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Kikuyo Furukawa

STAFF INTERVIEW: Kikuyo Furukawa (Student Village Caretaker Manager)

Tatsuya Kato, a previous Staff Interviewee carried out this weeks newsletter interview:

Tatsuya Kato: Hello, Mrs Furukawa, you've had your hair cut!
Kikuyo Furukawa That's right, the other day I made the big decision to cut a lot off.
T: What was the reason? Because it's summer at the moment and you though it would be cooler?
F: Yes. I've had long hair for some time, but this summer I decided to have it cut short.

T: There will be a picture sent together with this interview for the newsletter so students who have graduated will be able to see your new hair cut. Later on today I'd like to take one photo of you.
F: That's good because students who have stayed in the Student Village might get in touch with me again. Actually, I sometimes receive letters or emails from students who have returned home and that's one of the most encouraging parts of the job I do. Students tell me about what they have been doing recently and it's rare to meet friends abroad, but I have the chance to meet people at the Student Village which is a good thing.

T: How long have you been caretaker manager of the Student Village?
F: Since the end of March 2000, so nearly 2 years and 4 months.

T: In the Student Village there are 50 rooms with space for 70 people. On top of that there are a lot of short-term students who are staying for no more than 12 weeks. So in the 2 years and four months you have been working there must have been many students who have stayed here?
F: Yes, many nationalities. Depending on the season, the numbers, type and nationality of the students change. Also, depending on the year, there is a tendancy for the type of student to change. For example, in 2000 there were a lot of people staying in the Student Village, whose main reason was the internet connection. Last year, there were a lot of people with an interest in Japan and Japanese culture. The Japanese economic position was also reflected in the reason why some people were studying Japanese. The other main reason used to be for work or to advance their career but recently it seems to be changing to people wanting to learn Japanese culture and learn more about Japan itself.

T: Because the number of short-term students is high you can sense such a change. Actually, the atmosphere before and after courses finish often changes doesn't it? What is the situation at the moment?
F: Every Summer the average age of the students decreases and the range of students widens. Usually the student age range is above 23, students in their 20's, 30's and 40's, but in the Summer a lot of people aged between 18 and 20 come to study, along with some more mature students.

T: What kind of lives do people lead in the Student Village?
F: It depends on the person. Doing homework, watching TV, chatting with friends etc. An interesting common point amongst the students is that when they return from school they head straight for the kitchen for food and then do something else. When I see this I think that Japanese, foreign people, adults and children are all the same. My 9 year old daughter also does this! When she returns from school the first thing she says is 'Mum, is there anything to eat?'.
T: I see......It's good that the accommodation is so close to campus. It would be hard in that situation to be without food for 1 or 2 hours. For you yourself, coming to Student Affairs at Yamasa at 9:30am every morning, what do you do after this?
F: Every day, during the morning, I'm cleaning. The entrance to the Student Village, the corridors, the 2 lounges and kitchens, toilets etc. I ask the students to keep their own rooms clean, though after someone leaves I do of course clean the room before the next student arrives.
T: So keeping the Student Village clean is a big part of your job?
F: That's right, but everything doesn't always go to plan. For example, if a student becomes ill, taking care of that student becomes more important than cleaning.
T: That's why a resident manager living in the Student Village puts many students at ease.
F: Absolutely. Suppose I encountered trouble abroad when I was in need of help, I would be grateful if there was someone nearby to help.

T: On a different note, up until now, what countries have you travelled to?
F: I have been to America, Taiwan and Hong Kong. I don't have much of an opportunity to go abroad, but working in the Student Village gives me important experience. I like watching people when I am on holiday and I enjoy observing and finding a common point between different cultures and languages.

T: Is there a country that you would like to go to?
F: If I have the chance I would like to go with my family to Europe, Thailand or Malaysia.

T: Does Megumi (Mrs Furukawa's daughter) have any dreams or plans related to working abroad?
F: Yes, my daughter is only in fourth grade but she already said that she has a dream to take part in voluntary work abroad. When she's watching news about child refugees on TV she says she wants to go and help them.
T: It seems like she's looking forward to her future. At that time she should be able to make use of the experience of living in the Student Village. Finally, do you have any advise for people coming to Japan?
F: Talking about living in the Student Village first of all; the Village is a western style building but there are Japanese customs like taking off shoes at the entrance, before entering, which people should know about. It can be useful to bring slippers when you come to Japan and also try to remember 2 or 3 recipes so that you can cook your own food and won't have problems trying to find something you like when you arrive. You can't get hold of foreign language books or magazines very easily in Okazaki so if you find it difficult to read Japanese, bring your own books so that you'll have something to read at night.

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