Self Introduction: Hager Yousif ハガー・ユーシフ

Hello!

My name is Hager, and I'm super excited to be a part of the Senshu 2016 group! I can't wait to get to know all of you guys. My group of four is going to be exploring the cafés for our culture topic. I can't wait to visit various cafés and see what they have to offer.

On a more personal note, I'm currently a fourth year student studying linguistics and psychology. Like many of you, I've always enjoyed anime, and that's what inspired me to want to learn more about Japanese language and culture. I'm really glad I did decide to try out Japanese 205 in my first year, because learning Japanese has been an amazing (although very difficult) journey.

Other hobbies of mine include things like drawing, writing, and making handicrafts. I've heard crafts are pretty popular in Japan, so I'll probably buy a few kits to try my hand at. Maybe a few of those candy food sets too, the ones like poppin' cooking where you can make little gummy pizzas.

This is my first time ever going to Japan. I am so looking forward to exploring around Tokyo, meeting our convo partners, and draining my savings account on おみやげ for everyone back in Calgary. I'm especially looking forward to visiting areas like Ikebukuro, Akihabara, and Asakusa. The sanja festival looks like it'll be a blast as well!

I'm going to stop myself here, or else I'll go on forever about everything I'm excited for. Once again, I can't wait to get to know everyone better, as well as improve my Japanese.

Thanks for reading!

This is my bunny, Cocoa, I'm going to miss him so much!

Self Introduction: Ryan Holoweckyj ライアンホーローウェきー

Hey everybody!

My name is Ryan Holoweckyj, and I am a member attending the 2016 Senshu program. Our group of four will be looking into Japans culture of cafés. Japans cafés are very different compared to those in Canada often having specific themes or containing animals of different types. I hope that through experiencing these different types of cafés, and speaking to those who work in them I can gain insights into a bit of japans culture.

A little about myself, I am a second year computer science major at the University of Calgary and am currently pursuing a minor in Japanese.  My interest in Japan is born from my love of Japanese video games. Specifically, when I was young, my friend lent the Playstation 2 Japanese RPG Disgaea. From that point on my interest in Japanese culture began to grow. I started watching anime, reading translated novels, and listening to Japanese music. In summer of my first year of university I began learning the Japanese language. Learning the language increased my appreciation for Japanese culture and, as a result, I decided to join this program.

I have never been to Japan and as such am very excited to be participating in this program. I look forward to experiencing many aspects of Japans culture, eating all the food, and improving my Japanese language ability.

Thanks for reading!

Ryan Holoweckyj

Self Introduction: Jennifer Hong ジェニファ－・ホン

Hi all!

My name is Jennifer Hong, feel free to call me Jenn if you'd like. It's a pleasure to be in this Senshu Program with all of you, I'm looking forward to getting to know each and everyone of you (my goal is to find out ALL of your dirty little secrets fu fu fu).

As you may or may not remember from our presentations, I am a second year undergraduate student majoring in East Asian Language Studies with a focus on Japanese. I'm also perhaps the oldest member of our Senshu group, (ahem) but that doesn't mean I'll be the most reliable or mature of the group. So what I'm really trying to say is please come save me if I get lost!!

A little blurb about my background, I am 100% born and raised Canadian, but I'm ethnically Chinese. I was actually born in Guelph, Ontario, home of the Sleeman Brewery for those of you who drink. Other than that and the University of Guelph, the city doesn't have much going on for itself, except the locals are hilariously dubbed Guelphites. I moved to Calgary with my family back in 2003 and have been here since. My family consists of my mom, dad, two younger sisters, a cat, a turtle and myself.

Many of you may be tired of hearing this but I grew up watching anime so naturally my interests in Japanese and Japanese culture stemmed from that. As a university student I now no longer have as much time to watch anime and even when I do I find myself doing other things to occupy my spare time, spending time with friends, eating delicious food, listening to music(SPYAIR, FLOW, and Goose House to name a few of my favourite bands), watching Japanese dramas(dinner, Wakakozake, and 35 Sai no Koukousei), and playing mobile games though still anime-inspired (Love Live, Idolish7 and Kingdom Hearts Unchainedχ).

Even so I'm grateful to anime for opening the door to learning a new language and culture. I'm sure it doesn't need to be said why I chose to take up the Senshu program, as many of  you are going for the same reasons or for similar reasons.

I am still keeping tabs on current anime so for you anime enthusiasts please come strike up a conversation with me! I have been keeping up with Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable, KIZNAIVER, Bungo Stray Dogs, Sakamoto desu ga, Tanaka-kun is Always Listless, and SUPER LOVERS.

Pssst, also if anyone finds any cute cat/turtle merchandise while we're in Japan please let me know!

Look forward to our remaining two group member's self introductions!

Jennifer Hong

My cat getting in the way of my first blog entry, ever.

Self Introduction: Sean Ko ション コー

Hello everyone!

My name is Sean Ko, and I am a member of the group of students from the University of Calgary that will be attending the Senshu Program in Spring 2016!
I am part of the group that will be tackling the the topic of cafés in Japan! As was covered in the introduction post, cafés in Japan come in a myriad of different themes, and  I am looking forward to visiting these cafés as my budget will allow and experience the contemporary culture pertaining to Japanese cafés!

I am a third year student at the University of Calgary in the midst of completing my Bachelor of Arts, English Major. I am also currently undergoing and partaking my Minor in Japanese at this institution. My aim is the become an English teacher and teach in Japan, hence my choices for the Major and Minor program.

I think this theme of cafés will most definitely boost my understanding of a part of the contemporary culture of Japan, and am looking forward to this experience! My Japanese is not the best, but I hope to communicate with the people who work at these cafés to gain a better understanding of their responsibilities and culture!

Thank you all for reading, and look forward to more posts by my other group members and I!

Sean Ko

Introduction

Our group chose "café" as our topic. While cafés exist in Canada as well, there is a vast variety of differences between some of the cafés that can be found here and in Tokyo. In Canada, the word "café" tends to mean a place to get coffee and pastries. In Japan, a café can include much more, such as animals, anime themes, and cosplay.

With cafés of basically any theme imaginable in existence, there's going to be something out there for everyone. We hope to experience as many of these cafés as our time (and wallets) will allow. For now, we'll talk about some popular types of cafés we plan on visiting.

Maid Café

Exterior of a Maid Café

Maids from a Maid Café

Maid cafés are a relatively popular type of themed café. Guests are served by waitresses dressed in maid uniforms, and are treated as if they are the masters of the house. Guests are addressed by the terms "goshuujin-sama" or "ojou-sama", and spoken to in keigo. For an extra fee, they can pay to have their picture taken with one of the maids.

Animal Café

This is Sean's Friend at an Owl Café

More Owls from the Café

Exterior of Cat Café

Animal cafés are very popular with animal lovers. Cat cafés in particular are well known, but others like dog, rabbit, owl, and snake cafés can also be found around Tokyo. For a fee, you can sit and play with the animals for an allotted amount of time. Many cafés also offer meals and drinks for an extra fee, and sometimes you can purchase treats to feed the animals as well.

These are just a few of the cafés that Japan has to offer. We look forward to actually visiting these cafés in person and seeing what they're like for ourselves.