NewsletterVol. 4 Fall
September 2004
The
University of Alabama Japanese Summer Program started this year. Nine
students including five students from UA participated in the program,
and studied Japanese language (JA102) and culture (JA390) at the
Kansai-Gaidai University campus in Hirakata-city. The program included
field trips to Kyoto and Osaka, and students enjoyed various activities
with Kansai-Gaidai students.
Please visit the
Program album. We are planning to keep this program every
summer. If you know someone interested in the program, please forward
the information.
ALUMNI: Heather Peck (lawyer, graduated with Japanese minor)
After
graduating from U of A, I spent one year in Chiba, Japan as a "special
research student" (tokubetsu
choukou-sei) at Chiba University.
I studied literature, although in retrospect, the Department of
Law may have been more appropriate!
After that wonderful year, I attended Washington University in
St. Louis and received a law degree and a Master's degree in East
Asian Studies. I moved to
Atlanta with my husband where I started work with a large law firm.
Tiring of law firm life pretty quickly, I then moved in-house
into the legal department of Genuine Parts Company, where I am
currently. I still study my
kanji at night and participate in the Japan-America Society of Georgia
when work allows. I have
actually used my language skills at work as well. The
most recent opportunity was for a marketing campaign for a new NAPA Auto
Parts product. We used
kanji on the box, and since the person who did the original translation
used the wrong kanji, I took the project and fixed it.
I now see my work in marketing brochures and on products in the
local NAPA stores!
Josh
Ferris graduated from UA in May with a Business major and Japanese minor.
Josh has been studying at Hiroshima University for a year. Now he is
accepted as a research student of economics in Chiba University. He is
leaving to Japan soon. Way to go, Josh!
Richard
Newton graduated the University's New College in 1985 with a depth study
of International Political Economies and Japanese Studies. Richard
was in UA's first Japanese class, beginning in the fall of 1981, and was
one of the first UA students to study at Kansai Gaidai. He
graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1990 and,
immediately thereafter, returned to Japan for a year to teach English
with the Japan Exchange Teacher (J.E.T.) Program. Now practicing
law in Birmingham (with a growing Japanese business clientele), Richard
is a member of the Board of Directors of the Japan America Society of
Alabama and is a frequent business traveler to Japan. Richard's
wife, Tina Newton, will open "Tina Newton Asian Art" in
Birmingham's Art & Design District on September 24, 2004, from
5:00-7:00 p.m.. Tina and Richard are co-president's of
Birmingham's Asian Art Society. Tina's Gallery will feature
quality antique Japanese, Korean and Chinese furniture, as well as
porcelain and other high-end antiques. Of particular interest, Tina's
Gallery will exhibit the works of acclaimed Japanese contemporary artist
Miyuki Tsugami. Tina is currently Ms. Tsugami's exclusive
representative in North America.
Coming to Japan has been a goal that I`ve had ever since I was about 15 years old, so finally being able to come here was a dream come true. My experiences in Japan so far have been wonderful. In the short time that I`ve been here I have gone to see one of my favorite bands perform a concert in Tokyo, visited the giant Buddha in Nara, walked around the historic streets of Kyoto, palled around the streets of Osaka, and most recently I have visited the small town of Saiki, in Oita. In addition to places and things that I have actively seeked out, I`ve exeperienced a few that I haven`t such as earthquakes and typhoons.
I am really enjoying the experience of daily Japanese life and I believe that my Japanese is improving day by day and that by the end of the year my skill will be double what was before I came. Although I live in the dorm, which can be a disadvantage I always try to spend more time with my Japanese friends then in the dorm. I enjoying spending time with the international students, however my main goal is to improve my Japanese.
So far the only tips I have for living in Japan are
1) Get Lost: You never know what you will find when wandering around in Japan, just make sure to keep safe.
2) Make a Japanese friend and have them take you to their hometown. While it is fun to visit all the touristy places, it is very nice to spend time in a Japanese community and expereince Japanese life.
For Alumni and friends,
This year, the University of Alabama has a record number of students taking classes in the fall. As the university grows, the Japanese Program has 50 students in JA101. However, we only have 3 students in JA410 as everyone knows it is a hard language to keep studying. We are encouraging our students very hard to keep studying. Please give support/hint to your KOHAI to study longer.
Since our upper classes are small, the administrators of Arts and Sciences want to cancel the classes and shrink the program (this year, they stopped the Russian major program). But we instructors believe foreign language education is important for our future world and are trying to keep high quality teaching at the University of Alabama.
Hurricane
Ivan knocked down a big tree next to B.B. Comer Hall. (picture)
but UA Japanese Language Program won't be knocked down easily. Please support
us not to cut our Japanese classes.
To
alumni and friends who live close to the Atlanta area:UA Nozomi Daiko
Drummers are playing in the Japan Fest at Stone Mountain Park on September 25. (My
wife, Laurie and I will be playing also taiko.)
I need your input for the next issue, Please let me know what you are doing now. ua_japanese_arizumi@hotmail.com
Dr. Koji Arizumi