Interview with: IUCHI ERI

So, again it has been a little while since I have done the last installment of the interviews that I was going on about. Funny thing, the plans of mice and men. They seem to always change on you when least expected. An example would be this interview. I was planning on doing a shoot outside with Eri, but it actually ended up raining. Therefore, I had to find somewhere we can shoot inside, and I was lacking equipment.


Luckily, this cafeteria was pretty empty. [with the exception of some kids who were just chilling in the cafe area.] I am pretty satisfied with the photos that came out. It ended up being a great place to shoot. I didn't even use a flash! All I did was white balance the light, to get ride of the green that was coming from the neon lights, and used the table as a bounce of the light.




I mean it could have been better, but I am not going to complain with what I got. It is nice enough, and awesome that I was able to just use what I had on hand to accomplish the shoot. This was probably the most under equipped time that I was going out. I just had the Canon 1Ds, 3 batteries, and the gray card. Not bad, eh? Oh well, on with the interview!




Interview Sheet:


What is your name: Iuchi Eri


What is your Nationality: Japanese




How old are you: 19


Are you single: No


What is your Major/Faculty: Linguistics


What year are you: Sophomore




Are you in any clubs: Yes
Which one(s): English Speaking Society (E.S.S.)




What is your position in the club(s)? What do you do?


In this club we have no specific positions, but we all try to learn and speak in English. I particularly have interest in speaking English.




What is interesting about your club(s)?


Ah…. I uh… I dunno…. If I really want to improve my English skills, then I should join. So, I joined it. It is an official club, so we can meet other members around Japan. Sometimes we go to Fukuoka to meet people, and sometimes my friends can go to Hokkaido to make speeches in English.




Do you have a job(s): Yup
What do you do?


I work for an udon restaurant.




What are your hobbies?


I like to listen to music, reading books, chatting and hanging out with friends, and most of all unlimited drinking sprees. Sometimes, I like outdoor hobbies like camping, hiking, and climbing.




What music/movies/books/TV shows do you like?
Um.. I like jazz, rock, R and B. I especially like American music. I like Chris Brown, Alicia Keys, and Owl City. Oh, and Lady Gaga. About Japanese music, I like: Exile, Ayaka, Kimura Kaera.


Movies… I like: A Moment to Remember and Lovely Bones, there is a good memory to go with the movie though, it was my first date with my current boyfriend. I also like Mononoke Hime, that is the best Ghibli movie.


Ah… books… which books…. I don’t usually read fictional books, I enjoy reading business oriented stories. I also like Norway no Mori.


I don’t really watch TV, but sometimes I like to watch baseball, the news and Ame Talk (a Comedy show).




Do you have any special skills/abilities?


I don’t really have any special skills, but I did practice Kyudo in high school. I had to quit because of the time issue. I would really like to start again though.




What do you like about Japan? Why?


I like the Japanese language, and our four seasons. About the Japanese language, we have so many words to express our minds and sometimes the words try to take care others. I believe that the Japanese are full of kindness.


It probably doesn’t hurt that Japanese is my first language.




Do you like to travel: Yes
Where have you been, outside of Japan:


Actually, I have never been out of Japan.


Where have you traveled in Japan?


Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi, Kyoto, Nara, Hyougo, Tottori, Shimane, Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, Shizouka, Nagasaki, Kouchi, Fukushima, Kagawa, and Hiroshima.




Please, explain what you saw/experienced in these places:


I have relatives in Tokyo, and I went there with my friends as a school trip and a graduation trip. Especially Disneyland. I have been there four times.


I went to Osaka with my family, and we drove there on the way to visit my grandmother in Kyoto.


I guess, Aichi was just a vacation where I went to a international exhibition. It was about the world.


Shimane was just a trip with my family to eat izumosoba. It was good.


Yamaguchi was about my grandmother telling me that she really wanted to go there, and visit Kintaikyo and her friends.


Nagasaki and Fukuouka were school trips.




Are there any places that you would recommend a traveler to visit?


Eh… if you are a girl, I would recommend Kobe for shopping. There are a lot of cute shops.




What do you wish to do in the future?


Maybe, I will work for a mass media company. At least I hope so, I mean I really want to work there. It would also be great to meet new people.




Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?


I guess, I will be struggling to find my husband (giggles). I hope that I will be able to work hard, and get uh… get smart, and be intelligent… I really don’t know. I really hope that I will be independent from my parents.




What are a few things about yourself, and your country, that you would like the world to know about, that can help describe your character and understand who you are, or where your from?


I want you to know that um… many Japanese will be struggling, by themselves I guess. This means, I guess, when Japanese people try to get together with different people, who speak a different languages, or have a different opinions, they try to avoid confusion.


It means that good points are: to be kind, to be cordial, to be happy with other people. Of course, I guess, to point out we don’t have individual characteristics. Maybe you would think that Japanese people are all the same and in the same group, but I guess it would be that Japanese people don’t really have unique individual characteristics. I believe this comes from Japanese people trying to avoid conflict and confusion.




Interviewee’s Space; Final Thoughts?


I’m so sorry to have kept being shy. I guess you would have troubled to make interview so that I have made off the cuff, my opinion have not made sense and not been logical. But I had a great experience! I’m really glad that you gave me such a chance. Thanks. If I would be able to have a chance again, I want to try again.


Thanks for taking a peek; more photos HERE!














Want to see more of Eri's photos? Click HERE!

Welcome to 岡山(OKAYAMA)!!

I have been extremely busy lately with school and work. It has left me little to no time for updating/keeping my blog. Fortunately, I was able to get away for a moment and present something that should have been done long ago!


November 3, 2009


OKAYAMA Welcome Party! Only a few months late, yeah? It seems like eons ago, when we first arrived to Japan. I was actually speaking to some of my fellow EPOK (Exchange Program OKAYAMA) students about the time we actually start calling: 'OKAYAMA' our home?




The census is about three months into the stay here, that is about when most of us started saying, "let's go home", rather than the "留学生会館 (international dorms)". Most of the students that started with me in October, were bored of Japan by February.


It was stated that I was one of the few that has enjoyed the stay since the beginning. I believe that it is true too, and the new batch of EPOK students that came in April will be going home in August. None of the new students will be staying for a full a year.




It is somewhat funny, because I will be staying in Japan longer than most of the new exchange students will be. Most leave from August 12 to the 31, and I will be leaving sometime undecided in September. To already be speaking of leaving is such a sad note.


This post comes after some of the participants in the party have either graduated and moved on with their lives, or have gone back to their respective countries. So much has happened since then. It is amazing going over some of these older photos.




The party was quite large and we were able to gather many people. We played bingo for prizes. There was drink and food, and an unexpected speech that all new EPOK students needed to give. A lot of them chickened out and disappeared before then.


Overall, it was a fun event and enabled us to all the exchange students. We were able to learn about where they came from and interesting facts from each student. It is nostalgic going over such old photos. Hopefully, we have a farewell party, and I will be able to post it before I leave!




This semester, I have taken a few classes that involve field trips to different areas. They have been keeping me busy, but allow me to say that I will post more on the trip in March and these other trips soon.


Thanks for staying along for the ride, click HERE for the rest of the photos!
















For all the photos, Click HERE!