Hiroe Junya

STAFF INTERVIEW: Hiroe Junya - Program Coordinator, AIJP

The following was translated from the Japanese original.
Interview by Sugita-sensei from the OCJS and Shin-san from the International Office.

Sugita: Today we're interviewing the AIJP Program Coordinator, Hiroe-sensei.
Hiroe: Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Su: Well, first of all Hiroe-sensei, where do you currently live?
H: I live in Okazaki.
Su: And where were you born?
H: I was born in Osaka, where I lived for 10 years. After I graduated from elementary school, I went to Kobe, and I lived there until I graduated from university. After that I went to work in Shizuoka, and then I came to Okazaki.
Su: So Osaka-ben is your native dialect then, right?
H: Right, Kansai-ben, yes.
Su: But you don't seem to use it much. We never hear you speaking it...
H: No, no, I never use it in class of course but in the office I use it often, actually. The intonation is different, and some vocab. For example, there's the word "naosu" (repair), and normally you would use "modosu" (return), as in "please return this book to its original location," but in Kansai-ben we would use "naosu," so to others it can hear as though I've said "please repair this book." When I say that to other teachers, they ask me "is it broken?" That kind of vocabulary is different, and well, everybody seems to have a good chuckle about it. But it bothers me a little, so I consciously try not to use it.
Su: Shin-san, did you know the meaning of "naosu" in Osaka-ben?
Shin: No, I didn't. There's the word "modosu," afterall.
H: Right.

Su: So, um, how was it to go from Osaka to Okazaki?
H: Well, my job is pretty busy. Most of my life is going back and from between Yamasa and my apartment, so being in Okazaki doesn't really feel much different.
Sh: On the weekends, do you go back to your parents' house in Kobe?
H: Weekends... no, I don't go back. AIJP quarters are 3 months long and in between there's a small break, so I might go back to visit during that time, but every weekend or once per month, no I don't.
Su: So when do you normally visit?
H: Probably once every 3 months or so. I visit several times a year. Not often.
Su: Shin-san, how often do you visit your family in Singapore?
Sh: Only about once a year.
H: Well, I get to visit more often than Shin-san, anyway. (laughs)

Su: When did you start working at Yamasa, Hiroe-sensei?
H: How long has it been... about 2 years and 8 months? This year is my third year.
Su: And before you worked at Yamasa?
H: I worked for 4 years in Shizuoka in the business office of a medical supplies company.
Su: What was the reason you decided to go back to school and then become a Japanese teacher?
H: What was the reason... (laughs)
Sh: It's completely different than business work.
H: Yes, it is. Well, first of all, while I was in my previous job I didn't have any great desire to become a Japanese teacher. When I was in university, I wanted to study abroad. I'd see other students go study abroad and think "I'd like to do that..." So I got a job and I was able to save some money. So I thought, "well, why not?"
Su: Sure.
H: So I went abroad, to this English language school, and there was a really great teacher there.
Sh: By the way, where did you study abroad?
H: Ah, England. I studied abroad in England. I really didn't like English when I studied it in Japan, and so I couldn't speak it all. Once, back in high school I think, on a test of general English ability I got 9 points out of 200. I had the second lowest grade out of more than 200 students.
Su: You want Yamasa students to know that, right? (laughs)
H: Yes and no. Not being able to speak English became a kind of complex, so I made the decision to study English abroad, and I met this really great teacher at the school. Each day the classes flew by so quickly because I was having a great time learning. And when I found myself thinking "this seems like a good job," I realized "hey, I'm Japanese! I bet I could be a Japanese teacher!" So after I came back to Japan I enrolled in a 1 year specialized Japanese teacher training course. And then, well, I was able to get a job. I became a Japanese teacher.
Su: And now the classes fly by for your students?
H: I wish. Having gone through the process of studying abroad I understand how it can be kind of difficult for the students sometimes. But that's the goal. If you see a student glancing at their watch, you have to think "ah, that's not good" and make the lesson more interesting.

Su: We mentioned that you are the AIJP Program Coordinator, but what does that job actually entail?
H: Well, mainly it involves gathering information from the other teachers to get an overall picture of things. After that there are things like students changing classes, students having problems... and of course there's more administrative work. As a representative of the teaching staff I have discussions with other departments. Things like that.
Sh: What are the difficult parts, and what are the fun parts?
H: Teaching is the fun part, of course. Occasionally things don't go smoothly, but when class goes well, or the students tell me that they really understood something, or when the students' faces say "it's over already?!", its great.
Su: When they don't look at the clock?
H: Right. I feel like I won that round. Also, outside of class, sometimes the students will invite me to go eat with them. That kind of friendly person-to-person contact is fun. That, and when students go home during the breaks they sometimes bring back small gifts, which is always nice.
Sh: And the difficult parts?
H: The most difficult is if I can't explain a particular point well. AIJP is taught in group classes, but each student is different. If someone comes up to me and says to me, "Sensei, I don't understand the point of today's class," it makes me think. Did I teach it the wrong way? Was there really no point? I really worry about that. That's the most difficult part. After that, well, being a Japanese teacher means interacting with people, so I pay attention to that aspect, of course.

Su: You talked about your language studies in England, but can you tell us about any of your experiences or memories from that time that really stick out in your mind to this day?
H: Well, there were lots of different things, like studying with teacher I mentioned. Let's see... one day when the class was over, we all decided to go out for a drink together as a class. Sugita Sensei, if I say "let's go out for a drink as a class," what kind of place comes to mind?
Su: Well, an izakaya (Japanese bar/restaurant) maybe...
H: Right, like that. That's what I was thinking as well. Well, we went to a pub. A proper English pub.
Su & Sh: Sure, of course.
H: Well, you go to a pub, and you get a beer, right? Well, over there it's just drinks, basically no food. So you drink a beer, right? And there's nothing to eat. So you drink another beer...
Su: Aah.
H: Normally, in Japan, when you say "go out for a drink" it usually means there will be food also, right? So I didn't eat anything before going. So, I just drank beer and got really drunk. It was pretty bad.
Su: That's different than Japan, isn't it.
H: That was probably the biggest difference, I thought.
Su: Shin-san, what's it like in Singapore?
Sh: In pubs? basically we don't eat. There are places to eat, but you don't eat in a pub.
Su: Places to eat and places to drink are basically different.
Sh: Yeah.
H: But in Japan they're the same place. When you're leaving work and you say "today, I'll get a drink before heading home" it really means "today, I'll get a drink and something to eat before heading home." So that was different, which kind of surprised me.
Sh: It's a cultural difference.
H: Yes. Besides that time, I had a few bad experiences at McDonald's. At first, everytime I ordered a vanilla shake I'd receive a banana shake instead. My pronunciation was bad, you see... I'd say "banira!" but I'd always get banana. It was really annoying... no matter how many times I ordered, it was always wrong.

H: Another thing, at McDonald's, when you order set #1, for example, they ask you if you need anything else, right? I think they say "Anything else?" in English. But when I thought about the meaning of "Anything else?" I translated it to Japanese. "Anything" is "nanika" and "else" is "hoka", so I thought "hoka no nanika?"... I mistakenly assumed the particle was "no". Not "hoka NI nanika" (anything else?) but "hoka NO nanika?" (something instead?)
Su: Particles are important!
H: So I said "set #1" and they said "something instead?" So I thought they didn't have set #1. So I ordered set #2. They asked again. "Something instead?" I thought, "man, this McDonald's doesn't have set #1 and set #2?" So I ordered set #3. Again, "Something instead?" Since I thought they didn't have that either, and I couldn't speak well enough to complain, the only thing I could do was leave out of embarrassment.
Su: They didn't make you buy all three sets?
H: I thought "forget it" and left. If I'd payed at that point I would have ended up with all three sets, though. It was a miserable experience.
Su: The person taking your order must have thought you were quite strange.
H: I'm sure.

Su: Having studied English, do you have any tips for studying foreign languages.
H: Hmm, well, I'm still not very good at English, so it's kind of hard to say... When I was in England, I did a homestay, so I was forced to speak English. In that situation, I didn't know the language but I had to speak, so I naturally started to get better little by little. If I made a mistake maybe I got laughed at, but the host family corrected my errors. So in that way I was able to learn.
Su & Sh: Sure, sure.
H: So, speaking is the key. Output. Yamasa students put a lot of effort into learning grammar and vocabulary, but a some of the students seem to think that speaking is less important. If you just work on input, you can study for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, but can you really use the language in your daily life? I don't think so, so even in my normal classes I try as much as possible to make the students speak.
Sh: So speaking and conversation classes are the most important.
Su: Yes. And its important to put yourself into situations where you are forced to speak.
H: Exactly. So even outside of class, use Japanese. Try to speak to the teachers during breaks, for example. The best thing is if you can make some Japanese friends.
Sh: Japanese friends who can't speak English, or your native language, would be best.
Su: That's what it comes down to, I think.

Sh: So, what are your hobbies?
H: For hobbies, certainly baseball is my favorite. I like sports, so baseball, and in winter I like to go snowboarding. I haven't snowboarded since coming to Yamasa, though, so it's been 2 or 3 years now.
Su: Do you play baseball, or watch it?
H: I like to do both. I've played since I was a child, so I really enjoy it. I'm not on a team in Okazaki, so I play on a team back in Kobe or in Shizuoka where I used to work. But the schedules don't really match up, so I only get to play a couple times a year.
Su: So you go all the way to Kobe or Shizuoka to play?
H: Yes.
Su: What about forming a team at Yamasa?
H: Well, I think it would be hard. You need at least nine people, right?
Su: And unlike soccer you need equipment.
H: Right, so it's kind of difficult. But, playing is fun, and watching is also fun. I go watch games at Nagoya Dome sometimes.
Su: Which team are you a fan of?
H: Since I was born in Osaka, the Hanshin Tigers of course.
Sh: But this year the Dragons...
H: Yeah. This year the Tigers were very close, but unfortunately they came in 2nd.

Sh: So, besides sports, what are your other hobbies?
H: Besides sports? That's a hard one.
Su: If you take away sports, there's nothing left?
H: No, no. What do I do on my days off... Ah, sometimes I cook.
Su: Nice.
H: No, I'm not very good, but I made curry last Sunday. I often make curry on the weekend and then have the leftovers for lunch Monday or Tuesday. This time, though, I didn't use a curry roux. I mixed 21 kinds of spices to make the curry from scratch. I burned it a little, so it affected the flavor a bit, but it turned out pretty tasty.
Su: Sounds a bit like "Men's Cooking."
H: Well, there's a kind of "curry club" in the AIJP office. It's only 3 people, Honda-sensei, Hada-sensei, and myself, but occasionally Honda-sensei will make us curry, or Hada-sensei, or sometimes I make it. We make rice, curry, and salad. So, I do that kind of thing with the AIJP teachers. But I can't cook complex dishes. I don't have time during the week, so there's only the weekend.
Su: That's cool. What do you think about men who can cook, Shin-san?
Sh: I think it's good.
Su: Do men in Singapore cook?
Sh: Not enough.

Su: Well, to change to subject a bit, do you have a favorite saying?
H: That's a difficult one. Favorite saying... Not that I can think of...
Su: A motto or something?
H: A motto... In class, maybe, depending on the situation, but overall not really.
Su: Ok, what would it be in class? Something like "Always Do Your Best?"
H: For class, it would be "Laugh."
Su: Just like a person from Kansai.
H: Yeah. I have to approach class with a serious attitude, but I try to put a bit of humor in here and there.
Su: People from Kansai do that a lot, don't they?
H: I guess so. But, as a department head, if you don't have principles... I work with a lot of people, so if I don't have good principles it's not going to go well. Other than that, to use a simple expression that my coach used to say when I played baseball as a child, "There's no tomorrow if you don't try your hardest today." It's not something I say, but it's something that was said to me and I think about it whenever I undertake something.
Su: "There's no tomorrow if you don't try your hardest today." Shin-san, let's take that one to heart.
Sh: Indeed.
H: But I can't really go so far as to say it's my motto.
Su: No, no, but it's great.

Su: So, umm, who are the people that you admire?
H: That's a difficult one, too... Um, well, people might call me a mama's boy, but I admire my mother. From the time I was a child she was a working mother, raising me and having a job at the same time, so... Well, of course my father was the same. It's rude if I don't mention him, right? I have to say my parents.
Su: So, your parents.
H: But, when I was in university, so my mother was 50? A little before that, I think it was, but even at that age she retrained, for example, always trying to expand her career options. Even now, she works part time and has her hobbies and such.
Su: A very positive person. A perfect example of "There's no tomorrow if you don't try your hardest today."
H: Yeah, like that. It seems like she takes a positive approach to everything, which I think is great.

Sh: So what kind of woman is your type?
H: What kind... somebody who has things you lack is good, I think. For example, somebody who has the same hobbies as you is fine, but somebody who has different hobbies than you, you can take on some of their hobbies and broaden your horizon. That kind of thing is good, I think.
Su: So what do you lack, Hiroe-sensei?
H: There are lots of things!
Su: You're a sportsman type, so a person who likes the arts is good maybe?
H: Ah, that kind of person would be good, too. Music maybe... or, somebody with beautiful handwriting would be good, I've thought. Which means, of course, that my handwriting is quite messy.
Su: I understand that. My handwriting is messy too.
Sh: It doesn't matter right?
H: No, you have lots of times when you have to handwrite things. Documents, people's names on the thank-you bags at your wedding, etc. For those kind of things I really hate my handwriting, so...
Sh: But isn't it the thought that counts most?
H: Well, hmm... But, well, just because someone's handwriting is messy doesn't mean I won't date them. Just as an ideal, someone with nice handwriting would be nice.
Sh: Is that your number 1 requirement?
H: No, no, it's not a requirement at all. Just something that would be nice.
Su: Anyway, once you like someone, that person becomes your ideal. "Love is blind," afterall.
H: Yeah. Anyway, someone who can make decisions is good, I think. I can be quite indecisive.
Su: Really!? I don't see that at all.
H: No, really. For example, you have a date on your day off, right? Well, when I ask "where should we go?" the thing I hate most to be told "wherever is fine."
Su: Because you say it yourself, right?
Sh: Because if you both say "wherever" then you end up going nowhere.
H: It just stops there. "What do you want to eat today?" "Anything is fine" There are times you really don't care, but if it's like that every time...
Su: And if she said "I want to eat this!" then you'd cook it for her, right?
H: No, no, we'd go out.
Sh: What about the curry made from 21 kinds of spices?
H: No, no. (Chuckles)

Su: Since you're originally from Osaka, can you tell us what kind of place it is?
H: Well, when people think of Osaka, they think of a lively town. The people are lively, the "oba-chan" (middle-aged ladies) are especially famous. Compared to Tokyo, the people seem nicer, friendlier.
Sh: What about compared to Chubu?
H: Hmm... Chubu, Nagoya, feels closer to Kansai than Tokyo. More like Osaka, I think.
Su: We already talked about the word "Laugh" being associated with people from Osaka, but is that an actual requirement?
H: I'm not sure you can call it a requirement, but it's the norm.
Su: So what happens to people from Osaka who can't tell jokes?
H: I think there are people who are like that on the inside, but it's expected in daily life... it's the norm.
Su: You're trained from an early age?
H: Yeah. Everyone around you is like that. At home it's like that. That kind of thing.
Su: That sounds difficult. Do you feel pressure to be funny?
H: Aah, the thing I hate most is, I go to a party, for example when I was in Shizuoka, and people say to me, "Hey, you're from Osaka, so say something funny! Do something funny!" and it's like "I can't just do that on the spot like that, you know!"
Su: They expect you to be a comic.
H: Yeah. Not everyone from Osaka is a comedian, though. But, well, you grow up in that kind of environment, so, more so than people from Tokyo or Nagoya, people from Osaka seem to have a good sense of humor, I think.
Su: Shin-san, have you been to Osaka before?
Sh: Yes, I have.
Su: Did it feel like that?
Sh: Yeah. There were nice old ladies there, too.
H: Loud old ladies?
Sh: No, not loud, nice. When I got lost, one old lady lead me all the way to where I was going. On the way she asked me all sorts of questions like "what country are you from?" "where do you live?" and when I answered Nagoya, she told about how she lived in Nagoya 20 years ago and such. I'd never met this person before, but she talked to me quite a bit.
Su: Even though you just met her?
Sh: All I did was ask her for directions.

Su: Hmm, do you have any recommendations for Yamasa students or foreignors going to Osaka? "You absolutely must visit this place!"
H: Hmm... my top recommendation would be the Japanese National High School Baseball Tournament. I think everyone should go watch that once, but the tickets are quite hard to get. Besides that, there's the food and such. Osaka is famous for takoyaki and okonomiyaki, so everyone should at least eat those two things. At some restaurants you can make your own takoyaki, so I think it's good for people to give that a try. The last time I went back to Kobe, I met up with some Yamasa students there. We went to a restaurant like that and they seemed to have a good time.
Sh: That sounds fun.
H: Besides that, the Yoshimoto New Comedy Show is probably too difficult to understand, so... Universal Studios Japan or, ah, I really like the Osaka Aquarium "Kaiyukan".
Su: They have really big tanks there, don't they.
H: Yeah. And close to the aquarium is another "top" attraction
Su: What's that?
H: Well, where's the tallest mountain in Japan?
Sh: The tallest mountain? Mt. Fuji?
H: Right. Well, close to the Kaiyukan is Tempozan, the shortest mountain in Japan.
Sh: The shortest mountain?
H: Yep.
Sh: How short?
H: About like a normal street that is just slightly sloping up. There's a sign that says "Tempozan: Elevation 1 Meter" or "2 Meters," I forget which.
Su: Is it marked on maps?
H: Yes, it is. You can get a photo souvenir there and such, which I find funny. If I told a student about Tempozan, and said, "if you can't find it, just say 'Where is Tempozan? I want to climb Tempozan.'" If they actually said that, they'd get laughed at by some old lady selling souvenirs, which would be funny. "Where is it?" "It's right there." "Huh? Where?" "There!"
Su: Yamasa should have a tour that goes to Mt. Fuji, and then to Tempozan. Conquer the tallest and shortest mountains in Japan.

Su: Okay, finally, do you have something that you'd like to achieve in the next 5 years?
H: Hmm. In 5 years, it's a good age to be married I think. Wait, maybe I should talk about something else instead?
Su & Sh: No, it's fine.
Su: What do you think? Is that achievable in 5 years?
H: I don't know. Right now it might be a bit difficult. I have to think about what direction I want to go with my job, etc.
Su: What do you mean by that?
H: Hmm? Lots of different things. (laughs)
Su: Lots of different things? Hmm, is this off the record? (laughs)
H: No, as a single guy, what kind of life do I want? I want to choose my own way. Right now I'm quite busy dealing with classes and administrative things, but looking to the future, what kind of person do I want to become? For example, what kind of person do I want to be, not in 5 years, but in 50 years? That's the kind of vision I'd like to have in the next 5 years.
Su & Sh: That's great!

Su: Ok, do you have something you'd like to say to Yamasa students?
H: Hmm, there really are a lot of good students here. In the graduation ceremony speeches they often say "the great teachers..." and other nice things, but from my standpoint it's really the students who are great.
Su: The class falls apart?
H: Yeah, the class falls apart. But Yamasa students are all serious.
Su & Sh: Okay, well, thank you for giving us so much time today.

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