Name: Jun Washiyama
Age: 29
Major: English, ESL
From: Tokyo, Japan
What brought you to USM?
My company, ITOCHU Corp, sent me and three other coworkers here to study English for a semester. We return home in December, then another group comes to America to study. My corporation has an arrangement with USM to do this.
How does the commuter system here compare to Japan’s?
It’s very much the same. Both are good.
Do you live on campus?
I live in Portland Hall and I use the shuttle bus to get here [campus].
What do you think about USM and Maine?
The campus is very big! There’s lots of open areas to walk around in. In Japan, everything is very crowded. The campus here is much bigger than at home.
Do you read the Free Press?
Yes. I like reading about local events. In Japan the newspaper covers national stories; there isn’t any local news.
Are you married?
Yes.
Any children?
No.
Is your wife in America or Japan?
She stayed behind in Japan.