Anneliese
began her study of Japanese language in Year 9 at Bethlehem College in Tauranga.
It was her mother’s job at one of the biggest kiwi fruit exporting companies in Tauranga, which inspired Anneliese
to study Japanese language as it required foreign language skills and
international understanding. Anneliese went on a school visit to Japan when she was in Year 11. She stayed with a Japanese family in Japan and found Japanese people to be very friendly and generous and the culture fascinating. She described Japanese food as “very interesting”.
She successfully passed her school certificate, Sixth form Certificate, and Bursary Japanese. Anneliese then won a scholarship to study the 4 year International Management degree at Waikato University.
Anneliese has found that speaking is the most difficult part of learning Japanese and listening the easiest part. The most enjoyable part she believes is learning a new culture. Anneliese says she will never forget the time when she cooked sushi and origami at school with her friends.
After finishing her International Management Commerce degree, she plans to go back to Japan to work (possibly teaching English) and to brush up her Japanese skills. Anneliese feels that learning Japanese at school has opened her eyes to future perspectives.
Profiled by Shingo Suematsu, Year 3, Bachelor of Education (Teaching Primary) Bethlehem Institute of Education, 2004