Community Profile: Yoshiko
Yoshiko is currently a student in one of our Intermediate level classes who moved abroad from Japan to live in Canada for a year. Thanks, Yoshiko, for sharing your experiences and lovely photos with us!
Tell us about yourself.
Hello everyone! My name is Yoshiko. I am from Japan. I came to Canada with my family because we wanted to spend time in the beautiful scenery in Vancouver and study English. My daughter goes to elementary school in Canada. I can spend more time with my daughter than when I did in Japan.
How do you spend your free time in Vancouver?
On weekends, I often invite friends to my house. I also go to parks when the weather is nice, as there are many beautiful parks in Vancouver.
What some challenges you’ve faced with moving to Canada?
Although the people in Vancouver are very friendly and kind, my challenge is being in a full English environment. I do not like studying English alone at home, and therefore I chose MOSAIC. The other challenge is the high cost of living. I have started to think more carefully about shopping than I did in Japan.
Which place would you recommend to someone visiting your country?
Famous cities in Japan are Tokyo and Kyoto, which are of course interesting places, although both are too crowded. However, I would also introduce my hometown, Toyama, which faces the Sea of Japan. It is famous for the Tateyama Mountains, which offer beautiful scenery in every season. In addition, there are many hot springs in Toyama. You can easily access Kanazawa, which is a famous tourist city where you can enjoy traditional Japanese culture.
What are you hoping to achieve during your time at MOSAIC?
I enjoy learning in English class with a good teacher and friendly students. The class consists of many different nationalities and I have had great experiences so far. I would like to improve my English conversation skills more, and then to learn more about their cultures.