Lindi has worked in the tourism sector and as an ESOL teacher. She is currently a primary school teacher.
Japanese language education
Secondary:
Studied Japanese for five years at high school
Tertiary:
- Diploma in Japanese Studies at International Pacific College, Palmerston North (IPC)
- Bachelor of International Studies, majoring in Japanese (IPC)
- English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) certificate
Motivation to begin Japanese
Lindi’s father convinced her to study Japanese at high school, as he believed it would be more useful to her than other languages on offer. Lindi is pleased she listened to him as she believes this has enabled her to have a wide range of work experiences and opportunities.
Skills gained
Living on campus for the first two years at IPC and playing in the IPC taiko (drum) team for three years provided Lindi with many opportunities to immerse herself in Japanese language and culture. She went on to play in two taiko teams (Haere Mai and Asahi) in Auckland for a further four years.
Employment
Lindi has worked in the tourism sector in New Zealand where she frequently used her language skills. As a trained ESOL teacher she has also worked for six years with Japanese students in both Japan and New Zealand.
Currently a primary school teacher, Lindi often shares her experiences about Japan with her pupils, exposing them to the language and culture as much as possible.
Time spent in Japan
Lindi has had the chance to visit Japan four times, either to teach English or to enjoy traveling around.