Kirsten

Kirsten Tutor Interview

Q. Hi Kirsten! Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

A. Hi! I have worn many hats in my life, but these days I am primarily a teacher and a mother. In my younger days I traveled a lot and lived for a time in Japan. I studied Japanese language and culture in college, so after I graduated, I moved to Japan to have a cultural experience and try to advance my language skills. I spent a wonderful five years there teaching English and eventually working part-time in business. I lived mostly in Kyoto, which is such a wonderful city for all of its history and culture.
I have been back to Japan only once since then, but I long to get back again someday, this time with my husband and son. I look forward to sharing all of my favorite people, places and foods with them. Currently, I teach ESL at a community college in Bellingham. Our program draws international students from all over the world to study English and complete prerequisites before transferring to an American university to pursue their degrees. I learn so much about different cultures of the world working with my students. If I can’t travel to other countries, the next best thing is experiencing them through my work.

Q. I want to know where you live. Could you please tell us about your current city?

A. I live in a small town called Bellingham just north of Seattle and south of the Canadian border in Washington State. Bellingham is a beautiful place for its proximity to both ocean and mountains. There are many outdoor enthusiasts living here for that very reason. My husband and I moved here from Seattle when we were looking for a quieter place and a simpler life. We love it here and can’t imagine living anywhere else. Even the frequent rain here doesn’t bother us. The beautiful summers make the long winters totally worthwhile!

Q. Tell us a little about your educational and professional background.

A. I am originally from Michigan, which is in the Midwest of the United States. I graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Asian Studies, after which I moved to Japan. When I returned to the States, I moved directly to Seattle in order to settle someplace closer to the Pacific Rim where I could maintain contact with Japanese language and culture. I had great fun in Seattle, working in the tech industry first, then non-profit communications, and finally getting my Master’s in Teaching. I taught in the public schools for two years and then got a job teaching at the college. That’s where I’ve been ever since.

Q. Could you tell me your most unforgettable experience in Japan?

A. I had so many unforgettable experiences! I lived in Kyoto most of the time I was there, which is really the perfect place for someone wanting to soak up the culture of Japan. My Japanese host family gave me some amazing cultural experiences involving 懐石料理, 茶道, and 着物. I am interested in earthenware, so one of hobbies was traveling around visiting Japanese kilns and buying pottery. I brought back a whole tea crate full of 焼き物 when I moved back to the States, most of which I still use today. I will always carry visions in my mind of the beautiful temples and shrines of Kyoto, especially during the 桜 and　紅葉 seasons.

Q. What do you do in your free time?

A. As a mother and a teacher, I don’t really have a whole lot of “free” time. I spend a lot of time with my son, who is the joy of my life. We like to take walks or bike rides, play at the park, or play board games and read at home together. We live near a huge and beautiful park with miles of trails, a creek and waterfalls, and I enjoy walking my dog there in the mornings or evenings. I knit and sew a lot, especially in the months leading up to Christmas, as I like to try to make a lot of my holiday gifts. On weekends and in the summers, my family goes hiking and camping and visiting various places around the Pacific Northwest. We live near Mt. Baker where we can hike in the summer and snowshoe or ski in the winter. A lot of my pastimes revolve around food, health, family, local travel and sustainable living.

Q. I found an interesting lesson, “回転トピック” which you offer! What are the details of this lesson?

A. This is always a really fun and interesting lesson! It involves rotating discussions on different topics that I think might be of interest to my students. So far, some of the topics have been Holidays, House to Home, Marriage and Divorce, Baby Talk, and Retirement and Aging. These lessons are basically free discussions but with a theme and specific topic to guide the discussion. Before the lesson, I send out an outline of talking points to help the student prepare for the lesson and to help guide the discussion during the lesson. I am always trying to think up new and interesting topics, so if you have an idea, please let me know!

Q. Finally, is there anything you would like to share with our students?

A. We are all so lucky to have Cafetalk! I have met so many really bright and fascinating people here, and there seem to be so many really talented and interesting teachers, too. I really believe that the future of education is right here, at our fingertips, on the computer keyboard. With the Internet and learning resources like Cafetalk, we have the power and means to teach ourselves whatever it is we want to learn. The single best way to improve your conversation skills in any language is to speak with native speakers. Now, no matter where we live, we have access to them right here, at the computer, from the comforts of home. What could be better? Thanks to all of my students who have made my time on Cafetalk so enjoyable and enlightening! I hope to see you in my virtual classroom sometime soon!

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Kirsten

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