Students report from Cap’s “sister college” in Toyota

Capilano College students Colette Hogue and Jillan Valpy are this year's Japan’ exchange
students, currently studying at Aichi Gakusen College in Toyota, Japan. Following are
excerpts from their first letters home written in October.

. The flight was good (but long). Upon
arrival in Tokyo it was very warm—a
Surprise to both Jillan and I who had
dressed rather warmly. I guess we were
expecting Vancouver weather. Actually the
weather has just been wonderful and only
now (in October) is it getting a little
COBIE. «6

Unfortunately the plane arrived in Nagoya
when it was getting quite dark...but lots
of neon lights and shops and houses near
the airport. One thing that really rocked
me was when we got in the car to go to the
hotel; I, the passenger, got into what is
the driver's seat in North America. It was
my first experience being in the front
seat on the left hand side and no driving
wheel in front of me! When I looked over
at other cars I would gasp when I saw no
one in the driver's seat (left-hand side)
or only small children. I must admit it
took me a while to get used to it. Good
thing I'm not driving!!

The hotel in Nagoya was very nice. Upon
arrival we freshened up and then had a
lovely dinner in a French hotel. We were
certainly given the royal treatment. We
then, feeling the time change, begged to
be excused and retired for the evening.
The next day we were taken to the college
to meet the president as well as our host
families. We had a big lunch and then went
home. Jillan is staying with the Takami
family, while I am with the Nakamura
family, which is the same place Shannah
and Sheila stayed.

I am really enjoying this exchange,
although I must admit it can be trying.
Upon waking I am very optimistic and
usually quite happy. As the day progresses
I get more tired and less patient. It
takes a long time getting a single idea
across, which can be very frustrating.
This is especially so because I have many
things I wish to say and ask and also
because I am accustomed to speaking and
thinking very quickly. It should be good

have to

for me though, because I find I
think a lot harder to communicate, either
in English, in Japanese, or with pictures
and gestures (thank goodness for pen and

paper!).

The Japanese are generally a very kind
people. The girls and professors have been
friendly, as has my host family. The
general public is very curious. Jillan and
I are a major attraction wherever we go.
Most of it is friendly—people are very
anxious to practise their English (mostly
"Herro!"). At first being stared at is
fairly flattering, coming from Vancouver
where you have to have purple hair and
ripped jeans to get attention. Slowly it
gets a little tiring, as you wish you were
just a little less conspicuous....(but)
you will always be the object of much
interest, especially if you have blonde
hair, or if you are tall.

Another striking thing is the arrangement
of houses, shops and everything. Around my
host family's home there is a mixture of
small shops, gas stations and rice fields.
There doesn't seem to be any planning to
it. The large cities are very crammed with
shops. It is quite a contrast to Canadian
cities where things are a little more
spread out. It makes for an eyeful! In
some districts of large cities shops are
even piled on top of each other.

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