Tomoe Ban

STAFF INTERVIEW: Ban Tomoe (AIJP Program Coordinator)

Kato: Ban-sensei. Sorry for bothering you during the lunch break but can I interview you now for the Yamasa Newsletter?
Ban: Sure. I'd be delighted.

K: You would? Are you the same Ban-sensei as the one who went all the way to China to escape from the interview when we asked for it last time three months ago. What happened to you?
B: Well, for the past couple of months, I've learned a lot in China and grown up. Mind you I went there to teach Japanese. If I ran away from something, I would head for a warm place anyway.

K: Sure enough. Where in China were you teaching?
B: Toyota motor company in Tenshin from November 11th to January 22th. I was working frantically all through so there was no time to reminisce about Japanese Oshogatsu. Although, I felt a bit of a longing for it, to tell you the truth.

K: Otsukare sama deshita.
B: That wasn't very wholehearted.

K: Otsukare sama deshita!!
B: Thank you!

K: How did you feel when you were selected to teach in China?
B: Selected? Wait a minute. That's not precise. It was just no one else had... But... Now that I think well of it, it was satisfying and rewarding. It was a good chance.

K: Can you tell us about your classes over there.
B: I taught people work for the joint company of Tenshin Toyota and Tenshin Kisha. I taught two classes, one whose level of Japanese is roughly equal to upper-beginner at Yamasa and the other whose Japanese proficiency level is about equal to pre-intermediate. They all work there during the day time. So there were two classes after work from Monday through to Friday and seven classes on Saturdays.

K: Seven classes a day! That must be tough.
B: Nope. Actually, it seemed time went even faster and I didn't get so tired. People I taught there had there lives and work there, so even if they wanted to come to Japan to study, most of them couldn't. So, in the lessons that they were taking then, there was a strong feeling of wanting to get as much out of the study as they could. It seemed as if the brief time that they could get lessons with a native Japanese teacher was really precious. Perhaps you can imagine? There's no stronger incentive to work harder for a teacher. It's not a chore at all to teach for seven hours to people who are studying desperately as hard as they can.

K: I see. It would be good to explain that feeling to lots of people in the newsletter, wouldn't it. Did you manage to relax during your days off?
B: Well, actually, it took half of Sunday to prepare the lessons for the following week. Because I spent the whole time focussed entirely on work.

K: What was the best experience in this trip?
B: Meeting lots and lots of people. Learning mroe about myself in a new environment. Changing environment is a great stimulus.

K: So if you had another chance you'd go again?
B: If I could have a business trip abroad about once a year, I'd be happy! (laughs).

K: Is there anywhere you'd like to go in particular?
B: Lots of places. But, since I couldn't choose if it was for business, somewhere that I would never normally go would be good.

K: By the way, can you speak Chinese?
B: Chinese? Hmmm, 14 years ago I studied in Taipei for four months...

K: Ah, so you've been studying for the last 14 years then.
B: Ahh, don't say that. In that 14 years, I've studied a bit of English, French, Burmese, all sorts of languages, so I can hardly remember Chinese at all.

K: So, please be so kind as to say something in Chinese.
B: Kopii, kopii. The photocopier is broken.

K: Fantastic! So, if the photocopier ever breaks down you don't have to worry.
B: Sure. But if you don't have any photocopies, then where are you?

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