Joyce Cunningham:
CLASS OF 1967
Norwich District High SchoolClass of 1967
Norwich, ON
University of Waterloo - Graduate StudiesClass of 1975
Waterloo, ON
Wilfrid Laurier University - BusinessClass of 1971
Waterloo, ON
Eastwood Collegiate InstituteClass of 1967
Kitchener, ON
Forest Heights Collegiate InstituteClass of 1967
Kitchener, ON
Joyce's Story
Hi,
i'm now living in japan and teaching english at the university
here in a small town above tokyo. i've been in Japan
for the past 18 years and will stay here for another 2 years or so.
i love japan and travel back to canada about once or twice
a year. i was only in grade nine at NDHS and then
moved to kitchener where i studied french and
spanish at Eastwood and FHDS throughout high school and
then, at university: B.A. at WLU, MA at U of W and UDM, and
an incomplete Ph.D at the U. of Montreal. Have dabbled in NLP
and counselling but my identity is strongest as a teacher and where
i have my most success or am editor for the TESOL VDMIS newsletter.
I am fluent in French and Spanish so it was quite a shock
to me not to learn jpn. easily, although i'm not giving up on the
jpn language and can understand survival jpn,enough to travel and
communicate with people.
As in Canada, the seasons in Jpn. are distinct. in spring,
the carp streamers fly, the wisteria comes out and the
nightengale sings its high sweet song in the bambo forests.
Nice time of the year. Summer is beastly hot. Fall great with
the turning of the leaves equally as beautiful as canada, and
finally, winter is cold because of the poor insulation in jpn.
houses.
I'm just back from a trip to Malaysia and Borneo
(warm and cheap). Loved the jungle and all the
animals: turtles, orangutans, proboscis monkeys,
creepy crawlies, birds and so on. But glad to be back in
Japan where it is super safe and all are so courteous with
service in stores unparalled in most of the world.
Survived the March 11th earthquake. we are about 120 kms.
from the troubled nuclear plant but it is reported that the winds
were blowing out to sea in an opposite direction from us and
my JAEA frie...Expand for more
nds told me my city was more or less ok on radiation
scales. it was a MOVING experience, magnitude 7, one
day without gaz,... the city train station platform fell down and the
highway express way ramps were also unusable for a while so people
were trapped in the city being unable to easily get out at
that time. That first night of the earthquake: slept in my clothes in a
cold bed, with aftershocks happening each time i was ready to drop off to sleep
to be awakened by the constant wail of ambulances. During the days
that followed, the dull thud/whirring of choppers heading to the stricken
northern areas could often be heard. Many people slept in their cars
to keep warm and to be safe that 1st night. I was nervous about water.
Also, only had a 1/2 tank of gaz: HUGE lineups at gaz stations blocks long
with HOURS and hours waiting. Through it all, he Jpn people were
exemplary in their discipline, patience in lines, courtesy and kindness to others.
I feel such great respect for them. It was certainly an experience to write home about.
That summer, there were drastic cuts in energy. My university was monitoring
our consumption of electricity and if we went over, the air conditioning would
simply be cut. it was hard but we were all in the same boat. This summer, even if
it's 33 or 34 out there, the air conditioning can be set no lower than 28 degrees.
Do-able but sometimes hot and usually very muggy!
I have been nominated 'Professor Emerita' upon retirement. I was gobsmacked
at first but am very very appreciative of this award. My university is conservative
and i was the first foreigner ever to receive it. They had to change university laws
to give it to me. I am so grateful. Thank you Ibaraki University. Thank you Japan.
joyce cunningham
Register for Free to view all details!
Reunions
Photos