Q4. Would you please tell us about your family?
A My mother had been a grade school teacher before she got married. Maybe that’s why her three sons became teachers!... My father worked in
a printing shop, doing linotyping ? that was long before the invention
of the computer. He worked on a machine called linotype, to assemble the characters line
by line, for printing texts. This machine doesn’t exist any more. Printing is now done by computer.
I think I inherited from him the ability for printing texts and pictures.
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| My grandfather, grandmother and their daughter,my mother |
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| Can you speak English? Not yet .. |
Q5. I heard when you were a child you couldn’t speak English, right?
A We spoke only French in my family. At one time, when I was three or four years old, my mother had to work
and tried to put me in a nursery, but I couldn’t mix and play with the
other children because I couldn’t speak English; it made me suffer and
cry a lot. Afterwards I started to learn English early in grade school but I lacked
the ability to speak fluently. In 1951-52, as a young Brother, I spent one year in Toronto, speaking English
only. It was then that I finally became fluent in English.
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| With my mothe |
Q6.What made you come to Japan?
A As a young La Salle Brother, I offered myself to go anywhere in the world
as a missionary. It was only seven years later, in l958, that I was asked to go and work
in Japan. I accepted immediately but then, I shed some tears at the thought of leaving
my country, my family and friends.
Now that I’m about to leave Japan to go back to my home country,
I think I will again shed some tears at the thought of leaving my second
country, where I spent two-thirds of my life, a country which I learned
to love and where I made so many good friends.
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The first school I worked at and my students
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Q7. How many cities have you lived in Japan? Could you please tell us in order, first, second...
A At first I spent my first six months in Kagoshima, teaching in high school
and learning Japanese at the same time. Then I went to Tokyo to attend language school for two years. After that
I returned to Kagoshima where I stayed for about 8 years, teaching in junior
and senior high school, English and religion. From 1968 to 1970, I spent two years abroad, in Canada and Europe, for
further studies and to complete my Master’s degree in religious science. When I came back in 1970, I was stationed in Tokyo and worked there for
25 years, at the headquarters of La Salle Kai in Japan. It was there that I was the longest, taking care of my former students
and making many new friends. In 1995, I went to Hakodate for a short period,
to replace a Brother who was going to study in Rome. Finally in 1997, I arrived in Sendai and started teaching English to the
kids of the neighborhood, at the invitation of Mrs Ohmi, Nozawa, Kobayashi
and Suwanai. It was fun also to teach the smaller kids of Nazareth Kindergarten.
Q8 Would you please tell us your first impression of Japan?
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25years old
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A My first impression of Japan was that of enjoyment, because everything
was new and everyday I was learning something new about the people, the
culture, the language and everyday life. I just let myself be invaded by my new surrounding and making some daily
new interesting experience. I found the people around me kind, friendly and eager to help me adapt
to my new life.
Q9 Would you please tell us also your impression and memories about each city and your students?
A It would be very long to tell you my deep impressions about every place
I have worked in Japan.
Let’s say every place was different and in each place, I enjoyed teaching
or working with other people. When my friends in Canada asked me about “the Japanese”, I always answer
that there are many Japanese, just like many Canadians, and each person
is unique. If you put your heart in what you are doing and look at the positive aspects
in every person and every place, you can find happiness and satisfaction
in your work. I loved each place where I worked and the people I met. I made many friends everywhere. I will bring with me all the pleasant memories and the people I love. For a long time I will dream about Japan and the Japanese.
Q10 What do you love in Japan?
A I love everything about Japan, but first the people, my students, the many
acquaintances and friends I have made. Even the people where I go shopping
and who are so kind, like that lady who prepares delicious food samples
at Selavi and with whom I like talking. She gave me many hints about mountain climbing in Tohoku. She is always lively and cheerful. I love the Japanese landscapes, the mountains and valleys where I like
to walk and take pictures, the ski slopes in winter. I enjoy the Japanese onsen very much and will miss that in Canada. I also like Japanese food and will miss many Japanese delicacies.
Q11 Would you please introduce Canada?
A I have been outside my country for 47 years, only going back regularly
for vacation. Maybe my country has changed while I was absent. It will take me some time to re-adapt to Canadian life and rediscover my native country. It would take too much
space to introduce my home country here. You can easily find information and description about Canada on the internet. I will just say it’s a huge country with a great variety from East to
West. I come from the Eastern part, where two languages are spoken, English and
French. I hope some day you can all come to visit Canada. It will be my pleasure to guide you around.
Q12 If you were to be reborn, what would you want to be?
A If I were to be reborn ? just a fantasy…- maybe I could be a Japanese? I would like to live in a quiet countryside and find a good Japanese wife…
I could try to learn English as a second language, and some of my kids
could go on homestay in Canada! Maybe they would fall in love and marry
a Canadian! Well,…
Q13 What do you want to do after getting back in Canada?
A Back in Canada, what will I do? I’m not sure yet about anything. I will first try to become Canadian again! Meet my old friends and make new ones. Even at 71, I would like to go back to school! Why not? I want to study counseling or spirituality, or both, and use that
knowledge and my experience to help people, young and old. One of my main purposes in going back is to be closer to my family, especially
my elder sister and my two brothers. Being the youngest in my family and in good health, I can be useful to
them as they get older.
Q14 What is most important in studying English?
A What is most important in studying English, or any language, or in fact
anything you do, is the motivation, to put your mind and heart to it and
persevere. The time, the efforts, all you do to learn will pay in the long run and
bring you pride, joy and satisfaction.
Q15 At the end, do you have a message for your students?
A Do I have any message for my students? Yes. Don’t stop, never stop, keep on, keep on studying till you can speak fluently,
till you can read and enjoy books in English, till you can write down your
thoughts in English. It will take time, but you are young. Learning another language is discovering the treasures of another culture. There is no end to it, no graduation. You can always learn more. If you succeed in mastering English to a certain degree, try a third language,
even a fourth one. There is no limit to the number of languages your mind can master. There is great joy in being able to understand and to communicate with
people of different cultures and languages. A language is a magnificent tool that opens many doors and new horizons. Travel all over the world if you can and make friends with people of other
lands. Open your mind and your heart, never stop learning.
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| 4 years old |
15 years old |
18 years old |
Thank you so much! We can now know another side of you. Your message will
remain deeply in our heart and encourage us to learn English.
See you again in Japan or Canada, in the future!
