marries him, who was dating.

What will he do? I guess he works more for his sister.

If his sister had a child, he would love him, who would love him. The pressure on him will increase, but the joy will also increase. Is that okay?

I wish him and his sister happiness.

日本語でのブログはこちら。

私は英語の長文を読む練習として使っています。単語もできるだけ簡単なものを選んでいます。よく間違える単語や気をつけるべき文法などについて、簡単に解説を入れています。日本語版と合わせて読んでみてください。おかしなところがあればコメントいただければ幸いです。