Kristen

Kristen Tutor Interview

Q. Hi Kristen! Could you please introduce yourself?

A.Hello! My name is Kristen, and I live right outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For those of you who don’t know, Philadelphia is about two hours away from New York City. I live in an apartment with my boyfriend, Ryan, and my pembroke welsh corgi, Princess Peach. I work for my dad during the day, mostly just office work, but look forward to my English lessons in the evenings. I was a Japanese major in college. I previously taught English in Chiba for one year on the JET Programme, and I also lived in Osaka prefecture during my time studying abroad. But I have not been back to Japan in five years! One day I hope to move back to Japan, and I would like to live in Nara, my favorite city in Japan.

Q. As we know, you are from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where would you recommend visiting if foreigners are visiting Philadelphia?

A. Foreigners visiting Philadelphia should definitely visit a section of the city called Old City! In this part of the city there are many historical buildings and landmarks, such as the Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall, which is where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Philadelphia was the birthplace of America so please try and visit if you can! There are also a lot of restaurants in Old City. Speaking of food, The Reading Terminal Market has lots of great places to get something to eat! There are many different kinds of food there, and it is right across from Market East Train Station so it is convenient. Even though I don’t eat meat, I recommend the Dinic’s Roast Pork Sandwich because it is a Philadelphia specialty! Philadelphia is also known for the cheesesteak, so you should go to Pat’s or Geno’s before leaving Philadelphia.

Q. According to your profile, you like Japanese idols! Please tell us about your favorite idol or group.

A. I have been a fan of idols for 13 years now, mostly of the Hello! Project. My current favorite idol is Sugaya Risako of Berryz Koubou. I have been following her since she first joined the Hello! Project Kids when she was 8 years old, and it has been amazing to watch her grow up! She went from having a weak voice to having one of the strongest voices in the Hello! Project, and has also grown up to be a beautiful young woman. I always enjoy watching her perform. I am also a big fan of Morning Musume and Momoiro Clover Z! I cannot wait until Morning Musume comes to New York City this coming October!

Q. How do you spend your day offs? Is there anything you are into right now?

A. On my days off I usually play video games and watch TV with my boyfriend. My favorite video games are the Zelda series and the Final Fantasy series. Lately I have been playing Earthbound (known as Mother in Japan) a lot. Of course I love games like Yoshi and Kirby. Shows I enjoy watching are Dexter and Pretty Little Liars. Now that it is getting warmer out I hope to go swimming and take walks often. This might sound silly, but I also enjoy grocery shopping. Usually one day every weekend my boyfriend and I will go out for lunch, then go to the grocery store, and then together we will make a nice dinner. I also really love to sing so sometimes when I have a day off and I am home alone I will record myself singing.

Q. What is the main feature of your lessons?

A. The main feature of my lessons is learning to make your English more natural. Most of my students have had a pretty good grasp on English grammar and a large amount of vocabulary. I do my best to keep a conversation going, and I will challenge their English if I can. I encourage my students to ask any English questions they may have and tell them to write down any questions between lessons to bring to me next time. I will always correct my students if they seem to be struggling, and sometimes even if they are using a correct word, I will teach them a new, more natural English word.

Q. Why did you decide to start teaching English through Cafetalk?

A. Before March of this year, I had two jobs. Besides working in my dad’s office during the day, I worked one on one with a little boy with autism. It was decided he was doing well and did not need my help anymore, and after working with him for six years (with one year break to teach in Japan) I felt like I needed something to do in the evenings. I love teaching, and I miss teaching English in Japan, and just do not have the ability to go back right now, so when my friend told me about Cafetalk it seemed like the perfect fit.

Q. Before we finish, would you like to give our students a message.

A. It is ok to make mistakes, because you learn from them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you are unsure about something. And finally, never give up! Just keep trying and you will succeed!

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Kristen

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