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･ Liz Purinton Izaki 98

Liz took a Bates Fall semester in Japan in 94 and continued studying JPN up to 402. She also took a junior semester abroad at Kansai Gaidai in the winter 97. She was shy and quiet in speaking, but her writing skill was excellent. She wrote 35 pages senior thesis ("Delay of the Reform of the Japanese Financial System) in Japanese. She was accepted to a graduate schooll, Thanderbird? in Arizona, but she decided not to go there immediately. She worked in her hometown for a year and the following year she applied for the JET program. She taught English in Nagasaki (Kyushu) for 3 years. She met a nice Japanese man (whom I met after they got married) and had a wedding at Bates chapel. Since she wanted to go to a graduate school, in 2003 the couple moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where she started her MA degree in Japanese language and literature at University of Hawaii. She sometimes writes me. : ) <by Ofuji, 1-10-06>

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･ Sooyeun Kim 98

･JPN 102, 201, 202, 301, 401 / Japanese for Secondary Concentration & Major for Art History
･Bates Fall Semester in Tokyo, in the fall of '94;  NSK (Nihongo Studies in Kanazawa, Japan) by Princeton Univ. in summer of '96; Summer Internship in Tokyo through Foval Foundation, in '97.
･ "I am doing ok at home. I cannot believe it has been more than a year since i came back to Korea. time goes do fast.... After a year of working at art gallery, I decided to quit the job. While I was working, I had no free time even on weekends. Cannot you believe it?
so much work that you can ever imagine... I have strong desire to study again so that i decided to quit the job.  I am hoping to go to a graduate school next year, so  i need time to study GRE. I still want to study Art history but specialize in Japanese modern art or I want to get certificate of curatoral studies." <Sep. 22, 1999>
･Sooyeun got a MA degree in Japanese Art History at University of Kansas. And now she is working at Smithsonian Museum as volunteer. She sometimes gives me(Ofuji) a phone call and talks in Japanese for an hour. She sent some snack to the 401 students in 05 when I told her I had a very good group of students. : ) Her Japanese is excellent. <by Ofuji, Jan. 10, 2006>

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･ Greg Stoddard 98
He took 'sado / chado' lesson when he took the second semester abroad in Kyoto in winter 97. (He took a Bates Fall semester in Japan in the fall, 94.) After graduating from Bates, he got a MA degree and teaches at a school. He had a chance to take his students to Japan. (But I don't know if he did it or not.) <by Ofuji, JPN. 10, 2006>
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･ Nathan Miller 98
･JPN 102, 201, 202, 301, 302 / Major for Asian Studies & Economics
･Nathan said "Studying a foreign langage is benefitial" when you find a job, especially at a computer company. If you study JPN, salary is higher.
･ "I am still working for Liberty Mutual Group in Portsmouth, NH.  I spent the first 8 months after graduation commuting to an office in Weston, MA.  During this time I had to wear a suit and spent far too much time in my car.  Now that I have an office in Portsmough I no longer have to wear a suit and it only takes me about 10 minutes to get to work.  My current title is "Software Engeneer" and I spend most of my time developing and maintaining advanced computer programs.  It is quite challenging, and I am quite happy with that."  <Sep. 23, 1999>