Interview with Onozomi.com
April 23, 2007
And somehow I forgot to mention this online article. I was interviewed by Onozomi, the company who does Iori’s internet support and specializes in other forms of publicity as well. The series of interviews includes various Kyoto personalities, such as Murata Yoshihiro of Kikunoi (the most internationally known kaiseki chef), Randy Channell (a Canadian who is an elite tea master of the Urasenke school of tea ceremony), the owner of Francoise (a popular cafe), a Kyoto University professor, a Doshisha professor, company presidents, etc. To say the least, I am stunned and honored to be listed among such an elite group of people.
The interview was independent of Iori, and I was asked about my views on life in Japan. I talked about the reasons I like living in Japan, studying the traditional arts. I also talked about the challenges of living and working as a foreigner here, about how I got visas, going to Germany to get a working holiday visa for the first year and then the stress of facing a visa expiration date. I explained how I approach the daily challenges the language barrier has set for me: live optimistically, be able to laugh at yourself, and view your mistakes as experiences to learn from.
I’m sorry the interview is in Japanese, but for those of you who cannot read it, have a look at the pictures at least!
April 23, 2007 at 6:51 pm
You go girl! Congratulations on all of your wonderful accomplishments. I’m thoroughly impressed. Any chance you will have time in your incredibly busy schedule to translate the interview?
I’m so proud of my big sister!
April 28, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Did you actually answer with all that Japanese??
April 28, 2007 at 11:33 pm
The whole interview was in Japanese including all of my answers, but she rearranged it for me and made it into more impressive sounding langauge, covering up my explainations where I didn’t know a word.
May 2, 2007 at 7:20 pm
You are like… one step away from being on every Japanese television show :p Go Hanna!! ^_^