The following was written for the AFWJ Journal, the one that I am volunteering at every other month until March next year.
Based on some books published recently, I can be described as “scanner” (from the book “Refuse to Choose”) or a “Renaissance Soul” (from the book of the same name).
These similar concepts describe in a positive way people like me who have many strong interests (versus one passion) and cannot possibly choose only one way in life. Or finish everything they begin.
“Refuse to choose” suggests a system of “binders,” one for each interest. I felt that it would not suit my needs, not to mention the fact that I don’t have that many binders. I then remembered that I do have many A4-size boxes from The Daizo 100 Yen shop. I started to collect them and sort out in each of them items related to different studies and interests. The result was not so practical; the boxes took a lot space.
Last week-end, DH and I went shopping at a do-it-yourself store and I found what I needed: a plastic chest with many thick drawers. Now, I just need a little more time to sort out everything that will eventually go into that new chest. This is where my very organized left brain meets my creative and messy right one.
If I look back at my quest of ever improving myself and learning something new, I have to admit that this “scanner” pattern has also been found in my studies.
Strong interests and related studies have included:
Japanese language
Mainly with Kumon. Years ago, I wrote a contribution for the Journal. I updated it and published it on my Website. You can download the pdf here: tiny.cc/kumon
The latest information: about one year ago, while still living in Saitama, I went back to my Kumon nihongo teacher (by correspondence) and continued my studies where I had left them. Moving to Fukushima seemed like a good opportunity to really concentrate on my Japanese studies, with the aim of greatly improving my level. This is why I also registered at the nearby Kumon kokugo classroom. I now go to the school twice a week and study there worksheets for about one hour (unlike what I did at Saitama, just bringing and picking up sheets, never studying with other students.) The local school system changed and children are coming later, leaving me some quiet time with the teachers. Now that our family life should become a little more settled, I hope to be able to study daily at least a couple of worksheets of both systems (nihongo and kokugo). Both have strengths and weaknesses. It is honestly difficult to say which is best. In fact, once they went through all nihongo worksheets, students usually go on studying kokugo sheets.
Between now and December, I will also try to revise and learn some of the JLPT Level 2 grammar, kanji and vocabulary. I failed last year and did not sit the exam in July (once registered, the location cannot be changed, even if one moves far away.)
French language
My mother tongue. I hope to be able to graduate from the University of London (UoL), External System’s Bachelor of Arts in French (www.londonexternal.ac.uk) either this year or next year (results of the two exams I sat for in April-May should reach me in August)---UPDATE: I received the results: I failed Zola and have to resit the exam next May). I have written about the experience in an earlier Journal. Going through the British university system was an enlightening experience, to say the least. And let me tell you that being a native French speaker does not guarantee one to pass all exams.
Translation into French
I took some translation lessons years ago in order to prepare for a translation exam from the British Institute of Linguists (www.iol.org.uk). Honestly, I haven’t done much translation recently and don’t feel as confident as I wish I were. A three-year long translation course is given online (tiny.cc/ustb) and I have been wondering and pondering about it for a rather long time. I may register by the end of the year, once my studies plate gets a little lighter. The other option being a ...
Masters Degree
In translation. Or maybe an MBA. But this will wait until I officially graduated from UoL. And get some income, since it is rather costly. If you do happen to have some information or experience about an MBA by distance learning in English (UK or US), would you mind letting me know ?
Writing
In French, that is. Now that I have a little more time, I should really be studying for the French writing course I paid for and this before it expires… (tiny.cc/qoc)
And when I am done with this course, I might also take one of their writing courses in English... (tiny.cc/qofc)
German language
I feel very close to the mother tongue of many of my ancestors. The older I get and the longer I live away from my native Switzerland, the stronger the connection. Interestingly, I never sat for any formal German exam. These days, I am considering going for a BA in German with London University (a really crazy idea). I might be better off preparing for one of the formal exams at the Goethe Institut (www.goethe.de).
I met last week-end with a German lady teaching at the University of Fukushima. A friend had mentioned that adults are also allowed to sit in on some of the courses and we were both considering enrolling for that teacher’s course. Unfortunately, it turns out that even the “advanced” course is, in fact, very basic (at most A2 on the European language scale) and waaaay unchallenging for both of us. Too bad.
I guess that it is time to get back to the many German books I received from fellow AFWJers and start reading them...
Oh, I almost forget to mention the “Allgemeinbildung” (general knowledge or cultural literacy) course I am taking from a German distance learning school (www.sgd.de).
AFWJ connections really do work. A fellow AFWJ friend introduced me to her German speaking friend who also recently moved to Fukushima. We are now trying to meet on a weekly basis and practice German together.
English language
Does love of Jane Austen and other “classical” authors count ?
When I spend too much time watching TV shows in English on TV or Internet, I have the perfect excuse: it is for (English) study/practice purpose. Joke aside, it really did help me improve my listening comprehension a lot.
Years ago, I sat for the British Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE). It is probably the highest English language certificate for non native speakers. It was a very long day with five different exams. Not a fond memory. I passed with the grade C (no Honors) and was recently wondering if I should try to sit for it again and get a better grade (my English has improved since then). Unfortunately, the exam locations are very far and I cannot really justify the cost (given the fact that I passed already). Maybe in the future.
Italian language
As I mentioned earlier, I am a French native speaker. Italian and French are kind of close cousins. Which means: easier to learn than, say, Japanese? I have loved the Italian language for years and even started learning it, back in the nineties. Now that I have more time (in theory,) I might get back to it, too. Just for the pleasure of it...
Reading
Reading is one of my oldest interests and a hobby I am very fond of. I started reading books (in French) as soon as I learned reading in kindergarten. I haven’t stopped since.
I am still having a hard time reading books in Japanese. It is not for lack of trying, though. You should just see my bookshelves.
I tell myself that, someday, I will be able to open a book and read it until the end. The way I did with the first book in English I read from beginning to end, years ago, when preparing for the Cambridge First Certificate in English (years before the above-mentioned Proficiency Certificate)—before hurrying to the French translation of the book, to make sure that I understood everything...)
Penn Foster
It is not true that I don’t finish everything I start. A couple of years ago, I obtained a US high school diploma by correspondence, at Penn Foster school (www.pennfoster.edu). The school also offers diplomas and certificates by correspondence/online, even to people living in Japan. It is DETC accredited. Associates degrees are also available (for now, new Bachelor degrees are only available to US residents). For the next couple of months, my aim is to finish the first semester of the Associates degree in Business Management, before my extension expires... I have a background in business and it is a good way to refresh my school knowledge that dates back in the early nineties, before trying for the MBA.
Nations University
I told you that I have very diverse interests. A site I visit regularly (www.degreeinfo.com) mentioned Nations University (www.nationsu.org), a Christian school that offers free courses (if you live outside US) leading to a degree. The catch is, the school is not accredited (they are now applying for DETC accreditation) and I understand that no other school would recognize the degree.
This idea seems interesting to me. Although I am not an engaged Christian, and do have issues with Catholicism—the religion I was baptized into as a baby—we cannot deny that Christianity is a foundation of European history and culture I was born into.
I was always fascinated by history and this might be an interesting way to study it. Not to mention that some of the courses are also offered in French.
Cultural literacy
This is a subject close to my heart, that takes a couple of compartments in my bookshelf. It also includes the subject “history” I just mentioned.
It may be a key to this endless quest of “education” that my life seems to have become.
Handicrafts
With reading, one of my oldest hobbies. It includes knitting a lot, crocheting a little, sewing clothes (mainly trousers). In the past, it also saw oil painting, beads accessories, pottery and others.
Cooking and baking
I like the creative part of it. These days, though, I mainly cook to feed the four of us, three times a day. I do use local ingredients, but I wonder if the taste of what I cook is really one hundred percent Japanese. My in-laws are too kind to make any comment...
I find that cooking in Japan with Japanese ingredients for my Japanese family is very different from cooking in Switzerland for my Swiss family. For one thing, here, dinner is the main meal, rice is a staple and the more okazu, the better. Don’t get me started on what is a okazu and what not (DH’s version and mine differ sometimes.)
I recently found a recipe for US style apple pie, using Betty Crocker’s pie crust. Mix 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 tea spoon of cinnamon. Add two apples into the mix (cut into small pieces) and put everything on the pie crust. Bake for about 40 minutes. The result is really nice—even better when eaten just out of the fridge.
It is also different from the Swiss version, where you pour a mix of eggs, milk (or cream) and sugar onto apples and the crust.
Computer, software and the Internet
Very old friends (I first learned how to use a computer in the eighties and was online from 1996) that eat at least a couple of hours everyday. I can’t imagine living without them.
The Internet is the best friend of “scanners”, who are interested in many topics and always happy to read and learn about new ones.
Last but not least... Freelancing
Even though at times it may seem that this particular interest is being pushed to the bottom of the list of priorities, this is not the case. Really.
On the contrary; one could almost say that the red thread that connects many of the above-mentioned interests is, in fact, work. The concept of “Creative Freelancer” (www.ambjp.net) that binds languages, computer and software, creativity...
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