Kyoko Hayashi

STAFF INTERVIEW: Kyoko Hayashi- AIJP Teacher

The following interview was translated from the Japanese original.

Patty: Hayashi sensei, do you have a moment right now?
Kyoko: Yes, sure.
P: I was wondering if I can interview you for this week's newsletter.
K: Me? Okay, no problem.
P: When will be a good time for you?
K: How about tomorrow around 4 pm?
P: Okay, then it's set.

Fast forward to the next day.....

P: Thank you for agreeing to do the interview.
K: That's okay. Let's use one of the empty classrooms.
P: How about we start with the obvious question - why did you want to become a Japanese language teacher?
K: Well, when I was in high school, at first I thought about living abroad and getting a job in the field of medicine. Something that's useful in the world. But since I don't like math and blood, it didn't work out (laughing), however, I've always liked language & words and I did took a Japanese Language Education course to become a teacher.
P: From what I heard, you were working at Denso before you come to Yamasa?
K: That's correct, before becoming a Japanese language teacher, I worked at Denso for about 4 years. However, I did teach some voluntary classes during that time. Starting from my 4th year of work, I was tired of my job and I thought about quitting the job during that time too. And when I had the chance to go to Vietnam for a year to teach Japanese I did just that!

P: Why did you choose to go and teach in Vietnam?
K: Well, I traveled there with my friend during my second year of work. I was shocked by how hard the people were working there to try and rebuild their homes after the war, and also how different it was to 'easygoing' Japan. For some reason, I was shocked to a degree that scares me and I felt beaten by their liveliness. I thought I'd never go back to that country again. However, after I came back to Japan, I kept thinking about what I'd experienced and didn't want to lose that Vietnamese liveliness, so I chose to teach in Vietnam.
P: How was the life in Vietnam?
K: I spent the first half of the year getting used to the weather because it can be quite extreme, after which I was very happy to go to school to teach. It was a very healthy lifestyle.
P: So after the year ended, did you decide to come back to Japan or stay longer in Vietnam?
K: Well, after the contract had ended, I debated about whether I should look for jobs in Vietnam or return to Japan. I chose to come back because I received a message from Yamasa that they were looking for Japanese teacher, so I sent my resume in. I came back for the interview, but it didn't seem to work out at first, so I thought about going back to Vietnam again. However, my boyfriend (now husband) said that if I go back to Vietnam we'd have to break up. So, we decided to get married. After visiting each other's parents and looking for somewhere to hold the wedding reception, I got a call from Yamasa to say I'd got the job. So, here I am.

P: Since joining the Yamasa faculty you've been part of the AIJP teaching teams, what are some of your perspectives?
K: I've taught both beginner and intermediate classes. For example, last April, I had the chance to teach both classes in the same quarter, so it was quite interesting. In the morning I would have to use very simple words and speak slowly for the elementary levels, but in the afternoon, I had to teach an advanced class, so word control was very important.
P: How about the elective classes that take place after the core classes?
K: So far, I've taught business conversation using my past work experience at Denso. Also a regular conversation class which is based around free talking, pronunciation classes, and a short essay class. It was interesting to get to know more about what the students think from their essays, but it takes a lot of work because the point is to help the students express themselves, so teachers need to be very careful with corrections.

P: Slight change of subject. Let's talk about your family....how do you balance your time at work and home?
K: I usually take a bath after I got home to get rid of stress, and if my husband comes home early, instead of taking a bath, I'll prepare dinner first, eat and then work (preparing for the following day's lesson).
P: What are your hobbies and what do you do in your free time?
K: Well, my hometown is near the sea, so when I was little, I would always go to the sea. Now, I don't have much time to stroll around, but when I get the chance, I go to the sea and just enjoy the time without doing anything. Basically, I like nature. As for my hobbies, I started to learn how to play the Sanshin (Okinawa 'shamisen') last July.

P: Any advice or suggestion for students come to Yamasa?
K: Enjoy life in Japan as much as you can. On top of this, make friends with people outside of school. Besides speaking to teachers in school, get involved in activities with other Japanese people. For example, learn a Japanese instrument, sport, or anything connected to Japanese culture. Learning from them will help you get to know more about the place you're in right now.

P: What are your future plans?
K: I'll probably take a break when I have a child. But, once the child is grown up I'd like to come back and teach again.

P: Thank you once again for your time to do this interview!
K: You're welcome.

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