STUDENT INTERVIEW: Fay Yuan Chen (USA/Discovery)

Fay Yuan Chen

Declan: Thanks for the interview. I think you are one of the first students to do a 2 week discovery program?
Fay: Yeah, it was 2 weeks of study and then 8 days on the road.
D: What level did you start at?
F: Absolute beginner. I did a 7 week course during my freshman year at college, but I couldn't remember much about it.

D: What and where are you studying?
F: I just finished. I studied International Relations and Economics at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.
D: So this is a sort of graduation trip for you?
F: Yes, thats right. I went to Europe for a couple of weeks, mainly London area then Spain, France, Italy and Switzerland. I then went home for 2 days before jumping on a plane to come here.
D: Is this your first time in Japan?
F: Yes it is.

D: Why Japan? What made you decide "After graduation I'm going to Japan".
F: I was fascinated by it. My grandparents always spoke Japanese around the house since they grew up during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan and plus I was studying with an East Asia focus in college.
D: Did you grow up in Taiwan?
F: No we moved to the USA when I was only one year old, but my grandparents came over, so thats where I heard them speaking Japanese.

D: Who were your teachers in the program?
F: I had 5 sensei all up. Naruse, Kamiya, Nakane, Inoue and Kondo sensei.
D: How did you find the team teaching format?
F: Great. You get a lot of variety, and since the program is so intensive it helps keep you fresh. I was surprised how much I learnt in just 2 weeks. And also its amazing how personalized the instruction is. They adjust quickly to each individual's strengths and weaknesses and they really seem to care. Even with students entering and leaving every two weeks they knew everyone's name, why we were here and all that. They even made a small card for me on my last day. I was really touched by it and all the personal attention.

D: Where did you live during the discovery program?
F: A shared apartment in Residence U.
D: How was that?
F: I looked at all the pictures, the floorplan and the streaming video in advance. The video was pretty useful by the way. And it actually looked a lot better than expected...
D: Oh?
F: Well usually people only show you the best pictures they have right? So I expected it to be worse. Its actually a very nice apartment so I was happy.
D: How do you get to the campus?
F: I got a second hand bike?
D: How long does the commute take?
F: To get to school, about 5 minutes. To get home, about 15 to 20 minutes I guess. As long as it takes to walk....
D: Ah - the very small hill.
F: I'm not very fit I guess. The last incline is a bit hard. Maybe I just don't have very strong legs, or its just that I'm also very cautious because I'm not used to riding a bicycle.

D: Can I ask you a few questions about the tour?
F: Sure
D: Where did you enjoy going to the most?
F: Tokoname was fantastic. Making pottery on the wheel with a master potter was wonderful. Especially his reactions. Everytime he turned his back for even a second to work with the others I managed to ruin my pottery in some new way. He didn't speak any English so it was a lot of fun.
D: What did he say everytime he looked at your pottery?
F: Between convulsions of laughter it was something along the lines of "Objet d'Art"? Which is what my creations resembled most of the time. Anything but what they were originally intended to be.
D: Will make a great omiyage.
F: Yeah. I also liked making the shibori at Arimatsu. That little old grandmother teaching us was amazing.
D: How about the overnight trips?
F: Nara of course. Walking around at night when places like Kofukuji were illuminated, the reflections in the pond. Also loved playing the drums in the game center, they have incredibly fun games here. And the yakiniku place we went to in Nara was wonderful.
D: And Wakayama?
F: Wakayama was great. I loved walking around the cliffs and the watching people at the Yunomine Onsen.
D: How would you describe whalemeat?
F: A bit like sour beef, or pickled beef I guess. I preferred the rest of the banquet, especially the sashimi.

D: And how was the structure of the discovery tour itself?
F: I was amazed that the tour proceeded even when there was only 2 of us at times. Plus it was more flexible than I expected. I signed up for it because I was on my own in Japan for the first time and I wanted to see a lot of things without having to worry about much. But I was expecting something more rigid, I don't know, more Japanese I guess. You know like "OK everyone it 11:22 right now. Stay together and follow the flag, we have to be back on the bus at 11:43 sharp" and all that. Instead it was laid back and relaxed and we saw and did things I'd never have been able to experience travelling alone.
D: Except for the ice cream tour?
F: (laughing) yeah I guess. They should have somme kind of frequent buyer points for ice cream lovers. I've had all the different types of ice cream I could, sesame, azuki bean, royal milk tea flavored, green tea, even miso flavored ice cream.
D: I heard you've also been buying some unusual souvenirs.
F: No no just a lot of really good stuff. I bought an electric guitar from Shimamura music in the Aeon shopping center that looks superb, really cute. Also electronics like an mp3 player from Eden over on route 248.
D: And a hello kitty mixer?
F: Um (laughing), yeah. And dolls from Yoshihama Ningyou. And glitter pens. There's just some great stuff to buy and I wish a lot of it was available in the states.

D: What has been your most outstanding impression of Japan?
F: The people I think. Just the general politeness and helpfulness. When I came to Yamasa I came via Osaka so I had to take the train. I didn't know any Japanese to speak of and had several transfers to make. But people around me were very friendly and helpful. Another time a friend and I wanted to go to the beach but it was raining, so I visited her host family instead. They actually just showed up at my door and we all went out for the weekend. We went to the castle and the Hatcho Miso place. Ate kaiten sushi, went shopping.

D: Is there any particular experience you'll never forget?
F: Climbing Mount Fuji. It was the first weekend I was here. A bunch of us just decided to go and climb it. It was amazing. The sky kept changing color and it was all very pretty.
D: Did you walk around the crater?
F: Yeah. It took about 40 minutes or so. There was still snow inside even though it was summer. Unfortunately we missed a stop on the way down and got a bit lost. It only took 5 or 6 hours to climb but the descent took about 14 hours. My feet are still sore from it.

D: Whats next for you now that the tour is over?
F: New York. Investment banking in New York City. I'll hopefully be able to take some Japanese classes down at the Japan Society and try to keep my Japanese up between that and the online school.

D: Okay. Well many thanks for the interview and feedback. Best of luck and feel free to drop by anytime you are passing through Okazaki.
F: Thank you.