Yuko Tanaka

After graduating from college Yuko was working as an OL in an insurance company. But she realized this wasn't her calling and she took night classes for two and a half years to qualify as a Japanese language teacher. After qualifying, she was thrown right in at the deep end. In a situation that will sound familiar to many JET Program Assistant English Teachers, she took a job in the heart of the British countryside teaching Japanese.

For 18 months she taught Japanese to everyone from age 5 to 65, many of the adults hadn't even been to London, never mind anywhere like Japan. It wasn't the easiest nor the most desirable assignment, but the experience taught her that even if you may not be happy with where your job may have landed you, you have to make an effort to make the most of the situation to enjoy life. And in a foreign country, an important key to doing that is getting a grasp of the language.

On her return she taught Japanese for a national school chain, but found herself frustrated at the lack of freedom, and fun, in the prescribed teaching methods. Above all, she wanted the opportunity to teach a wider variety of students. Finally in 2000, she decided to go for it and set up her own school. Now Yuko teaches students from all over the world, here in Hiroshima for a variety of reasons. She says, "It's really interesting to meet so many people of so many different nationalities, as it exposes me to all sorts of new ways of looking at things." This is none more so true than of her native Japan. "It's like I'm rediscovering Japan through my students' eyes," and the reactions of her students to things that she has taken for granted most of her life has often lead her to think hard about her own culture.

Going beyond survival and beginning to thrive in a foreign country is more than just learning the language. One must adjust to the differences of culture and perception, an appreciation of which is essential in the building of strategic communicative competence (without which, a knowledge of the language will only take you so far) that really interests Yuko.

Over the years she has found that often the source of communication breakdowns experienced by non-Japanese residents aren't necessarily due to language problems, but cultural differences. Two people may be using the same words, but this does not necessarily mean that they are communicating. Particularly in business Yuko sees a growing need not just for language training, but for developing this kind of strategic competence. In the future she sees her role as not just a language teacher, but also as a kind of "cultural consultant."

We are pleased to announce that Yuko is going to be donning both hats for GetHiroshima in two new sections.
In the first, CrossTalk" she writes a regular blog in Japanese which she looks at some aspects of Japanese culture and society that she has found to be the source of problems, or has found herself reassessing.
In the second Yuko creates and advises us on the Hiroshima-ben section of the GetHiroshima Map. In connection with this, we hope to show the short videos she created with her granddad providing a series of one point Hiroshima-ben (Hiroshima dialect) lessons, so you can get more Pera Pera vernacular with the locals.

Visit the Cross Nihongo website.

What has been the most difficult or best thing about your career?
The best thing in my career? Well, I've been happy for so many things. Like, when one of my students told me that he has been happy because he has used new words while talking with his friend, or when I received a letter from one of my students and he said "Thank you. I really enjoyed my life in Japan."
Every little thing like that makes me happy. As for difficult things, when I was asked something that I haven't even thought about, it's very hard to explain it. In terms of explaining some things, it is difficult to explain why some things in Japan are so important to Japanese people because foreigners have different cultures and values. To find the best way to help students understand is one of my biggest challenges.

Do you have any ideas or plans to improve your business?
One thing is that I want to make some more opportunities for my students to communicate in Japanese. Most of my students actually have very few chances to speak Japanese in their daily lives. Another thing is that I want to teach them not only Japanese Language but also Japanese cultures. For example, I want to hold a seminar to explain how to solve a cultural problem in your life in Japan, or in your business in Japan. I think knowing each other's culture, habits, and way of thinking are important factors in communication. I want my students to learn the real meaning of communication.

Why did you choose to quit being an OL?
I graduated in the childcare department of Yasuda Women's University and became an OL because I used to think that was the normal path which everyone follows.
At that time, Japan was in the bubble economy. We worked hard until about 11pm and went out to drink after work. I did that almost every day and one day I thought "Will I do this forever? What a boring life this is! Let's do something else!" So, I started taking lessons of teaching Japanese (just for my personal interests at first) and then I decided to go in that career direction instead. I had been hoping to change my career for two years, but because everyone around me, especially my boss, didn't agree with my idea to change careers, it was hard to do it. However, eventually because I didn't give up my dream and kept talking about the same things and ideas for long time, everyone eventually supported me and let me go for it.

What are some important values or ideas you have?
Making connections with other people is an important goal for me- connections can be made through language, thought and experience.

Do you have a slogan in your life?
My slogans are "be positive" and "be happy".

Can you give us an example of "Culture shock" that you've experienced?
When I was 19, I studied abroad. There were international students in my class from ages 16 to 30 years in my English class.
One day we were all shown a graph in class, I looked at the information about how much different advanced countries give to developing countries in aid. Some countries give a lot more than others.
Many students had strong opinions about the topic, others not as strong, but all of the other non-Japanese students had some kind of opinion about it. I simply didn't have any opinion about the topic. This experience shocked me, I was one of the only people in the class without an opinion of any kind about the topic, and I wondered why I didn't have any opinions to share.
I then realized that I needed to have more experiences and had better think more about important issues to develop my own opinions about world topics.
If I have opinions, I can become a more interesting and communicative person who is competent at talking with people from different cultures about a variety of topics including global issues.