Meet Hanna Juusola, Teaching Intern at Aoba-Japan International School 30 May 2018
What would your autobiography be called?
The girl who slept through her alarm…. again.
Where are you from and how long have you been living in Tokyo?
I am from Finland and I have now been living in Tokyo for one month. It’s not my first time to visit Japan though, as I was an exchange student in Yokohama 5 years ago.
What brought you to Tokyo?
During my exchange I really enjoyed spending time in Japan but as there were so many things to do and places to go, I felt like half a year wasn’t enough at all. This internship abroad was a perfect chance to come back and see a slightly different side of Tokyo metropolitan area.
What is your first impression from Japan?
As it’s not my first time living in Japan it’s not exactly a first impression, but what hasn’t changed from my last visit is the delicious food and kind people.
What did you study, why, and what did you like the most?
I am currently a second year student of Intercultural Teacher Education programme. Whether I choose to stay in Finland or want to go abroad to teach after getting my Master’s, I feel like competences in global education will be a great asset nevertheless. So far my favourite part has been this teaching practicum abroad, as I have got a more clear and wholesome idea of teaching as a profession.
What are your roles here at A-JIS?
I am usually with the 1st graders and my days consist of mostly assisting but also teaching from time to time. I have also been given a chance to observe lessons of other grade levels and visit some local schools.
How is your experience in A-JIS going so far?
It has been great. Everyone has been very welcoming and I have learned a lot.
Would you recommend the practicum experience to someone?
Definitely! I think anyone who is interested in global education and up for an adventure would enjoy it and learn a lot from it.
What do you like most about your profession?
I enjoy witnessing the creativity of children, as their solutions and ways of thinking can get so clever and go to directions I could never ever have even thought of.
What do you enjoy the most about life?
Food, exploring and unexpected encounters.
What do you do for fun?
My current favourite activity is karaoke. I also enjoy going out for a glass of wine, collecting lipsticks and cross-country skiing.
What’s the most unusual place you have visited?
I must admit that I am quite conventional traveler, so the most unusual it gets are the woods of northern Lapland. It was a winter wonderland in the middle of nowhere, the amount of snow was incredible.
Is there something interesting about yourself you would like to share?
As the answer to the first question implies, I am complete immune to any kind of alarm clocks. Without someone waking me up, I would oversleep all the time (thank god for roommates). I hope that by the time I graduate I will figure out a way to deal with the early mornings, as my future profession is not exactly lacking them.
