1) Name and address
 2) JPN language courses taking at Bates /Major & Secondary Concentration
 3) Study Abroad
 4) Thesis in GREALL or Asian Studies Program
 5) Other experiences at Bates
 6) What you have been doing
 7) How you got the job
 8) How helpful your study of Japanese has been
 9) good things (helpful, enjoyable, hard, etc.) about studying Japanese
10) suggestions & comments
 

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Barnaby S. Donlon '93
 
                          
・JPN 101 - 402, East Asian Studies Major
・JYA at International Christian University, Tokyo ('91 ~ '92)
・Thesis in JPN, "俳句から人情まで:夏目漱石の文体変化 " (The stylistic development of Natsume Soseki, from Haiku to Ninjo)
・Other Bates experiences: Varsity Swimming ('89-'90, '90-'91), Bates Student news reporter ('89 -'93), Campus tourguide ('92-'93)

・I was fortunate to land a job on the JET Program during my senior year at Bates, and I worked as a CIR (Coordinator of International Relations) for three full years ('93-'96) for the Yamaguchi Prefectural Government.  For so many reasons this was the dream job for me.  There was so much variety and challenge to the work that it was always fun and interesting and I felt like I was able to learn a lot about Japan and develop in many ways as a person.
・Needless to say, the JET Program was a lot of challenge and fun.  And, I think one important thing to remember when doing anything is KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR.  There were so many times when I walked into a room in Japan and you could cut the tension in the air with a knife.  But, whenever it was appropriate to say something funny, I would do it.  People would laugh and the atmosphere would change completely.
・Since the JET Program I have been enrolled in a graduate school here in Boston.  In May ('99) I was awarded my master's degree from The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy (a joint program of Harvard and Tufts).  Presently (July, 1999) I am looking to start my own business, which isn't Japan-related, but started out to be: I was in Kobe last summer when I discovered a new business opportunity.  Currently I am seeking investors to inject some seed capital so I can develop a new technology and hire a sales force.
・My study of Japanese has really paid off and I think I will always have opportunities to use it personally and professionally.  Japan has really become something of a second home to me, and I do miss it when I am not there.  My advice to anyone looking for a little motivation is to pick up the phone and give me a call.  I would love to share my enthusiasm
for the program at Bates and help students think about the role of Japanese in their futures!
・Lastly, let me say that I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without the help of professors Strong, Ofuji, and Hirai.  They were like a wellspring of Japan-related knowledge that I tapped into during my years at Bates.  They gave excellent guidance, were totally committed to my intellectual development, and continue to be good friends of mine. "Kokoro yori fukaku kansha shite orimasu."

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Anna Louise Englund Hanley '93
11 Stoneledge Drive, Portland, ME  04102
・JPN 101 ~ 402, East Asian Studies Major
・JSA at Kansai Gaidai fall '91, Summer course at Gujo-Hachiman in Gifu, summer '91
・Thesis in JPN, "二十一世紀の学校教育  (School Education in the 21st century)" [Creative Story]
・Summer Internship at Victoria Sports Company in Tokyo in Summer '92
・New England Speech Contest in 1993
・I got a job at LL Bean in the fall of '93, got engaged in '95, and got married in July '96.  We bought a condo in Portland, ME, in '97 and we are living there happily to date!
・How I got my first job at LLBean:
During my interview, I told LLBean's International Department (customer service) that I thought I would be an asset to their department because I could speak to the customers in their own language.  I got the job on the spot. I was very happy in that job while I was there. I really did feel like I was helping someone every day.  BUT I really don't think it was just my Japanese that got me the job.  I was honest with those who interviewed me, and I looked them in the eye (very important when going for a job!) and I emphasized that I am a hard worker and also very determined to do a good job.  I told them what values are important to me- like family, friends, the outdoors, and working to one's potential.  It seemed that LLBean encompassed those same values so it would be a good fit.
・After a while, I was ready for another job. My next LL Bean job was to help LL Bean Japan stores get the LL Bean items that they wanted most.  I was a liason--between the Japanese buyers and the LL Bean buyers.  It was interesting, but not exciting enough for me. I stayed in that job for 2 years until October '97.  Since then I have been doing my dream job --combining my energy with the outdoors and my love of kids at LL Bean.  I am the developer of Kids Outdoor Programs in the "Outdoor Discovery Program" department.  The activities range from fly casting - to kayaking - to archery, etc.  It is a fantastic,challenge, and lots of fun.  I don't use my Japanese everyday, but we sometimes take groups of Japanese customers on trips like week long canoe trips, etc.  So on those occasions, I get to use my Japanese while doing my favorite things!
・The hardest thing at Bates was my thesis.  That was a really tough semester to say the least.  [She wrote a long story about a young couple who didn't like their schools.  She came to see me very often while she was writing her thesis.  Other students said, "Sensei, if you look for Anna Louise, you can find her in a computer room any time."  She really worked hard on every thing.  I believe that her experiences helped her personal growth and improvement of her Japanese skills.  --Ofuji]
・To a first or second year student, I would say that being honest is the most important value you could hold.  Being honest will help you in every stage of your life if you let it work for you. Your sincerity shines through when developing relationships, and, as a result, your other traits will be obvious as well.  Giving up at something is often not even an option when you look inside and honestly ask yourself if that is really what you want to do.  Good luck!

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Jennifer Mooradian Levin '93
・JPN 101 - 401, East Asian Studies
・Bates Fall Semester in Tokyo in 1989; JYA at Waseda University, 91'~92'
・Thesis in JPN, "鋳型と鏡:日本のメディアに登場する女性像(Frame and Mirror: Image of Women in Japanese Media)"--awarded for the best thesis written in a foreign language.  [I remember that Jennifer guided me around Bates, speaking Japanese fluently when I visited Bates for campus interview.  She was one of the most talented japanese students I have ever met.  While she was writing her thesis, we discussed the content and the usage of upper level Japanese language.  She referred some books written in Japanese as source material. --Ofuji]
・I attended law school at Columbia University after Bates. I began work as an attorney in Oct. 97 at a relatively large firm in NYC called Chadbourne & Parke LLC.  I got the job through the recruiting office at Columbia.  The fact that I had some exposure to Japan was extremely helpful in landing a job in NYC.  Law firms consider experience abroad a valuable asset in a candidate for employment.
 I was lucky to work for one summer at a law firm in Tokyo called Matsuo & Kosugi.  While it was difficult at first to get assignments because I was not yet a lawyer and because I was not a native Japanese speaker.  People soon gave me assignments that involved Japanese research and English writing.
・The Bates Japanese program was excellent.  The professors are willing to tailor classes to meet students needs, eg. Independent studies was one course offering.  Even now, I socialize with a Japanese crowd at work.  You need good connections to get into the best sake bars in the city.
[Jennifer was not only talented but also made a lot of effort.  I once saw her studying in a classroom by herself after four in the afternoon. Some pages of her English-Japanese dictionary were torn out which indicates how often she has used it   She said she read the Japanese grammar book or textbook repeatedly.  -- The result was that she made few basic grammatical mistakes.  --Ofuji]
 
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Gave Lee '93
  He is now teaching English at Toyo University in Tokyo after he got a MA degree at Temple University.