Wishing for reunion
From December 2007 to March 2010, I helped Ms. T and Ms. S from Myanmar, who study law at Graduate School of Yokohama National University, learn daily Japanese conversation, reading, writing, and basic grammar. I also showed them how to arrange flowers per their request together with other students.
I mainly used Japanese for Everyone as a textbook, but also chose familiar topics from children’s stories and advertisements and articles in the newspaper. As my daughter of their age often joined in the class, we could cover and talk a lot of topics. In practicing flower arrangements, as if to show their national characteristics, they were so serious and aesthetic that flowers were arranged like those offered to the spirit of the deceased. However, they were not bad at all. We also called at workshops and exhibitions held by colleges. They looked really excited when they saw the Great Buddha in Kamakura, the cherry blossoms in Sankeien, and snow for the first time. Also, when they wore a long-sleeved kimono, they were very much excited.
They said, since they like Japan very much, they hoped to come back for a Ph.D. course, and that they would continue to study Japanese back in Myanmar to realize their wishes. The other day I was invited to Myanmarese dishes cooked by them and was introduced to some new students. I am sure the past two years will be full of memories to me, too.
Succeeded in Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1 through practical exercises
Mr. Y, a Chinese student I had been helping since November 2007, completed his Master’s course programs of the International Graduates School of Social Science at Yokohama National University and left Japan for China in March 2010. Looking back on our companionship, I have been to banks and libraries with him; I have been to Kamakura and Sankeien with him to view cherry blossoms and plum blossoms; I have walked around Minato-Mirai area with him; I have been to renovated Yokohama Marine Tower with him. Also, I have made field trips like an excursion with him.
Basically, we met on the 10th floor of Kanagawa Volunteer Center to talk freely on the topics we decided to choose as per request. As he was enthusiastic, serious, and aggressive enough to question about words he did not know and things he wondered about, and applied in town the basic grammar of Japanese he learned at university, he made great progress with his Japanese to pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1 in July 2009. I really admire him for his strenuous effort.
I understand that, back in China, he will return to his job at the Commercial Agency in Henan. I am sure he will make the most of what he learned in Japan. I am appreciative of the time I spent with him as his tutor; it was a very pleasant and valuable experience.
Helping her write a Ph.D. thesis
I helped Ms. H write a Ph.D. thesis in Japanese on the theme of “The Institutionalization of Womankind and Gender Researches in Taiwan.”
I started on my help in December 2007 and, by the middle of last year, corrected her relevant theses several times and, during last December through this mid-March, corrected her final thesis closely--characteristically all via e-mail. I met her only three times including one on March 20 when I celebrated her on her having got a Ph. D.
Receiving a great work running to 170 pages, I was happy as if I had got the Ph. D. myself to find that her acknowledgements to me were as long as the ones to her teacher.
From December 2007 to March 2010, I helped Ms. T and Ms. S from Myanmar, who study law at Graduate School of Yokohama National University, learn daily Japanese conversation, reading, writing, and basic grammar. I also showed them how to arrange flowers per their request together with other students.
I mainly used Japanese for Everyone as a textbook, but also chose familiar topics from children’s stories and advertisements and articles in the newspaper. As my daughter of their age often joined in the class, we could cover and talk a lot of topics. In practicing flower arrangements, as if to show their national characteristics, they were so serious and aesthetic that flowers were arranged like those offered to the spirit of the deceased. However, they were not bad at all. We also called at workshops and exhibitions held by colleges. They looked really excited when they saw the Great Buddha in Kamakura, the cherry blossoms in Sankeien, and snow for the first time. Also, when they wore a long-sleeved kimono, they were very much excited.
They said, since they like Japan very much, they hoped to come back for a Ph.D. course, and that they would continue to study Japanese back in Myanmar to realize their wishes. The other day I was invited to Myanmarese dishes cooked by them and was introduced to some new students. I am sure the past two years will be full of memories to me, too.
Succeeded in Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1 through practical exercises
Mr. Y, a Chinese student I had been helping since November 2007, completed his Master’s course programs of the International Graduates School of Social Science at Yokohama National University and left Japan for China in March 2010. Looking back on our companionship, I have been to banks and libraries with him; I have been to Kamakura and Sankeien with him to view cherry blossoms and plum blossoms; I have walked around Minato-Mirai area with him; I have been to renovated Yokohama Marine Tower with him. Also, I have made field trips like an excursion with him.
Basically, we met on the 10th floor of Kanagawa Volunteer Center to talk freely on the topics we decided to choose as per request. As he was enthusiastic, serious, and aggressive enough to question about words he did not know and things he wondered about, and applied in town the basic grammar of Japanese he learned at university, he made great progress with his Japanese to pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1 in July 2009. I really admire him for his strenuous effort.
I understand that, back in China, he will return to his job at the Commercial Agency in Henan. I am sure he will make the most of what he learned in Japan. I am appreciative of the time I spent with him as his tutor; it was a very pleasant and valuable experience.
Helping her write a Ph.D. thesis
I helped Ms. H write a Ph.D. thesis in Japanese on the theme of “The Institutionalization of Womankind and Gender Researches in Taiwan.”
I started on my help in December 2007 and, by the middle of last year, corrected her relevant theses several times and, during last December through this mid-March, corrected her final thesis closely--characteristically all via e-mail. I met her only three times including one on March 20 when I celebrated her on her having got a Ph. D.
Receiving a great work running to 170 pages, I was happy as if I had got the Ph. D. myself to find that her acknowledgements to me were as long as the ones to her teacher.