Japanese People (portrait)

For this blog post I chose to write about my Japanese language speaking partner Rie Sakai.  Having signed up for the speaking partner program prior to coming to Japan, I was curious to see how this relationship with a Japanese student would be.  In the month and a half’s time spent at Kansai Gaidai, I have met with Rie several times and have gotten to know her little by little.  It was surprising to discover that she and I shared similar interests—oddly enough, she is interested in board sports (surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, etc.).  So when I told her that I also enjoyed those activities, particularly skateboarding, she asked if I could teach her.  So this past Sunday, I went with Rie to buy a skateboard at a sports store in Shinsaibashi.  In Japan, because skateboarding is far more expensive than in America, by purchasing one, it is a testament to her actual interest in pursuing skateboarding as a hobby.  When I met with Rie today, I told her about the blog assignment and she agreed cordially and I took a photo few photos.  (I thought it was funny when I asked to take her picture she put the peace signs up.)  I described briefly to her the assignment and then I showed her my techdeck (mini fingerboard) and we started talking about skateboarding.  I usually go to Hirakatashi train station on the weekends and asked if she would want to go and she said she would.  Now I have the opportunity to not only practice my Japanese speaking with Rie, but also am able to share my hobby as well.

When speaking with Rie, our conversations are sometimes limited by the language barrier; however, to compensate we use various means of communication to help each other understand.  It has been a learning process, but when speaking with her, I am inspired to study hard and practice speaking Japanese.  Like most Kansai Gaidai students I have met, Rie studies English very studiously not only to become proficient, but also in preparation for future study abroad opportunities.  During one of our meetings, I noticed that she had a textbook that had the acronym TOEFLE on the cover, but when I asked what the initials stood for, Rie did not know.  Upon further research involving asking many students what the initials meant, I finally found that it stands for “Test of English as a Foreign Language”.  

Rie's very busy school schedule

I was interested to find when chatting with her that in the future, she wants to teach Japanese in America.  Because I also share a similar desire to teach English in Japan after graduation, her dedication to studies and ambition also inspire me to make the most of my time in Japan and make each moment a learning experience.