Jovita (Tumao) Corrigan (1989-90)
Paul Corrigan (1989-92)
We began to teach at LIOJ in 1989, and it was an experience that forever changed us. For Paul, it was the beginning of a new career and for Jovita an important stage in an established career. Although we were teachers in the Business Communication Program, we also taught in the Community Program one or two nights a week.
In a word, the LIOJ curriculum was excellent. For example, the Business Communication students would arrive the first Monday, sometimes reticent, but by the time they left four weeks later, they were communicating in English. The curriculum was not just what happened in the classroom, but all the out-of-class learning as well: lunches and dinners, hikes, Friday night out, karaoke, bowling, softball, cocktail parties, game night, mikan picking, and more. These activities fostered not just communication skills and cultural exchange, but developed strong personal bonds between students and teachers. In addition, in the Community Program, we taught and developed friendships with people in the local community. Although we were called "teachers," in fact we were learning a tremendous amount about TESOL, intercultural communication, and Japanese culture and society. We were extremely fortunate in having not just supportive teaching colleagues and directors, but also office staff members and managers who were kind, understanding, and helpful.
Jovita arrived at LIOJ first; Paul didn't arrive until a few months later. So we actually met for the first time in our lives in the LIOJ teachers' lounge on the sunny morning of July 7. And all that week the earth shook. At the time, seismologists tried to explain why so many tremors were occurring, but we have our own explanation. Nevertheless, it wasn't until after we were married that we realized we had met on Tanabata! It truly was an auspicious beginning. Now Jovita teaches at Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Paul at City University of Hong Kong, but no matter where in the world we travel, in our heart we always bring with us fond memories of the students, staff, and teachers of LIOJ.
February 2002
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