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STUDENT INTERVIEW: Karon Saito (SILAC)

Karon Saito

Karon started in the Acceleration Format 2 recently.

Jon: First of all, how did you find Yamasa?
Karon: Through the homepage.
J: Did you find it by yourself or did someone else recommend it to you?
K: It's a long story. I was supposed to come to Japan and then look for a school but I didn't like the idea of having to look for one after I arrived so I checked on the internet. Yamasa had by far the most informative web site. Others would have one page of information and then a mailing address where you could send enquiries. As I didn't have much time I thought Yamasa would the best choice.

J: How is the course going?
K: So far, so good.
J: And the CALL seminar lessons?
K:They give me a good chance to practice my conversation with the teacher at the end of the lesson and rather than practicing set sentences and structures it's more natural. It's still difficult. When I go into a shop I usually say whatever is necessary to get me out of the store as quick as possible!!

J: Is the program intensive enough for you?
K: It thought it was too fast at the beginning, but there's a bit of review during next week so that will slow it down a bit.

J: How do you find the teaching faculty?
K: All the teachers are very patient, and it's a good thing they don't speak English in class. I was speaking with my sister and she said she learnt Japanese in exactly the same way.
J: Is your sister in Japan?
K: Yes, she's working here and has been living in Japan for the past 7 years.

J: Why are you studying Japanese?
K: That's very complicated.......It's always been lingering in the background, because I'm half Japanese but not able to speak the language. My brother and sister are fluent but I can't communicate with my father in Japanese which I would like to do.
J: So you communicate with him in English?
K: That's right.

J: Had you studied any Japanese before you came to Yamasa?
K: Yes. I've been to Japan twice before and I studied at home in Kenya and Australia so I should be much better than I am. In Kenya I studied the first 6 chapters of Mina no Nihongo at the Japan Information Center, but it was all in English so not ideal.

J: Okay, so you have Kenyan nationality, a Japanese passport and you lived in Australia. Can you tell me a bit more about this?
K: It's very very complicated............My father is Japanese, my mother Kenyan. I have a Christian name, a Japanese name and a traditional Kenyan name.
J: What is your traditional Kenyan name?
K: It's Nya Gu Thie, from the Kikuyu tribe.
J: I assume that has some kind of meaning?
K: Yes, it means, `born on the way'. I think it's a 'my waters broken' kind of thing!

J: Changing tack a bit, how is your accommodation in Villa 3?
K: It's bigger than I thought it would be, but older than I expected.

J: And how about Okazaki?
K: I knew what to expect as I was in Toyohashi last year for 3 weeks which was fairly similar I suppose. I was living just outside Toyohashi, really in the countryside, with rice fields and so on. It took 15-20 minutes by bicycle to get to the nearest shopping mall so Okazaki is better.

J: After you finishing studying at Yamasa what will you do?
K: That's very complicated......
J: Another complicated question!
K: Well, I have an offer for a place on a Masters degree program in Melbourne, Australia, but my father would like me to study in Japan and there's a reason for that which is where it gets complicated.......
J: Okay, no more complicated questions. What subject did you graduate in?
K: I have an advertising degree after studying for 3 years at a University in Melbourne. I graduated in November 2001, stayed in Australia until March 2002, went back to Kenya and then came to Japan.
J: What was Australia like?
K: It depends where you go. I was lucky, I ended up in Melbourne which was good but some of my friends went to other places which weren't so happening.

J: And last of all, any suggestions for students coming to Yamasa?
K: If you can, send your luggage ahead of you so that you can pick it up when you arrive in Okazaki - it will save you carrying it from Tokyo or any other place you arrive at. I sent my luggage to be delivered a day after my arrival at Yamasa which wasn't a good idea because I didn't have any of my stuff for nearly 24 hours.

J: Well, thanks for your time!
K: Oh yes, and the accommodation. The beds in the accommodation are very hard, even with the futon, they are much harder than what I'm used to. And the pillow, oh my god.....! The first night was quite a shock.......!